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| ~ Aerial view of: Isle Cancun, Mexico ~ |
~ Isla Cancún, Mexico: ~
Let's
face it, Isla Cancún is one big beach! It's
a lazy, beautiful stretch of white sand. The beaches on the western side face Laguna de Nichupté and are serenely-calm while
those on the eastern shore face the Caribbean and are prone to some fierce undertows.
Isla Cancún is 23km (14mi) long, not too wide and known as
the Zona Hotelera. The island
is connected to Ciudad Cancún by two bridges.
~ Isla Mujeres, Cancun: ~
A 25-minute boat ride from Cancún,
Isla Mujeres has a reputation as a 'backpackers' Cancún, a place to escape the mega
resorts for the laid-back life of a tropical isle. This is only partly true, as more and more tourists come looking
for tranquility. Nonetheless, many visitors have a hard time tearing themselves away from Isla Mujeres' relaxed setting,
surrounded as they are by tourist-brochure turquoise waters that are bathtub warm.
There's spectacular diving to be done here. The Isla is blessedly close to four fine reefs: Los
Manchones, La Bandera, Cuevones and Chital.
A regular stop for divers includes the Sleeping Shark Caves, about 5km (3mi) north of the island,
where the usually dangerous creatures are said to be lethargically nonlethal because of the low oxygen content of the caves'
waters. The good snorkelling and better swimming beaches are on the southern part of the island along the western shore
(Bahía de Mujeres), though Playa Norte, the town's principal beach,
lies calmly facing northwest. If you desperately need a break from sun and sand, there's some ruined remains of a Mayan
temple dedicated to Ixchel at the southern tip of the island {Mayan Ruins].
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| ~ Map displaying the Mayan Ruins of Mexico ~ |
~ Museo de Antropología
y Historia ~
This museum has a collection of items
- including jewellry, masks and intentionally deformed skulls - from the Postclassic period (AD1200-1500). Other exhibits
include a Classic-period hieroglyphic staircase inscribed with dates from the 6th century, and the stucco head that gave the
local archeological zone its name of El Rey. Most of the informative signs are in Spanish only, though an English information
sheet is available at the ticket counter. Archeology buffs should be warned, however, that they may be left wanting.
The Mayan Ruins really worth seeing lie far outside of the city. {Map above]
~ Events and Holidays ~
Cancún treats every day as a holiday,
but also plans a few organised events throughout the year. The biggest event is Carnaval,
a joyous, usually drunken celebration held in February right before Lent's period of fasting and penitence. Inmaculada
Concepcion is a religious festival held on Isla Mujeres in December.
The athletically inclined might consider
running Cancún's International Marathon right before the mad Christmas tourist rush.
~ Public Holidays of Cancun, Mexico ~
25 Dec - Día de Navidad
20 Nov - Día del la revolución
12 Oct - Día de la Raza
16
Sep - Día de la Independencia
5 May - Cinco de Mayo
1 May - Día del Trabajo
21 Mar - Día de Nacimiento de Benito
Juárez
24 Feb - Día de la Bandera
5 Feb - Día de la Constitución
1 Jan - Año Nuevo
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