Cancun Hotels

With a plethora of beachfront hotels, a beautiful old town and significant archaeological sites, Cancun has tremendous appeal as a modern, bustling resort town, supremely geared for mass tourism.

Attractions

The most historic district of Cancun has wide boulevards, quaint roundabouts and more parks, landmarks and authentic marketplaces than the beach areas, which strictly cater to North American and European tastes. As such, there's much more local charm on display in the old quarter.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chichen Itza contains spectacular pre-Columbian Mayan ruins. From the step pyramid of El Castillo to the massive Temple of the Warriors, the complex has over a dozen stone structures of note.

Within an area of Cancun known as the Archaeological Zone, El Rey is another superb example of Mayan Civilization architecture and culture. The site contains many ruins that date back to the 13th century.

With about a dozen excellent beaches, Cancun has more than enough sand to satisfy. Divided just about equally between the south and northwestern side of the city, the beaches are for the most part superb for recreation and working on that holiday tan, but not necessarily ideal for swimming.

A small island and national park within close proximity to Cancun, Isla Contoy is a wonderful day trip away from the beach crowds. The lush wildlife sanctuary contains over 150 types of marine birds and several exotic turtle species.

Events

The month-long festival in September honors Mexico's cultural heritage with a string of events in Cancun, from concerts to parades, food fairs and street entertainment.

One of the most important day in Mexico serves up a slew of celebratory activities and events in Cancun. Meant to commemorate a vital triumph in battle over the French at Puebla de los Angeles in 1862, May 5th has basically become an annual excuse to party.

The annual celebration of life and veneration of the dead in early November provides visitors with a peerless glimpse into traditional Mexico.

Climate

Cancun has an appealing tropical climate with one potential downside in the form of occasional hurricane activity between May and December. Violent storms are rare however and for the most part, conditions are ideal throughout. The high and low extremes in temperature for the year are 32°C and 19°C.