Once a small, unremarkable fishing village, the resort of Cancun is today the reason most people visit Mexico. It is made up of two parts: the glitzy hotel zone dedicated to tourism, and the downtown area inhabited by the permanent residents. A different atmosphere prevails in each, with a dramatic contrast between the air-conditioned shopping malls, chic restaurant dining, and wealthy pleasure-seeking tourists in one; and bustling market street stalls, noisy vendors, and the daily grind of people at work in the other.
The hotel zone, situated on a thin strip of land (Isla Cancun) in the shape of a figure "7", is what people imagine when they talk about Cancun. It is a vision of Caribbean paradise with soft white sand beaches and clear blue-green waters. There is plenty of high quality accommodation available, a wide choice of restaurants and shops, a notoriously energetic nightlife, and an array of activities, including both land and water sports. The city is also a good base from which to explore some of the nearby attractions, particularly the ancient Mayan site of Chichen Itza on the mainland, which is the best restored and most famous of the archaeological sites on the Yucatán Peninsula.
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The average temperature in Cancun is 26 degrees (Celsius) and there are more than 240 days of sunshine every year. Rain is rare. Late August through early October is the rainy season.
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Peak Season:
The best time to take a flight to Cancun is between February and April.
Shoulder Season:
Late April and May are good times to snap up a bargain. Temperatures are in the upper 20s and Cancun gets humid, but the breezes off the Caribbean should keep it manageable.
Off Season:
Between June and November the weather in Cancun is hot and humid, while autumn is hurricane season.
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CancunShuttle.com offers taxi service from the airport. Alternatively, hire a car at the airport (all major companies are represented there - Alamo, Avis, Budget, Executive, Hertz, National and Thrifty).
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Cancun is easily walkable, and if you don't want to hire a car, you could get around town by taxi. Prices are set by zone, but be warned that locals pay about half of what tourists pay and prices for guests at more expensive hotels are approximately double those for guests of budget hotels. Taxis can be rented for $20 per hour for travel around the city and hotel zone.
Bus travel is popular within Cancun. Ruta 1 and 2 city buses travel frequently from the mainland to the beaches along Avenida Tulum (the main street) and all the way to Punta Nizuc at the far end of the hotel zone on Isla Cancun. Ruta 8 buses go to Puerto Juarez/Punta Sam for ferries to Isla Mujeres. They stop on the east side of Avenida Tulum. City buses operate between 6am and 10pm daily. Beware of private buses along the same route; they charge more than the public ones - about 6 pesos (60¢). An alternative is to rent a moped from about $30 for a day. Don't forget your crash helmet.
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