Cancun, like the Riviera Maya, is one of the most popular resort cities in Mexico. It is located on the east coast of Yucatan, in the southeast of the country in the state of Quintana Roo. Cancun is famous for its spit, covered with white sand and overlooking the turquoise Caribbean Sea. It is 400 meters wide and 30 km long. From the plane's window, the scythe looks like the number "7".
General information
Cancun's beaches can be seen on desktop screensavers of people all over the world. After all, this resort is associated with many people with an ideal vacation. Luxurious five-star hotels and numerous nightclubs, velvety white sand and sprawling palm trees, clear turquoise water and mild climate reigning all year round.
All this together has made tours to Cancun incredibly popular. Fans of non-banal pastime will find something to their liking here. They can catch barracudas, swim with turtles in the lake of the Shel-Kha reserve. And excursions in Cancun to the ruins of Mayan civilizations, diving near the corals of Cozumel and much more will impress even the inveteratetraveller.
A bit of history
Despite the prestige and great fame, this resort is relatively young. There is a legend that when, in 1967, Mexican travel agencies used computers to determine the construction site of a new tourist center, Cancun was chosen as the ideal region for them. Then there was practically nothing here: only a sandy spit inhabited by several dozen Mayan fishermen. Soon two dams were built here. They connected the spit to the shore, and after that, on the 24-kilometer coastline, which is washed by the waters of the Nichupte lagoon on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other, hotels began to grow one after another.
How to get there
Direct tours to Cancun from Moscow are made by only one airline - Nordwind Airlines. This is a very comfortable, albeit long flight. There are very few such flights - only one or two per month.
Travel time - eleven hours in the direction of Moscow-Cancun and fourteen - back. There is no direct flight from the northern capital of our country. I must say that tickets in this case are quite expensive: they will cost about one and a half thousand dollars in both directions.
A flight from Moscow to Cancun with a transfer will be much cheaper. It is most advantageous to fly through the United States, but this requires an American visa. If it is not there, then you can look for tickets with a connection, for example, in Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt. Relatively cheap flights to Cancun are offered via London or Havana.
Whererelax
Here the sun shines all year round, swimming is absolutely safe, and there are excellent conditions for recreation and water sports.
Cancun's coastline can be roughly divided into two parts - short and long. The first is characterized by a calm sea and proximity to the city center, entertainment venues. This part of Cancun is great for families with young children as there are never big waves.
But the same cannot be said for the long stretch of coastline. In this part, there are constantly waves that delight surfers. The water is clear everywhere, the beaches are in perfect condition, the seabed is fine sand.
The resort consists of two areas: the city itself and the hotel zone, located on the very shore. There is nothing for tourists to do in the city, with the exception of the Mercado area, where you can rent inexpensive accommodation. There are apartments here for every budget, and the infrastructure is quite developed.
Cancun Hotel Zone
Here you can stay not only in hotels, but also in condominium apartments. This part of Cancun is very clean and beautiful. In essence, it is a huge beach, on which there are hotels, facades overlooking the ocean, and on the other - the lagoon.
Shoal at the northern end of the Hotel zone. Therefore, here is an ideal place for bathing children and those who cannot swim. The smooth sandy beaches of Playa Langosta, Las Perlas and Tortugas are always crowded. Here touristssunbathe and swim, play beach games. If you wish, you can buy a sea excursion in Cancun with diving and snorkeling, as well as go on a boat to the island resort of Isla Mujeres. There are many restaurants and bars in the Hotel Zone. One of the undoubted advantages of this part of Cancun is that the sand on the local beaches is crushed coral, so it does not get hot even on the hottest days.
What to see in Cancun
Today, this once nondescript fishing village is in its "golden" times. At this Mexican resort, you can not only idly indulge in a beach holiday or hang out in nightclubs. When buying tours to Cancun, tourists, including Russians, always try to combine business with pleasure. After all, local attractions, of which there are a huge number around, seem to take a person to the era of the Mayan civilization.
Mexico ranks second in terms of the number of historical monuments in the world. This Latin American country has more than three and a half thousand archaeological zones, a tenth of which is available for visiting. Therefore, those who buy tickets to Cancun try not to miss the chance and definitely get sightseeing tours to both historical and natural monuments.
First of all, these are the ruins of cities left after the death of the Mayan civilization. In Cancun, excursions can be purchased both in hotels and in kiosks on the streets. Tour prices start at $100 per person. The ruins closest to the Riviera Mayan and Cancun resorts are the famous Chichen-Itza. Here is also the pyramid of Kukulkan, on which, on the days of the spring or autumn equinox, the shadow of the sacred serpent revered by the Maya descends; observatory; a cult well, etc. Travel time to Chichen Itza is about 2.5 hours. Less popular are excursions in Kankum to Ek-Balam, where you can see the plaster tomb of the ruler, as well as the figures of winged people who guard its entrance. Unlike the ruins of Chichen Itza, here you can freely climb all the buildings. Ek Balam is about two hours from Cancun's hotel zone.
Colorful houses and narrow streets, magnificent cathedrals and churches - this flavor of ancient Mexican cities is a must see. You can buy excursions in Cancun to the nearest Valladolid, Isamal and Merida. One of the most beautiful centers of colonial architecture is also the city of Campeche, which is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
Natural Monuments
The Yucatan Peninsula is literally dotted with underground voids filled with water. Many of them are interconnected and form a whole system of underground rivers. Cenotes, once sacred to the Maya, are the only source of fresh water on the peninsula. Some of them are available for swimming or boating.
There are several eco-parks around Cancun. In Shkaret there is an orchid farm, a botanical garden, a bird colony and a turtle farm. Popular activities here include rafting on the underground river, swimming with dolphins and swimming among the coralfish.
Isle of Women
The Caribbean coast of Mexico is very interesting. There are four islands here. In fifteen minutes by ferry or boat from Cancun you can reach the Isle of Women. There are several hotels, a small airfield. Local attractions include a turtle farm, an underwater museum, and Punta Norte, one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico.
