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 Just South of the United States is a small tropical area on the Yucatan Peninsula known as Cancun. See where the food and lodgings are as diverse as the activities and sights that inhabit and surround the twenty-mile long island stretch of white sand and clear blue water. In Cancun, you will find dozens of markets and hundreds of restaurants and hotels specializing in anything and everything you are looking for. In only a few days you can hike through famous Mayan ruins such as Chichen Itza and Tulum, scuba dive in the second largest barrier reef in the world, witness protected sea turtle reserves and empty out the remainder of your energy on the dance floor in one of many island hotspots.
| In Cancun | | 1. | Barrier Reef One of Cancun’s largest attractions is the barrier reef off the Caribbean coast, which is the second largest barrier reef in the world and an ideal location for scuba diving. There are infinite numbers of tours and packages available for novices and experts in deep-sea exploration. If you are planning to stay for a week or longer it is advisable to invest in a package that offers certification at the end of the course. In addition to normal diving, wreck diving is also offered, which allows you to investigate sunken ships that are anywhere from five to two hundred years old. « hide | | 2. | Xel-Ha Located an hour south of Cancun, Xel-ha along the Riviera Maya is a water theme park that offers something for everyone. The giant park offers ecological tours along the Caribbean coastline, archeological tours that educate visitors on Mayan history and culture, and provides many water activities such as scuba diving, snorkeling and swimming with dolphins. The park offers more than enough activities to fill an entire day. Transportation is available by buses that run hourly to and from Cancun, and if you purchase your tickets online, you will receive a discount. « hide | | 3. | The Spa at the Royal Sands The Spa at the Royal Sands is good for erasing any tension left over from the real work-a-day world. Located in the Royal Sands resort on the island strip, practically every popular and trendy treatment is offered at the spa, from mud baths to seaweed wraps to pedicures and manicures, while soothing music and fruit baskets are present at all times. « hide |
| 1. | La Casa de Las Margaritas, Hotel Zone La Casa de Las Margaritas is a good place for authentic Mexican food and local entertainment. Live music, folk dancers and friendly waiters create a well-rounded atmosphere. « hide | 6. | La Dolce Vita Located along Nichupte Lagoon, La Dolce Vita serves classic Italian entrees accompanied by a friendly and efficient wait staff and relaxing live music. « hide | | 2. | La Habichuela La Habichuela in the heart of downtown Cancun offers Mexican cuisine in an airy garden setting that turns from quiet and pleasant during the day to romantic and cozy throughout the evening and night time hours. « hide | 7. | Captain’s Cove Captain’s Cove allows you to sample their wide variety of seafood options, and provides you with choice of air-conditioned indoor seating or outdoor dining on a wide deck that extends over the water. « hide | | 3. | La Parilla La Parilla offers a variety of simple and complicated Mexican dishes. The lively, colorful establishment is known for its great service, fun local atmosphere and buffet offerings on the weekend. « hide | 8. | The Crab House With soft jazz, warm breezes and views of the lagoon, The Crab House provides a pleasant, relaxed environment in which to dine on one of many seafood choices. « hide | | 4. | La Madonna La Madonna specializes in Northern Italian cuisine that complements the many levels of Italian art that blend with and surround the interior and exterior of the restaurant. « hide | 9. | Lorita Joe’s Lobster Shack For live music, live crocodiles and a great variety of seafood on the side, visit Lorita Joe’s Lobster Shack, located on the lagoon side of the island. And if you are really hungry, the house specials are All You Can Eat. « hide | | 5. | Cenacolo Cenacolo offers authentic Italian dishes in a comfortable, romantic setting. The waiters are friendly, the wine cellar is bountiful, and the sounds of a live piano fill the room every night. « hide | | |
