Basic Information About Cancun

At the end of the Yucatan Peninsula, in the state of Quintana Roo is the coastal city of Cancun. The older part of Cancun city is connected by bridges to the newer Cancun which was developed as a resort destination for tourists. The tourism trade began in 1970, and then American developers came in the 1980's to provide a flourishing tourist community. Its growing popularity has attracted investors from international companies all over the world. In the last 30 years, Cancun's population has grown to 600,000 and many Americans have chosen to relocate to this paradise location. In 2005, Hurricane Wilma hit the tropical regions and heavily damaged much of the coastal area. A great deal of restoration was needed to bring the sandy shorelines back to normal. The beaches were made much wider after Hurricane Wilma.

Tourism is the number one reason for the booming economy in Cancun. The hotel zone is located on a peninsula and boasts a shape of a seven, if one was to look at it from an aerial view. Inside the seven shape exists Nichupte Lagoon. This is a freshwater lagoon which hosts many water activities for tourists. To get to the older Cancun, two bridges exists connecting the hotel zone and inner Cancun city.

Less tourism exists in the older parts of Cancun, so more Mexican cultures can be seen. There is great shopping as flea markets and international chains have less expensive tourist souvenirs. Also downtown is the bullfight arena which puts on daily shows. There are a variety of local bars and restaurants in the downtown area and there are many Traditional Mexican and Cuban restaurants.

Aside from the talc beaches and active nightlife, many tourists travel to Cancun to learn about the ancient Mayan civilization first hand. The Mayan ruins are scattered all throughout the Yucatan peninsula but Ruinas del Ray is the closest ruins in Cancun, located right in the heart of the hotel zone. El Ray and El Meco ruins remain standing just outside the city limits of Cancun. In Tulam, a little north of Cancun, there is a more substantial archeological site for exploring the previous life of the Mayans. For day trips, it is highly recommended to spend time in the lost city of Uxmal or at Xel-Ha.

Xel-Ha and Xcaret are big draws for Cancun visitors as both incorporate natural reserves, Mayan ruins and theme parks into one package. Thousands of tourists make these two places high on the must-do list. These natural parks offer amenities, which incorporate marine life and you can even swim with dolphins. Xel-Ha and Xcaret have preserved the natural eco-diverse environments of the jungles and sandy coastlines beautifully. The popularity of both attractions is because there is so much to see and do within both theme parks.

Cancun will continue to gain popularity as long as Mother Nature remains kind and humans likewise. The visual attraction to Cancun is the numerous Caribbean shorelines made of white sand and crystal turquoise waters which brings thousands of tourists here annually.