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Caribbean Holidays - Mexico Holidays, Cancun - white sandy beach and turquoise sea

Cancun Holidays

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Cancun Holidays

Book your Cancun holidays today and you'll soon be arriving on the Yucatan Peninsula bordering the Caribbean Sea, Cancun is a huge resort split into two parts. The Hotel Zone is set on 22km of white sand beaches and has endless restaurants and nightclubs and shopping malls. The downtown area is the heart of Cancun where you can experience local life and cuisine. Here you’ll also find the famous Market 28 which is a fun experience where you can haggle for your souvenirs!

Whether you want to experience the glamorous party scene, famous white sand beaches and stylish restaurants or delve deep into the Mexican culture – So what are you waiting for? Book your holiday to Cancun today.

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Detailed Cancun Overview

Cancun in Detail

Located on the northeast coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, the world-famous beach resort hub of Cancun was once a humble fishing village but has blossomed into a city which caters mostly to tourists in search of sand, sun and surf. The city is dominated by the hotel zone, blessed with all the amenities visitors could possibly desire. Cancun's downtown area, home to the locals, is often overlooked by foreigners. Downtown Cancun is less glamorous than the glitzy beachfront, but it does allow travellers to experience a more authentic Mexican community, with bustling markets, cheap restaurants, vendors and street performers.

As a beach resort, Cancun is inexhaustibly popular and its reputation is well deserved: the powdery white sand and clear waters make for a Caribbean paradise where watersports are the main diversion. Scuba divers and snorkelers flock to the region for some of the best coral reef diving in the world (particularly around the island of Cozumel). The variety and quality of accommodation in Cancun is superb and the nightlife is extremely energetic, making it a great favourite. The city offers splendid shopping and eating out venues and there are some remarkable Mayan ruins nearby for a touch of culture and history on a beach holiday.

Getting Around

Taxis are perhaps the most convenient method of getting around, and tariffs are loosely based on a zone system. Fares should be agreed on upfront, and travellers should note that taxis located outside restaurants and hotels often charge higher rates. It is also important to know that only approved airport taxis are allowed to collect passengers from the airport.

Cancun Nightlife

Cancun is celebrated for its rollicking nightlife and there are bars, lounges, live music venues and dance clubs enough to keep even the most determined party animals entertained. The club scene is feisty and energetic, anybody who is game for foam parties, bikini contests and boat races (the drinking contest, not the watersport) will be well catered for. Familiar chains like Hard Rock Cafe and Senor Frog's are safe favourites with the international crowd and have been going for many years. Organised party tours like Cuncrawl and Party Hopper are a great way to sample the best of Cancun's party venues. Most clubs open around 10 pm and the music pumps until sunrise or later in peak tourist season.

Those seeking out something more sophisticated, romantic or sedate will find numerous stylish bars and lounges in Cancun. One of the best venues for cocktails is the Thai Lounge. Culture vultures should try their best to see a performance by the internationally-acclaimed Ballet Folklorico, which performs a variety of traditional and performing arts shows at various venues in Cancun.

Shopping in Cancun

Shopping opportunities abound in Cancun, with a vast variety of shops ranging from modern malls and designer stores to open-air markets and the trays of insistent street vendors. It's a city built on tourism, so Cancun's shops invariably accept credit cards and the opening hours tend to run from about 10 am to 7 pm during the week, and all morning on weekends. Silver jewellery, traditional wooden statues (Alebrije), pottery, and fleece or cotton blankets are all popular souvenirs from Cancun. Visitors should ensure that they don't buy anything containing black coral, which is an endangered and protected species and could land you in some trouble at the airport.

Within the glitzy Hotel Zone, the Plaza la Fiesta is a popular shopping venue, and the El Zocalo bazaar is a great option for locally-produced arts and crafts. The main shopping strip of Paseo Kukulkan is lined with shops and souvenir stalls selling a few unexpected treasures.

Mainland Cancun, commonly just called 'downtown', is less glamorous but much more affordable. Yaxchilan Avenue is a good place to start, and the market on Tulum Avenue is wonderful for those seeking out local crafts, particularly silverware. Travellers will be expected to bargain in the local markets.

Sightseeing in Cancun

Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of Cancun's activities and attractions revolve around the beach. The area is blessed with many beautiful beaches and the variety of watersports is somewhat overwhelming. Some scuba diving or snorkelling is a must as the underwater world is just as lovely as the white beaches: there are some gorgeous dive sites between Cancun and Isla Mujeres, where coral reefs abound, and exploring the Cancun Underwater Museum (MUSA) is an exciting adventure for divers. Other favourite water activities include swimming with dolphins (or even sharks!), visiting the water park, or taking an excursion to the sleepy paradise island of Isla Mujeres.