| 1. | Isla Mujeres Isla Mujeres, named by 16th century pirates who stumbled upon the island and found nothing but old statues of woman, offers a secluded, enriching experience for anyone interested in turtles, both small and enormous. The Isla Mujeres Turtle Farm protects the sea turtles’ breeding grounds and provides, for those who are careful and quiet, a close encounter with wild, roaming turtles that weigh as much as 700 pounds. Turtle Farm tours leave from Cancun daily. « hide | | 2. | Isla Contoy 19 miles north of Isla Mujeres, an island 35 minutes by boat from Cancun, is the uninhabited Isla Contoy. There are limited daily excursions to the small densely forested island that acts as a bird sanctuary to over 100 species. You can find flamingos, turkey birds, egrets, herons and brown boobies, but also coexisting in this isolated landmass are boa constrictors and small crocodiles, so if you decide to go, stay close to your guides and empty your pockets of any leftover raw meat. « hide | | 3. | Mercado 28 Mercado 28 is an open-air market a bit outside of the main downtown shopping area. If you want to find slightly lower prices and you enjoy haggling for your goods, tell the cab driver the name of your destination, and no matter where you are on the island or in town, within a few minutes you’ll be standing amidst Mexican pottery, rugs, jewelry, ancient herbal remedies and local foods. This is a good place to blend in, so ditch the giant designer sunglasses and doe-eyed tourist glare. « hide | | 4. | Hygiene Warnings Most people know that drinking the water in locations like Cancun is often hazardous to your health, although Cancun has improved its health standards significantly over the years, there are still many areas where the water is not clean enough to drink without filters. Even though owners and waiters tell you that the water is safe, you are better off sticking to bottled water. And don’t forget that water is used to rinse and prepare just about every variety of food. It is hard to escape all avenues of infection, and normally the worst case scenario is a severe case of Montezuma’s Revenge. But if you roam outside of Cancun along the peripheries, be extra careful of the water around you. « hide | | 5. | Time Share Nightmares Walking the streets or the beaches of Cancun you will invariably run across some timeshare salesperson trying to entice you with a free meal, free massage or even a free weekend at a resort or hotel. If you have no intention of buying a timeshare, do not speak to the person. Do not casually banter with the person because these people are highly trained in the art of deception. Your best move is to walk away, and if you must talk, be blunt, brutally, and painfully honest. Don’t worry. Their feelings will not be hurt, and you will be spared hours of agonizing torture at the butt end of an endless sales pitch. « hide | | 6. | Market Areas outside of downtown Cancun Shopping areas outside of the main downtown center will be cheaper and more geared towards local customers. If you’re confident in your abilities to speak the native tongue and you’re aware of your surroundings, you will probably be okay. But the farther you move outside of the center, the more risk there is of theft. Also, in every downtown market, avoid the deep mazes that pop up around every corner, and if someone tries to lure you deep into the market with promise of savings or discounts, avoid the temptation. A few dollars savings is not worth your entire wallet or an injury. « hide |
| In Cancun | | 1. | Christine’s Christine’s is an upscale nightclub frequented by a crowd that is dressed to impress, with age groups ranging mostly between 18 and 30 years. The music is modern rock, pop and disco, and the atmosphere of many flashing lights and lasers goes along with the music themes. Crowds at Christine’s are as thick as the masses anywhere else, but here the tourists pay a bit more for their drinks and wait a bit longer to go crazy. « hide | | 2. | Cats Cats, located downtown, offers a chill, Reggae atmosphere and alcoholic cocktails at reasonable prices. Get away from the swarming club crowds and enjoy live bands that play mostly covers and some of their own original songs. « hide | | 3. | Senor Frog Senor Frog one of the most popular bars and restaurants in Cancun, catering to those who want to have a good time, spend a lot of money and drink a lot of alcohol. During the day Senor Frog is rather calm with a colorful island atmosphere and moderately priced meals. After six pm the whistles come out, the drinking games begin, much of the time encouraged by the wait staff, and customers gear up for a long, eventful night on the town. « hide | | 4. | Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville is a good place for the laid back or family oriented. There is a wide selection of food and drinks, and if you like Jimmy Buffet, he’s usually playing on the sound system. Also for families there are hula dancers at night, traveling guitar crooners and balloon hat makers. The soothing island rhythms might make you forget about home, but if you’re not careful, they may also make you forget about the ever-rising bill, so watch out. « hide | | 5. | The City The City is one of the newest clubs in Cancun, offering a wide selection of the hottest DJ’s each week. The club consists of three floors. On the first floor is normally techno, on the second and third floors there is a mix of hip-hop and electronic. The atmosphere is fast-paced, and the shot girls aggressive. « hide |
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