Cancun, Mexico is a highly popular travel destination in the world which is famous for its white sand beaches, azure blue waters, world-class resorts and hotels, rich museums, Michelin-starred restaurants and a famous partying and nightlife scene. Cancun lies in Southeast Mexico on the northeast coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Cancun’s location on the Caribbean Sea makes it a highly popular beach and partying destination in North America.

Cancun is also part of Mexico’s Caribbean Coast, also known as Riviera Maya. This Mexican city has splendid beaches with clear aquamarine Caribbean waters. Zona Hotelera is the tourism and commercial hub of Cancun, which is full of hotels, resorts, restaurants, nightclubs, pubs, bars, key attractions, and plenty of shopping stores.

Regarding scenic beaches, Cancun boasts a 19KM stretch of powdery white sand beaches in Zona Hotelera and another stretch of 15km long calmer beach that lies to the north of the city. Cancun enjoys a reputation as being a party town in Mexico however, it is also a city that allows visitors to explore the rich Mayan culture in its museums and surrounding archaeological sites including a visit to the fabulous site of Chichen Itza. In this article, TravelUp presents a list of top 8 things to do in Cancun Holidays.

Top 8 things to do in Cancun Holidays

1. Visit the beaches in Cancun
2. Check out The Maya Museum
3. Explore the site of Chichen Itza
4. See the El Rey Maya Ruins
5. Explore the Cancun Underwater Museum
6. Visit the town of Tulum
7. Take a day trip to Playa del Carmen
8. Cruise to Isla Mujeres

1. Visit the beaches in Cancun

Cancun is famous for its long stretches of fine white powdery sand beaches lapped with the azure blue waters of the Caribbean. Most of Cancun’s resorts and hotels have direct access to the beaches. Visitors will enjoy stunning views of crystal-clear waters and soft white sand beaches. These white sand beaches of Cancun are the main draw for travellers looking to enjoy sunbathing in the clear blue waters of the Caribbean.

Cancun’s most popular beaches are Playa Delfines, Playa Tortugas, Playa Forum, and Playa Marlin. Travellers looking for calmer and quitter beaches have the option to leave behind Cancun and take a day trip to see the scenic beaches of Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres which is accessible by ferries and is a wonderful site for snorkelling and scuba diving. Playacar Beach in Playa del Carmen is also a great day trip to enjoy. Tulum Beach is also exotic for travellers as they can enjoy the scenic beach with views of the Mayan Ruins of Tulum.

2. Check out The Maya Museum

The Maya Museum (Museo Maya de Cancun) is famous in Cancun. It lies in the middle of the city and offers amazing insight into the history of the region including the Mayan Civilization. This large museum explains the ancient roots of the region’s Mayan culture, the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores and right up to the modern day. The Museum displays more than 350 artefacts that have been recovered from the various archaeological sites around Cancun. It also houses skeletal remains found in Tulum that date back 14,000 years.

 Other notable exhibits comprise Mayan architecture, art, sculptures, and historic artefacts. The Maya Museum opened in 2012 and is now one of the most popular attractions in Cancun. It lies closer to the Hotel Zone and is a great place to learn in detail about the history of pre-Columbian history of Mexico. It will also motivate the travellers to book a tour to visit the archaeological sites around the city including the famous Chichen Itza.  

3. Explore the site of Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is one of the most recognized historic landmarks of Mexico. This is a must-visit attraction in Mexico for travellers without any doubt. One of the most popular day trips from Cancun is to take a tour of Chichen Itza. It takes around 3 hours of drive west of the city to reach this famous UNESCO World Heritage Site. Chichen Itza is one of the largest and best-restored archaeological sites in Mexico.

This area was settled by the Mayans more than 1000 years ago and the area is dotted with Mayan architecture and remnants of the lost bygone empire. Check out the famous 30-metre-tall El Castillo the Temple of Kukulkan, one of the famous Mayan pyramids and see the Chach-mool statues. Enjoy a guided tour and learn about the history, interesting facts, and tales of the Mayan empire and learn about the uses and function of these Mayan pyramids.

4. See the El Rey Maya Ruins

History buffs will love to explore the interesting archaeological site of El Rey Maya Ruins that lies just a few minutes distance from the Punta Nizuc end of Cancun. The El Rey Maya Ruins are named after the mask that was found here during the archaeological excavation. It is believed that the mask is dedicated to the sun god. The El Rey ruins also has remains of 47 buildings along with several tombs that were built by the Mayans around AD 900 onwards. It is also believed that the El Rey ruins used to be a site for a royal retreat between 1250 to 1630. Among the most prominent features, two small temples are used as watchtowers and lighthouses. Another interesting aspect of El Rey Maya Ruins is the presence of iguanas. These colourful iguanas roam these ruins but don’t bother the visitors.

5. Explore the Cancun Underwater Museum

One of the quirkiest attractions in the world is the Cancun Underwater Museum (MUSA). This unique underwater museum was set up in 2009 following the end of severe storm damage to the Cancun National Marine Park. The idea was to set up underwater sculptures on the floor of the seabed which will facilitate the regrowth of the lost and damaged coral reefs in the area. Today, this underwater museum is a famous site for scuba divers and snorkelers to enjoy these majestic and gigantic underwater statues in a surreal manner.

 There are more than 500 sculptures spread across two underwater galleries and submerged at depths of between three and six meters and include several human figures in a variety of poses and even include a concrete car. These sculptures were put together by six artists from Mexico and Britain. People who don’t wish to venture underwater can also view the sculptures from glass-bottom boats as well.

6. Visit the town of Tulum

Tulum is a small town and is one of the most popular places to visit in Mexico. Tulum is a trendy town and a popular day trip from Cancun. It takes a drive of 90 minutes to reach the town from Cancun. Tulum is also famous for its cliff-top location and is a fortified Mayan coastal town. Check out the Temple of the Frescos which has sculptures and reliefs depicting various human figures. Visit Castillo, the town’s largest building which lies on the cliff edge overlooking the sea. Tulum is also popular for its cenotes. Cenotes are a natural system of underground caves, sinkholes, and rivers that are connected to the sea.

7. Take a day trip to Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is one of the popular day tours from Cancun, which is known for its restaurants, shopping malls, nightclubs, beach clubs, delicious street food and plenty of shopping and partying. Visit the Mamitas Beach Club which is known for its big party vibe and amazing DJs blaring international and Latin hits for the crowd to enjoy and grove all night. Looking for delicious Mexican food? We recommend a visit to the Zocalo where you will get delicious tacos, fresh fruits, and snacks and plenty of good restaurants serving delicious lunch and dinner. Shopaholics will have a good time shopping on 5^th Avenue. There are several small shops selling cute souvenirs, clothes, accessories, and local artisanal jewellery. Playa del Carmen is also known for its scenic beach which is also the main highlight of the city.

8. Cruise to Isla Mujeres

Isla Mujeres is also known as the “Island of Women”. The island got its name from the images of Goddesses on the island. It is believed that this island was sacred to the Mayans who worshipped the island as the goddess of childbirth. Isla Mujeres lies 13 kilometers from the city of Cancun and is a short hydrofoil ride from the Cancun Center pier. This island is 7 kilometers long and 650 meters wide. It is also a popular surfing destination and a great site for scuba diving and snorkelling due to the abundant marine life and coral reefs of Garrafon Natural Reef Park. Beach lovers will have a quite and relaxing day, sipping cocktails, reading a book under a parasol and just enjoy the sun. Several people also love to spend the day at the nearby Garrafon Natural Reef Park which is ideal for kayaking, hiking, ziplining, snorkelling and sailing.

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