Activities

Beaches

With its miles of sandy beaches, Cancun draws vacationers from around the world looking for fun and relaxation. Below are some of the best beaches that Cancun offers:

Playa las Perlas. When coming from downtown Cancun, this stunning beach is the first one that people encounter. It is known as a quiet place where vacationers can enjoy snorkeling, diving, or working on their tans. For those who don't carry their own, water sports equipment is available for rent.

Playa Tortugas. Just down the road from Playa las Perlas, it is said that the white sand here never gets hot. Parking is available for those who wish to drive and as with other beaches, snorkeling and diving equipment is available for rent.

Playa Langosta. This enourmous beach is very popular among families and children, since the water remains at a depth of four feet for almost 80 meters (260 feet) from the shoreline. As with other beachs, you can also rent water sports equipment. There are also restaurants, showers, and palapas (Mexican shade umbrellas made of coconut leaves) available.

Playa Ballenas. This is an excellent beach to spend some time enjoying the water and the sun.

Playa Chac Mol. This beach is preferred by those who enjoy moderate waves. There is a parking lot, restaurants, and showers. Sections of the beach have a rocky bottom, providing an interesting area to explore while snorkeling.

Playa Delfines. This is not only the widest beach in Cancun, but also the one with the strongest currents, so caution is advised for those who visit here. This beach is especially popular with those who enjoy sports like volleyball and football (what Americans call soccer). It is also popular with those who enjoy partying at night under the moon.

Diving and snorkeling

Cancun's crystaline waters and beautiful marine life make it fun place for diving and snorkeling. If time permits, however, the best snorkeling can be found on the Isla Mujeres, Cozumel or any place along the Riviera Maya. Many hotels have gear for rent,and a number of small businesses rent equipment as well.

The most popular places for diving and snorkeling are:

• Punta Nizuc, where you can swim along the edges of the Great Maya Barrier Reef.
• Arrecifes Chitales located by Punta Cancun.
• El Tunel reef.
• San Toribio reef.
• San Miguel reef.

Scuba diving courses are available at a variety of locations in the Zona Hotelera as well. Aquaworld offers a variety of reef and freshwater cavern dive tours from its PADI certified center located on Boulevard Kukulkan Km 15. It also offers other certified courses as well as renting all the necessary equipment. You can also check out Aqua Tours and Scuba Cancun. The three above dive centers employ PADI-certified dive masters.

Fishing

You can book a deep-sea fishing tour at almost any travel agency in the area or in most of the large hotels. AquaTours offers both shared or private tours. As you might expect, the private service is a bit more expensive. Tours last four or six hours, and the prices vary from $700 pesos (US$70) up to $4000 pesos (US$400).

If you head down to the Puerto Juarez ferry dock north of Downtown Cancun and negotiate with the fishermen, you may get an even better deal. They generally charge more than the established businesses, but prices are subject to change, and if you haggle you may get a better deal. From April to August the marlin, sail fish, tuna, amber-jacks, wahoo and mahi-mahi are in greater supply than the rest of the year. Other fish like barracuda, snapper, sea bass, grouper, and mackerel are available all year.

Boat excursions

There are several boat excursions to Isla Mujeres from Cancun Island. The most popular is the Isla Mujeres Dolphin Express with daily trips departing from Playa Langosta Dock near the Casa Maya hotel. The trip includes breakfast, a shopping trip, and snorkeling. For an additional fee, you can swim with dolphins. The trip lasts around six hours, and departs at 10 AM.

Dolphin Discovery also offers daily boat excursions to Isla Mujeres and departs from Playa Langosta Dock as well. Trips leave as early as 8 AM and return at 8 PM. The cost is a little higher due to the extra length. The trip also includes a dolphin show. As with the other package, swimming with the dolphins costs extra.

Other water activities

Parasailing in Cancun, Mexico

Kayaks can be rented at some of the major hotels in the Zona Hotelera. Aqua World has wave runners for rent by the hour, as well as boogie boards, and snorkeling gear. For those who love water ski, Aqua Tours offer this service as well. They charge by the minute with a 15 minute minimun. Parasailing is also available in Cancun at any popular beach along Cancun Island.

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