Cancún itineraries

Hotel Zone Beaches & Downtown Night

Start at the southern end of Kukulcán Boulevard and ride the R1 bus north beach by beach, then cross to downtown for the market and the night stalls once the sun drops. If you have one day and it's your first time, this is the order.

Isla Mujeres Day, Lagoon Day

Base yourself at Punta Cancún. Day one is the 20-minute ferry to Isla Mujeres for the underwater sculptures and Playa Norte; day two is the mangrove lagoon and the ruins at the south end. Coco Bongo is a walk from bed.

Pyramids, Cenotes & Reef

Sleep next to the downtown ADO terminal and head a different way each day: west to Chichén Itzá and a cenote, south to the clifftop ruins at Tulum and Playa del Carmen's Fifth Avenue, and on the last day the nearby reef at Puerto Morelos. Three days for the Yucatán, with beaches as a bonus.

Festivals & seasons

Souvenirs