There is no doubt that Cancun is the most demanded tourist destination in Mexico. This is due to its great attractions that allow the enjoyment of any visitor. There are endless activities to do in Cancun and here I am going to present the most interesting and magnificent ones.
When visiting this wonderful city, you can enjoy its paradisiacal beaches, observe the ruins of the Riviera Maya, visit its beautiful parks and museums, taste the best dishes of the country and enjoy the nightlife that Cancun has to offer.
For this reason, you can not miss this guide that I present below, with the most complete and detailed information you can find on the internet.
Cancun is recognized as the most outstanding city in the Riviera Maya and has some of the most visited tourist regions in the country. I can say that you will find 2 major tourist areas in the city:
The Hotel Zone which includes the best beaches and hotels in this region.
Here are the most fascinating places and things to do in Cancun on your first trip.
Before we start with our top 10 places I recommend you visit in Cancun, take a look at the discounts on tours and attractions in Cancun that you can enjoy to save the most on your trip.
Cancun’s wonderful beaches
One of the main reasons to visit Cancun is, without a doubt, its fabulous beaches. Cancun’s beaches are considered some of the best in the Caribbean and the world, so you can’t miss them.
Personally, having had the opportunity to visit many of the most beautiful beaches in the world, I can tell you that there are no beaches or infrastructure as incredible as Cancun.
These miles of beaches with turquoise waters and white sand, also offer various water activities, places and plans to do in Cancun to enjoy a good meal or drink.
Chichen itzá
Another wonderful place you must visit on your trip to Cancun, are the Mayan Ruins of Chichen Itza and Coba. Its temples, pyramid and the Mayan culture around it, has made it one of the new 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Chichen Itza is an archaeological area symbol of the Mayan culture. It is one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico and one of the best things to do in Cancun all year round.
Tulum
The Tulum Ruins is another favorite tourist attraction in Cancun which attracts many visitors. The Tulum ruins are located right in front of a beach. Therefore, you can imagine that the views offered by the ruins and its wonderful turquoise waters are a must-see scenery in the Riviera Maya. To get to Tulum you can take a Cancun Transfers service to Tulum, either to a particular destination or to your hotel.
Nightlife
Nightlife in the city of Cancun is very wide and you can find options such as discos and famous nightclubs, light shows, beach parties, music shows and more. These nightclubs are located in downtown Cancun as well as in the Hotel Zone, close to the huge hotels and beautiful beaches.
Typical dishes to eat and where to eat in Cancun
If you want to enjoy the typical dishes of the region (and any kind of food in general), here you will enjoy many restaurants with the best gastronomy in the country, with excellent ambience and plans for things to do in Cancun.
The wide range of restaurants that this city offers includes typical Mexican food establishments (enchiladas, Texas Mexican, tamales, pozole, quesadilla, aguachile totopos, salads and more).
There are also those of traditional food from many countries of the world, specialized seafood and fish dishes, and fast food places.
How to get to Cancun
The city is located in the east of Mexico, in the state of Quintana Roo. This city is surrounded by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, and is very close to Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
Arriving by plane to Cancun
Cancun International Airport is considered the second busiest airport in Mexico and is located about 16 kilometers from the Hotel Zone of the city.
This airport offers direct connections to many countries in Europe, Latin America and North America, as well as many domestic flights throughout Mexico.
If you want to fly to Cancun, you can book with some of the following airlines: AeroMexico, Copa, United, Avianca, American, Iberia, Interjet, VivaAerobus and Volaris.
Ticket prices from Mexico City or Ciudad Juarez start at 120 USD. Those flights from international destinations start at approximately 370 USD. An interesting fact is that Cancun airport has its own Cancun Airport Transportation service to ensure the safety of visitors.
Arriving by bus to Cancun
If you wish to arrive by bus from another Mexican city, there is a wide variety of buses from the ADO company. The distance by road between Mexico City and Cancun, for example, is about 1,650 kilometers (18 hours).
Another common route is the one that connects through the Yucatan Peninsula with the city of Merida. The distance is about 300 kilometers and ticket prices range between 950 and 2,500 MXN. There are many Cancun transportation options that are really efficient.
Getting to Cancun by car
The approximate travel time by car from Mexico City to Cancun is about 20 hours if you make a few stops. Toll costs are about 1,660 pesos and about 1,400 pesos in fuel.
I do not recommend driving to Cancun from Mexico City. To be honest, the trip is too tiring and the roads are not very safe at night. Only if you are going to visit different towns and tourist spots from Mexico City to Cancun, only then, I would recommend you to make the trip by car, if not, save yourself the hassle and fly there. Now if you are going to get to Cancun and drive all over the Yucatan peninsula it is totally recommended, since Yucatan is the safest state in Mexico (maybe in all of Latin America).