Cancun. Where is it? History

The cultural wealth of the Peninsula, the natural wonders of both land and sea, and a modern, booming metropolis are three realities that converge to ...
Author: Jessie Roberts
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The cultural wealth of the Peninsula, the natural wonders of both land and sea, and a modern, booming metropolis are three realities that converge to form a vertex in the southernmost part of Mexico, in a place called Cancun, the gateway to the Mayan World. This interesting combination makes Cancun unique, enabling it to position itself in only four decades as the number one destination in Mexico and the Caribbean.

Cancun

Cancun

Cancun

Cancun

Sacred remains built by the Mayan stand out in the dense vegetation of the Quintana Roo jungle; the heritage and essence of this civilization is latent and can be appreciated by all who visit the Mexican Caribbean, which boasts around five thousand archeological sites. Cancun’s visitors can admire the crystal clear water and its soft waves and are surprised by the wealth of flora and fauna in the destination. Residents and visitors show the world how to live side by side in the most harmonious way, conserving and respecting the ecosystem. This landscape charms visitors and makes this a very romantic destination for weddings and honeymoons. Offering more than 31 thousand hotel rooms and the latest in technology, Cancun has become a vibrant metropolis, a mixture of ancient and modern cultures in the middle of the jungle.

develop a new tourism destination, and a small fishing village named Cancun was its leading candidate. Officially the Cancun project was authorized in 1969, but in practice it began in January of 1970. In 1974 the first hotels began to operate in Cancun and the international airport was opened. Since 1989 to the present day Cancun has become the most important tourist resort in the country and is the most prosperous city in the peninsula. It is also the number one tourist destination in the Caribbean, receiving more tourists than the Bahamas and Puerto Rico.

Where is it? Situated in the north of the state of Quintana Roo, the southwestern state of Mexico, Cancun has 700 km (435 mi) of Caribbean coastline. The hotel zone is located on a 22 km (13 mi) long island bordering the Bay of Mujeres, the Caribbean Sea and the Lagoon of Nichupté. Cancun is 1,604 km (996 mi) east of Mexico City and 835 km (518 mi) from Miami, Florida.

History Its name comes from the Mayan Word “Kankun”, which means “pot of snakes” or “nest of snakes”. The region was populated with Mayan settlements which are still inhabited to this day. The Spanish conquerors arrived here in 1500, but they considered it to be of little use and ignored it. In 1967 the Mexican government decided to

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(52) (998) • www.cancun.travel



Contry Code/ Area Code

Winter

Weather Precipitation Rainy days

(Jan-Mar)

Spring

Summer

(Apr-Jun)

(Jul-Sep)

Autumn (Oct-Dec)

20º C - 28º C 68º - 82º F

22º C - 33º C 71º - 91º F

24º C - 33 ºC 75º - 91º F

22º C - 30º C 71º - 86º F

234 mm - 9.21 in 21 out of 90

263 mm - 10.34 in 21 out of 91

391 mm - 15.4 in 33 out of 92

448 mm - 17.63 in 39 out of 92

Arriving by plane International Airport of Cancun Cancun-Chetumal Highway, Km. 22, Benito Juárez, Quintana Roo. Distance to downtown or the hotel zone: 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of downtown 20 Km (12.5 mi) from the hotel zone Code: CUN Airlines with direct flights to Cancun From

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Code

Airlines

Flight time

Atlanta, U.S.A.

ATL

Delta Airlines, Aeroméxico

2:34

Calgary, CA.

YYC

Sunwing

4:25

Chicago, U.S.A.

ORD

United Airlines, Continental

3:30

Dallas, U.S.A.

DFW

American Airlines

2:50

Denver, U.S.A.

DEN

United Airlines, Frontier Airlines

3:15

Frankfurt, De.

FRA

Condor

11:40

Houston, U.S.A.

IAH

Continental

2:15

Guadalajara, Mex.

GDL

Interjet

2:35

Los Angeles, U.S.A.

LAX

United Airlines, Continental

4:42

Madrid, ES.

MAD

Air Europa

9:15

Mexico City

MEX

Aeroméxico, Interjet

2:20

Miami, U.S.A.

MIA

American Airlines

1:50

Monterrey, Mex.

MTY

Interjet

2:10

Montreal, CA.

YUL

Air Canada, Sunwing, Westjet

4:30

New York, U.S.A.

JFK

American Airlines, Continental, United Airlines

4:05

Panama, PA.

PTY

Copa Airlines

2:41

Paris, FR.

CDG

Xl Airways

12:00

Philadelphia, U.S.A.

PHL

US Airways

3:45

Toluca, Mex.

TLC

Volaris, Interjet

2:10

Toronto, CA.

YYZ

Air Canada, Sunwing,WestJet

4:00

Vancouver, CA.

