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Mexico - Cancun
Need a new place to golf, snorkel or dive? Cancún is the place to be. Aim for the fairways beside the turquoise Caribbean, snorkel with tropical fish in crystal-clear waters and explore underground rivers and caves.

With so much to do, it's no wonder that Cancún was voted the World's Best City-Mexico, Central and South America in 2000 by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine. Sea turtles and manta rays glide by snorkelers in underwater parks. Monkeys swing through the trees at vine-shrouded Maya ruins. Here you can shop till you drop or dine in an inexhaustible number of fine restaurants. This is a water sports paradise filled with endless stretches of white sand beaches kissed by turquoise waters. So grab your swimsuit and follow the itinerary that suits your style.

The island of Cancún, shaped somewhat like the number 7, extends east from the mainland for about 4 miles, then runs north-south for about 10 miles. The point at which the two strips meet is called Punta Cancún, or Cancún Point. Although the island is small, sightseeing on foot is difficult because attractions are relatively spread out. Traveling by bus or taxi, however, visitors can easily tour it in a day.

There are several Mayan ruins on the island. The Pok-Ta-Pok Golf Course boasts a temple by its 3rd hole; there is also a minor ruin next to the Hotel Camino Real on Punta Cancún. Heading south, there are two small temples at Yamil Lu'um near the Sheraton Hotel; an unrestored ruin called San Miguelito, in front of the Royal Mayan hotel; and the Ruinas del Rey, located on the shores of the lagoon directly across from Playa Delfines.

The latter, also a good place for bird watching, is the most important archaeological site on the island, comprising several small temples, two plazas and a pyramid. It may have once been a royal burial ground. One fun way to visit the Cancún sights is the Tranvía Turístico, or "Tourist Trolley." The old-fashioned streetcar tours the Hotel Zone and downtown areas and makes a number of stops. Hourly tours operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily; dinner-show tours are available from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Side Trips
Isla Mujeres/Isla Contoy
Isla Mujeres is the perfect place to "get away from it all"--it offers visitors many amenities, but it is still a sleepy fishing village in the best sense of the term. Ferries put in at the north end of the island, known as "downtown," a center of activity and a good place to shop, enjoy fresh seafood or just soak up the island's laid-back atmosphere. One might observe--or even join in--a rousing game of basketball in the center of the main plaza. The square, bounded on one side by a newly cobbled malecón, or seawall promenade, is where the small but friendly tourist information office is located. Visitors can also take in the view of the rocky windward coast from several lookout points in town. The plaza is the site of one of Isla Mujeres' most joyful events, the annual music festival--each October, country-and-western stars provide top-notch entertainment. Other celebrations include a fiesta honoring the island's patron saint, held during the first week in December, and Carnival, which takes place in the days preceding Lent.

Aside from its tranquil beaches and the fabulous snorkeling at El Garrafón, one of the island's most interesting attractions is Hacienda Vista Alegre, the ruins of an estate once owned by the pirate Fermín Mundaca, located near Playa Lancheros toward the southern end of the island. According to local lore, Mundaca, an infamous slave trader, fell in love with a local girl and built the palatial home in her honor. The young woman ran away with another lover, a blow from which Mundaca reportedly never recovered. Although Mundaca died and was buried in Mérida on the Yucatán Peninsula, he has a tombstone in the Isla Mujeres cemetery on the west side of town. Plans are in the works to restore Mundaca's hacienda to its former splendor.

At the extreme southern tip of the island is the Isla Mujeres Lighthouse. There are also some small Mayan ruins there, one of which may have been a lighthouse centuries ago. Getting around Isla Mujeres is easy. The diminutive downtown can be covered on foot, and bicycle and moped rentals are available for those who wish to explore the island. Visitors will also find taxis lined up at the tourist dock.

