Cancun is renowned for its vibrant party scene. Often described as Las Vegas on sea, the Mexican resort city on the Yucatan Peninsula has big-name hotels, all-night clubs and golden Caribbean sands for snoozing off hangovers. Yet it also has plenty of appeal beyond the dance floor.
You can now fly direct to Cancun from London Heathrow with Virgin Atlantic. From there, the Riviera Maya stretches 80 miles south along the coastline to Tulum, past sprawling all-inclusive resorts, palm-shaded beaches, extraordinary archaeological sites and the wildlife-thronged Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, with its mangroves, tropical jungle and coral reef.
Where to stay
Swim to sea: one of the pools at The Fives Hotels and Residences
(Image credit: The Fives Hotels and Residences / Virgin)
All the big-name hotels are here, and most have vast grounds with private beaches, luxurious spas and infinity pools galore. If you’re travelling with family or a group of friends, opt for the all-inclusive The Fives Hotels and Residences, which is ten minutes from downtown Playa del Carmen and has enormous one-, two- or three-bedroom suites. All have separate living areas, fully-fitted kitchens where you can stash snacks and sundowners, and balconies overlooking the garden or pool. Elsewhere, there are eight pools, tennis and basketball courts, a kids’ club, a white sandy beach and a mind-boggling choice of places to eat, from a pizzeria with sea views to an opulent Thai restaurant. Rooms are built around the hotel’s very own mangroves, where a wooden boardwalk weaves through the trees for spotting coatis (similar to raccoons), lizards and spider monkeys.
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The adults-only all-inclusive TRS Yucatan Hotel is a better choice for couples, and boasts six pools, including a show-stopping three-tiered infinity pool overlooking the sea. Sleek suites have a modern feel with plunge pools in private gardens, outdoor Jacuzzis, freestanding in-room tubs and hammocks overlooking the lagoon. Extras have been thought of, too, from the much-needed tray of ice lollies offered round each afternoon to the poolside cart stocked with sun cream and novels.
Things to do
High Priest’s Temple: The Ossuary at Chichen Itza
(Image credit: Angus McComiskey / Alamy)
Many visitors barely stray from the nearest swim-up bar but, if you can resist the lure of tequila on tap, Cancun is a dream for thrill-seekers. Xplor Park is a vast outdoor adventure playground surrounded by dense jungle and featuring the world’s only five-in-one water slide, two seven-zip-line circuits high above the treetops, an underground river for rafting and swimming, and the chance to drive an amphibious vehicle through flooded caverns and over narrow bridges in the rainforest.
The region’s Mayan ruins are a must-do. There are several to choose from, including the El Rey Archaeological Area in Cancun itself, but the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza is well worth the two-hour drive. An Unesco World Heritage Site and one of its New Seven Wonders of the World, the city dates back over 1,000 years. It is astonishingly well preserved, with a circular observatory, several temples, a marketplace and the famous four-sided Pyramid of Kukulkan.
Most people combine their visit with a dip in one of the area’s many cenotes, freshwater sinkholes formed by collapsed limestone and connected by the world’s largest underground river. The Mayans considered these spots to be sacred gateways to the underworld; today, they are eerily tranquil swimming spots draped in vegetation and studded with stalactites, home to fish, iguanas and turtles. Il Kil is the closest cenote to Chichen Itza and one of the prettiest, but it can get busy. Instead, head to Cenote Zaci in the centre of Valladolid, an hour’s drive away and in strolling distance of the town’s pastel-coloured buildings, street food vendors and 18th century colonial-style cathedral.
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Some organised day trips include access to smaller cenotes, which you’re likely, and unforgettably, to have all to yourself. My half-day tour with Ocean Tours included a visit to Cenote Yaxmuul, an entirely underground cenote, where jagged rocks form narrow passageways and hidden caves shimmer with vivid turquoise water. It’s considerably cooler than the calm, bath-warm water of Akumal Bay, part of the world’s second-largest barrier reef system after Australia, where we stopped to snorkel, with stingrays, squid and several green sea turtles gliding elegantly beneath us.
Eating and drinking
Mayan take on the taco: Cochinita Pibil is made from slow-roasted pork with red onion and coriander
(Image credit: Foodstuff / Alamy)
There are tacos and freshly-made guacamole at every turn, including for breakfast. Cochinita Pibil is the traditional Mayan take on a taco filling: melt-in-the-mouth pork, slow-roasted in banana leaves, served with soft tortillas and pickled red onions. In Valladolid, the best ones come from the no-frills family-run (cash-only) Tigrillo taco stand one block from the main square. For a more leisurely lunch, try El Atrio del Mayab, which has a pretty courtyard next to the cathedral.
Learn to spot the best tequila with an organised tasting. The Fives Hotels and Residences hosts its own in a colourfully tiled cantina, where Mexican folk bands play live music as you sample different varieties. At the Hacienda Tequila in Playa del Carmen, you can try before you buy, so you can bring the perfect bottle home.
Siobhan Grogan was a guest of Virgin Holidays. Seven nights all-inclusive at The Fives Hotels and Residences starts from £1,405pp, including flights from Heathrow. Seven nights all-inclusive at TRS Yucatan Htoel starts from £1,703pp, including flights from Heathrow.
