Introduction to Cancun

Brilliant white sand and a Caribbean sea the color of blue Curaçao -- believe the brochures about Cancún. No matter how high-rise this city gets with its five-star mega resorts and mega malls, it's the beach that put it on the map -- and no tempest of nature has been able to sweep it away completely. Get up from your poolside lounge and discover why millions flock to this sun-drenched destination -- turtle-spotting off the Isla Mujeres, discovering Chichen Itza's iconic Mayan pyramid and swaying to salsa in El Centro's tequila-slamming clubs.

Things to Do

While it's tempting just to laze on Playa Langosta's powdery sand, there's life beyond Cancún's beaches. Scuba dive or snorkel off the islands of Isla de Mujeres and Cozumel, both with quieter waters than Cancún. The enigmatic culture of the Mayans comes alive at nearby Tulum's seafront ruins. Or take a day trip to the pyramid temples of Chichen Itza and jungly Uxmal. Kids in tow? Let them swim with dolphins in Xel-Ha eco theme park's gigantic natural aquarium.

Shopping

Cancún's glossy malls, like Plaza Las Américas and Plaza Kukulcán, have an American flavor with their brand-name stores, cinemas and food courts. La Isla Shopping Village, though, has canals and an aquarium. For a more Mexican experience, root around Mercado 23 for crafts, fresh produce and authentic street chow. Pick up unique gifts from handmade sombreros to hammocks or huaraches (sandals) and artisan silver jewelry in downtown El Centro. Many supermarkets sell tequila.

Nightlife and Entertainment

Cancún is the party resort in Mexico. Drinking games, DJs pumping tunes until daybreak, pool parties -- find it all in happening hotspots like Señor Frogs in the Party Center, halfway along Cancún's hotel strip. In El Centro's salsa clubs playing bouncy cumbia music, sip tequila in a refreshing margarita or slam it with lime and salt. There's a more mellow bohemian vibe in beachside Tulum, while Playa del Carmen's funky Playa Mamitas often attracts DJs and bands.

Restaurants and Dining

Tuck into sizzling fajitas in party-mad Tex-Mex joints or fresh shrimp and lobster while being serenaded by mariachis in the seafront restaurants in the Zona Hotelera. Food is cheaper and the atmosphere more authentically Mexican in El Centro, where locals eat incendiary tacos, enchiladas with chocolate-chili mole sauce and succulent tamales (corn dough studded with meat or beans, wrapped in a banana leaf or corn husk). For an inexpensive snack, graze the food stalls in Parque Las Palapas.