Must-see attractions in Cancún

  • Aerial of a path between palm trees on Isla Contoy.

    Parque Nacional Isla Contoy

    Cancún

    A white sand beach with manta rays gliding through the shimmering turquoise waters. No hotels. No nightclubs. No roads or cars of any kind. It’s hard to…

  • Museo Maya de Cancún

    Cancún

    Surrounded by dense tropical forest, the contemporary Museo Maya de Cancún is a welcome respite from the beach and buffet lines of the neighboring high…

  • Destroyed jetty on a white sandy beach at Isla Blanca.

    Isla Blanca

    Cancún

    Driving down a narrow sand road, the turquoise Caribbean on one side, the glimmering Laguna Chacmuchuch on the other, you feel like you’re a thousand…

  • San Miguelito

    Cancún

    You don't have to leave the Zona Hotelera to find Mayan culture in Cancún. Before the beach umbrellas, resorts, banana boats and  Spanish conquistadors…

  • Mexico, Quintana Roo State, Riviera Maya, Cancun, Playa Delfines

    Playa Delfines

    Cancún

    Unfolding from the base of a mild seaside bluff, Playa Delfines is one of the most scenic beaches in Cancún. A languid stretch of sand with turquoise…

  • Avenida Náder

    Cancún

    This avenue one block east of Avenida Tulum has emerged as one of the Centro's top restaurant and bar zones.

  • Zona Arqueológica El Rey

    Cancún

    In the Zona Arqueológica El Rey, on the west side of Blvd Kukulcán, there’s a small temple and several ceremonial platforms. The site gets its name from a…

  • Destroyed jetty on a white sandy beach at Isla Blanca.

    Cabañas Playa Blanca

    Cancún

    A beach club and rustic cabins on a lovely stretch of white-sand beach overlooking Isla Mujeres. Get here before the big hotels attempt to completely take…

  • Kilometer Zero

    Cancún

    A favorite spot for Cancun athletes. Set where the Zona Hotelera meets Cancún Centro, Kilometer Zero has a lush green outdoor gym in the middle of the…

  • Parque Kabah

    Cancún

    Beloved by local nature-lovers and fitness-lovers alike, this jungle park in the city remains mostly untouched. Runners and walkers flock to the 1.9-km…

  • Playa Langosta

    Cancún

    In the middle of the north end of Zona Hotelera, Playa Langosta is a gem of a place for swimming. Facing Bahía de Mujeres, the beach is coated with Cancún…

  • Playa Caracol

    Cancún

    Next to the Isla Mujeres ferry dock, this tiny stretch of sand is probably the least inviting of Cancún's beaches, but you can head left when you hit the…

  • Playa Marlin

    Cancún

    A long, lovely stretch of sand with lifeguards on duty and deck chairs, umbrellas and tables for rent. There’s no food, but there is an Oxxo out on Blvd…

  • Playa Chac-Mool

    Cancún

    With no parking, this is one of the quieter beaches in Cancún and there's usually a lifeguard on duty. There's no food, but there are stores and…

  • Playa Tortugas

    Cancún

    One of the busiest beaches around, with loud music, cheap restaurants, deck chair and umbrella hire. Access from the ferry terminal, where there is free…

  • Playa Pez Volador

    Cancún

    Popular with families for its calm, shallow foreshore. There’s free parking (but tip the guys ‘minding’ your car). Access is by the huge flagpole flying…

  • Parque de las Palapas

    Cancún

    An outdoor venue for free concerts, dance performances and other cultural events. Vendors sell affordable snacks on and around the square.

  • Playa Ballenas

    Cancún

    A long, quiet stretch of beach squeezed between luxury hotels. Access from the dirt road on the south side of Golden Parnassus hotel.

  • Playa Gaviota Azul

    Cancún

    A beautiful little curve at the end of the bay, mostly monopolized by beach clubs. Access is from the north side of Cocobongo’s.

  • Plaza de Toros

    Cancún

    Built into the Plaza de Toros are several bars, some with music, that draw a largely local crowd.

  • Yamil Lu’um

    Cancún

    Also known as the Templo del Alácran (Scorpion’s Temple), Yamil Lu’um was used between AD 1200 and 1550, and sits atop a beachside knoll in the parklike…

  • Playa Las Perlas

    Cancún

    A small beach with a great kids’ playground, bathrooms and free palapa-topped tables. Access just north of the Holiday Inn Cancun Arenas.

  • Avenida Tulum

    Cancún

    Cancún's main north–south thoroughfare is Avenida Tulum, a wide boulevard lined with banks, shopping centers and restaurants.

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