Disclaimer: This is a user generated content submitted by a member of the WriteUpCafe Community. The views and writings here reflect that of the author and not of WriteUpCafe. If you have any complaints regarding this post kindly report it to us.

Ho no, another article talking about Cancun. Surely this could be your thought, because let's be honest. THERE ARE A LOT OF ARTICLES THAT TALK ABOUT
CANCUN.

But I can guarantee you that this is a totally different article. Why? For the simple fact that this article is being created by a person who lives in Cancun and knows Cancun.

Well, almost all the articles that you can read on Google and on travel blogs about the city of Cancun, only misinform about the reality (no offense and that's why I said almost all), to give an example, there is a post that says the following.

  • Holbox is an island of Cancun……
  • Chichen Itza is an archeological zone of Cancun.
  • You can enjoy Xcaret park in Cancun…..

Holbox is not part of Cancun, Chichen Itza belongs to the state of Yucatan and Xcaret is 5 minutes from the exit of Playa del Carmen.

Well, now that we have that out of the way let's really talk about Cancun, some things to do, how you can get around the city and some other things nearby (Riviera Maya) that you can check out.

What to do in Cancun

Generally Cancun is a beach city, where its main attractions are its beaches, the various water tours, the plazas, restaurants and some archaeological sites that are not really popular, but they are Cancun. Let's get to know it

Beaches

Cancun has 22 kilometers of beaches and this is its main attraction, because tourists come here just for this: to enjoy the beaches, the sun, the sand. And while there are beaches that, due to the proximity of nightclubs, you can enjoy music and a party atmosphere, there are also beaches that have an unparalleled tranquility.

Day Tours

The beaches of Cancun have as an added value multiple water activities, such as swimming with dolphins, driving jet skis or speedboats, scuba diving, snorkeling, boat rides, among others.

Something I can mention here is that several tours such as Xcaret, cenotes, Tulum, coba, etc, etc, are not from Cancun, in fact these tours or activities are from the Riviera Maya and many others are part of the state of Yucatan, but the proximity that Cancun has, has allowed the misinformation, calling them “Cancun activities”.

Night Tour

Just as there are daytime activities, there are also some evening activities, some of them are visiting the night clubs, others include romantic dinners. There is also a combination of both and this is offered by Captain Hook.

Generally this tour is a show on a boat ride, while enjoying a delicious lobster. People staying in the 5 star hotels are very lucky, as most of them also include a party and night show.

Nightclubs

Of course, you can't miss the nightclubs and the 2 most recognized in Cancun are The city and Coco Bongo. This doesn't mean that you have to be in them, because I'll tell you the truth. La vakita and Mandala are 2 clubs that compete with the previous ones and there are many others.

Of course, if you are looking for something more exclusive for adults, there are some men's clubs in the hotel zone as well as in the center of the city, and I must say that you won't need the company of beautiful women.

Scenic Tower

Something that I did not put in the day tour or night tour is to visit the scenic tower, the reason is that I do not consider this a tour and I see it more as something momentary, almost like going to a plaza for an ice cream.

This activity gives us the opportunity to “See” the city or rather the hotel zone in its maximum splendor. As its name suggests, it is a small walk where we climb a tower about 50 meters high.

Theaters

If you are looking for something a little more cultural, there are some theater performances that may interest you and that are mostly appreciated on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Although the real euphoria takes place in Cancun's theater.

Restaurants

We can't finish this small part of things to do and see in Cancun without talking about restaurants. Cancun is a city that has a multi gastronomy. In a few words you can find seafood, Spanish, French, Italian, as well as Mexican.
And just as there are places where eating out will be very expensive, there are places where with a few pesos you can eat like a king. It all depends on how open you are to discover the city.

NOTE CONTINGENCY: Due to the contingency that is being experienced worldwide, some activities in Cancun are restricted, for example the nightclubs are not active for now, at least those that are closed and not in open places like Mandala, La Vaquita and Congo Bar. To access restaurants, plazas and various places it is mandatory to bring mouth covers. And some tours are limited to groups of 5 to 8 people.

