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Mexican Caribbean
Cancun

Cancun

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Cancun

The Mexican Caribbean everyone recognizes, and still surprises.

Fourteen miles of white sand facing a sea that runs from turquoise to cobalt depending on the hour.

Behind the beach there are archaeological sites, lagoons, spas, shopping centres and craft markets, and a nightlife unlike any other in the country.

Right now
28°Cloudy
Best for
Beach, nightlife and a first trip to the Mexican Caribbean
Best season
Dry season, December to April

Getting here

Airport

Concourse of a terminal at Cancun International Airport, with shops and passengers

Airport

Cancun International Airport

The airport sits south of the city, about twenty minutes from the Hotel Zone and twenty-five from downtown.

  • Private shuttle Transfer services leave from the arrivals hall straight to your hotel door.
  • Bus Airport coaches run frequently to downtown and the Hotel Zone.
  • Car rental The agencies operate inside the terminal, useful if you plan to drive the coast.

Maya Train

Maya Train running along the track through vegetation

Maya Train

Two stations

Two stations serve the city: the airport one, inside the grounds, and Cancun station to the west.

  • From the airport The station connects to the terminals through the internal shuttle.
  • Into town From Cancun station, city transport runs to downtown and the Hotel Zone.

Ferry

Passenger boat crossing the Caribbean Sea in front of the Cancun hotel zone

Ferry

Four terminals

Four terminals connect with Isla Mujeres: Playa Caracol, Playa Tortuga and El Embarcadero in the Hotel Zone, and Puerto Juarez north of the city.

  • From the Hotel Zone The three terminals are steps from the hotels; the crossing is longer and more scenic.
  • From Puerto Juarez The shortest route, about twenty minutes, with departures every half hour.

Bus

The ADO bus terminal in downtown Cancun, with its canopy and the platforms beyond

Bus

Cancun bus terminal

The Cancun bus terminal is downtown, not in the Hotel Zone.

  • From the airport There are direct coaches from the airport to the downtown terminal.
  • Down the coast Buses leave from here for Playa del Carmen, Tulum and the south of the state.

The beaches

Sand that never burns

Cancun's sand is ground coral and stays cool even at noon. The bay-side beaches, like Tortugas and Langosta, have still water and are the ones families choose; the open-sea ones, like Delfines, bring surf. All of them are public.

White sand beach and turquoise sea in Cancun

Maya heritage

History inside the city

El Rey and El Meco sit within Cancun, minutes from the Hotel Zone. Two archaeological sites facing the lagoon and the sea, with iguanas everywhere.

Remains of the El Rey archaeological site in Cancun

Under water

The reef and the museum you dive

Off Punta Nizuc runs the northern end of the Mesoamerican Reef System, the largest in the western hemisphere, and between Cancun and Isla Mujeres lies MUSA, the underwater art museum. Snorkelling, diving and water sports leave from the Hotel Zone itself.

Sunrise over the sea off Cancun

After dark

When the destination changes shift

Lagoon-front terraces, rooftops, live music rooms and clubs that run until sunrise. Cancun's night is part of its fame, and it still lives up to it.

Interior of a nightclub with neon lights in Cancun

More about Cancun

Cancún

September 29, 2024

10 Things to Do in Cancun to Make the Most of Your Trip

Discover the best things to do in Cancun: beaches, the MUSA underwater museum, Maya ruins, cenotes, Isla Mujeres, nightlife and more.

Read the article
Maya temple in Cancun

September 29, 2024

The Archaeological Sites You Can’t Miss in Cancun

Explore the archaeological sites in Cancun: El Rey, Yamil Lu'um, San Miguelito and El Meco, Maya ruins minutes from the Hotel Zone.

Read the article
Cancún

September 29, 2024

The Best Beaches in Cancun for an Exclusive Getaway

Discover the best beaches in Cancun for an exclusive getaway: quiet public sands, calm sheltered bays and the private resort enclave of Playa Mujeres.

Read the article

Cancun

28°Cloudy
85%12 km/h
Best time to visit
  • Sat33°27°

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