Nature lovers will want to plan a boat trip to Isla Contoy, a tiny island about an hour from Isla Mujeres. Declared a National Wildlife Reserve in 1961, Isla Contoy is now home to more than 97 species of birds, including brown pelicans, magnificent frigatebirds, cormorants, roseate spoonbills, herons and an occasional flamingo; the total bird population is estimated at 10,000. The island is also a summer nesting site for four different species of turtles--the hawksbill, the olive Ridley, the loggerhead and the leatherback.

A small museum features exhibits on island wildlife, and a lookout tower offers splendid views of the island, the mainland and the Caribbean Sea. Near the dock is a tranquil beach, where the sand is so fine and white it resembles flour. Visitors can also swim and enjoy some of the best snorkeling around Cancún on the second-largest reef in the world, home to an infinite number of magnificent multicolored fish. Day trips to Isla Contoy can be arranged from Isla Mujeres or Cancún and often include fishing, snorkeling and lunch. Several cruises to Isla Mujeres depart from the Cancún Hotel Zone, offering a variety of meal and entertainment packages; most include snorkeling, lunch and free time for shopping. There's also a shuttle service departing from the Playa Linda Pier.

The perimeter of the Cancún Hotel Zone is all beach--14 miles of powdery-white sand and clear blue water. The east-west stretch of the island fronts the placid Bahía de Mujeres and offers the best swimming; the undertow on the Caribbean side, the north-south stretch, can be dangerous. (Flags are posted to indicate current conditions, and these warnings should be heeded.) Much of the island's shore fronts hotel properties; however, because the Mexican seashore is government property, all beaches are open to the public. Half of the non-hotel beaches are located on the bay side of the island. Playa Tortugas is a popular spot for sunning and swimming in the bay; it is located a little more than halfway between the mainland and Punta Cancún and offers restaurants and changing facilities. Playa Caracol, east of Playa Tortugas, is a favorite spot with local residents. Other beaches on the Bahía de Mujeres include Playa las Perlas, Playa Juventud, Playa Linda and Playa Langosta.

Playa Chacmool, just south of Punta Cancún on the Caribbean, is a pleasant beach with changing facilities, a restaurant and a bar. Farther south are Playa Marlín and Playa Ballenas; and near the southern tip of the island is Playa Delfines, directly opposite the Ruinas del Rey.

Isla Mujeres
The beaches of tranquil Isla Mujeres are every bit as lovely as those on Cancún. The windswept eastern coast is worth a visit for the vistas; although the currents make swimming there dangerous, jagged cliffs and crashing surf combine for some dramatic panoramas. In contrast, the leeward side of the island has sandy shores lapped by the calm waters of the Bahía de Mujeres. Playa Norte, also known as Playa Los Cocos, stretches from the dock to the northern tip of the island. Small hotels and thatch-roofed palapa restaurants dot the popular strand; an array of water-sports rentals is available there and topless sunbathing is permitted.

Toward the southern end of the island, near Hacienda Vista Alegre, are three adjacent beaches: Playa Paraíso, Playa Lancheros and Playa Indios. The broad beaches, washed by spectacular turquoise waters, all boast casual restaurants. Nearby is Playa El Garrafón, whose underwater national park attracts many divers and snorkelers; facilities include showers and changing rooms, equipment rentals, a dive shop, snack bars and souvenir shops.

Watersports
Diving & Snorkeling
The reefs around Cancún are home to more than 500 species of tropical fish, and snorkeling is an easy way to catch a glimpse of the brilliant underwater life. The Chintales and El Bajito reefs off Punta Cancún and the shallow reef at Punta Nizuc on the southern tip of the island are just right for snorkelers; all three are accessible from shore, and the current is negligible. The Laguna del Amor, just inland from the western shore of Laguna Nichupté, is another interesting snorkeling site--it is fed by one of the Yucatán Peninsula's underground freshwater springs.

Many hotels on Cancún rent gear, and most marinas feature snorkeling or snorkel/dive combination trips. Excursions are often all-day affairs that include lunch. Several cruises leaving Cancún make a snorkeling stop at Isla Mujeres' El Garrafón. Scuba diving is fabulous in the Mexican Caribbean, too. Some 65 species of coral are found in the area, and visibility is often more than 100 feet. Cancún has diving trips for every skill level, including wall, canyon and cave dives; local pros can suggest tours appropriate to individual experience. All the marinas give resort courses for beginners, and certification courses are also available.

