Introducing Cancún
Unlike many cities in the world, Cancún just isn’t afraid. It’s unabashed and unapologetic, and in that lies its high-gloss charm. So send in the Maya dancers, swashbuckling pirates and beer-chugging US Spring Breakers. Cancún can take it. But can you?
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Like Las Vegas, Ibiza or Dubai, Cancún is a party city that just won’t give up. Top that off with a pretty good beach and you have one of the Western Hemisphere’s biggest tourist draws, bringing in as many as 4 million visitors (mostly from the US) each year.
It’s hard to believe this little fishing town would become a worldwide phenomenon. In the 1970s Mexico’s ambitious planners decided to outdo Acapulco with a brand-new, world-class resort located on the Yucatán Peninsula, and Cancún was born. Although it isn’t for everyone – and this type of mass-tourism certainly won’t interest all travelers – if you’re here, you might as well dig into the kitsch and crap that make this city unique.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- Snorkel with whale sharks, Mexico's gentle giants
- Discover Cancun on an 8-day Mexico family adventure
- Take a day trip to Chichen Itza
- Explore the best of Southern Mexico and Guatemala in 10 days
Last updated: Jan 24, 2013
Tips & articles
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The Riviera Maya on a shoestring
27 April 2012
It may seem like the resort-studded tropical coastline of Mexico’s Riviera Maya might be out of reach for the budget...
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Cancún and the Riviera Maya
10 February 2012
Yearning for sun, sand and eye-popping natural beauty? A trip to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula – and its crowning resort developments...
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Top 10 sights in Cancún and Yucatán
15 September 2011
It’s no great secret why Cancún, and to a larger extent the Yucatán Peninsula, has become Mexico’s top tourist destination....
