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Beaches
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Cancun's greatest attractions are its stunning beaches. Swimmers have a variety to choose from. Most hotel beaches are excellent and open to the public.
Beaches facing the open Caribbean Sea, on the long part of the L-shaped island, are usually wide and beautiful, but
the strong undertow, abrupt drop-off, and pounding surf make it a challenge to swim. One nice public beach in this area is Playa Delfines. There are some stone benches for sitting and contemplating the sea.
Beaches facing Bahia de Mujeres, on the short end of the L-shaped island, are smaller, shallow for some distance
out, and have little surf, making them great for swimming, snorkeling and other water sports. These beaches, including Playa Tortuga and Playa Caracol, tend to be more crowded, as locals enjoy them as well.
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Chemuyil
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This bay has soft white sand and is surrounded by an exhuberant jungle. Its clear, shallow waters are ideal for children.
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Isla Mujeres
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This sun-soaked island has sandy beaches and great places for fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling.
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Kantenah
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This fantastic beach boasts a quiet ambiance, is full of palm trees and sits close to a reef.
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Nichupte Lagoon
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This lagoon, full of crystal-clear green water, is closed off by an emerging coral reef.
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Puerto Aventuras
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This modern destination is known for its white, sandy beaches and warm, Caribbean waters. It also has a marina, docks, a
golf club and a museum of underwater treasures.
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Puerto Morelos
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This fishing village has attractive beaches, offshore reefs, delicious seafood and reasonably priced lodging.
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Xcacel
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Locals and foreigners alike favor this bay for its shallow clear waters. It is a fantastic place to take children.
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Xpu-Ha
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Transparent, turquoise-coloured waters draw divers, kayakers and snorkelers to this beach. It also has an aviary, a
reptile house and fish laboratory. Xpu-Ha is located in the Riviera Maya, about 60 mi/90km south of Cancun.
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Water Sports
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The coastal State of Quintana Roo -Cancun's home - is a mecca for divers and water sports enthusiasts. The area's transparent waters are
strewn with coral beds, reefs, and a plethora of undersea life. Cancún is also unequaled in offering the latest in water sports gadgetry: wind surfing, jet-skiing, "wave runners," parasailing (hopefully
not a water sport) and sail boating.
There are basically three water areas:
- Bathtub-like Bahía de Mujeres
- Glassy Nichupté Lagoon
- Scenic Caribbean Sea side of the island.
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Diving
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 The diving and snorkeling in and near Cancún are excellent. Most spots are accessible by boat, although the Bahía (bay) side of the island and the Punta Nizuc
area have excellent close to shore reefs. Diving is best off the island's southern point. For beginners, the reefs of Chiales, Bajito and Manchones are popular. Intermediate
divers head to Cuervones, San Miguel, and "The Tunnel."
All sites are easily accessed through guided trips arranged by any of Cancun's over 20 dive shops.
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Exploring
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Parque Nizuc (Formerly Wet 'n Wild)
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Try Cancun's newest - a $20 million water park with d olphin swim program, located just south of Punta Nizuc at KM 25. An
enormous variety of games, including the bubba tub, the kamikaze, the double-space bowl and the wave pool, make this water park perfect entertainment for kids.
Admission: $25 US adults/ $19 US kids. Tel. 81-30-00.
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Aguaworld
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 Located adjacent to the Meliá Cancún, this aquatic center
offers a wide array to water sports activities - equipment rentals, submarine rides, a riverboat dinner cruise, sky rider flights, wave runner jungle tours, scuba diving, fishing.Tel. 85-22-88.
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Chichen Itza
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Location ....201 km west of Cancún (two hours by bus); full-day escorted tours depart daily.
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Classic/Post-Classic
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Maya/Toltec
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600–1224 A.D.
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Mighty Chichén Itzá is one of the largest and most fascinating sites in Mexico. It is a joy to visit. It is actually
two cities: one that was ruled by the Mayas during the sixth to the tenth century; the other a Toltec-Mayan city that emerged around the year 1000 A.D. Most of the
prominent buildings were developed during the city's "rebirth" under Toltec rule. The towering Castillo displays a mixture of Toltec and Mayan influences and is fraught
with cosmological symbolism. Its four sides contain 365 steps (depicting the solar year), 52 panels (for each year in the Mayan century), and 18 terraces (for the eighteen
months in the religious year). There is an interesting temple inside the Castillo, accessible via a narrow
stairway. The enormous ball court is the largest ever discovered, and is lined with fascinating carvings. The site also contains a cenote, or sacred well, an Observator
y, the imposing Temple of Warriors, and the Nunnery, along with dozens of other structures. Not to be missed! Plan to spend at least a day here.
