Must-see in Cancún

You’ll find no better place in Cancún to absorb the Yucatán’s rich culture and history than the Museo Maya, a modern museum housing a permanent exhibit of some 400 artifacts found at various archaeological sites throughout southeastern Mexico, including El Rey, Palenque, and Chichén Itzá. Highlights include a mosaic jade mask discovered in a Dzibanché tomb in southern Quintana Roo, and the Blom Plate, a ceramic dish depicting a mythical age when supernatural beings roamed the earth. The price of admission includes access to the adjacent Maya ruins of San Miguelito.

After ambling through the halls of the wonderful Museo Maya, take a stroll through the abutting San Miguelito archaeological site. The ancient Maya structures lack the wow factor of some of the nearby bucket list attractions, such as the ruins at Chichén Itzá, but a leisurely walk amid the quiet jungle-covered grounds allows the imagination to run wild. San Miguelito offers a glimpse into a fishing-and-gathering settlement that peaked between 1250-1550 AD.

Archaeologists believe the community had close ties with nearby Tulum and Xcaret due to the buildings’ similar east coast architectural styles. Among the site’s 14 structures, you’ll see a deteriorated palace and housing units around a 26-foot-high pyramid. In addition to fishing and maritime trade, San Miguelito also stood out for its production of honey, salt, and copal.

A real Cancún highlight, the MUSA, as it’s called in Spanish, was conceived in 2008 to redirect visitors away from fragile coral reef formations. The underwater museum’s two sites exhibit some 500 sculptures submerged in the waters off Punta Nizuc, on the hotel zone’s south end, and Manchones, off the southern tip of Isla Mujeres. You have three options for visiting the undersea art exhibition: scuba diving, snorkeling, or glass bottom boat. At 26 to32 feet deep, the Manchones site displays 473 works of art and is recommended for diving only. Family-friendly Punta Nizuc, at 6 to13 feet deep, is your best bet for a snorkeling or boat tour.

The sculptures were made with pH-neutral cement, a material that allows for the growth of coral. Jason deCaires Taylor, a British sculptor and one of the museum’s founders, created The Silent Evolution, a Manchones exhibit of 400 pieces, some of which were modeled after real-life people. Any dive shop worth its salt runs outings to MUSA, or you can book a tour directly on the museum’s website.

With white-sand beaches hugging some 14 miles of Caribbean coastline, there’s no shortage of picturesque spots to bask in the Cancun sun. Beaches along the northern side of the hotel zone boast some of the city’s most swimmable waters, making them ideal for families, however, given their proximity to some of the city’s largest resort hotels, they can get crowded. Playa Las Perlas, at the Blvd Kukulcán Km 2.5 marker, is one of several Blue Flag-designated beaches, meaning it must maintain acceptable water quality, a clean beach, hygienic restroom facilities, and at least partial wheelchair access, in addition to meeting other criteria.

Playa Delfines, on the southeastern end of the hotel zone, also has Blue Flag cred. Unlike the north-facing beaches, like Playa Las Perlas, where you get generally calm waters, on Cancun’s east coast you’ll experience stronger rip currents, so swim with caution. If you’re pressed for time, cool off in Playa Delfines’s turquoise waters after checking out the nearby Maya ruins of El Rey. Among Cancun’s centrally located beaches, Playa Gaviota Azul exudes a slightly more tranquil vibe than what you’ll find in the heart of the party zone just south, where the sands are backed by a boisterous beach club scene.

For a sensational wildlife-watching adventure, look no further than Isla Contoy, a 5-mile-long island that serves as a sanctuary for various sea turtle species and about 150 bird varieties. Designated a national park in 1998, the island is best visited with one of the tour operators listed on the website. The ideal time of year to go is from April to October, when nesting loggerhead, leatherback, hawksbill, and green turtles waddle ashore to lay their eggs. Tour operator Asterix runs a full-day outing that includes a stop at Isla Mujeres, snorkeling activities, and ample time to explore Contoy’s natural wonders, either on your own or while accompanied by the island’s resident biologists. Reserve in advance, as the park only receives 200 visitors a day.

