Bienvenidos amigo, welcome to Cancun! This tropical hotspot is a dream destination for people who are looking for a great time. And with great time I mean; amazing beaches, great food, and friendly people who love to have a good time as well!
Let us show you in this top 10 list of things to do in Cancun what's a must-see, what you can skip, where you can eat and so much more!
Downtown & Zona Hotelera
First things first, it's time for some topography, because Cancun is clearly split-up into two areas: Downtown Cancun and the Zona Hotelera. I'll show you in this top 10 list of recommendations and tips, where you should go in these two areas. They're both very different, but you'll love both vibes!
The whole of the Zona Hotelera
Cancun is a small former fisher's village located in the state of Quintana Roo, on the Yucatan-peninsula. Investors saw the potential of Cancun as a tropical vacation hotspot in the '70s and started building huge hotels and an impressive boulevard. They named this whole area the ‘Zona Hotelera', or Hotel Zone.
This whole area is a dream. It's a picture-perfect touristic hotspot for people who are looking for an escape from reality. They call Cancun – and with that I mean the Zona Hotelera – the Las Vegas of Mexico! It really reminded us of the areas in places like El Arenal in Mallorca (Spain), where sun-lovers and party people have a blast.
Just walking around this 14-mile long island is a fun activity to do. You'll encounter the most beautiful beaches (more on that in the next suggestion), some very cool and fun activities to do, some fine bars and restaurants (although way more expensive than downtown), and some luxury shopping if you want to splurge. More on that later.
Splurge if you have the cash
The Zona Hotelera is clearly made for pretty wealthy tourists with cash to burn, and if you have some, you'll love the Zona Hotelera. It has fine dining, huge hotel resorts with every imaginable luxury available, 100 dollars per hour massages on the beach, loud bars where big shots can buy expensive bottles of liquor to show off, and many luxury brands to shop at (like Louis Vuitton, Prada, Hugo Boss, and many others). The Fashion Boulevard is a must-visit for the ladies and gents with excellent fashion taste.
The prices are definitely not typical ‘Mexican'. Think more of US or European prices on any item you'll be buying. Get ready to splurge!
Observation: we didn't see a whole lot of kids or teenagers. This zone is clearly a haven for 25+ singles, honeymooners, and families who are on a luxurious holiday. This might be totally different when the infamous ‘Spring Break'-season starts!
The beautiful beaches
We tried to walk the whole of the Zona Hotelera beach from start to finish (from Chac Mool to Delfines), but we highly underestimated how long and heavy it was to walk on the soft sand in the burning sun. That might not have been a success, but we did have a wonderful time walking down one of the most beautiful beaches we've ever seen.
There are a couple of highly recommended beaches we've tried out and we have to agree on these being the most beautiful in Cancun: Chac Mool, Playa Tortuga, Playa Longosta, and Playa Delfines. The first was our favorite, but the last was the most popular (a lot of locals and a great vibe).
Side note: some of these beaches are mainly designated for hotel guests, but you can still place your towel and stuff on these beaches and enjoy the views and the (wild) sea.
Fun activities for everyone
Of course, you can also splurge on some awesome activities, like going on a jet ski, go parasailing, go out for dinner on a pirate boat (yes, this is really a thing!), enjoy some fun typical Maya culture at the Parque Maya, dive at the Cancun Underwater Museum, go out with the family to the waterpark of Xcaret, and so much more. You'll be catcalled on every corner of the street about these activities, so don't worry about reservations. And be sure to hassle them for a better price!
ps; skip the Maya Museum, we went there and it was kinda boring.
Isla Mujeres
We didn't have any time left to visit Isla Mujeres, but we've heard from locals and tourists that it's a must-see. We did go later, and we loved this little paradise island. It was a bit noisy, touristic, and wild, but we mostly remember the many beautiful paradise moments there!
Be sure to go there early if you're only going for a day trip. It might be best to also plan ahead a hotel on Isla Mujeres if you're going to Cancun.
