Cancun sits at the tip on the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The city is formally in the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico. Cancun has grown to a population of 450,000. The city's international airport is minutes from downtown and is serviced by many major airlines.
There are two major areas of Cancun: the city center and the hotel district. The city center, where the local population lives, offers a taste of daily life and market shopping. The hotel district, developed with the intent to be the tourist zone of the city, is a 14-mile long stretch of land that reaches out into the water -- the Caribbean on one side and Nichupte Lagoon on the other.
Mayan ruins appear throughout the Yucatan, and Cancun has its share. The hotel district is home to minor ruin sites El Rey and El Meco, while larger ruin sites such as Tulum and Coba are short drives away. Well-known Chichen Itza is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Cancun.
White sand beaches line Cancun's blue water shores, and water sports and activities are abundant. Snorkeling, reef diving, parasailing, jet skiing, waverunning and deep sea sport fishing trips are available at most of the beaches. The hotel district's beaches are on the Caribbean side, but the lagoon offers calmer waters for water sports.
Although most hotels and restaurants use filtered water, drinking only sealed bottled water is advisable when in Cancun. The region's water table rests close to the surface, allowing the water to become contaminated by garbage and environmental pollutants. This can lead to stomach disturbances in travelers.
