Cancun Attractions

Plaza Caracol:
Blvd. Kukulcan km. 8.5 Hotel zone.
Cancún, Q. Roo 77500
(98) 83-09-05
Mon-Sun 9 am-10 pm
Indoor Mall. Handicap Access
With 200 shops this is the largest and most modern of the resort shopping areas.
This two story mall of marbled floors and pleasant plant-filled atriums was designed by internationally renowned architects. Plaza Caracol features shops, boutiques, restaurants and galleries.

Cancún Museum:
Cancún Convention Center, Blvd Kukulcán Km 9
(98)83-0305
Tues to Sun, 9 - 7
Admission charged. children under 11 free Sundays free
Cancún's museum is located on the ground floor of the city's convention center. It traces the Maya culture with an impressive collection of 1,000 to 1,500-year-old artifacts. There are a number of impressive carvings and frescoes, along with ancient artifacts that have been unearthed at nearby sites throughout Quintana Roo. A visit to the National Institute of Anthropology and History can add another dimension to exploration of the Mayan ruins and is a fascinating introduction to the ancient culture. Guided tours in English, French, German, and Spanish are available.

National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH):
Located on Calle 43 and Paseo Montejo, Mérida
Tel: (99) 23-05-57.
Tues - Sat 8 - 8, Sundays, 8 - 2.
Admission charged. Free on Sundays.
Originally a residence for the governor, this mansion was transformed into a museum in 1977. The Museo de Anthropologiá e Historia showcases the Mayan culture and history with exhibits of artifacts found from ruins on the peninsula. Here you can see ancient conch shells, stones, feathers, jade objects and jewelry used in Mayan rituals. Another display case explains the various customs of tattooing and head binding along with the myths associated with them.

Museum of the Maya Culture (Museo de la Cultura Maya):
Héroes and Calle Mahatma Gandhi, Chetumal
(983) 26-838
Tues-Thurs, 9 - 7 ; Sat 9 -8 ; Sun 9 - 2
Admission charged.
Chetumal, the capital of Quintana Roo, is home to the impressive Museum of Mayan Culture. This is a sophisticated, interactive museum that explains the complex world of the Maya. Various exhibits outline their social classes, politics and customs along with the medicinal and domestic uses of plants.

Isla Mujeres:
The island is five miles long and half a mile wide, and only six miles from Cancún. There are three excellent beaches. Playa de los Cocos in the north end, is the most popular with calm waters, silky sand and all water sports. Playa Lancheros, located at the southern end, is very secluded, featuring live sea turtle pens and a separate area for swiming. Playa Garrafon is a national underwater park that is a favorite for snorkeling. Banderas, Cuervones and Manchones are reefs for experienced divers.

Cozumel Island:
68 kilometers south of Cancún, Cozumel has excellent hotels and resorts, beautiful beaches with water sports of all kind, world-famous snorkeling and diving and a National Archaelogical Park with Botanical Gardens.

Ruinas del Rey:
Paseo Kukulkán Km 17
This archaeological dig, though small, is notable for the unusual architecture of two main plazas bounded by two streets. The majority of Maya cities had one plaza and few streets. This site may have been a royal burial ground.

Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve:
Over a million acres nature reserve, made up of about one-third wetlands, one-third tropical forest and one-third marine systems, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The reserve maintains ecological diversity while it provides the native population with agricultural and ecological opportunities to make a living. Friends of Sian Ka'an is a non-profit group that operates biologist-escorted tours from Cancún that help the biosphere concept support itself via low-impact tourism.

Xcaret:
About 45 miles south. Travel to the park takes about an hour. Buses depart daily from the XCaret terminal at 9 and 10am. Once a peaceful cove, it has been transformed into a waterside park with an ecological theme. There is a choice of tour packages. Visitors are greeted at a modern concrete pyramid which houses a museum and restaurant. It also has a scenic outlook point. Paths lead from there to the beaches, the cove, and the dolphin swimming area. Other paths lead to the lagoon and the underground river that is one of the park's greatest attractions. Some of the visitors will be invited to swim and snorkel with the dolphins. There is a wild bird sanctuary with 36 different species and a botanical garden with a wide variety of native plants, including flowers in bloom. At night there is a festive air that begins with a light and sound tour in the caves. This is followed by the recreation of a Mayan ceremony and a folk ballet presented in the amphitheater.
Other features include:
A butterfly habitat
An aquarium with tanks from different depths on the reef
Dolphin shows and swimming with dolphins
Jaguars and cougars
Several live shows throughout the day and evening
Underground river that you can float down
Botanical gardens
Riding stables
Recreation of Mayan village

Xel-Ha:
A natural aquarium where you can swim with the fish. Also between Tulum and Cancún This was a sacred city of the Maya, and one of the most important on the Mayan trade route. It is an ecological marvel in that water from the sea mixes with natural fresh water springs, forming a group of coves and lagoons. The result is a natural aquarium in which the swimmer can snorkel and dive while surrounded by tropical fish.

National Institute of Anthropology and History:
Quintana Roo, Paseo Kukulcán Km 9
98/830305
Museum located on the ground floor of the city's convention center, features a collection of 1,000 to 1,500-year-old artifacts showcasing the Maya culture.

Avenida Tulum: Many restaurants and shops are located along this avenue. Life-size reproductions of ancient Mexican art are displayed on the median, including the Aztec calendar stone and the Atlantids of Tula among others.

Mayan Ruins:

Chichen Itza
This huge complex of magnificent Mayan ruins is one of the most extensive in Mexico. It dates back to 600 AD and the Mayan civilization. It features in the center the majestic pyramid of Kulkulkan, with its accompanying buildings. The ancient Maya used the observatory at Chichen Itza to track the stars and to calculate agricultural seasons.

Coba
"Coba" means "water stirred by wind," a name derived from the beatiful lakes nearby. It is one of the largest Mayan cities in existence. The Nohoch Mul is 138 feet tall.

Tulum
Tulum is the only walled city near the ocean that the Mayans ever constructed. It was built between 1200 and 1500 A.D. and is an easy day-trip away. The unique aspect of Tulum is its seaside location. As there is no place to eat at Tulum itself, many visitors pack a picnic lunch and enjoy it on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. There is a long uncrowded stretch of land to the right of the main temple. Because a trip to Tulum takes only about half a day, travelers booking tours to the site may want to select one that goes in the morning to Tulum and offers afternoon snorkeling in Xel-Ha.