Travel-and-Leisure
Cancun: Your Gateway to the Mayan Riviera
Cancun, with its ancient and noble Mayan splendor, sits boastfully with its fist held high in the air, towards the end of the Yucatan Peninsula in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. This made to order tourist venue is frequented by millions of sun seeking vacation goers each and every year. With its powdery white, coral sand beaches, an average of 240 sun bestowing days a year, and an endless array of sites and activities, it is no wonder that this location is one of the most sought after travel destinations in the world.
The actual date of Cancun's inception varies depending upon whom you query. Sometime around the late 1960?s to the mid 1970?s, the Mexican Tourist Board decided that a world-class tourist destination was needed to boost the income of foreign dollars for Mexico's lingering economy. Construction ensued and boost it did. With an average tourist population totaling over two million visitors a year, Cancun and the Mayan Riviera quickly became one of the most frequented vacation spots on the planet.
In the native Mayan tongue, the name Cancun means Golden Snake. And like a serpent slithering out of the lush jungles of the Yucatan, this vacation play ground winds its way through the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea for over 14 miles (22.4 km), leaving in its wake some of the most spectacular beaches the world has ever seen.
This narrow strip of land that is the hotel zone, is packed with over 25,000 hotel rooms, shopping malls, an endless array of restaurants, and last but certainly not least, some of the most spectacular and energetic nightlife venues that party seekers have ever been witness to.
Out of a necessity to house the workers of the hotel zone and the many amenities this tourist Mecca demanded, downtown Cancun was born.
The downtown area has developed its own unique flair and enticing personality. This area is lively and jam-packed with street side markets, restaurants, and vendors galore just begging to be haggled with. The downtown area has a feel all its own. If you are seeking an atmosphere varying from that of the touristy hotel zone, this area will likely satisfy your desire for variety.
For the adventurous at heart, this region is a gold mine with much to see and do. Just a few miles north of Cancun's shoreline sits the ancient Mayan island of Isla Mujeres. With its narrow downtown streets being paved in sand and cobblestone and its landscape spotted with homes painted in tones of pinks, blues, turquoises, and yellows, Isla Mujeres boasts its own unique charm with a Mexican and Caribbean flair. A short jaunt down the Mayan Riviera coastline will reveal a wealth of adventure in the form of quaint and offbeat, seaside villages that have been lost to time. In the likes of Puerto Morelos, Akumal, and Tankah, you will find the bartering value of your timepiece, has diminished greatly.
As if there needs to be more to entice a vacationer, this area hosts one of the best scuba diving locales the world has ever been privy to in Cozumel. Cozumel and the Mayan Riviera are home to the second largest barrier reef in the world...second only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This reef stretches through the warm Caribbean waters in spectacular fashion all the way from the Yucatan to Costa Rica!...and oh yes, we can?t forget to mention the many Mayan ruins just waiting to be explored, such as the majestic Chichen Itza, the ancient site of Coba, and the spectacular seaside site of Tulum.
The absolute beauty of this region is the fact that just around the corner, there lies something that will appeal to everybody!
So, if you ever find yourself in the neighborhood, leave your worries and cares at the curbside, grab your favorite beverage from the local beachside bar, pull up the nearest palm, and enjoy everything that is Cancun and the Riviera Maya.
Hi, my name is Rich Weaver. Years ago, upon my first vist to Mexico (Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo), I fell in love with not only the land, but with the culture, customs, and heritage of this culturally rich country. In an effort to share my passion, I developed Cancun Vacation Travel Guide http://www.cancun-vacation-travel-guide.com, and enjoy writing the occasional article about Cancun and the Mayan Riviera, a region which I find particularly fascinating. |
Rich Weaver
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