Cancún is a thriving beach town in Mexico's easternmost state, Quintana Roo, on the Yucatán Peninsula. The Cancún region is sometimes known as the Mexican Caribbean or Riviera Maya. Cancún is the municipal seat of the Benito Juárez municipality and a world-renowned tourist resort. The city center is located on the mainland which connects the Nichupté and lagoons to a narrow 7-shaped island where most of the modern beachfront hotels are located. The island of Isla Mujeres is located off the coast and is accessible by boat from Puerto Juárez. .

City layout

The older section of the city, known as "El Centro" follows the original master plan, consists of neighborhoods called "supermanzanas" (superblocks) that are formed by the intersections of the boulevards and traffic circles (roundabouts). Ave. Tulum is the main north-south artery (connecting downtown to the airport some 30 km (19 mi) to south). Tulum is bisected by Ave. Cobá. East of Ave. Tulum, Cobá becomes Ave. Kukulcan which serves as the primary road that runs through the long 7-shaped hotel zone. Ave. Tulum is terminated on the north side by Ave. Paseo José López Portillo which connects to the main highway to Chichén Itzá and Mérida. Another major north-south road is Ave. Bonampak which runs roughly parallel to Ave. Tulum. The main ferry to Isla Mujeres is located in Puerto Juarez on Ave. Paseo José López Portillo. The original master plan was repeatedly modified, and on the mainland, often ignored. To save on the cost of installing sewer systems and other public services, the design of much of the rest of the city reverted to the grid plan after Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. The newest upper-middle-class residential areas reflect the original plan, but are much less intimate. Less expensive developments are comprised almost entirely of identical one- or two-story small row-houses, sometimes built around interior plazas. Almost all buildings on the mainland are below four stories high. .

History:

 Originally known as Ekab ("Black Earth"), what is now the northern district of the state of Quintana Roo was thickly populated by people who spoke the language now known as Maya when the Spanish arrived, according to conquistador Bernal Díaz del Castillo. The city of Cancún resulted from a 1967 study by Mexico’s Central Bank, Banco de México, to determine the feasibility of capturing more dollars and other foreign exchange through tourism development. Banco de México obtained a $27 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank to install the first infrastructure. When development was started on Jan. 23, 1970, Isla Cancún had only three permanent residents, caretakers of a coconut plantation and there were only 117 people living in nearby Puerto Juárez, a fishing village and military base. Due to the reluctance of investors to bet on an unknown area, the Mexican government had to finance the first nine hotels. The first hotel financed was the Hyatt Cancun Caribe, but the first hotel actually built was the Playa Blanca, which later became a Blue Bay hotel, and is now Temptation Resort. The entire project was master-planned, with the island (soon connected to the mainland by causeways) devoted almost exclusively to tourism facilities, while workers housing and service areas were located on the mainland in what became the city of Cancún. Cancún is also the gateway to the Riviera Maya, another tourist pull in the area, where people go attracted by the numerous Mayan archaeological sites, as Cobá and Tulum, the many cenotes or underwater natural springs, charming towns as Playa del Carmen and theme parks such as Xcaret Eco Park, Xel-Ha and Xplor. .

Hotel Information:

There are about 150 hotels in Cancún with more than 24,000 rooms and 380 restaurants so there is plenty to choose. Four million visitors arrive each year in an average of 190 flights daily. The Hotel Zone of Cancún is shaped like a number 7 with bridges on each end connecting to the mainland. Hotels on the vertical or long side tend to have rougher beaches. Resorts on the horizontal or short end tend to have gentler surf because the waves here are blocked by the island of Isla Mujeres which lies just off shore. The Hotel Zone offers a broad range of accommodations, ranging from relatively inexpensive motel-style facilities in the older section closest to the mainland, to high-priced luxury hotels in the latter sections, great malls, theme parks and swimming.

Mexico Wedding Guests:

If you're planning on having guests at your Mexico destination wedding, keep a few things in mind and you'll be sure to have a great time. Make sure that you send out “Save the Date” cards well in advance, about four to six months before the wedding. This will give your guests plenty of time to make arrangements to get to your wedding spot.

Cancun Activities:

Cancun has the beaches and crystal clear water for outdoor activities. For the person looking for things to do in Cancun, there is no shortage of activities or of services to help you make the most of your stay here. Here are some of the most popular activities:

Diving & Fishing:

The waters surrounding Cancun are legendary for their diversity. You can snorkel right off the beach or scuba dive/snorkel over the "Mayan Reef" on Mexico's Caribbean. Most of the snorkeling on Cancun can be done off the Punta Cancun, near the convention center and Forum shopping center. The water is calm and there are rental services.