The ancient Maya believed cenotes were portals to the underworld (Xibalbá) and there’s no denying the mystique of these natural pools and underground river systems, especially when standing before their otherworldly caverns with icicle-like stalactite formations. To visit cenotes, you have a wealth of options. About 37 miles southwest of downtown Cancún, simply follow the so-called Ruta de Cenotes (Cenotes Route) and look for the turnoffs to dozens of swimming holes surrounded by lush jungle, such as the lovely La Noria. Some cenotes in these parts have been converted into adventure parks, which can be fun but overcrowded.

Some other nearby options lie about 56 miles south of Cancún: Cenote Cristalino and Cenote Azul, a pair of gorgeous sinkholes just off Highway 307, make for a relaxing detour en route to Tulum. Further down the road, look for Cenote Dos Ojos, home to one of the region’s largest subterranean river networks. Go for the swimming, snorkeling, or diving if your scuba skills are up to snuff.

For local flavor, leave the hotel zone behind and linger for a while in downtown’s Parque de las Palapas, a festive urban park with a large palapa-covered stage that hosts open-air concerts, dance performances, and other interesting cultural events. The colorful plaza comes alive on weekend nights when food vendors roll out their carts and serve up Mexican street corn and marquesitas (crepe desserts) as small children zigzag across the lively plaza in battery-operated toy cars. Inaugurated in 1971, Parque de las Palapas is almost as old as the city itself.

Anyone interested in getting a glimpse of what an undeveloped Cancún looked like back in the day should head out to Isla Blanca, a relatively unspoiled stretch of the Caribbean coast about 19 miles north of downtown. Unfortunately, the south side of the island is already seeing a growing number of large hotels crop up, but you can still find pristine white sands along the northern tip.

Far removed from the hubbub of downtown and the hotel zone, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more relaxing place to sit back, crack open a book, and nosh on fresh fish under a rustic seafood palapa. Flanked by the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Chacmuchuch Lagoon to the west, you can easily walk from one side of the peninsula to the other on its northernmost point. There’s no public transportation to Isla Blanca, so you’ll need to hire a car or taxi to get there.

Lucha libre (professional Mexican wrestling) is all the rage nowadays and it has found a permanent home in Cancún at the open-air shopping center La Isla. Luchatitlán, an artificial wrestling-themed city replete with a gimmicky cantina, is built around a 580-seat arena hosting wacky slapstick bouts.

For a more affordable lucha libre option, check the upcoming events at Plaza de Toros, a former bullfighting ring-turned-concert and entertainment venue. Unlike Luchatitlán, which stages several matches a week, Plaza de Toros hosts touring wrestling events, but on a less frequent basis. Either way, it’s always a rush to sit ringside as Mexico’s masked marvels evoke oohs and aahs with their thrilling acrobatic maneuvers.

In July and August, the peak season to spot massive whale sharks, you can have the thrill of a lifetime snorkeling beside these majestic 40-foot creatures. Whale sharks can be observed mostly in the waters off Isla Mujeres and Isla Holbox, where they migrate each year to mate and feed on plankton. Kay Tours is a reputable outfit that runs whale shark trips from Cancún to Isla Mujeres and they make it a point to get an early-morning start so you’re not swimming in crowded waters. The whale-watching season normally runs from mid-May to mid-September but you’ll have a much better chance of locating them in July and August.

Explore mysterious cave and cavern systems. Visit shipwreck sites teeming with barracuda and grouper fish. Or if it’s your first time around, get certified with a Discover course. Scuba Total Cancun, one of the city’s leading dive shops, offers everything from beginner to advanced-level adventures in the water, including a sailing-and-snorkeling outing and the riveting opportunity to swim with sailfish from late December to early March. Cavern and cave dives in nearby cenotes are downright fascinating but for experienced divers only.

All aboard the ultimate booze cruise. Cancún’s Xoximilco gets its inspiration from the famous gondola rides of Mexico City, where brilliantly painted flat-bottom boats drift along ancient canals flanked by floating gardens. The Cancún experience comes with an onboard open bar and dinner service, lending it a convivial party boat air as passengers intermingle over food and drink. Later in the evening, you’ll find yourself dancing alongside mariachi and norteño (northern) music as the soulful ensembles belt out Mexican classics. It’s 4 miles south of the Cancún airport.

Nichupté Lagoon, that other large body of water in the hotel zone, usually takes a back seat to the Caribbean Sea but its wildlife-rich mangroves should not be overlooked. Go Kayak runs two-hour guided tours into the wetlands with morning and afternoon departures from Marina Scuba Cancún. While paddling along the water, you’re likely to spot crabs, a variety of bird and fish species, and perhaps a rare crocodile or bull shark sighting.

