Cancun

Cancun : Travel information before you go!

Discover the destination

Cancun extends over a strip of land which snakes between the Nitchupte lagoon and the transparent waters of the Caribbean Sea. On this coastal strip 12 and a half miles long, nearly thirty thousand hotel rooms are on offer.

Today, local authorities in this seaside resort, built in the 1970s, fight against the polluting effects of the tanning products from the hordes of bathers!

So, be aware that if you give in to the incomparable beauty of these turquoise waters and heat of this tropical paradise for Americans, you will find a relatively banal setting of an international seaside resort; in short this is a quite a tasteless and characterless world. To have a pleasant walk, however, go to Tulum Avenue in the historic district of the city.

If you are tired of Cancun and the bustling of tourists, get aboard a trimaran for 30 minutes to get to Isla Mujeres, a small island which offers you sightseeing opportunities for a day. To book, most hotels leave the management of excursions in the region to travel agencies; they all have information and sales offices within the hotels. You can start by a day of diving in the lagoon of Cancun, but do not miss the Palancar reef that lies off the island of Cozumel, the largest in Mexico.

The Cancun region has the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere. So beneath the surface of the water you must set off on a discovery of the territory. Many hotels offer free introductory courses in diving in the swimming pool and contract out the courses under PADI certification.

To the west of Cancun, in central Yucatan, you reach the archeological site of Chichen Itza, one of the leading cities in the 'new empire' of the Maya founded in 987.

Another site, Tulum, whose façade on one of the main buildings from the 12th and 13th centuries on a cliff overlooks the Caribbean Sea. Combine this visit with a swim in the lagoon of Xel-Ha, a real natural pool, much frequented, where the fresh water sources and warm currents of the sea mix together. In all, plan a day including two hours and a half by car to visit Xel-Ha. If you like swimming in rivers (the famous cenotes dug in the limestone ground ) and the crystal clear waters of the lagoons, in the middle of tropical birds and brightly coloured butterflies, do not miss Xcaret, an eco-archaeological park an hour's drive away.

Find your flights Cancun at the best prices.

pros

A coral reef, among the most beautiful in the world
The proximity of the Maya sites
There are numerous hotels along the turquoise blue seafront, against a backdrop of fine white sand

cons

A factory of tourism
The cost of living indexed to the dollar
A concrete coastline

Weather Cancun

All overall indicators 59/100 Average

Weather May Year's weather

Temperature indicators 66/100 Good
Bad weather indicators 22/100 Bad
Sunbathing indicators 52/100 Average
Swimming indicators 88/100 Excellent
Wind indicators 76/100 Good
Temperature indicatorsVery hot :
The maximum temperature is <24°, temperature felt between 33°C and 36°C.
Bad weather indicatorsRainy :
Rainy - averaging between 3.5mm and 4.5mm per day.
Sunbathing indicatorsSunny intervals :
Cloudy with sunny intervals (40% to 60% cloud cover).
Swimming indicatorsVery pleasant / Optimal :
High air temperature (>24°C), high sea temperature (>24°C), light to moderate winds (between 7 mph and 12 mph).
Wind indicatorsLight warm breeze :
Near optimal comfort: moderate to light winds (between 6 mph and 7 mph) in a warm enviromnment (>24°C).

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Visit Cancun

To see

To the west of Cancun after 2 and a half hours by car, you reach the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, one of the leading cities of the Mayan empire founded in 987. Do not hesitate to climb the 91 steps of the main pyramid to enjoy the wonderful view over the surrounding jungle. Also, go to see the site of Tulum and Xcaret ecological park.

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To do

Go swimming in the famous ?cenotes', tunnels with cavities filled with freshwater. Specialised companies in fair tourism offer daily trips accompanied by Tyrolean descents, which are very impressive in the jungle.

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To think about

It is better to bring small change, the nuevo peso (N$), and U.S. dollars in small notes. Small shops, taxis and street vendors can rarely change large notes. There are notes of 20, 50 and 100 N$.

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To avoid

Some tours offer a ?meeting of the Maya people'. Though it is true that you see the descendants of the pre-Columbian civilization, the term ?meet' is often misused. Due to a lack of time, there is no time to start a conversation. Sometimes, meals are not shared with the inhabitants. Find out before leaving!

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To try

The cuisine of the Yucatan peninsula is mainly composed of dishes made from corn (tortillas), a wide variety of meat, seasoned with chilli (not as spicy in hotels) or coriander. The shellfish is excellent. The grouper is the fish that you most often find at a good price in restaurants.

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To bring back

The hammocks of Yucatan, finely woven nylon or cotton, are comfortable. You will find different sizes costing between £10 and £17 apiece. Avoid other rough materials which can be rough on the skin. Corsages, shawls ( ?rebosos'), masks and leather sandals are commonly found on the markets. Silver is fashioned with various styles and motifs.

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What about heading out to explore Yucatan's transparent waters? Nothing less than a clear turquoise Caribbean ocean should be expected in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. There is a strong party atmosphere for miles of white sandy coastline, from Cancun to Tulum, all unfolding in the sunshine. You will ...

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La Closerie de HonfleurLa Closerie de Honfleur

Daisy Rivers 29/04/2013 :

"This hotel was terrible value for money and the imagesq on the website are extremely misleading. We have a view of the LIDL across the road, the..."

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Hotel Cordial Mogan PlayaHotel Cordial Mogan Playa

Gill Smith 02/04/2013 :

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Hotel Premiere Classe ReimsHotel Premiere Classe Reims

Mark Attwell 05/03/2013 :

"Great location for a stopover when travelling through France. Rooms can sleep up to 4 which is better than other budget chains and quality of..."

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