Nearby reefs include El Túnel, El Grampín, Iglesias and San Miguel; all three sites are suitable for experienced divers. Seasoned divers will also want to explore the famous Palancar Reef off Cozumel and the coastal reefs near Akumal. Excursions can be arranged through hotel travel desks or a reputable marina or tour operator.

Isla Mujeres
Underwater enthusiasts flock to Isla Mujeres primarily to visit El Garrafón National Park. Calm, clear water and the proximity of the reef makes the site perfect for snorkelers, even novices. The depth never exceeds 15 feet, and the rainbow-hued fish approach readily for handouts of food. Gear is available for rent; there's also a museum and an aquarium filled with tropical fish for those who prefer to stay dry.

Isla Mujeres also offers excellent diving opportunities; divers can arrange a trip from a dive shop on the island. La Bandera and Los Manchones reefs, both at depths of about 30-35 feet in the Bahía de Mujeres, are ideal for beginning divers. Those with more experience should visit the shipwreck of the Ultrafreeze, a 110-foot dive site about eight miles east of the island. Scuba aficionados should not leave Isla Mujeres without checking out the Cave of the Sleeping Sharks. Explored by Jacques Cousteau in the 1960s, the cave, 70 feet below the surface, is where divers can come face-to-face with large "sleeping" sharks that allegedly will not attack.

Other Water Sports
For those who wish to explore the reefs without getting wet, several operators provide glass-bottom boat and submarine tours. World-class windsurfing can be enjoyed in the waters off Cancún; the Laguna Nichupté and the Bahía de Mujeres are good sites for this exciting sport, and several marinas provide equipment rentals and lessons. Waterskiing, jet skiing and parasailing can also be arranged at many marinas. Just about every other kind of water toy can be rented on Cancún, too, including: power boats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, Sunfish, Hobie Cats, inflatable rafts and inner tubes. One popular outing offered by most marinas is a jungle tour on a two-seater "jet-mate."

Sportfishermen can choose from a variety of fishing trips departing from Cancún. During the spring and summer, marlin and sailfish are plentiful; throughout the year the waters abound with grouper, snapper, mackerel, bonito, wahoo, barracuda and tuna. The Laguna Nichupté provides a unique experience; "fishing the flats" for bonefish requires sharp eyesight, quick reflexes and good coordination, as well as some skillful boat maneuvering (which the boat guide will provide). Most charters include gear, bait and beer as well as a captain and first mate.

Land Sports
Diverse challenges are presented by the Pok-Ta-Pok Golf Course in the Hotel Zone, 18 holes designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Its name is Mayan for "ball game," and the course even has an authentic ruin on its 3rd hole. Caddies, carts and lessons are available. Other facilities include a practice green, a pro shop, tennis courts, a swimming pool and a restaurant; the club is open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Golfers of all ages are sure to love the Mini Golf Palace. Located in front of the five-star Cancún Palace Hotel, it offers golfers the chance to play in a lush tropical paradise. The layout features two 18-hole courses complete with three spectacular waterfalls. Replicas of the famous Palenque and Uxmal ruins, as well as other traditional works of art, dot the area. Many hotels have tennis courts, some indoors and some lighted for night play. Several are open to non-guests and offer lessons, clinics and social tournaments. Walkers, runners and bicyclists need not abandon their regimens while vacationing on Cancún; a biking/jogging path runs parallel to the island's main road from Punta Cancún into downtown Cancún, a distance of about six miles. Bicycles can be rented at several locations in the Hotel Zone, as can in-line skates. Exercisers will need to keep their eyes open for moped drivers--they also share the path.

Acapulco || Cabo San Lucas || Cancun || Cozumel
Ensenada || Huatulco || Mazatlan || Puerto Vallarta || Zihuatanejo