Cancun is more than a party destination with luxury resorts and superb white-sand beaches (though it's a good one). This is the Yucatán Peninsula's gateway to a lush world of jungle-clad pyramids, cenotes, and marine wildlife-filled reefs. Whether you want to explore Mayan archaeological sites, snorkel, scuba dive, or simply lounge by the Caribbean Sea with a margarita, you'll find plenty of things to do in Cancun.
For warm, but not too hot, weather, visit Cancún from December to April. This is the high season, however, so prepare for crowds, especially in spring when Cancún turns into a hub for rowdy college students. Summer and fall are typically more humid and rainy, but the tail end of the hurricane season (mid to late November) can be a good option.
A good public bus system travels through the Hotel Zone along Boulevard Kukulcán and around downtown Cancún. There are also regional buses that can get you to attractions such as Chichén Itzá, as well as the nearby resort towns of Tulum and Playa del Carmen. If you are planning to explore the area, taking a guided tour with hassle-free hotel pickup and drop-off is ideal.
When landing at Cancún International Airport, you will likely be met by a group of taxi drivers vying for your business. You’ll save money and hassle by pre-booking your airport transfer service and walking straight past the crowd to meet your driver, who will be waiting for you when you land. Most services offer a round-trip option so you don’t need to worry about booking your trip back to the airport.
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Cancún is beloved by spring breakers and familes alike for its white-sand beaches and Caribbean water. The city’s excellent resorts, many of them all-inclusive, typically offer direct access to the beach, making Cancún an excellent destination to wind down on the sand with a margarita in hand. And, after hours, the nightlife is always hopping.
...MoreThe resorts of Cancún’s Hotel Zone offer water sports aplenty, from snorkeling, scuba diving, and paddleboarding to speed boating, jet skiing, and flyboarding. Xcaret adventure park, where you can go ziplining and river rafting, is a popular day trip, as is Isla Mujeres, which is best reached by catamaran. Swimming with whale sharks is another bucket list activity that's popular in Cancun.
...MoreThe weather in Cancún is perfect almost all year round but at its very best between December and April—ideal for escaping the wintery weather of North America’s more northerly climes. While winter does bring many travelers, the crowds are not as heavy as those of mid-March to early April when spring breakers arrive en masse.
...MoreNo, Cancun isn't expensive. How much money you spend in Cancún depends on how you choose to spend your vacation. While you can splash out on luxury hotels, fine dining, and late nights in the city’s clubs, you can just as easily keep costs low by booking all-inclusive packages and combination tours.
...MoreYes, three days is long enough in Cancún to spend a lazy day on the beach, do some water-based activities, and explore some of the Riviera Maya’s cultural attractions such as Maya ruins and cenotes. It doesn’t leave a lot of time for relaxing however, so you may want to add on another day or two.
...MoreCancún is a gateway to the ancient Maya ruins of Tulum and Chichen Itza. You can also swim in the cool, clear waters of the Yucatán peninsula’s cenotes, including the crystal caves of Rio Secreto, and go scuba diving off Isla Mujeres: all can be easily reached on a day trip from Cancún.
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