Playa Linda – Located at Km 4, where the hotel zone begins, and 1 kilometer (less than a mile) west of Playa Langosta. Mujeres Bay is known for its calm waters, making it a safe place to swim. It is also a main stopover and departure point for cruise liners and other boats going to Isla Mujeres.
Playa Langosta – Located at Km 5 in the hotel zone, just west of Punta Cancun, it is one of Cancun’s most visited beaches. From Playa Langosta’s pier, there are several tour boats that will take you to Isla Mujeres.
Playa Caracol – Located at Km 8.5, between Playa Langosta and Punta Cancun. The shallow waters at this beach make it an ideal swimming spot for children and beginners. It is also a fabulous place for water-skiing.
Playa Tortugas - located at Km 6, west of Punta Cancun. This beach has calm and shallow waters, making it the ideal family vacation spot. In front of the pier, there is a platform for bungee jumping.
Playa Gaviota Azul – Just behind Plaza Forum and south of Punta Cancun at Km 8 in the hotel zone, the beach has decent surf, making it a good place to swim and do other water sports.
Playa Chac-Mool – Located at Km 10 in the hotel zone, in front of the Bojorquez Lagoon, this beach with moderate surf is a great place to sunbathe while sipping on a drink and looking out onto the Caribbean Sea.
Playa Marlin – Located at Km 13 in the hotel zone and half a kilometer south of archaeological site Yamil Lu’um, this place is a great romantic getaway for those looking to get away from noise and crowds.
Playa Ballenas – Located at Km 14 in the hotel zone, north of Punta Nizuc, the blue-green waters of the Caribbean Sea invite you to do water sports. Has one of the best panoramic views of Cancun.

Playa Delfines – North of Punta Nizuc at Km 18 in the hotel zone, it is a great beach to soak up some sun and it has a lookout point that will give you an excellent opportunity to take some photos of the Caribbean Sea.

Isla Mujeres – Located 14 kilometers (9 miles) off the coast of Cancun, it is one of the most beautiful spots in the Mexican Caribbean. The island is 8 kilometers (5 miles) long and 1.5 kilometers (about 1 mile) wide. To arrive there, you can take a ferry or speedboat from Puerto Juarez, Punta Sam and Playa Linda. You can arrive by taking the Garrafon Cruise, which departs from the Embarcadero in Cancun’s hotel zone at Km 4. It arrives at Parque Natural Garrafon on the southern part of the island. You can do all kinds of aquatic sports at this beach, which offers waverunner rentals and banana rides.
San Miguelito – Located in the hotel zone at Km 16.5, between Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc, at this beach you can visit ruins at a small archaeological site, which is also called San Miguelito.
Yamil Lu’um – At Km 12.5 in the hotel zone, south of Playa Chac-mool, this beach has two Mayan structures. The more noticeable of the two is a construction that probably served as a lookout post for a temple.

SURROUNDING AREAS, TOURING AND NOTABLE PLACES

Cancun is the gateway to the fascinating Mayan world. In its surrounding areas, you can visit interesting archaeological zones and islands with calm waters, which offer ideal beaches for relaxing . You can also check out various theme parks with a wide variety of attractions: sinkholes, underground rivers, and bird sanctuaries surrounded by the region’s lush vegetation.

Side Trips From Cancun – Go to the Embarcadero, take the Garrafon Cruise or any of the boats departing from Puerto Juarez, Punta Sam, or Playa Linda to visit Isla Mujeres. Just 14 kilometers (8.6 miles) off Cancun’s coast, it is one of the most attractive destinations of the Mexican Caribbean. The island is 8 kilometers (5 miles) long and 1.5 kilometers (about 1 mile) wide.

While you’re there, you can do some shopping downtown, where you’ll find many souvenir shops. On the southern part of the island, you can visit Parque Natural Garrafon, where you can go snorkeling, hiking, and if you’re looking for something more exciting, you can do some Tyrolean rappelling. During your tour of the park, don’t forget to visit the ruins of an ancient temple built to pay homage to Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of fertility.

After having returned to Cancun, you can do a trip to Cozumel, where you can visit the Parque Nacional de Arrecifes, considered a great destination for scuba diving. It also offers such attractions as ancient Mayan temples located in the island’s northern region, a sanctuary built to honor Mayan goddess Ixchel, the Cozumel Island Museum, the botanical garden of Chankanaab and ecological reserve Punta Sur, where you can see different plant and animal species that live in mangroves and lagoons.
After all that, you can return to Puerto Morelos and take a tour of the Mayan Riviera, which should include a visit to Playa del Carmen, a city where you can enjoy beautiful scenery, restaurants and other establishments and attractions.

Soon after, you’ll want to pay a visit to Xcaret, which has a beach area, an underground river system, an aquarium, a so-called dolphinarium, a butterfly pavilion, an orchid greenhouse, and a bee farm. The park also offers an archaeological zone and a recreation of a Mayan village. At night, you can enjoy a Mayan ball game, a dance show and traditional Mexican music. About 45 minutes from Cancun, Puerto Aventuras is the ideal spot to golf by the Caribbean, swim, or kayak.
Some 34 kilometers (21 miles) ahead is Akumal, known for its white-sand beaches and crystalline blue waters, the perfect place to get rest and relaxation and have close contact with nature.
Finally, we recommend a visit to Xel-Ha Park, one of the best places to snorkel, particularly in its main lagoon and in the underground rivers. You can also swim with dolphins. Xel-Ha has all the services to meet your needs as a guest.

Of course, the tour wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the ancient Mayan city Tulum. Its beautiful structures that overlook the sea are sure to leave a lasting impression.
Another route you can take during your stay in Cancun leads to the western part of the Yucatan Peninsula. As you follow Route 180, the first stop is Chichen Itza, an ancient Mayan capital where the monumental architecture and a sacred sinkhole offer proof of the grandeur of Mayan culture. The tour ends 120 kilometers (75 miles) ahead in Merida, capital of the state of Yucatan. There you can find history, culture, entertainment, museums, crafts and shopping malls as you walk around on the streets full of traditional and modernity.

Cancun has one of the best highway infrastructures in the nation. Route 180 leads to Merida and Mexico City (more than 1,860 kilometers away). The region’s most important bus line is ADO. As far as air travel, it has the second most important airport in the country. The following carriers offer domestic or international service to Cancun: Aeromexico, Mexicana, Aerolineas Azteca, Aviacsa, Aerocaribe, American Airlines, Continental, Northwest and British Airways.

Aeropuerto Internacional de Cancun (airport) – Located off the Cancun-Tulum Highway, 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the hotel zone and 8 kilometers (5 miles) from downtown. Has taxi and bus services that will take you to Cancun, the hotel zone and Playa del Carmen.

Terminal de Autobuses (bus terminal) – Located in the downtown area on the corners of Uxmal Avenue and Tulum Avenue. Has local taxi and bus services.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS AND INFORMATION