Famous dive spots like Palancar, El Bajito, Manchones and Chitales are all nearby can be found off of Cozumel, about an hour south of Cancun. There is also the Cave of the Sleeping Sharks, offshore from Isla Mujeres, where divers can "pet" the sharks. Isla Mujeres is probably the most scenic place in the area for diving & snorkeling though, and the reefs just offshore at 10' to 40' deep are perfect for snorkeling or scuba diving.

Deep sea fishing is available throughout Cancun for example for :Marlin, sailfish, tuna and dorado during their seasons.

Golf:

Cancun has 4 18-hole golf courses available for the avid golfer. In Cancun you'll find one at each tip of the island. The other two courses are found to the south on the Mayan Riviera.

Kayaking & Windsurfing:

Kayakers & windsurfers will find Cancun's waters perfect for your enjoyment. For calmer waters, try the protected Nichupté Lagoon or the northern end of Cancun Island. Jet skiing, parasailing and regular sailing are also popular.

Bullfights:

Every wednesday, you'll find the classic struggle of man (bullfighter or torrero) against beast (bull or toro) downtown at the Plaza de Toros Cancun. Dances, cockfights and traditional cuisine can sometimes be experienced here also. A word of caution: bullfighting is a blood sport, so if you are not ready for that kind of visual it might be best to pass on that activity.

Side Trips:

Actun Chen:

Actun Chen is about an hour from Cancún on the road to Tulúm. The name means "cave with an underground river inside,”. The main cave of three, is over 600 yards long and with a vault, with illuminated and supplied with paths for easy walking. There are thousands of stalactites, stalagmites and natural sculptures, as well as a crystal-clear cenote that are forty feet deep. Trained guides escort visitors, giving them a history lesson and a geology class.

Around is the jungle, with special trails through the tropical vegetation that may reveal some of the local wildlife: white-tailed deer, a badger, a spider monkey, an iguana or a wild turkey. There is a restaurant, and rest rooms -- but otherwise, the 988 acres of Aktun Chen remain as they have been for millennia.

Tres Rios:

Tres Rios, stretching inland from a pristine mile-long white sand beach just 25 miles from Cancun, encompasses subtropical jungle and mangroves, covers 370 acres and offers a prime selection of cenotes -- the pools where the area's underground rivers break through to the surface. Only in Tres Rios are these cenotes located at ground level, founded in the shallow rivers that run to the sea.

At Tres Rios visitors can walk or bicycle through the jungle, canoe down the river, kayak in the sea, ride a horse along the beach, snorkel in the river or on the park's outstanding section of the Great Mayan Reef. For the less adventurous, there are hammocks to swing in, sandcastles to build, delicious ceviches of marinated fish to enjoy.

Xpu-Ha:

Just over 50 miles south of the resort, Xpu-Ha (shpoo-ha) offers close contact with nature. It includes: bathrooms and showers, two snack bars, a seaside restaurant, named La Palapa. There are sunbathing areas, a place for soccer and volleyball, and hubs where one can rent equipment for snorkeling or scuba. There is even a beginner's dive class.

Ranked among the most diverse environments in North America, Xpu-Ha is a sanctuary for rare birds, and for protected species such as crocodiles, sea turtles, native deer and snakes. Walks along nature trails are led by expert guides, who discuss the types of vegetation, geological features, and fauna.

Plan a few events for your group, such as an archeology tour or other side trip, but be sure to allow you and your guests to have plenty of time to explore Mexico on their own terms. Have fun!

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS IN CANCUN:

Cancun's Hotel Zone :

Cancun has a stretch of14 miles long of soft, ultra-white sands, by the warm, turquoise Caribbean. This is the place for water sports such as: jet skiing, parasailing, windsurfing and sun bathing.

Downtown Nightlife:

In styles from top DJs, performers and night shows, Cancun's discos, where some offer an "all you can drink" option including the national drink preferred that is “Tequila”. For something more intimate, swing by one of the city's Latin clubs, they feature live entertainment from Latin countries such as Cuba.

Watch the matadors in action:

The Plaza Del Toros holds bullfights -- along with some lassoing by Mexican cowboys -- on Wednesday afternoons. Buy tickets in advance through your hotel or at the Plaza the day of the show.

Island Tour:

Take a day-long excursion to “Isla Mujeres” for snorkeling and shopping. Book your guests on a private party boat to the island, or try one of the public ferries.

Downtown shopping:

Cancun has upscale boutiques with luxury brands of jewelry, clothing and accessories. Also you can hit the traditional two downtown plazas or “Mercado’s” (marketplaces) for traditional products like “Huipiles” (embroidered white dresses), high-quality Panama hats and inexpensive souvenirs including the “Habanero Sauce” and ”Mexican flavored Vanilla” taste.