For panoramic views of the lagoon, take a boardwalk stroll along downtown’s Malecón Tajamar. Warning signs along the shore remind visitors not to swim in the lagoon and to refrain from feeding crocodiles.

This small archaeological site in the hotel zone pales in comparison to nearby Chichén Itzá and Cobá but it’s still worth visiting and rarely crowded. The ruins are named after a stone sculpture believed to be a carving of a Maya rey (king). El Rey reached its height from 1250-1550 AD. The most important structure is edificio 2, the remains of which are the base of a pyramid and temple. You can also see remnants of several palaces that served as administrative buildings for the ruling class. For background on El Rey, hit the Maya Museum first. Bring water to keep yourself hydrated while exploring the sunbaked site.

Joyà, Cirque de Soleil’s long-running resident show in Mexico, is a colorful extravaganza of acrobatics and theatrical dance performances from the world’s most famous contemporary circus company. Held in a chic 600-seat palapa-covered theater on a lake, the ticket offerings range from show-only to pricier seating options that include appetizers or dinner. What the 80-minute performance lacks in storytelling it certainly makes up for with its well-choreographed dance routines, absorbing aerial stunts, extraordinary production design, and surprisingly tasty food should you decide to splurge on a meal. Held in the Vidanta Riviera Maya, the theater is about 30 miles south of Cancún.

If you visit just one water park in Cancún, many consider this the big kahuna. Among the sprawling coastal park’s 50 attractions, guests can swim in underground rivers and natural pools, observe marine life in an enormous coral reef aquarium and enjoy Maya-themed cultural activities, including a demonstration of an ancient Mesoamerican ball game. Xcaret doubles as an archaeological site and the price of admission includes access to the ancient ruins.

If you happen to be around for the Day of the Dead in early November, Xcaret holds a Festival of Life and Death featuring food stands, colorful altars, and dance performances. The amusement park giant also operates a trio of hotels in the area with, you guessed it, water-themed designs.

This small crowd-free archaeological site boasts the tallest ancient structure on Quintana Roo’s northern coast. At the foot of the four-tiered El Castillo (The Castle), you can still make out a pair of eroded serpent head carvings. The coastal site dates back to 200 AD when it was first established as a fishing community, and it reached its peak in the post-classic period from 1200-1500 AD. Archaeologists believe the villagers forged ties with Cobá, a large settlement just north of Tulum. The verdant grounds are home to a clan of black spiny-tailed iguanas and the mosquitoes can be fierce, so bring insect repellent.

A temazcal steam bath presents a fascinating opportunity to cleanse yourself while participating in a pre-Hispanic ritual performed by a local shaman. Or maybe you just need to sweat out some party toxins. Sustainable tour operator EcoColors Tours arranges Maya temazcal ceremonies at a Riviera Maya cenote, allowing you to get in some swimming as well. Companies offering the Maya sweat lodge experience abound in Cancún but this esteemed tour outfit is a cut above the rest.

You can also duck into a traditional temazcal while visiting Xcaret Park, which conducts one-hour sessions. For the optimal detox effect, it’s recommended to avoid eating for at least three hours before entering the sweat lodge.

Half the fun is getting to this 13th-century oceanfront Maya temple, which lies in the middle of two large resort hotels. The easiest approach is to access the site by cutting through the lobby of the Westin Lagunamar. If hotel security stops you, which they usually don’t, you can always approach the site from Playa Marlín and walk about a half mile north along the beach.

All that remains of the weathered old temple is a square platform with several pillars and some crumbling walls, but its juxtaposition with the modern resort hotels makes for an interesting contrast and a pretty cool photo op.

For sweeping vistas of the hotel zone, downtown, and the Caribbean Sea, the rotating Scenic Tower rises 260 feet into the sky, making it the highest point in Cancún and the Riviera Maya. It’s free if you’ve paid admission into any Xcaret-owned water parks, so hold onto your wristband as proof of purchase. Otherwise, expect to pay about $20 for the 10-minute ride, somewhat pricey for what you get, but you won’t find a better POV to appreciate the enormity of Cancún and its impressive L-shaped barrier island that was dramatically transformed into a sprawling hotel zone.