Things to do near Cancun

Now we can talk freely about things to do near Cancun and by near we mean the Riviera Maya. Why? Because the Riviera Maya is made up of 3 cities: Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.

These 3 cities are coastal and rich in natural resources such as the Mayan jungle, cenotes, caverns, sanctuaries and so on.

For example if we talk about Playa del Carmen, well you can “get to know the city”, however on the outskirts we have 5 fantastic parks that are part of the Xcaret group and which are: Xcaret, Xenses, Xenotes, Xplor and Rio Secreto.

If we go a little further between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, you will find several beaches, some virgin, others very little known, as well as cenotes, more than 50 cenotes and for sure if you Google Cenotes of Tulum, Playa del Carmen or Riviera Maya you will be surprised by the pictures you will see. But of course, we'll talk about that another time.

Hotels in Cancun

Cancun is generally divided into 2 zones: Downtown and Hotel Zone.If you are looking for luxury hotels, close to the beach, all inclusive and with amenities that you can't even imagine, the hotel zone is the right place for you.

If you are looking to spend the least, and just have a place to sleep or rest comfortably. Downtown is the place where you can find cheap hotels and hostels. Some of them even have a pool

  • What are the best hotels in Cancun?

    According to TripAvdisor platform, the top 10 hotels in Cancun are:

  • Live Aqua Beach Resort Cancun
  • Temptation Cancun Resort
  • Hyatt Ziva Cancun
  • Secrets The Vine Cancun
  • Hyatt Zilara Cancun
  • Fiesta Americana Condesa Cancun All Inclusive
  • Le Blanc Spa Resort
  • Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun All Inclusive
  • Paradisus Cancun
  • The Royal Sands All Suites Resort & Spa

.

Getting around Cancun

Cancun has both public and private transportation. Generally each of them has its advantages, disadvantages, prices, conveniences and inconveniences.

Public transportation

Public transportation can be a bus, a van or a cab and each of them has different prices depending on the area. For example if you are in the hotel zone the cost of the bus is 12 Mexican pesos and the cab can cost up to 300 pesos.If you are in downtown Cancun the bus costs 12 pesos and the vans 10 pesos, the cab can cost from 40 to 80 pesos.

The difference between the zones is divided into the rural zone (downtown) and the hotel zone (tourist zone) where the tourist zone has at least the highest quality of public transportation, while in the rural zone you have to be prepared to be in vehicles in bad condition, with bad smell, that make a lot of noise and with seats that are not comfortable at all.

Private Transportation.

If you need to move to distant places, for example from Cancun airport to your hotel, or from your hotel to Playa del Carmen, Chichen Itza, Tulum, etc, etc, etc. Believe me, public transportation will not be at all pleasant, so you have the option of taking private transportation.

Private transportation can have a cost of 32 to 45 60 USD trip inside Cancun and outside a cost of up to 500 USD (depending on the distance), but you have to consider that this cost comes with comfort, privacy, speed, and tranquility.

Some of the companies we recommend are below.

Recommendations to visit Cancun

Some recommendations that we make to visit Cancun are:

1.- Change your money to Mexican pesos before coming: This will prevent you from being charged too much for everything and in dollars, the clear example is that the dollar is 20 MXN and if an ice cream costs 10 MXN, you will be charged in a dollar.

Book your tours online and from official websites: Nowadays there are many cases where tourists are scammed for buying on the street, so be careful.

3.- Bring sunscreen: Don't let the sun ruin your body.

Be prepared for many trips: Many other attractions that are part of the city of Cancun are between an hour and 4 hours away, so if you plan to visit Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Holbox, Coba, Chichen Itza and other places you should be prepared.

Conclusion

Without further ado, this post is short, because the reality is that in Cancun there are not as many things as it is portrayed, but around it, such as Xcaret, the Riviera Maya and other places, however. This does not stop making Cancun a dream destination that you have to know.