CANCUN Cancun is Mexico’s most important tourist destination and one of the world’s most well-known resorts. Located in the state of Quintana Roo in the Yucatan Peninsula region, it has a subtropical climate, with average temperatures ranging between 27º C (81º F) and 35º C (95º F) and sunny days throughout most of the year. Cancun offers the unparalleled beauty of the Caribbean Sea’s turquoise-blue water and white-sand beaches. During your stay, you can do water sports or other activities: snorkeling, scuba diving, parachuting, or you can take a spin on a waverunner. You’ll also find plenty of time to relax and enjoy the fine services offered in the hotel zone. Along the hotel strip, which spans more than 30 kilometers (nearly 19 miles), you’ll find everything from villas and five-star hotels to exclusive resorts and spas. You’ll also find modern shopping malls, more than 500 restaurants offering the best in national and international cuisine, and numerous bars and discos where the parties rage all night long. BEACHES  Without a doubt, Cancun’s strongest draw is its crystalline blue water. In these waters, or on the beaches, you can do all kinds of activities. You might want to take a spin on a waverunner or a banana boat. Or you can play some volleyball or simply bask in the sun on a white-sand beach as you take in the spectacular scenery of the hotel zone. The following beaches are located along Kukulkan Boulevard:
Playa Langosta – Located at Km 5 in the hotel zone, just west of Punta Cancun, it is one of Cancun’s most visited beaches. From Playa Langosta’s pier, there are several tour boats that will take you to Isla Mujeres. Playa Tortugas - located at Km 6, west of Punta Cancun. This beach has calm and shallow waters, making it the ideal family vacation spot. In front of the pier, there is a platform for bungee jumping. Playa Chac-Mool – Located at Km 10 in the hotel zone, in front of the Bojorquez Lagoon, this beach with moderate surf is a great place to sunbathe while sipping on a drink and looking out onto the Caribbean Sea. Playa Marlin – Located at Km 13 in the hotel zone and half a kilometer south of archaeological site Yamil Lu’um, this place is a great romantic getaway for those looking to get away from noise and crowds. Playa Ballenas – Located at Km 14 in the hotel zone, north of Punta Nizuc, the blue-green waters of the Caribbean Sea invite you to do water sports. Has one of the best panoramic views of Cancun. Playa Delfines – North of Punta Nizuc at Km 18 in the hotel zone, it is a great beach to soak up some sun and it has a lookout point that will give you an excellent opportunity to take some photos of the Caribbean Sea. Isla Mujeres – Located 14 kilometers (9 miles) off the coast of Cancun, it is one of the most beautiful spots in the Mexican Caribbean. The island is 8 kilometers (5 miles) long and 1.5 kilometers (about 1 mile) wide. To arrive there, you can take a ferry or speedboat from Puerto Juarez, Punta Sam and Playa Linda. You can arrive by taking the Garrafon Cruise, which departs from the Embarcadero in Cancun’s hotel zone at Km 4. It arrives at Parque Natural Garrafon on the southern part of the island. You can do all kinds of aquatic sports at this beach, which offers waverunner rentals and banana rides. Playa Gaviota Azul – Just behind Plaza Forum and south of Punta Cancun at Km 18 in the hotel zone, the beach has decent surf, making it a good place to swim and do other water sports. San Miguelito – Located in the hotel zone at Km 16.5, between Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc, at this beach you can visit ruins at a small archaeological site, which is also called San Miguelito. Yamil Lu’um – At Km 12.5 in the hotel zone, south of Playa Chac-mool, this beach has two Mayan structures. The more noticeable of the two is a construction that probably served as a lookout post for a temple. Playa Las Perlas – At the beginning of the hotel zone and west of Punta Cuncan at Km 2.5, you’ll find this beach with balmy weather, ideal for doing such water sports as sailing, surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving and swimming. This spot also has ferries that depart to Isla Mujeres. Playa Linda – Located at Km 4, where the hotel zone begins, and 1 kilometer (less than a mile) west of Playa Langosta. Mujeres Bay is known for its calm waters, making it a safe place to swim. It is also a main stopover and departure point for cruise liners and other boats going to Isla Mujeres. Playa Caracol – Located at Km 8.5, between Playa Langosta and Punta Cancun. The shallow waters at this beach make it an ideal swimming spot for children and beginners. It is also a fabulous place for water-skiing. SPAS Cancun’s most exclusive hotels have modern spas that offer aerobics classes, massages, and diverse treatments to relax, humidify the skin, and to recover lost energy. We recommend the following places, where you will receive professional treatment: Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort – Located at Km 36.5 on the Cancun-Tulm Highway, about 10 minutes from Cancun. Offers 50 treatments applied in 30 different rooms equipped with steam baths, saunas, and Jacuzzis. It also has a view of the golf course. Le Meridien Cancun – Located in Cancun’s hotel zone at Retorno del Rey and lot 31-1 at Km 14. Has 15,000 square meters of European-style gardens and facilities, with separate areas for men and women. Both areas include, hot water tubs, cold-water Jacuzzis, aromatherapy and hydrotherapy services, saunas, and 14 massage rooms. Nichupte Destination Spa – Located 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the Cancun Convention Center. This spa offers gymnasiums, saunas, steam baths, facial treatments and a special application of fresh flowers and aromatic oils to revitalize the body and mind. It also has hydrotherapy and massage services, as well as meditation and exercise classes in yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates GOLFING  For those who enjoy golfing, Boulevard at Km 7.5. Tels. (998) 883-1230 , 883-1277, and 883-0871. www.cancungolfclub.com Cancun has several world-class courses that offer the unparalleled beauty of the Mexican Caribbean.
