Print
Email
Bookmark & shareMargaritas, mega-resorts, Mayan ruins, this is the real Cancún.
In the 1970s Mexico's ambitious tourism planners decided to outdo Acapulco with a brand new, world-class resort in the Yucatán Peninsula. The place they chose was a deserted sand spit offshore from the little fishing village of Puerto Juárez. Its name was Cancún.
In the last two decades Cancún has grown from a tiny jungle village into one of the world's best-known holiday resorts. The Mexican government sunk vast sums into landscaping and infrastructure, yielding straight, well-paved roads, drinkable tap water and great swaths of sandy beach.
Fast Facts
Population
586,288
Currency
Name: Mexican Peso
Code: MXN
Symbol: $
Electrical Plugs
127V 60Hz
Languages Spoken
Official: Spanish
Time Zones
GMT/UTC -6
Country Dialing Code
+52
Weights & Measures
Metric
Puerto Vallarta & Pacific Mexico - Pick & Mix Chapters
Download the free Getting Started chapter or purchase individual chapters from our Online Store.
BLUELISTS blu,list to recommend a travel experience
-
Where The Locals Eat in Cancun.
— 27 Jan 06 -
Swim with Whale Sharks Cancun
— 17 Sep 07 -
Best ways to enjoy food in mexico
— 14 Jan 07 -
Most memorable encounter with wildlife
— 14 Nov 06
Advertisement
Hotels & Hostels
Booking hotels is simple with Lonely Planet. See our reviewed and recommended hotels in one place and book online. Browse hotels ›
Lonely Planet Newsletters
Updates, offers and inspiration - straight to your inbox.
Subscribe now ›
Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety, customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before you travel.