If tourists can manage to drag themselves off the stunning white beaches and away from the plethora of fun water activities, Cancun has some cultural and historical diversions as well: the Museo Maya is a brand new and impressively large museum showcasing Mayan artefacts found in the region and providing some fascinating historical context for visitors to the peninsula; the San Miguelito Archaeological Site (in the museum grounds) and the El Rey Ruins are both intriguing examples of ancient Mayan remains in Cancun; and the famous ancient site of Chichen Itza, with its impressive pyramids and mysterious jungle setting, is one of Mexico's greatest attractions and a must for visitors to Cancun.

Eating Out in Cancun

Mexican cuisine is recognised as one of the three most popular food styles in the world and Cancun is as good a place as any to sample authentic Mexican meals. The city's status as a celebrated holiday destination also ensures that there is a huge variety of international cuisines on offer, and although eating out in Cancun can be expensive it is also extremely rewarding.

The Yucatan Peninsula has its own unique flavours and specialities and Yucatan cuisine is often less spicy than that from other regions in Mexico, making it a good option for foreigners with sensitive palettes. On the other hand, those who relish the burn should look out for dishes spiced with hot habanera chillies!

Seafood restaurants dominate in Cancun, which should be no surprise considering the quality and quantity of fresh seafood in the region. Popular seafood dishes in Cancun include a variety of lobster specialities and ceviche (a kind of raw seafood salad). For fine dining, there are many upmarket restaurants. Some of the most highly acclaimed can be found in the Ritz Carlton Cancun Hotel and in the Fiesta Americana Gran Coral Beach Hotel. In downtown Cancun there are some hidden gems and the far cheaper fare found where the locals eat is often the best authentically Mexican food you can find in the city. Tulum Avenue and Yaxchilan Avenue have some of the best restaurants.

Top 5 Things To Do in Cancun

Coba - Visitors to the remains of ancient Mayan city Cobá can climb Nohuch Mul, the area's highest pyramid.
Xcaret Park - Waterfront eco-archaeological park offering attractions such as snorkeling & cave exploration.
Cancún Underwater Museum - Modern underwater sculpture museum experienced via glass-bottom boat, snorkeling or scuba diving.
Maya Cancun Museum - Important collection of Mayan archaeological artifacts housed in a sleekly designed setting.
El Meco Archaeological Site - Ancient Mayan ruins with a pyramid & other buildings, with many iguanas inhabiting the area.

Cancun Highlights

Caribbean Holidays - Mexico Holidays, Cancun - white sandy beach and turquoise sea
Chichen Itza Deluxe Tour - Cancun

Adult: £55 Child: (3 -12 yrs) £31

Visit Chichen Itza, once the capital of the ancient Mayan civilization and recently declared as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

The Chichen Itza ruins, founded in 514AD, are steeped in a magical, mysterious history which includes bloody rituals, human sacrifice, a powerful warrior culture, astrological discoveries and elaborately constructed Maya-Toltec buildings.

Your tour begins with pick-up at between 7:00 and 8:05am from the lobbies of all major Cancun Hotels in the hotel zone.

Arriving in Chichen Itza, a guide will take you on a 2 hour tour of the ruins exploring the secrets of the ancient Mayan civilization, sites you can visit include; The Observatory, Temple of the Thousand Warriors, Kukulkan Pyramid, the Ball Court, Cenote Xtoloc and much more.

After your visit,  you will have approximately 20 minutes free time before you head to the Mayaland Hotel next to the archaeological site for a buffet lunch. Your group size will be kept to a minimum for a more personalised experience.

Highlights of the Tour:

  • Visit one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World
  • Take a deeper look at Mayan culture
  • Roundtrip transportation, guided tour and lunch included
  • Admission to Cenote Ik-Kil is included
Caribbean Holidays - Mexico Holidays, Cancun - white sandy beach and turquoise sea
The Last Pirate Jolly Roger Dinner Cruise

Adult: £102 Child: (5 -11 yrs) £52

Who said that Pirates are just for Kids? The Pirates on this fun cruise are willing to do anything for thrill, adventure and entertainment.

Please let me introduce myself, I am the Pirate Captain Scorpion and I command a bunch of adventurous and quirky pirates, and we perform the only show dedicated to those Adults who like to have fun.

Everything happens on board Pirate Galleon, where a bunch of crazy pirates provide an abundance of entertainment, fun and excellent service.

Everything is ready to enjoy the funniest night of your vacation in Mexico...!

We know you can't have fun on an empty stomach, so we've got you covered! Meat, fish or something veggie - you can have whatever rocks your boat.

When to visit

  • Jan
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  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
  • Currency Mexican peso
  • Flying time from UK Flight time from London to Cancun is 10 hours 10 minutes.
  • Primary Language Spanish
  • Passport & Visas Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay. If you’re visiting Mexico as a tourist you don’t need a visa, but you’ll need to complete an immigration form and have this with you when you enter and leave Mexico.