Pok-Ta-Pok Golf Club – This is one of the first golf courses built in Cancun’s hotel zone. It is an 18-hole, par 72 course. Located on Kukulkan Hotel Grand Oasis – Located in Cancun’s hotel zone, this hotel has an excellent nine-hole, par 27 course. Located on Kukulkan Boulevard at Km 16.5. Tels. (998) 885-0867 and 885-0627 www.oasishotels.com.mx Club de Golf Melia – Has an 18-hole, par 54 course. Located on Kukulkan Boulevard at Km 16.5 in the hotel zone. Tel. (998) 881-1100 www.solmelia.com Hilton Cancun Beach & Golf Club – Has an 18-hole, par 72 course. Located at Retorno Lacandones Sec. A at Km 17 in the hotel zone. Tel. (998) 881-8016 www.hiltoncancun.com Moon Palace Golf Course – Designed by the famous Jack Nicklaus, this is an 18-hole, par 72 course. Located at Km 36.5 on the Cancun-Tulum Highway. Tel. (998) 881-6000 www.golf.com.mx/temporal/palaceR.html AMUSEMENT PARKS AND RECREATION Cancun is one of the best places in Mexico to relax and enjoy your free time. It offers a wide variety of entertainment options, amusement parks, nature outings, ecological reserves, bathing resorts and zoos. We recommend that you visit the following places: Torre Escenica – Located at Km 4 in the hotel zone, this structure towers 110 meters (363 feet) high and offers a panoramic view of the city and the Caribbean Sea. Interactive Aquarium – Located in Plaza La Isla at Km 12.5 in the hotel zone, this aquarium, the first of its kind in Latin America, features a wide variety of fish that live in the Caribbean Sea. Its main attraction is a shark tank that allows you to have an interactive experience with various types of sharks. Wet ‘n Wild – Located in the hotel zone at Km 25 in Punta Nizuc. This aquatic park offers fun for the whole family with its waterslides, wave pool, more than 800 feet of white-sand beaches, and so much more. Xcaret – Located 72 kilometers (44 miles) from Cancun off the Cancun-Tulum Highway.This park has a beach area, underground rivers, an aquarium, a butterfly pavillion, a so-called dolphinarium, an orchid greenhouse and a bee farm. What’s more, it offers an archaeological zone and a recreation of a Mayan village. Open daily from 8:30 am to 10:00 pm.  Xel-Ha – Located 115 kilometers (72 miles) south of Cancun off the Cancún-Tulum Highway. An ecological park where you can enjoy the experience of swimming with dolphins and snorkeling in the main lagoon or in underground rivers. Open daily from 8:30 to 6:00. Reserva Ecologica de Sian Ka’an – Located 157 kilometers south of Cancun off the Cancun-Tulum Highway. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the reserve has 23 archaeological sites. Has five different entrances; most people use the Santa Teresita and Chac-mool entrances. A perfect place for a family vacation, as it offers the opportunity to see a wide variety of marine and terrestrial plant and animal life. Isla Contoy – Located northeast of Cancun, it is a nearly uninhabited island. The only way to arrive there is by taking a tour boat from Cancun. It is the most important bird reserve in the Mexican Caribbean, with more than 115 aquatic, migratory and indigenous species. Sandy dunes and bushes predominate the landscape. It also has various shallow lagoons, which attract many of the animal species. Declared a national park in 1998, it has 5,126 hectares (12,660 acres) of terrain. Boats to Isla Contoy depart from Isla Mujeres. This pristine island offers all the necessary services to make your stay as pleasant as possible. Crococun – Located south of Cancun at Km 30 on the Cancun-Tulum Highway. At this place, you can see more than 300 crocodiles in captivity |