Cancun Vacation
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In the 1970s, Mexico’s ambitious tourism planners decided to one up Acapulco with a brand new, world-class resort in the Yucatán Peninsula. The place that they chose was a deserted sand spit offshore from the little fishing village of Puerto Juárez, called Cancun. Over the last two decades Cancun has grown from that village into one of the world’s best known holiday resorts. The Mexican government invested considerable sums of money into landscaping and infrastructure, which in the end yielded straight, well-paved roads, drinkable tap water, and unparalleled swaths of sandy beach. It is all of these things together that come as close as you can get to guaranteeing a Cancun vacation will be an unforgettable one.
Some joke that Cancun has the sun on permanent retainer. The city’s temperature averages an idyllic 80°F (27°C) year-round, dipping marginally from time to time, hitting 65°F (19°C) in January. Although it can rise as high as 100°F (38°C) in May, ocean breezes keep it far more bearable than the rest of Yucatán. November and early December are probably the best times to go, as the weather is still outstanding but there are fewer tourists and prices are lower. The busy season is from mid-December to April, when you’ll find the prices of your Cancun vacation to be noticeably higher.
Cancun offers a host of activities and breathtaking scenery for everyone, whether you’re goal is to relax on the pristine beaches with Margarita in hand, explore Mayan ruins, or take a lobster dinner cruise across the lagoon with your loved ones. You can swim with the dolphins, take a jungle adventure, or get pampered at any of the numerous spas and salons. If you’re looking for more of a local flavor, this can be sampled at one of the many city markets or restaurants offering authentic Mexican cuisine. When the architects of the Cancun project set out to make it one of the top all-inclusive destinations around, they certainly hit their mark.
During your Cancun vacation, you’ll find the area exceedingly easy to navigate. To the South is the airport, to the North is the city and in between on the stretch of land between the sea and the Nichupte lagoon are all the hotels, beaches and bars, referred to as the hotel zone or Zona Hotelera. Downtown is where most residents live and it stretches in on the mainland behind the lagoon. Bus is the preferred way of getting around, as they are cheap and plentiful. Most bus drivers are very courteous and will stop for you even if you aren’t waiting at a bus stop. After paying the fare, which is on a per person basis, the driver will hand you a ticket/receipt which are usually printed with advertisements. Just so there are no surprises, do not expect buses to have amenities like air conditioning and seat cushions. Although most bus drivers speak English, it’s usually just enough to help visitors get around.