8 Reasons Why Every Traveler Should add Cancun to their Bucket List

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Located on the famous Riviera Maya, the vibrant city of Cancun is a popular year-round destination for travelers looking to relax by its turquoise water beaches and have a fun, warm, tropical adventure.

Cancun is filled with plenty of all-inclusive resorts that allow you to enjoy everything at the resort apart from any extra activity, such as spa. The advantage of staying at such resorts is the convenience they offer.

You won’t have to worry about walking around with your wallet and paying whenever you grab a drink or something to eat because everything is already covered.

Additionally, you won’t have to worry about creating an itinerary as, most of the time, it is already planned for you.

While many travelers come to Cancun to be pampered and stay in the comfort of their all-inclusive resort, Cancun has so much more to offer.

In fact, there’s so much to do there that I’m confident every type of traveler will find something there that will make them want to add Cancun to their bucket list.

Here I’ll show you just a few reasons why Cancun should be a top destination on your upcoming vacation.

1. It’s Easy To Get To Cancun

With direct flights from all of the Americas and Europe, getting to Cancun is hassle-free and even a quick flight for most travelers. Additionally, given that it is a hot destination for many airlines, cheap airfare deals can be found year-round.

Cancun’s airport is also pretty close to the city, so once you arrive, you can quickly hop on a taxi or their public bus to go straight to your hotel and enjoy the beach!

2. It Caters to All Budgets and Travel Styles

Cancun may be known for its all-inclusive resorts, but in reality, there’s something for everyone and every travel style there.

I’ve been to Cancun several times, and I’ve stayed in backpacker-budget-friendly hostels, apartments/Airbnbs, regular hotels, and all-inclusive hotels.

There are also all kinds of all-inclusive hotels in Cancún, from the many high-end and splurgy 5-star resorts to the budget-friendly 5-star hotels.

If you’re looking for a beach vacation, you can stay along the hotel strip by Kukulkan avenue, but if you’re looking for a more cultural and budget-friendly trip, you can stay in Cancun’s downtown or city center.

If you’re looking to save money, here I have 10 of the best budget-friendly hostels in Cancun.

3. So Much Delicious Food!

Tacos. Enough said. 

Alright, alright, yes, tacos are soooo good, but what’s even better is that you’re tasting authentic Mexican food, which is so much better than the Americanized version we have.

Cancun’s food is well known for its unique and amazing flavors, guaranteed to be enjoyed by everyone. The numerous restaurants allow you to eat and drink to your heart’s content, depending on your preference.

However, if you want to maintain your diet while on vacation, you are lucky as Cancun is home to eateries serving healthy, delicious food.

Plenty of restaurants also offer more than just food but an experience. This is because most high-end restaurants combine dining and entertainment.

Tip: real tacos don’t have cheese. 

I highly recommend going to local taquerias in the city center over the popular ones along the resorts. Their food is so much better, better quality and flavor, and of course, more authentic.

4. Perfect for Single Travelers, Couples, Families, and Groups of Friends.

I’ve been to Cancun as a single traveler, with friends, and family, and all of those experiences were equally amazing but in different ways.

With a wide range of landscapes and attractions, Cancun is a fabulous place to enjoy an exciting group tour, on which you’ll meet plenty of like-minded adventurers. Or, why not go out and party at the Coco Bongo or its many other night clubs?

As it’s well known, resorts are also great environments for family, friends, and couples vacations. There’s a variety of resorts there catering to each group.

5. There’s a lot to Do in Cancun, Especially Watersports!

Many people who stay in resorts tend to stay “enclosed” in them during their whole vacation, but don’t do that in Cancun! There’s too much to do beyond the resorts.

Walk the handcraft market in the city center known as Mercado 28, kayak at the Nichupté Lagoon, head to Playa Delfines, go bungee jumping at Adventure Bay, enjoy the water slides and pools at the Ventura Park, and many more.

And don’t forget the watersports! Go jet skiing and hop on the banana boat. And test your balance and skills by conquering the fun floating obstacles at Float Fun. There’s so much to do there!

6. It’s a Warm Year-round Destination

Probably the best thing about Cancun and the Yucatan Peninsula is the stunning weather that makes partaking in all of these activities an absolute joy.

With temperatures in the 70s and 90s Fahrenheit (20s and 30s Celsius) all year round, and sea temperature holding steady in the high 70s (20s), conditions that are simply perfect for snorkeling and other watersports.

Not only can you swim, snorkel, and dive comfortably in just your swimsuit, but when you get out of the water you’ll be dry in a matter of minutes.

Speaking of dry, the ideal time to enjoy Cancun’s white-sand beaches is the spring, when there is very little rainfall on the peninsula.

But Summer, fall, and winter are still great, especially if you’re escaping your northern or southern hemisphere’s cold winter weather.

7. There’s Plenty of Maya History Nearby

While Cancun itself does not have a lot of Mayan history, there’s plenty of it just a bus ride away. Mexico is to the fascinating Maya civilization.

The country is littered with awe-inspiring ruins, many of which are located on the Yucatan Peninsula in the south-east of the country.

These include the world-famous Chichen Itza, an impressively well-preserved site best-known for its stepped pyramid, El Castillo, which towers imperiously above the surrounding grassland.

You can also get a feel for Maya life by wandering around the largest ball court in Meso-America.

In fact, Chichen Itza is now one of the new wonders of the world, so make sure not to miss it.

Another nearby attraction is the ruined town of Palenque, whose forested setting makes for a fantastically atmospheric experience.

Its impressive structures include the enticingly named Temple of the Inscriptions, built as the funerary monument for K’inich Janaab’ Pakal, who used to rule over Palenque.

If heading south, the ruins of Tulum are not to be missed. This modest yet impressive set of ruins perched on a cliff by the sea is one of my favorites in Mexico, thanks specifically for its unique location.

8. So Many Day Trips Out of Cancun Available

As mentioned above, there are plenty of Mayan ruins that can be visited, and most of them are easily visited on a day trip.

You can also have an adventurous day snorkeling or diving the cenotes in Tulum, or snorkeling with whale sharks near Cancun or by Holbox Island.

A catamaran trip to Isla Mujeres is also worth doing if you want to have a relaxing yet fun day at the sea snorkeling and chilling on the catamaran.

Just an hour south of Cancun is Playa del Carmen, which is another popular tourist destination with its world-famous Xcaret.

This is a water park/amusement park/and archaeological park all blended into one. It’s quite a fun place to spend the entire day with family and friends.

Additionally, if you take the 45-minute ferry from Playa del Carmen, you’ll enjoy the wonderful Cozumel, an island famous for its stunning dive sites and chill vibes.

You can also consider renting a car instead of using public transport when choosing a day trip. This way, you’ll have more flexibility and control of your time and schedule with your rented car. You can stop and enjoy the views without feeling limited by time.  

As you can see, Cancun has a healthy blend of intriguing history, spectacular natural surroundings, exciting watersports, and amazing weather.

This vibrant city, as well as its surrounding destinations, have so much to offer that it doesn’t matter what’s your travel style; you’re bound to have an amazing and unforgettable time there.

Lastly, are you looking to visit more than Cancun while in Mexico? Here are 10 of the cheapest places to travel in Mexico.

Featured image from Flickr Creative Commons