Also, be sure to check out: 25 common basic words in Spanish
Visit the authentic downtown area of Cancun
Cancun Downtown is a hot mess. And I mean that negatively and positively. The infrastructure, the buildings, the streets, the electricity cables everywhere, the gated houses, and the overall look of the downtown area is pretty rough. This weathered city has been beaten up by tropical weather, a hot sun, wind storms, and a relatively poor economy. But with that being said, it still looks amazing! Downtown Cancun has a very atmospheric and very authentic look.
Strolling around Cancun, and especially looking for great deals on delicious tacos, is one of the most fun you can have in Downtown Cancun. You'll encounter all sorts of shops, restaurants, unique looking people, cool parks where locals hang out (like Parque de las Palapas), loud playing music everywhere (a man playing guitar on the bus is quite normal here), and our favorite: mural art!
Check out the cool mural arts
The houses and infrastructure may look weathered and beat-up, but they sure know how to work with what they got here! The Mexicans love their colorful paint and mural arts, and they plaster those beautiful colors and artworks on every building they can find. The whole downtown-area becomes a colorful hot mess, and we loved it!
Be sure to check out our cool Instagram Stories for more atmospheric videos and pictures!
Mercado 28 & 23
Do you love to be haggled to buy overpriced souvenirs? Then a visit to Mercado 28 is your place to go. All obvious critique aside, Mercado 28 is actually a nice touristic place to visit for about an hour. There are about a hundred shops with colorful souvenirs, cool shirts, bags and bracelets, and delicious taco's. These are all overpriced, so be sure to master the art of negotiation. If you don't have a black belt in this sport, please only buy yourself a taco for lunch and get outta there!
We couldn't resist buying a small sugar skull for about 2 dollars. But the price started at 8 dollars, so be sure to be vicious about the price (like walking away, acting angry, talking in a different language to your partner about the absurd price, etc).
If you want a more local authentic experience, go to Mercado 23. This is where the locals shop for their goods, their food, and their lunch and diner. It looks dirt poor, but the prices are amazing. Be sure to get some fresh fruit, and eat some delicious pork tortas!
Food food food!
Mexico is known for great food, and we now know that is a fact. Tacos, marquesitas, quesadillas, mezcal, tequila, tortas, guacamole, mole, avocado, beers, and salsa. They are to be found on every corner, and you will love the Mexican kitchen just like we do now. There are also more than enough vegan options. Eating out in Cancun is quite cheap, especially in the downtown area. You can get a filling dinner for two, with two drinks, for about 10 bucks!
We even found sultry delicious tacos for just under a dollar. Yum!
Hola senior, dos quasadillas por favor. Grrrraciasss!
Pro-tip: Avoid the mini-marts like 7/11 and Oxxo, they only sell sugary nonsense like cookies, chips, chocolate, and other processed food that is not really food. We understand why many Mexicans have a little gut now, and it's not from the fresh unprocessed foods you'll find in the restaurants!
Pro-tip: If you're looking for groceries with some fresh unprocessed items like bananas, eggs, and water, then there are a couple of big Wal-Mart stores to be found in downtown Cancun. These stores are an attraction in themselves. They even have a shop-in-shop McDonald's and KFC!
Did we inspire you? Well, great! Let´s check flight prices!
Day trips to …
If you're staying in Cancun for more than a week, you could even get out of town for some excellent day trips. You could go to places like the coastal town of Playa Del Carmen, always cool Tulum, and the very colorful town of Valladolid. The drive up to these places is about 2-3 hours. But, last but not least, the most important day trip has to be to one of the 7 Wonders of the World; Chichen Itza!
This beautiful Maya-Piramide is a well-preserved historical gem, and a definite must-see if you are in the neighborhood.
All in all, would we recommend Cancun? Yes, and no. It depends on what you are looking for. If you're looking for a tropical all-inclusive dream, you're in heaven right here. If you're more of a cultural traveler like us, about 4 days is just fine. It's a great spot to start your Yucatan-round trip or as an HQ to do all sorts of day trips.
Extra pictures
We've shot so many pictures we want to share, so.. here they are 🙂
More Travel Inspiration: The best time to visit Mexico – An overview per season
