Best Things to Do in Cancun, Mexico, According to Local Experts - Thrillist

It is precisely because Cancun is a purpose-built hospitality haven that it seems totally geared towards the whims of tourists. Unbeknown to many, a dream team of bankers, architects, archaeologists, statisticians, sociologists, lawyers, government agencies, and urban planners converged in the late 1960s to create a tropical paradise in an untouched, industry-free location with consistently pleasant weather to draw visitors from around the globe. Decades later, Cancun is the poster child of the Mexican all-inclusive holiday.
The iconic Cancun Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera) is a slender sandbar shaped like the number "7," boasting butterscotch-soft sands that extend for 14 miles, gracefully curving along the Nichupté Lagoon and the Caribbean Sea. It is extremely beautiful and also deeply polarizing.
People love to hate Cancun but that doesn’t stop millions from jetting there to escape the quotidian. Tourism in Mexico has surpassed pre-pandemic numbers and Cancun International Airport (CUN) has the lion’s share of those passengers—5.46 million tourists flew there in the first half of this year alone.
Cancun is somewhat fairly pigeonholed as a tourist Disneyland but for every glow-in-the-dark Señor Frog's plastic cup or tequila “museum” in the Hotel Zone, there is a low-lit cantina or passed-down-through-generations handicrafts store in Centro (also known as Downtown Cancun) where the people who keep the tourism machine alive reside. For the historians among us, Cancun has investigation-worthy Mayan ruins right within the city limits (El Meco, Yamil Lu’um, San Miguelito, and El Rey which is opposite Playa Delfines). For those wishing to explore further afield, eco-parks, island adventures, and even the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef await. The Cancun of today has appeal for a wide variety of groups beyond the beaches.
See: One of the thousands of cenotes scattered across the Yucatán Peninsula. Believed to be gateways to underworlds below, cenotes were created by the collapse of limestone caves, resulting in sinkholes with water as clear as blanco tequila. In these stalactite and stalagmite-having caverns, vines dangle, stairs descend, and they are a swimmer’s perfect jewel with some as close as 40 minutes from Cancun. Do your research and pick your cenotes wisely as some are uber-deep and best left to divers while others have major crowds and even lines of people waiting to take pictures (looking at you, Cenote Suytun). To escape the crowds, avoid “celebrity cenotes” like Cenote Dos Ojos near Tulum and Cenote Jardin del Eden near Puerto Aventuras. Instead, dip to your heart’s content at Cenote Yal-Kú when in Akumal or head out to Cenote Verde Lucero and Cenote Zapote at the Ruta de Cenotes near Puerto Morelos where 57 cenotes vie for your attention.
Touch: Powdery white sand at one of the city’s standout beaches. Even Cancun naysayers can’t fault the city’s dreamy beaches. This year, Cancun’s Hotel Zone boasts 47 Blue Flag-certified beaches that meet high standards for safety, environmental management, and cleanliness. Visit Playa Marlin, Playa Pez Volador, or Playa Chac Mool, which is easily accessible without any resorts blocking entry.
Smell: The inviting aroma of marquesitas being prepared in Parque de las Palapas. Marquesitas are crunchy rolled crêpes that are served as tubes. They are crispy like churros but filled with a blend of savory and sweet ingredients. The most common combination is Nutella and cheese—an unusual mix that isn’t as unappetizing as it sounds. While the savory-sweet combo might not appeal to everyone, the scent of that dough being spread on the piping hot griddle conjures one of the quintessential aromas of the Yucatán. Go to Parque de las Palapas in the evening to breathe it all in.
Hear: Live mariachi band serenades. Passionate, moving, and deep-throated. Mariachi music may have originated in the Mexican state of Jalisco but that’s not to stop you from enjoying it in Cancun. You can find singers in vibrant costumes performing heartfelt folkloric songs at restaurants like La Parilla Plaza la Isla, Aristeo, Mextreme, seafood joint Va Q Va, or at Porfirio’s while you sample their 100-strong tequila and mezcal collection. Mariachis are also part and parcel of the experience at Xoximilcho, a riveting floating fiesta aboard a colorful gondola-like trajinera.
Taste: Tacos, tacos, tacos. Honestly, did you even come to Mexico if you didn’t have one? A great taco has the power to unite people from all social strata like no man’s business. Whether you wish to stick to plain old pastor (spit-grilled pork slices) and seafood (tacos de pescado) or push the boat out with cow’s brain (tacos de sesos) or eyeballs (tacos de ojos), there’s a hand-sized taco treat with your name on it in Cancun. Since tacos are their raison d'être, you can expect pure scrumptiousness at Taqueria Coapenitos, brightly painted Gory Tacos, and at Tacun, which feels festive with a ceiling of hanging piñatas. Oh-so-flavorful filings can also be found at Los Meros de Jalisco which, uniquely for Cancun, also has Guadalajara specialty carne en su jugo (“meat in its juices”) on the menu.
For the gourmand whose pantry is as colorfully cluttered as their passport is laden with stamps, Cancun shouldn’t be overlooked. There are resort kitchens helmed by Michelin-starred chefs as well as no-name, off-the-beaten-path carts serving award-worthy bites, and plenty in between. “It really has everything,” says Karen Garza, a private chef and sommelier in Cancun. Originally from Matamoros in the state of Tamaulipas, she has lived in Cancun for over a decade and urges foodies to embrace the city’s kaleidoscopic culinary identity beyond its touristy reputation. “You can find fresh and local ingredients, traditional Mayan cuisine, world-class restaurants, gastronomic events and festivals, seafood, regional dishes, international cuisine such as Italian, Greek, French, Japanese, and also cuts of meat; literally everything,” she says.