During the Fall and Spring Equinoxes (March and September) the sun's shadow forms an
enormous serpent's body on the staircase of the pyramid known as "El Castillo." Quite a sight! A full-day excursion to Chichén Itzá costs around $50 U.S./ person.
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Horseback Riding
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Rancho Loma Bonita - Tel. 87-54-65
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Deep Sea Fishing
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Cancún has good deep-sea and lagoon fishing. You can try your hand at bonefishing, also called "fishing the flats," in Nichupte
Lagoon or at Boca Paila in the Sian Ka'an reserve.
Many sportsmen come once and return, lured by abundant bonefish, tarpon, barracuda, snook and jack.
Sailfish and dolphin fish run March through July; blue and white marlin and bluefin tuna in April-June.
Trips leave from several marinas.
Prices range from $240-350 US per boat, per day-private; $99 US per person for 6-hr shared fishing trips.
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Golf
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 With 253 days of sunshine a year, Cancun is a golfer's paradise.
The Mayan World in the Yucatan Peninsula boasts pristine beaches, dense jungles, abundant wildlife and birds; hundreds
of Mayan ruins, and modern resort hotels. There is no reason not to take advantage of the beautiful and quite challenging courses in and around Cancun.
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Hilton Park Golf Club
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This 18-hole (par 72) championship course is definitely the selling point for the Hilton Cancun Beach and Golf Resort. Robert Trent Jr.
designed the course, incorporating one Cancun's ruins (Ruinas Del Ray) into the grounds. There are some challenging sand traps and an excellent driving range along with a lovely view of the lagoon. The sunsets are
especially beautiful. Open 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Pull carts are prohibited. Located at Blvd. Kukulcán, Km 17. Tel: (9) 881-8016.
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Playacar Golf Club Palace Resorts
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- Course designer: Robert Von Hagge
- Open 365 days a year 6:30 am till dark
- Par: 72,Yardage: 7202 / 6724 / 5768
- Slope ratings: 148 / 136 / 134, Course ratings: 76.1 / 73.4 / 72.8 Fairways: 419 Bermuda Greens: Tiff Dwarf Bermuda Playacar, Playa del Carmen,
approximately 40 minutes south of Cancun. Tel: 987-30-624 or 800/882-6684 in the U.S.
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Pok Ta Pok Club de Golf
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Located in Cancun's Hotel Zone and designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., this 18 hole, par 73 golf course is 6,721 yards. Feature a
practice tee and putting green. Telephone 011-52-98-83-1230 or 011-52-98-83-1277.
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Melia Cancun Golf Club
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Eighteen hole, par 54 course, total length of 1,818 yards.
Features a putting green. Located at the Melia Hotel at km. 16 in the Cancun Hotel
Zone. Telephone 011-52-98-85-1114
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Cancun Oasis Golf Club
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A nine hole par 27 course with a maximum length of 888 yards and a putting green. Telephone 011-52-98- 85-0867 Cancun.
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Puerto Aventuras
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Marina, Tennis Golf Club, par 36, 9 hole course designed by Thomas Leeman. Maximum length 3,206 yards. Putting green. Located on the Cancun to
Chetumal highway at km. 90 Puerto Aventuras, Playa del Carmen, Q.ROO. Tel.: 52-98-73-5109.
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Shopping
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 Cancún is truly a shopper's paradise. Its position as a duty-free port, combined with an abundant variety of unique Yucatecan creations, and several
"American-style" air-conditioned shopping malls, means there is something for everyone. These malls have become major attractions, housing movie theaters,
bowling allies, arcade game rooms, and fast food outlets.
Most shopping is found in several commercial  centers/malls in the hotel zone. There are also some fun shops and a couple of malls in Cancún
City, as well as some open-air artisans' markets (see below). Specialty items include Panama hats, shell and black coral jewelry, woven baskets, and guayabera shirts.
Should you have problems, contact the local consumer protection agency: 84-26-34.
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