Destinations / Cancun, Mexico

DIVE TRAVEL IN CANCUN
In 1974, a computer decided that the strip of sand called Cancun was ideal for a planned resort town. Well-behaved weather and the island's close proximity to North America ensured its popularity. The computer was correct: Mexico's number-one tourist destination and one of the ultimate dive travel spots was born.

LOCATION :

Northeast end of the Yucatan Peninsula

LANGUAGE :

Spanish

CURRENCY :

Mexican Peso (U.S. dollars are widely accepted)

TIPPING :

15% gratuity is usually added to any meal. 10-15% is standard rate for services like taxis, maids and bellhops.

ELECTRICITY :

120 V/60 cycles, the same as in the United States

HIGHLIGHTS

• Walking the beaches, all of which are open to the public
• Daytripping to visit Maya ruins
• Partying late into the night
• Working off your late night at one of the day spas

OVERVIEW
In 1974, a computer decided that the strip of sand called Cancun was ideal for a planned resort town. Well-behaved weather and the island's close proximity to North America ensured its popularity. The computer was correct: Mexico's number-one tourist destination and one of the ultimate dive travel spots was born.

Cancún offers Caribbean splendor -- translucent turquoise waters and powdery white-sand beaches - along with comfortable American-style resorts, plenty of nightlife, water sports, and good doses of authentic culture and history nearby.

Actually a narrow island 14 miles long connected to the mainland by two bridges, Cancun, which translates from Mayan to mean "Golden Snake," is separated from the Yucatan Peninsula by the expansive Nichupté lagoon.

You'll run out of vacation before you run out of things to do here. Sure, you could just beach it or stay poolside, but few sit still with so much variety available. Snorkeling, jet-skiing, jungle tours, ancient Maya ruins and modern eco-theme parks are the most popular diversions. In an effort to please every vacationer, Cancun has at least one of every water toy know to man. Shopping is another favorite pastime. There are a dozen malls with name-brand and duty-free shops as well as open-air markets. Haggling is expected in the markets. Great deals can be found on anything onyx. Silver is to Mexico what water is to the Caribbean, and you can't miss the million multicolored Mexican blankets.

When the sun sets, there are more than 350 restaurants and nightclubs to chose from. (The bar scene has made Cancun the number one collegiate Spring Break spot in the world.)

In addition to attractions of its own, Cancún is a convenient distance from the more traditional resorts. Isla Mujeres, a popular base for deep-sea fishing, is a favorite day trip on the ferry. Playa del Carmen, to the south, is a relaxing beachside village that's just starting to become known. Cozumel, just across the channel, is the area's scuba center. The Maya ruins at Tulum, Chichén-Itzá, and Cobá are all within driving distance.

GEOGRAPHY

Topography: Situated on the northeastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula on the Bahía de Mujeres (Bay of Women), the Caribbean Sea and two lagoons. The 14-mile-long sandy island, Isla Cancún, is known as the Zona Hotelera or Zona Turística. On the mainland lies Ciudad Cancún, a planned city founded as the service center of the resort. The entire area is flat until you move inland toward some of the historic ruins.

Climate: Cancún averages 80º F year-round. January can sometimes see temperatures dip to 65º F, and it can soar to 100º F in May and June. Rainfall is rare.

HISTORY
Cancún is in the state of Quintana Roo, which was little more than a forgotten backwater for most of the 19th century. In the late 1960s, Isla Cancún was visited only by locals who came to fish or swim.

The Mexican government decided to develop the island as a resort and bridged the channels separating Isla from the mainland. Downtown Cancún was erected to house construction workers and their families. Who were imported from other areas of the country. Cancún opened in 1974 and was promoted as a tropical paradise.

WEBSITE :

www.gocancun.com

TOURIST INFORMATION :

800-44-MEXICO

POLITICAL STATUS :

Federal Republic

AREA SIZE :

Cancun is 14 miles long

TAXES :

US $17 departure tax. Hotel rates are subject to 15% VAT (Value Added Tax). This, and an additional room tax of around 2%, is usually added to the bill at the end.

AREA CODE :

011+52(Mexico)+98(Cancun area)

TIME :

Central Standard Time

DOCUMENTS :

All visitors to Mexico are issued a tourist card upon entering the country. You must have a passport or birth certificate along with a photo I.D. to prove your nationality; a driver's license alone will not suffice. Guard your tourist card carefully, as it can be very hard to replace and needs to be presented upon departure.

POPULATION :

350,000 (Cancun)

AVERAGE WATER TEMPERATURE :

82 degrees F

AVERAGE VISIBILITY :

30-50 meters

TYPES OF DIVING :

Shore, Boat, Live aboard

BEST TIME TO DIVE :

The best time for dive travel is in November and early December which falls between the humid and crowded summer months and the winter tourist rush.

WHAT TO WEAR :

Water temperature varies very little between the winter and summer months in Cozumel. It is warm and you may, on shallower dives, use a skin. For deeper dives a 1.6mm three-quarter suit should suffice.

DIVES NOT TO MISS :

The Palancar reef is one of the best reef dives in Cozumel with an incredible display of coral forms, caves and canyons with visibility up to 230 feet. It is at the outer edge of the continental shelf forming the deep-water channel between Cozumel and the Yucatan mainland and sits in about 80 feet of water. The northern end, Palancer Gardens, offers a shallower dive . The reef sits almost a mile offshore so you will need to book a day cruise or charter a boat to reach it.