YVR

WestJet, Sunwing

5:50

Veracruz, Mex.

VER

Viva Aerobus

1:45

Cancun

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Arriving by land Bus Central Station Av. Uxmal 23 M.2, Lote 19, Cancun, Quintana Roo. Bus lines that offer direct connections (first class, plus, executive or luxury) to Cancun from the following locations From

Bus Lines

Travel time

Number of departures

Chetumal

ADO GL

5:30

2

ADO GL, ADO Platino

3:35

4

ADO GL

24:00

3

Mérida Mexico City

Cenotes

Playa del Carmen

ADO GL, ADO Platino

1:20

6

Distance and Price Chart From

Distance

Average fare pesos*

Km

Mi

Mérida

396 310

246 193

338 y 460

Mexico City

1,616

1,004

1,688

42

68 y 86

Chetumal

Playa del Carmen

68

340

*First class, executive and luxury service. Prices are subject to change. The peso/dollar, peso/euro exchange rate is variable. At press time, the exchange rate was 1 USD = 13.40 pesos, 1 € = 18.90 pesos.

DMC’s

Aerial view of Cancun

Tourist Institutions Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau Tel. (52) 998 8812745 [email protected]

Fax (52) 998 8812774 E-mail: http://cancun.travel

Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau (U.S. and Canada rep.) E-mail: [email protected]

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Cancun

Attractions

Mayan Culture

Mayan Culture Cancun is the gateway to the Mayan World and is the starting point for visiting the fascinating sites that are representative of this culture, such as Tulum, Uxmal, Chichén-Itzá –one of the New 7 Wonders of the World-, Cobá, Ek Balam, Dzibanché, Oxtankah and Kohunlich, famous for the Temple of the Masks. Chacchoben and Chakanbakan are two recently discovered sites that have yet to be opened to the public. Archaeological sites near Cancun that can be visited are: The King, in the Hotel Zone and El Meco, 5 km. Cancun. In nearby tours, visitors can visit places such as San Gervasio, Cozumel and the shrine to the goddess Ixchel in Isla Mujeres.

Ecotourism and Adventure The unique biological wealth of the jungle makes it a favourite spot for ecotourism activities. Going on a bicycle, horseback or jeep ride, and swimming in cenotes, with dolphins and even with sharks, are exciting experiences. The coral reefs, wetlands, low altitude jungle and fantastic mangroves are the settings for the most original and fun excursions, such as cenotes and underground rivers tours. There are impressive natural reserves and protected areas near Cancun, such as Sian Ka’an and Yum Balam, where

Shark-whale

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What´s new: Jayson de Caires Taylor´s underwater museum of art (MUSA) is Cancun´s New attraction, located at the Marine Park in between Punta Cancun and Punta Nizuc. The museum features over 400 sculptures strategically placed at different depths on the sea bed, in order to create a habitat to preserve this unique piece of the Caribbean Sea. monkeys, flamingos, sea turtles, crocodiles and many other creatures can be observed. Different kinds of hanging bridges and zip lines have been set up in the middle of the jungle, along with tracks for driving four wheel drive vehicles. Also, there are tours that take visitors from the hotels to Mayan communities that still conserve their traditions.

Nautical Activities The turquoise waters of Cancun can be enjoyed while practicing any of the many water sports available, such as: scuba diving, cave diving by day or at night, snorkeling, fishing and boat or catamaran cruises. For the adventurous there is: parasailing, motorized sports, windsurfing, jungle and mangrove tours or tours in glass bottom boats or underwater bubbles for exploring the sea bottom. Reputable companies organize the most incredible tours, with professional and expert operators, excellent fleets and state of the art technology. Cancun has a well trained and competitive nautical infrastructure with numerous certified marinas.

Weddings and honeymoons Cancun offers beautiful scenery for couples who are planning to get married and looking for a romantic location for an unforgettable wedding and honeymoon. Cancun’s wedding planners provide professional teams who offer expert advice during the planning and operational stages of both civil and religious marriages, coordinating the services of florists, photographers, video cameramen, banquet experts, musicians, designers and hair stylists. Ceremonies are held on the beach, as well as in different locations within the hotels: in ocean view ballrooms, chapels, gardens, terraces, foyers, gazebos and piers with thatched roofs, or even on board a boat while at sea, typical Mexican weddings and Mayan ceremonies.

