As its popularity as a fun, sun-drenched escape increases every year, so does the scale of the city of Cancún.
The city’s neighborhoods each have their own distinct culture and vibe – for instance, the hotel zone along the coast is the yin to downtown’s yang. Spanning across a 24km (15-mile) L-shaped island lined with seductive Caribbean beaches, pulsating nightclubs and high-rise resorts, the Zona Hotelera is Mexico’s most popular tourist playground.
Conversely, on the mainland, the oft-overlooked El Centro (downtown) provides local flavor with old-school marketplaces, buzzy cultural events and budget-friendly eats. We’ve got all the insider information you need to choose the perfect Cancún neighborhood for your trip.
1. North hotel zone
Best area for families
Blessed with Cancún’s most swimmable waters, the 7km (4-mile) stretch of coast from Playa Las Perlas to Playa Caracol is a no-brainer if you’re traveling with children, as you’ll seldom have to worry about dangerous rip currents.
Good-value, family-friendly accommodations along this north-facing side of the hotel zone include the oceanfront resort Beachscape Kin Ha, which runs generous low-season promos, and Casa Tortugas, an exceedingly rare locally owned hotel esteemed for its spacious apartments with full kitchens.
Nearby, kids can channel their inner swashbuckler on pirate ship outings or take in eye-popping panoramas on the Torre Escénica, a revolving observation deck that rises 80m (262ft) above the expansive hotel zone while affording stunning vistas of the surrounding wetlands and nearby islands.
2. East hotel zone
Best area for culture
The clear waters of Playa Delfines, coupled with its rare resort-free coastline, make it one of the nicest beaches in Cancun. As if its idyllic setting doesn’t deliver enough wow factor, the emblematic white-sand beach lies within walking distance of the world-class Museo Maya de Cancún, the adjacent San Miguelito archaeological site and the nearby ruins of El Rey, ancient Maya maritime settlements inhabited between 1200 and 1500 CE. You can easily hit all three sights in one day and then cool off with a swim in the enticing Caribbean.
The Museo Maya exhibits hundreds of pre-Hispanic artifacts unearthed in southeast Mexico, making it the ideal place to learn fun facts before hitting the ruins in and around Cancún. To appreciate the quieter side of the hotel zone, head south to Nizuc Resort and delight in Peruvian ceviche at the serene oceanfront Ni restaurant.
Many of the big hotels along the eastern shore are of the high-end, all-inclusive variety, such as the impeccable adults-only Le Blanc, but you can still find a handful of budget options like Mayan Monkey, which spoils guests with spectacular lagoon sunsets and the occasional croc sighting.
With several cultural sites to explore, a range of all-inclusive accommodations and access to the area’s best beach, the east side of the hotel zone delivers the best of a classic Cancun vacation.
3. Isla Blanca
Best area for beach getaways
If you’d like to see what Cancún looked like before tourism came to town, head for the relatively unspoiled northern tip of the Isla Blanca peninsula. However, there are a growing number of luxury resorts cropping up on the south end lately – visit sooner rather than later.
Sitting about 20km (12 miles) north of the city, this sublime northern extension of downtown Cancún (it’s actually a municipality of nearby Isla Mujeres) makes for a beautiful drive along a traffic-free road flanked by the aquamarine Caribbean Sea and wildlife-rich Laguna Chacmuchuch, a shallow lagoon that attracts kiteboarders, birders and fly fishers.
Along the way, you’ll come across several rustic beach clubs and thatched-roof seafood restaurants where you can crack open a book, a cold cerveza (beer) or simply meditate on fine white sands far removed from the hubbub of the big city.
4. Punta Cancún
Best area for nightlife
Sure, one can make the argument that Cancún has cooler nightlife scenes than this spring breakers’ stomping ground, but good luck finding a more iconic one. We’re talking about massive discos with acrobatic spectacles, beach clubs with DJ-driven pool parties and boisterous bars known for their tequila-fueled revelry. During the high season from December to April, hotel zone institutions like Coco Bongo and The City are jam-packed with thousands of clubgoers who come together to dance and drink themselves silly into the wee hours.
5. La Isla & Playa Marlín
Best area for shopping
Modern shopping malls abound in Cancún, but La Isla Shopping Village is a cut above the rest. The open-air mall has spectacular lagoon views, Venice-inspired canals, a 70m (230ft) Ferris wheel and the complex’s latest addition: Luchatitlán, a new arena where you can watch high-flying masked marvels going at it in lucha libre (professional wrestling) matches.
