Guide to Cancun

"Boasting powder-soft sands, blissful Caribbean seas and pounding nightlife, Cancun will thrill anyone anyone who loves beaches, fun … and life."

Beach, party, beach, party… sums up Cancun holidays. Blessed with endless snow-white sands kissed by turquoise seas, and piling amazing nightlife, shopping and eating-out options on top, Cancun is utopia if you like to lounge and play hard. Located on the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula between a lagoon and the Caribbean, this magnificent stretch of coastline boasts countless high-quality hotels - many all-inclusive - and all poised beside the blinding white beach. If you're here for the sun and sea – and who isn't? – it's the stuff of dreams. One step on the coral sands will confirm you're in prime beach-steak territory. The sands' aquatic origins mean they stay relatively cool even in scorching heat, so you can traipse happily to and from the transparent seas without burning your soles. Adrenalin junkies can celebrate too - watersports are thick on the ground. In the more sheltered north, the Caribbean ocean is perfect for windsurfing, fishing and snorkelling, whilst facing inland, the vast lagoon waters are a playground for water-skiers. Away from the beach, you'll hardly be twiddling your thumbs. Although Cancun has no real centre, it bristles with American-style shopping malls and Mexican markets, all ideal hunting grounds for handicrafts, duty-free goodies and designer products. Plus, your tastebuds will be teased every-which-way by an endless variety of restaurants. Whether it's US fast food, Chinese, European or platters of Mexican fajitas, it's all here. After dark, Cancun shifts from chilled-out to action-packed. Just choose your venue. Whether it's the live entertainments at most hotels, sampling the Mexican vibe at a traditional bar, or partying like there's no tomorrow at a disco or nightclub, there's no escaping the fun.

With the Caribbean one side and Gulf of Mexico the other, the Yucatan Peninsula offers visitors a wonderful mix of ancient cultures, stunning white sand beaches and turquoise waters. There's the vibrant resort of Cancun with a wide selection of bars and restaurants for those seeking a lively atmosphere, the sleepy island of Isla Mujeres or if you travel down the coast along the beautiful Riviera Maya you'll discover laid back Playa Del Carmen and the resort of Playacar - idyllic beaches, perfect for water sports. A ferry ride away is Cozumel offering exceptional diving and one of the world's largest coral reefs and continue south to quieter Puerto Aventuras and the ancient Mayan city of Tulum

Find the cheapest late deals to Cancun leaving in the next six weeks.

Recommended Cancun hotels and apartments

Riu Cancun

Riu Palace Las Americas

Excellence Playa Mujeres

Cancun hotels and apartments

Our hotels and apartments in Cancun include Barcelo Costa Cancun, Best Western Cancun Clipper Club, Cancun Palace, Caribbean Princess, Excellence Playa Mujeres, Gr Solaris Cancun, Gran Caribe Real Suites And Spa, Holiday Inn Cancun Arenas, Holiday Inn Express, Hotetur Beach Paradise, Le Blanc Spa Resort, Moon Palace Golf And Spa Resort, Riu Cancun, Riu Palace Las Americas and Royal Solaris Cancun.

More Mexico Caribbean Coast holiday destinations

Looking for holidays in Mexico Caribbean Coast? Our Mexico Caribbean Coast holiday destinations include Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, Playacar, Riviera Maya and Tulum.

Beaches

Cancun is a beach lover's paradise, blessed by kilometres of soft white sand and the sparkling blue waters that grace its coast. The coral sand remains cool despite the glaring sun, thanks to its aquatic origins. The hotels run watersports on most of the beaches, with the sheltered north coast providing particularly good conditions. A flag system is run along the east facing shore, as undertows can occur.

Eating out

Eating here is fairly hotel based due to the number of all inclusive hotels, although the choice of restaurants and cuisine they offer is quite cosmopolitan. Outside the complexes, cuisine ranges from local Mexican dishes to the more familiar fare of Planet Hollywood and the Hard Rock Cafe. Indulge in some local specialities while you're here - 'huevos rancheros' make a substantial breakfast - fried eggs are smothered in tomato sauce and chopped chilli, and served on a tortilla, or for dinner try a 'fajita' - sliced, fried meat, onions and peppers all rolled inside a delicious taco.

Nightlife

Cancun has an impressive selection of nightlife. Stay within the hotel complex, relaxing in one of the bars and enjoying a show. Take a sunset cruise across the waves and watch the sun sink below the horizon. Or stay out until the sun comes back up again in one of Cancun's bars, discos and clubs that party well into the early hours.

Shopping

While there is no real commercial centre, there are shopping malls housing anything from handicrafts to designer labels throughout the hotel zone. With a strong American influence, shopping here is not necessarily cheap.

Local information

Mayan culture was at its height between 600 and 900 AD. Streets ahead of us Europeans in their study of mathematics, astronomy, architecture, weaving and pottery, they even devised a calendar that proved to be more accurate than any other until the twentieth century! For a taster of this ancient culture, the Zona Arqueologica El Rey is home to a small temple, though for the more impressive ruins, you'll have to make the three hour trip to Chitzen Itiza, where you can experience the wonders of the El Castillo pyramid. In early spring, Cancun prepares itself for Lent with a huge carnival, a loud and lively celebration which everyone joins in with.