Cancun Mexico Tourism & Travel Information Hotels Tours Airport Transfers

Cancun					Brazil

Cancun Travel Information

About Cancun

Cancun is the most important tourist city on the Mexican Caribbean coast. It is an island 25km long and 400m wide, located in the southeast of Mexico, on the northeast point of Yucatan Peninsula. It is connected to the continent with 2 bridges.

Cancun is divided into 2 main areas: the center of Cancun, on the continental part, where the majority of the stable population live and the hotels, restaurants and small scale shops are located; and the area with the 1st class hotels, which is situated on a peninsula 13km long on the Caribbean Sea (see Map of Cancun).

Cancun has a warm subtropical climate all year round. In front of it’s coast stretches the second longest coral reef in the world. It’s beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise sea with it’s variety of sea life are ideal for water sports such as surfing, yachting, jet-skiing, diving, snorkelling and fishing.

Cancun offers fun for people of all ages and tastes with a wide range of services, modern commercial centers, high quality restaurants with international and traditional cuisine, lively nightlife, squares with handicrafts and mayan ruins to admire (see Tours).

Cancun Hotels

Cancun Hotels are generally found on the coast in the area referred to “Zona Hotelera” and in the center of the city.

Cancun Hotels in the “Zona Hotelera” flaunt impressive architectural designs and provide all modern comforts and services, and are represented by the most famous international hotel chains.

The majority of Cancun Hotels in the “Zona Hotelera” operate under the All Inclusive system, which includes accommodation, meals, entertainment, other services and tips. This is the reason for the higher price.

Cancun Hotels in the “Zona Centrica” are generally of an intermediate level, operated by their owners and are often family run. Their guests are generally those travelers looking for lower costs without losing comfort and security (see advice).

Cancun Tours

Cancun Tours are designed to allow tourists to enjoy the beaches and sea, practice water sports, visit the nearby islands, learn about the mayan culture and enjoy the cuisine and customs of this region.

Isla Mujeres is located in front of Cancun’s coast and can be accessed by motorboat or ferry. It offers quiet, perfect beaches for surfing or yachting, colorful coral reefs to practice diving and snorkelling, and the open sea with b currents,very good for fishing.

Puerto Morelos, 35km from Cancun, is a small fishing village for those looking for a quiet, bohemian place. It has beautiful beaches and nearby reefs to practice snorkelling. The coastal restaurants offer speciality seafood dishes fresh from the sea.

Playa del Carmen is the most important city of the Riviera Maya, 65km from Cancun. In the last few years it has been converted into a cosmopolitan port, a romantic place with a very european lifestyle. (see Map of Playa del Carmen).

The Eco Arqueológico Xcaret Park is situated 45 minutes from Cancun and 5 minutes from Playa del Carmen. There are beautiful beaches, underground rivers, archeological sites, together with an abundance of lush vegetation.

Chichén-Itza is an archeological park ideal for those wanting to learn about the Mayan culture, with large structures like the Kukulcan Pyramid, where you can appreciate their astrological knowledge. A visit to the park takes approximately 5 hours and offers restaurants, toilet facilities and tourist guides. It is located in the north of the Yucatan province, 170km from Cancun. Aerial access is possible by means of it’s airport, but you can also get there by bus or car, at a lower cost.

Isla Holbox is located 10km north of the Yucatan Peninsula and 250km from Cancun. It is a true natural paradise, removed from civilization, an ideal place to relax. It has great restaurants and ecological friendly hotels with comfort and personal attention. Tourists can go diving or fishing in it’s beautiful beaches. Above the lagoon, where there are views of the continent you can find a sanctuary of flamingos, pelicans and other exotic species.

Cancun Car Rental

Cancun’s International Airport is 20 minutes from the Zona Hotelera (see Map of Cancun). From there you can rent a car or use one of the transfer companies engaged to pick passengers up.

Cancun Car Rental can be arranged through car rental agencies located in the arrivals hall of the International Airport, in branches in the center and in some hotels.

The most convenient and economical means of transport in Cancun is a taxi and the urban buses. The taxis are available 24 hours a day and can be found everywhere; they do not use set fares and you can negotiate the price. The buses have fixed stops and continually travel back and forth along the coast.

The bus station for long distance travel can be found in the center of Cancun on the corner of Avenida Uxmal and Avenida Tulum. The buses leave frequently to all Mexican Carribean destinations and are generally very cheap.

Cancun Tourist Information

Cancun tourist information can be obtained in the Secretaria de Turismo Cancun, located on Bv. Kukulcan Km 9, 1st Floor of the Cancun Center in the Zona Hotelera Tel: (52-998) 881-9000, in the Turismo Municipal Office Tel: (52-998) 887-4329 or in the shops in the airport.

The water in the tourist area of Cancun is drinkable, but can be unpleasant for some people because of the large quantities of mineral salts of calcium carbonate (??), due to the geological origin of the Yucatan Peninsula. It is therefore recommendable to drink the purified bottled water.

El agua en toda la zona turística de Cancun es potable, pero puede resultar pesada para algunas personas por la gran cantidad de sales minerales de carbonato de calcio, debido al origen geológico de la Península de Yucatán. Por ello se recomienda el consumo de agua purificada embotellada.

The storm and hurricane season generally starts in July and lasts until September. The meteorological service continuously broadcasts the necessary information. In case of threatening weather, there are contingency plans and suitable measures ready to be implemented, with tourists being the priority.

The credit Cards Mastercard, Visa and American Express are accepted everywhere, as well as cash in dollar bills. The Discover card is not accepted in the area and traveller’s cheques are also sometimes not accepted in some cases.

Tourists can exchange their currencies to Mexican Pesos in banks, hotels, and “Casas de Cambio”. The opening hours of banks are generally from 9am to 4pm and Casas de Cambios are open at varying times.

With respect to security, Cancun and surrounding areas, are quite safe and the traveler can walk around the squares, streets and beaches calmly. However, like any city in the world, the traveler is recommended to avoid poorly lit or remote areas away from the general public and to take care of their belongings.

The level of tipping is consistent with other countries in this region. In the airport and hotels the recommended tip is 1 or 2 US Dollars for each suitcase carried. In restaurants it is common to leave a tip of between 10% and 15% of the total of the bill (if the tip is not already included in the bill).