With more than enough distractions to keep uninspired shoppers entertained, avid browsers can go about their business at leisure in the boutique stores and small shops selling everything from locally produced chocolate and handmade embroidered garments to Yucatecan hammocks and xtabentún (a regional anise liqueur). For distilled spirits, mosey over to La Europea, which stocks top-shelf tequila, mezcal and other alcoholic agave drinks. After the shopping spree, decompress at nearby Playa Marlín, a sustainable beach hugging a glorious coastline.
6. Cancún Centro & Puerto Juárez
Best area for local flavor and getting more for your pesos
Downtown may not have the hotel zone’s postcard-perfect beaches, but it provides something that the tourist center so often lacks: authentic flavor that’s easy on the wallet. Most locals live in El Centro, lending downtown a far more genuine air as you find yourself munching on inexpensive Yucatecan eats in colorful markets or taking in free shows in public spaces like Parque de las Palapas, an urban park that hosts concerts and other spirited cultural events.
Just a short walk away lies one of our favorite hotels, El Rey del Caribe, where cozy rooms overlook a pool and tropical garden that’s home to a family of small opossums. While in El Centro, don’t overlook Puerto Juárez; this port community may be known primarily for its Isla Mujeres ferry terminal, but it’s also an excellent neighborhood for eating. In Puerto Santo, where your fish comes right off the moored skiffs, the day’s fresh catch is grilled to perfection in an under-the-radar beachfront location. Or swing by the unassuming Kiosco Verde, a former corner store that fries up a succulent whole boquinete (hogfish) at a price that has budget-minded travelers singing its praises.
7. Puerto Morelos
Best area for an off-the-radar vacation
Halfway between Cancún and Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos makes a great entry point to the Riviera Maya. Stretching along a picturesque section of beachfront lapped by shallow Caribbean waters, this easygoing town still has an active fishing industry as well as small-scale ecotourism that seems a world away from the massive operations to the north and south.
The town’s biggest source of pride is the barrier reef, which lies just 600m (about one-third mile) offshore. Part of the Mesoamerican reef system, the Parque Nacional Arrecife de Puerto Morelos (National Reef Park of Puerto Morelos) is beloved by visitors owing to its easy accessibility. It’s also one of Mexico’s best-studied reefs, with local schools and major universities carrying out research along it.
Less than a mile south of the turnoff to Puerto Morelos, a sign on the highway announces the “Ruta de los Cenotes,” a jungle-lined road that passes over a dozen enchanting swimming spots. Siete Bocas contains both a subterranean area and an open-air cenote that you can leap into from the small cliffs. Boca del Puma has two cenotes and offers adventure activities such as zip-lining. La Noria is a refreshing spot for a swim (or zip-lining), and you can also ride horses. It’s best to bring lunch with you and pack snorkel gear so you can enjoy the views beneath the crystal-clear waters. Go early to beat the crowds.
8. Isla Mujeres
Best area for water sports adventures
Isla Mujeres sits off Cancun’s northern shore, a 20-minute ferry ride that costs TK pesos per round trip. While Cancun pulses with late nights and neon strips, the vibe is much more relaxed on this car-free island. Here, you can enjoy some of the region’s best water activities and Mayan cultural traditions.
Royal Garrafon Reef Park is one of the top visited sites on the island, where the 25-foot-high zip line offers views across the Caribbean Sea. The activity park also offers kayaking and snorkeling and has several swimming pools overlooking the sea. Visitors can also partake in the park’s Mayan Temazcal ceremony, a shaman-led ritual in traditional steam baths.
For adventures under the sea, the Museo Subacuático de Arte is home to 500 underwater sculpted works by local and international artists. Highlights include Reclamation, an angel with Gorgonian sea fans for wings, and The Silent Evolution, a work of more than 400 individual statues created to immortalize the community of the nearby fishing village Puerto Morelos. Also known as MUSA, the work-in-progress museum is accessible through scuba diving tours that help promote the conservation work of the project.
Isla Mujeres is a beach destination, but for many it’s not what’s on the beach that matters; it’s what’s beyond it. Sport fishing is huge, and deep-sea fishing spots are easier to reach than they are from Cancún. The same holds true for underwater activities such as diving and snorkeling. Great snorkeling can be found from the many beach clubs, or you can take a tour of MUSA for something offshore. Diving, too, is easily done here, with quick, easy access to a number of fantastic dive sites. Reputable operators such as Carey Dive Center can bring you close to several species of shark, rays, a variety of sea turtles, scorpionfish, lionfish, moray eels and more. It’s also excellent for corals.
