Best Things to Do in Cancun, Quintana Roo

The beautiful city of Cancun will offer you an unforgettable vacation, where you will be enjoying its turquoise blue water and white sand beaches, tasting the typical food of the region.

Besides enjoying incredible tours in the Mexican Caribbean, Cancun opens the doors to the best adventures in nature, cenotes, Mayan ruins, water parks, and more, experiences that carry fascinating stories of the life of the Mayas. Therefore, this post will discuss essential activities that you can't miss during your Caribbean Sea visit.

1. Swim in the refreshing Cenotes

The nature of southern Mexico gave us a refreshing way to swim; it is considered one of the most sought-after destinations for all travelers in the world. The cenotes are located a few kilometers from the sea, always surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes; each cenote has its Mayan legend.

There are about 600 cenotes identified throughout the Yucatan Peninsula. Still, we will mention the name of the five cenotes considered the most beautiful in Cancun and the Riviera Maya.

CHAC MOOL. This cenote is in the Riviera Maya, about 25 minutes from Playa del Carmen. It offers an area where you can snorkel or dive because it shows some beautiful ecosystems you cannot miss.

SUYTUN. That cenote is a little far from Cancun and the Riviera Maya, but it is worth a visit; this beautiful cenote is closed but quiet. In this cenote, you'll not be left in the dark for the sunlight to enter and illuminate the cenote. At the top of the cenote is a large hole that allows the entry of natural light, making the turquoise blue of the water stand out.

IK’KIL. This is a spectacular cenote and the most imposing of those that can be visited. The Mayas considered the waters of this cenote sacred because they came to make sacrifices to the god of rain. This beautiful cenote is near Chichen Itza, one of the world's wonders; the cenote is open so you can see the surrounding vegetation.

CENOTE AZUL, the cenote that looks like a massive pool of crystal clear water around it, is the most beautiful ecosystem in the region.

CENOTE XUNAAN HA is a rustic and pleasant cenote; the crystalline water allows you to contemplate the fish and freshwater turtles. It is considered the cenote with the most extended cave ecosystem in the Riviera Maya.

2. Cancun Archaeological Sites

Quintana Roo is an emblematic destination with incredible stories behind its archaeological sites. It is considered the most beautiful and unique indigenous capital of the Mayan culture. These are some archaeological sites we would like you to visit on your next vacation in Cancun. To get to these extraordinary destinations, we recommend hiring a car rental Cancun airport to travel comfortably and safely.

COBA. This is the ancient Mayan capital. The Coba ruins tour in the Riviera Maya has a high artistic and cultural value of traditions, customs, and life of the Mayas. The Nohoch Mul pyramid is impressive for many tourists because it is considered one of the highest pyramids in the Yucatan Peninsula. At 42 meters high, you should not miss this great wonder. You should rent a bike for a better experience on this tour.

TULUM. This city was considered one of the most important cities on the eastern coast. It is known for its mural that overlooks the north where the temple of the descending god is located, and in front is the main road where there are some Mayan buildings of which one is the most important because there are painted murals that are representative of the supernatural beings of the underworld. The south and west views are in front of the Caribbean Sea. A safe way to get to these beautiful ruins is to hire Cancun transportation.

KOHUNLICH this ruin is known and valued because it was the city that highlighted the development of the water collection system in all the roads and buildings. Its jungle vegetation is palms or cohune (the type of palm tree that the Mayans used to produce oils and salt or make their roofs). The history of the Mascarones represented the solar God kinich Ahau.

DZIBANCHÉ AND KINICHNÁ. At this site exist four Mayan architectural groups, two of which are not exposed to the public (Lamay and Tuttle). The Dzibanché and Kinichná ruins are the transition zone between the tropical rainforest of the Petén and the lowland jungle of northern Yucatán.

EL MECO. The city that was created in 200 BC, making the simulation of an island of sinners, is the castle of the highest, achieving a beautiful view of Isla Mujeres, and this gave it strategic importance because the castle was used as a port for commercial activities and from that place the access to Isla Mujeres was controlled.

3. Islands of Quintana Roo

Cancun is a place full of attractions and tourist destinations, many of them surrounded by turquoise blue sea, white sands, and tropical jungle, but it also has paradisiacal islands located off the coast of Quintana Roo; these are the four islands preferred by tourists.

HOLBOX ISLAND is a place to relax to the maximum, a beautiful paradise and one of the favorite places for tourists; to experience the stay on an island; it is a Mexican island that is still considered a clean soul, and the only form of transportation is a bicycle, or you can rent a golf cart.

ISLA CONTOY is a protected area, that is why visits to this island are limited; the beautiful island has more than 150 species of birds and is the favorite place for turtles; they lay their eggs during the summer; the fascinating thing about this island is that more than 60% is mangroves.

ISLA MUJERES is the island that has been highlighted as a magical town of Quintana Roo; here, you will find attractions that will make you stay an extra day in Isla Mujeres, such as the museum that is located under the sea, south tip, and north beach.

COZUMEL ISLAND, the favorite of many tourists, divers, and cruisers, for its beautiful reefs that you can explore on the Mexican Caribbean's largest island, is the best place for diving. The island has 40 different areas where you can snorkel or dive, such as caverns, tunnels and walls, sunken ships, and the most colorful reefs with depths from 30 meters.

4. Theme Parks of Grupo Xcaret

Grupo Xcaret has become an essential organization for tourism in Mexico since it has created five recreational parks in nature that offer a fascinating experience to its visitors. We list some of the most popular parks you cannot deny visiting.

XCARET has three beautiful subway rivers that will allow you to explore; it also has a path in the middle of the jungle that you will love; while you walk through it, you will find beautiful animals and butterflies of multiple colors; the more you go through the park, the more the experiences increase, at night Xcaret offers you a show that will make you come back.

XEL-HÁ is the park that does not limit you to snorkeling; during your tour, you will find beautiful coves, cenotes, and lagoons, all in the middle of the tropical jungle of Quintana Roo; you can slide down small zip lines, ride the river with inflatable tires or ride a bike through the jungle.

XPLOR is where adventure is paramount; venture through zip lines and subway rivers exploring caverns and ancient stalactite and stalagmite formations; you can also tour the jungle in amphibious vehicles.

XAVAGE in the park with the most extreme activities in Cancun, such as kayaking, the ropes course, and rides with extreme 360º turns in a water jet.

XOCHIMILCO is the park where you can experience the Mexican fiesta, accompanied by an exquisite Mexican dish that will make you fall in love.

FOLLOW MY ADVENTURES ON YOUTUBE @PinoyAdventurista

Thank You For Sharing!