Cancun is more than its beaches — it is the gateway to Mayan ruins, cenotes and islands. Here are the best things to do, on the sand and beyond.
The 8 best things to do in Cancun
Powder-white sand and turquoise Caribbean water along the Hotel Zone.
The wonder-of-the-world Mayan pyramid, a day trip inland (go early).
Crystal-clear sinkhole pools in the jungle — Ik Kil, Dos Ojos and more.
A short ferry to a laid-back island of golf carts and calm beaches.
Clifftop Mayan ruins above a beach, about two hours south.
The Mesoamerican Reef and the underwater MUSA sculpture museum.
Eco-parks with snorkeling, river floats and cultural shows.
A quieter cultural break with regional archaeology.
Suggested itinerary
Day 1: beach and lagoon. Day 2: Chichen Itza + a cenote. Day 3: Isla Mujeres or Tulum.
Tips for visiting Cancun
- Book Chichen Itza early to arrive before tour buses and heat
- Combine a ruin with a nearby cenote swim in one day trip
- Downtown Cancun has cheaper, more authentic food than the Hotel Zone
You’re being overcharged in the Hotel Zone (here’s the workaround)
The Hotel Zone is engineered to keep you spending inside it. A fish-taco plate at a beachfront club runs around 300 pesos (roughly $15); the same plate at a market in El Centro is about 80 pesos ($4). The beach clubs charging for loungers are also unnecessary, because under Mexican law every beach is public up to the high-tide line. The honest move is Playa Delfines at KM 17.5, the wide public beach with the giant CANCUN letters, free access, free parking, and no resort built on the sand. Come on a weekday; weekends fill with local families.
To get there for almost nothing, wave down the R-1 bus that runs the length of the Hotel Zone and pay 12-15 pesos in coins, not the 200-400 pesos a shuttle wants. The secret locals keep is Mercado 23 in downtown Supermanzana 23, open daily 8am-6pm. The fondas inside serve some of the best cochinita pibil in the city, a full plate with rice and tortillas for about 80 pesos ($4), and it’s the cure for the all-inclusive bubble. For day trips inland, shared colectivo vans cost roughly 50 pesos against the ADO bus’s 200-400, leaving when they fill up.
Cancun FAQ
How many days do you need in Cancun?
Four to five — beach time plus Chichen Itza, a cenote and an island.
Is Cancun just beaches?
No — it is the base for some of Mexico’s best ruins, cenotes and islands.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.