Mexico

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Cancun

Caribbean beaches and Mayan ruins

Visa & entry checker Plan a trip to Cancun Plan a trip around Mexico

Best time to visit: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec
Currency: MXN
Time zone: UTC-5
Country: Mexico

Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0

Cancún is Mexico's biggest beach resort city, on the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, built around a 22 km strip of white-sand beaches and turquoise Caribbean water. People come for resorts, diving and snorkelling on the Mesoamerican Reef, nightlife, and day trips to Mayan archaeological sites.

Largest cities

Mexico City
Guadalajara
Monterrey
Puebla
Tijuana

Quick facts

Figures are rounded recent official estimates.

Country: Mexico
Capital: Mexico City
City population: 888,797
Population of Mexico: 132.3M
Country area: 1,972,550 km²
Official language: Spanish
Currency: Mexican Peso (MXN) · 1 USD ≈ 18.41 MXN
Time zone: UTC-5
Calling code: +52
Drives on the: Right
Elevation: 11 m
Plugs: A / B · 127V
Emergency numbers: 911
Best time to visit: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec

Temperatures through the year

Average daily high and low for each month in °C. Months marked with a drop are often rainy.

Temperatures through the year

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	27°	27°	29°	29°	31°	30°	31°	32°	31°	30°	28°	27°
Low	22°	22°	24°	24°	25°	25°	26°	26°	25°	24°	23°	22°

Best time to visitOther months

Approximate daily cost

Per adult per day: food, local transport and half a double room, without activities or flights.

ConservativeSimple stays, free and low-cost sights first.$40
HighComfortable hotels, a balanced mix of sights and trips.$122
LuxuryLuxury hotels, more paid experiences and day trips.$365

Plan a trip to Cancun

Top things to do

Free
Hotel Zone beaches
Swim and snorkel off the white-sand strips along Kukulcan Avenue, where the sea stays around 26–29°C all year; public access points exist between the resorts, and sargassum can be heavy in summer.
- Half day
- Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera)
- Good for kids
≈ $5
El Rey archaeological site
Small pre-Columbian Maya ruins inside the Hotel Zone, with a pyramid base and platforms among the iguanas; go early for shade and cooler temperatures.
- Half day
- Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera)
- Good for kids
≈ $5
El Meco
The most substantial Maya site near the city, on the Puerto Juárez–Punta Sam road north of Cancún, with a tall pyramid and views over the lagoon; combine it with a ferry trip to Isla Mujeres.
- Half day
- Puerto Juárez and Punta Sam
- Good for kids
≈ $20
Isla Mujeres day trip
Take the ferry from Puerto Juárez or Playa Tortugas to this small island for beaches, snorkelling and a slow-paced town; ferries run through the day, so check the last return before heading out.
- Full day
- Puerto Juárez and Punta Sam
- Good for kids
Free
Mercado 28
Downtown market for handicrafts, souvenirs and casual Mexican food, useful as a reference point for the centre of town; bargain politely and eat at the stalls rather than the front-row restaurants.
- Half day
- Downtown (El Centro)
- Good for kids
- Good in the evening
Free
El Ceviche Fountain (Caribbean Fantasy)
The roundabout monument at the Coba and Tulum avenue intersection, the busiest junction in downtown Cancún and a handy orientation point; it is a quick photo stop rather than a long visit.
- Half day
- Downtown (El Centro)
- Good for kids
- Good in the evening
≈ $35
Chichén Itzá day trip
The famous Maya city in neighbouring Yucatán, reachable by direct bus once or twice daily or by bus to Valladolid and a transfer; start very early, bring water and a hat, and expect strong sun and crowds.
- Full day
- Riviera Maya (Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum)
- Good for kids
≈ $10
Tulum and Playa del Carmen
Head south on Highway 307 to the clifftop ruins at Tulum and the beach town of Playa del Carmen, about 45 minutes to 1 hour by ADO bus; a long day, so pick one site to do properly rather than rushing both.
- Full day
- Riviera Maya (Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum)
- Good for kids

Before you go

Entry and visas

British citizens and many other nationalities can visit Mexico as tourists without a visa, receiving a stamp on arrival that states the allowed length of stay. You may be asked to show a return ticket, proof of accommodation and sufficient funds. Entry rules depend on nationality; check the official Mexican immigration site or your nearest Mexican embassy before travel.

Official website

From the airport

Cancún International Airport (CUN) is about 20 km south of the Hotel Zone, roughly a 20-minute drive, and about 15 km from downtown. ADO buses run from the airport to the downtown bus terminal in around 30 minutes, and shared shuttles, taxis and pre-booked transfers also serve both the Hotel Zone and El Centro.

Getting around

Local buses are the main way around: routes R-1 and R-2 run along Kukulcan Avenue through the Hotel Zone every few minutes, and downtown is walkable within its superblocks, with taxis and colectivos filling the gaps.

Local tips

Peak season runs December to April, when prices jump; summer and early autumn are cheaper but hotter, wetter and inside the June–November hurricane season.
Sargassum seaweed often washes up on the beaches from around May to August, so check current conditions if a clean beach is the main reason for the trip.
Carry some pesos for buses, markets and small restaurants; cards work in hotels and malls, and US dollars are widely but not always favourably accepted.
In the Hotel Zone expect persistent touts and timeshare sellers, and keep to well-lit areas at night; most serious crime is drug-related and concentrated in the urban area, not the resort strip.

Areas worth knowing

Downtown (El Centro)
Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera)
Riviera Maya (Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Tulum)
Puerto Cancún
Puerto Juárez and Punta Sam

Official travel advice

The UK Foreign Office last updated its advice for this country on October 9, 2026. The advice includes warnings against travel to some areas. Read it before booking.

Read the advice on GOV.UK