Though beautiful, Cancun is more than a party destination with luxurious resorts and white-sand beaches. This is the Yucatan Peninsula's gateway to jungle pyramids, cenotes, and reefs full of aquatic life. You can snorkel, scuba dive, tour Mayan archaeological sites, or relax by the Caribbean Sea with a cocktail at Cancun.
Favourite activities in southeastern Mexico
1. See amazing ancient Maya ruins
Numerous tiny Maya archaeological monuments dot Cancún's coast, such as El Rey, El Meco, and San Miguelito. These ancient sites are worth viewing, but you should also visit Tulum, Cobá, or Chichén Itzá for their more impressive remains.
Swim in the clear sea at the private beach after exploring Tulum's sun-drenched cliffside ruins. Visitors to Cobá, site of Yucatán's greatest temple pyramid, can rent bikes to explore the rainforest remains.
While Chichén Itzá grows too crowded, the great pyramid's mathematical and astronomical perfection will wow you. Look for the serpent shadow that crawls down the north stairs on spring and fall equinoxes.
Visit Chichén Itzá early to avoid heat and tour bus crowds. Enjoy a relaxing overnight stay in Valladolid, a colonial city noted for its cenotes and Yucatecan food, including Maya cuisine at IX CAT IK, before returning to activities in Cancun.
2. Enter stunning cenotes
You'll understand why the ancient Maya considered cenotes sacred doorways to the underworld after seeing their deep blue pools and unearthly stalactites.
Many bathing spots are easily accessible from Cancún for a day trip. The intriguing Maya-run park Cenote Dos Ojos (120km/74 miles south of downtown) offers swimming, snorkelling, and cave diving.
Experience a laid-back atmosphere at Valladolid's Hacienda Oxmán Cenote (165km/102 miles west of Cancún), a former henequén estate with a partially collapsed freshwater grotto and hanging vines.
Cave diving is perilous and requires certification. Always choose a reputable dive shop like Scuba Total to book.
3. Cenote Swimming
Cenotes, limestone cave sinkholes filled with water, are famous on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. The Riviera Maya has thousands of swimmable cenotes.
Cenotes are formed when limestone falls, opening into Yucatan's vast underground river system. Most people swim, scuba dive, or snorkel there. The Ruta De Cenotes (Cenote Route) near Puerto Morelos, 30 minutes from Cancun, has some of the best cenotes.
Cenote La Noria, Verde Lucero, Mojarras, Selvatica, and others are here. The zipline-equipped Verde Lucero was my favourite! Xenote Experience, a fun guided cenote trip from Cancun, is an alternative to driving.
4. Experience fascinating wildlife up close.
Birders rejoice! Book a boat journey to Isla Contoy, an 8.5km (28ft) island with nesting sea turtles and 150 bird species, for peaceful nature viewing.
Loggerhead, hawksbill, and green sea turtles deposit their eggs on land from April to October. Asterix offers a boat trip with snorkelling and island biologist-led walks. The protected sanctuary, now a national park, only allows 200 people per day, so book ahead.
5. Admire life-sized artworks at MUSA underwater museum
To deter visitors from vulnerable coral reefs, the Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA) displays 500 submerged sculptures off Cancún and Isla Mujeres beaches.
Some pH-neutral cement pieces are modelled after locals and can be seen while scuba diving, snorkelling, or on a glass-bottom boat.
Punta Nizuc, Cancún's shallower underwater gallery, is ideal for snorkelling and boat tours, whereas Manchones, the 8-10m-deep Isla Mujeres site, is better for diving. Most diving shops provide MUSA tours.
6. Experience culture at Museo Maya de Cancún.
Tired of beach lounging? Escape the beach and visit the Museo Maya de activities in Cancun Isla Mujeres, a top anthropology museum featuring Yucatán Peninsula Maya artefacts.
The 3500-piece permanent collection includes a jade mosaic death mask and exquisitely painted pre-Hispanic pottery of supersized mythical creatures. The museum and nearby San Miguelito ruins provide a primer in Maya culture and history for visiting the area's archaeological monuments.
Planning tip: The museum's entrance includes San Miguelito, a jungle-set archaeological site with a tiny palace and pyramid.
7. Support Mexico's flashy masked wrestlers.
Try lucha libre instead of discos for a fun night out. Luchatitlán, a bright new venue in Plaza La Isla in the hotel zone, has three events featuring colourful masked marvels acrobatically fighting before an exciting crowd.
Cultural legends like El Santo and Blue Demon have kept Mexican wrestling alive since the early 1900s. To enjoy an economical and realistic wrestling experience, consider attending events at Plaza de Toros, a former bullfighting ring in downtown Cancún.