Spas Combining the ancient wisdom with regenerating therapies, the treatments you can find in Cancun spas incorpo-

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Weddings in Cancun Spas in Cancun

Cancun rate endemic natural elements such as plants, fruits and alternative medicine and herbalist knowledge inherited from the Mayan civilization. All kinds of massages are offered, including: swedish, relaxing and deep tissue, shiatsu, hot stones, temazcal, coffee and chocolate wraps. There is also a great variety of deep cleansing and antiaging facials. Other treatments that are offered incorporate sleep therapy, and benefits such as detoxification, skin quality improvement or simply relaxation. Exercise areas with training routines, spinning, pilates, yoga, tai-chi and aerobics are also offered as a perfectly complement the spa treatments, all designed to offer healthy and fun vacations.

Golf For golf enthusiasts, Cancun is a paradise. The most famous designers, such as Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Jr., Robert Von Hagge, Isao Aoki, Greg Norman and P.B. Dye, have expressed their creativity in the more than 12 golf courses offered by the destination and its surroundings. The courses are avant-garde and designed with professional standards, incorporating the region’s geographical characteristics and natural surroundings –green jungle, turquoise sea, cenotes, mangroves, canals, lagoons, and also ancient ruins into their designs– to offer exclusive fields with challenging curves, fairways and greens, with moderate to steep slopes. Some have a high degree of difficulty, but also fun challenges for any amateurs. See page 39.

Golf

Shopping The pleasant and relaxed experience of strolling through the shopping malls, which are home to over two thousand boutiques and shops in the Hotel Zone and downtown Cancun, is incomparable. The best known shopping malls: Plaza Caracol, Flamingo Plaza, Forum by the Sea, La Isla Shopping Village, Kukulcan Plaza and Luxury Avenue are located on Kukulcan Boulevard, in the famous Hotel Zone. In the downtown area of Cancun there are large supermarkets, department stores and malls, such as Las Americas and the Market 28. For those looking for craftwork, Cancun is a very attractive option when looking for ceramic products, textiles, talavera, muslin, leather, silver and the best in craftwork from every corner of the country.

Gastronomy Cancun is a touristic destination which demands constant innovation in its gastronomy. In its exclusive restaurants visitors can enjoy everything from typical Mexican gastronomy, recognized as a World Heritage cuisine, to the most sophisticated international styles of cooking. It is no surprise that many of the destination’s restaurants are listed among the best in specialized travel magazines and receive awards from the famous Michelin guide and the American Automobile Association, among other important associations. The H Award and Crystal Certificate, among others, are a clear example of the high standards of quality and hygiene offered by the gastronomy of Cancun.

Shopping Malls in Cancun

Restaurants in Cancún

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Conventions An important part of the success of any congress, convention or incentive trip is the wide selection of activities that Cancun offers such as: water sports, golf, ecotourism, adventure, gastronomy, shopping and the visits to the Mayan sites. With three terminals, two for international flights and one for domestic flights, Cancun’s airport is the number one in international arrivals in Mexico. The most important commercial airlines in the world offer direct flights from their main hubs to this destination. Internationally renowned companies offer audiovisual, transportation, decoration, simultaneous translation and customs broker services, among many others. The high standard of the services and attention to even the smallest detail, guaranteeing the success of any convention.

Tours Puerto Morelos This quiet and cozy fishing village, is distinguished by its interesting range of hotels in various categories, spas and restaurants. The Tour of the Cenotes is another major attraction of this region, and the Polo Field King.

Isla Holbox A magical island with natural surroundings, where adventure and relaxation converge. You can enjoy experiences like swimming with whale sharks and eat gastronomic delights, with specialties as lobster pizza. Holbox can be reached from Cancun by taking a two hour trip by road to Chiquilá village, where ferries depart to the island between 5:00 am and 7:00 pm.

Isla Contoy National Park with more than five thousand acres, dedicated to the conservation and protection of flora and fauna. Is a refuge for approximately 150 species of birds, 250 species of fish, 98 species of flora and three species of sea turtles in danger of extinction. Access to the National Park is by sea, leaving from Cancun, Puerto Juarez or Isla Mujeres, and takes between one or two hours. Only 200 visitors are allowed to visit Contoy Island per day, arriving on authorized vessels.

Isla Mujeres In this place thats keeps the rustic flavor of the Caribbean, the visitors can enjoy atractions as the Hacienda of the pirate Mundaca, Playa Norte, El Garrafon Natural Park, and

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Cancun Convention & Exhibition Center

the remains of the Mayan temple built in honour of the Goddess Ixchel, part of the island’s history. Isla Mujeres is accessible by sea on board the ferry that leaves from Cancun’s Hotel Zone, with shuttles leaving every 15 or 20 minutes, or alternatively on the ferry leaving from the pier at Puerto Juarez and Punta Sam, on which tourists can transport their cars and enjoy the 45 minute crossing.

Isla Cozumel Getting to the island is very simple, it has an international airport with two daily flights from Cancun. For those who wish to arrive by sea there are boats setting sail from Playa del Carmen from the early hours of the morning. See page 85. Tours & nautical activities