Cancun Things to Do

What not to do in Cancun? Is there even anything? Well, unfortunately, yes. It’s important to stay safe, so that’s one thing. But with so many other things to see and do, there are bound to be some things that are better ideas than others. So what are they?

It’s sad but a reality: when traveling you should be aware of any potential dangers . Travelers who keep their wits about them, aren’t overly trusting right off the bat, and don’t go down any dark alleyways at night generally have little to worry about (aside from the occasional sunburn, that is). Still, in recent years, a bit has been made about the safety of heading to Mexico, and especially when it comes to safety, it’s smart to understand the risks.

Splendid Chichén Itzá (600AD–1000AD), one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is quite rightly the most famous of Mexico’s pre-Columbian cities. Just two hours from Cancún, the awe-inspiring Classical Mayan masterpiece is a must on any Yucatán itinerary. Many travelers have also heard of stunning Tulúm (1200–1450AD), a Mayan resort town right on the white Caribbean beaches, famed for the lovely freshwater cenotes nearby.

One doesn’t usually think of Felipe Calderón, the tough-as-nails president of Mexico best known for his encyclopedic policy knowledge and unflinching crackdown on borderland narcotrafficking gangs, smiling and scuba diving through the clear blue waters of the Yucatán. This month, however, he does just that, descending into the peninsula’s famous cenotes, or freshwater-filled sinkholes, considered sacred by the Mayans and spectacularly beautiful to everyone else.

Calderón took time out earlier this year to show popular travel journalist Peter Greenberg the wonders of Mexico, which include some of the Yucatán’s brilliant blue gems.

Want to learn more? Or just drink more? You’re in luck, as a new museum has just opened in Cancún’s Hotel Zone, the Tequila Herradura Sensory Museum. The museum was built by Hacienda San Jose del Refugio, which has produced some of Mexico’s finest tequila since 1870, using Weber blue agave grown at their Amatitán, Jalisco, estate. It claims to be “the only 100% hacienda-made tequila in the world,” and you can find out how they do it without leaving the beach.