|
Almost 800 years
ago, Cancún was home to the great Mayan civilization. Today, this exotic tropical
paradise joins the ancient past with one of the world's most modern and exciting
resort areas.
One look at the
weather chart goes a long way to explain Cancún’s popularity, with 200-plus
days of sun a year and a temperature that averages 80F, its easy to see why
the resort is so popular with people from North America. With these statistics,
it isn't hard to understand why it is Mexico's top tourist destination. Located
on the tip of the Yucatan peninsula, its beaches are unparalleled, broad expanses
of gleaming white sand stretched out beside the clear blue-green waters of the
Caribbean.
.
A wide range of
restaurants, vibrant night life, shopping to die for, and the overall tropical
atmosphere draw over two million visitors a year. It is hard to believe that
25 years ago, apart from a few shacks, it didn't exist at all!
The hotel zone,
which is what most tourists think of as Cancún, is a fourteen mile long, thin
island shaped like a "7." To the North is the Caribbean Sea with wide
open beaches and strong waves. To the west the shore is protected by Isla Mujeres
(Isle of Women) causing calmer waters. To the south, between the island and
the mainland is the Nichupte Lagoon a perfect location for all water sports.
It is this island that was created specifically for its present purpose, as
the ideal vacation destination in a totally natural tropical setting accompanied
by all the amenities of life in the 21st century.
Mainland Cancún
has a much different ambience than the hotel zone, because it is an area of
permanent residence for some 450,000 people. It offers markets instead of malls,
and street vendors and outdoor cafes instead of air-conditioned restaurants.
Downtown Cancún has little of the glamour of the hotel zone, but is a fast growing
and interesting city to visit.
Visitors who are
nostalgic for their home cities will be comforted to know that the developers
of Cancun included businesses such as Outback Steakhouse, Dunkin' Donuts, Ruth's
Chris Steakhouse, McDonalds, Wal-Mart and Blockbuster. So don’t bring unnecessary
baggage with you as you can buy all the comforts of home here.
Very much a family
resort much thought and preparation has gone into developing attractions that
will be of interest to family members of all ages. Aqua World is one such facility.
It offers wave runners, water skiing, windsurfing, catamarans, paddle boats,
sailboats, kayaks, floats and boogie boards. There is even a sub sea explorer
craft with large glass windows built into the sides for underwater viewing of
fish, coral formations, turtles, and other marine life. There is no excuse not
to have fun! Children will also enjoy time spent at Caret, the waterside theme
park. However one word of warning if you intend to bring children, avoid Spring
Break, around Easter time, some of the antics then are not suitable for most
adults let alone children!
For the culturally
inclined The Cancun Convention Centre offers a wide variety of performing arts
events, as well as displays of paintings and sculpture. Cancún majors in night
time entertainment. Most of the hotels on the island have discos where dancing
continues through the night into the early morning hours. Ballet Folklórico
de Mexico performs nightly at the Continental Villas Plaza Hotel. Latin music
is performed live at several clubs and attracts people of all ages. Rock 'n
roll oldies bring crowds of dancers to Planet Hollywood and the Hard Rock Café.
Comedy acts and romantic dinner cruises round out the night time offerings.
Holidays and fiestas
provide additional reasons to celebrate the beauty and joy of time spent in
Cancún. In the church plaza, dances passed down from family to family since
ancient times, continue for hours. Dancers dress in symbolic local costumes
of vivid colours. Some villages offer a bullfight as part of the festivities.
Nearby in the Yucatan, both the bull and the matador are required to end the
contest unharmed. Live music accompanies the performance. In the end, the bull
is untied and returns to its rural home.
There is never
a season of the year that isn't just the right time to step back from life's
hectic pace and visit Cancún. A world apart awaits the visitor to this majestic
land of incomparable beauty.
Have you been to Cancun and know about some more great highlights worth a mention? Add details for other visitors to read about.
Add a Cancun highlight > >.
|
|
