Beautiful Cancun Mexico
By Anna Lynn Sibal
If Acapulco was considered to be the jet-setters' seaside playground in Mexico in the 1950s, today this playground is now Cancun, Mexico's coastal jewel on the side of the Caribbean Sea. Cancun is located in Quintana Roo on the easternmost tip of the Yucatan Peninsula.
Every year, the City of Cancun plays host to some four million visitors, most of them coming from Mexico’s interior regions. Nonetheless, Cancun receives a good number of tourists from North America and Europe, mostly snowbirds trying to escape the winter cold. This is hardly surprising, given Cancun’s tropical climate, which makes it warm and pleasant in Cancun for most of the year outside the hurricane season.
The Beaches of Cancun
Many tourists going on a tour or a cruise of the Caribbean Islands often make Cancun their starting point. Cancun is also considered to be the starting point for what is known as the Mayan Riviera, the line of beaches on the Caribbean side of Mexico.
Cancun is famous throughout the world for its beautiful, crystal-clear indigo waters and its blindingly bright white sand. Cancun is divided into two: Cancun City on the mainland and Cancun Island. These two entities are divided by the Nichupte Lagoon, though the island is connected through bridges and causeways to the mainland.
Cancun Island is the city’s tourist zone, known locally as the Zona Hotelera or the Hotel Zone. It is shaped like the number 7; the beaches on the long side of this island are reputed to be much rougher than the beaches on the shorter side. Popular activities on the beachside of Cancun Island are water sports, naturally, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing, jet skiing, and windsurfing. Fishing is also a favorite activity in Cancun, and fishermen often go for the sailfin, bluefin tuna, and marlin. Topless sunbathing is tolerated on the beaches of Cancun.
The Cancun Nightlife
Nightlife in Cancun has two distinct flavors. In Cancun Island, where the tourists are most concentrated, the nightlife caters to the tastes of the visitors. The bars, discos and dance clubs are mostly Americanized, where popular dance music from the United States are mostly played. Many branded establishments like the Hard Rock Café also have a presence in Cancun Island.
In Cancun City, however, visitors would be able to experience more of the local culture of the city. The clubs and dance halls here are more focused on promoting local music and entertainment, including the Latino ballroom dances.
Other Popular Activities in Cancun
A stay in Cancun does not have to be spent exclusively on sunning and swimming at sea and partying the night away at night. A visitor to Cancun can also explore Cancun’s Mayan past and go on an excursion to the Ruins of El Rey just within the Zona Hotelera. The Ruins of El Rey are remnants of a Mayan settlement in the area occupied now by Cancun. Another popular excursion site is El Meco, and just nearby is Chichen Itza.
Cancun is a great place to spend a laidback holiday under the sun. It is a must to include Cancun in the itinerary of a trip to Mexico.
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