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About Cancun:
Cancun is Mexico's most visited tourist destination and boasts over twenty-five thousand hotel rooms. There's golf, tennis, lots of shopping facilities and a remarkable biodiversity. There are four hundred seventy-five bird species, over a hundred different mammals and twelve hundred plant species.
Cancun has lots of beach and the hotels are magnificent. Some people actually never even leave the hotel grounds their entire vacation. This speaks volumes for some of these resorts situated on the edge of ocean beaches.
The beautiful ocean is home to over two thousand five hundred marine species with five hundred different tropical fish.
Cancun is located in the State of Quintana Roo at the most southern tip of the peninsula. It is divided into two sections: the Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera) which is a 22 km sandy strip of land between a lagoon and seaside hotels located on Cancun Island and Cancun City/Downtown (El Centro) which is home to the many Mexicans who live in the district. Downtown is located on the mainland.
Getting There:
By plane
Cancún International Airport is Mexico's second busiest airport. It is about 10km (6 miles) from the hotel strip and 16km (9 miles) southwest of downtown.
One of Cancun's best features is its transport links, as most major air carriers in North, Central, and South America, have service to Cancun.
There are two companies officially licensed by Cancun Airport to provide the transfer service to the hotels in Cancun or the Riviera Maya. One is Gray Line and the other one is T.T.A. Both have a selling booth right after the Customs Service. Prices are fixed by the airport and are not negotiable. The two companies offer shuttle service and also private transfer. There are other transportation firms that provide service to and from the airport for a reasonable price as well. Beware of touts who will surround you when you come out of customs clearance. If you proceed straight, you will find the official information center where they can help you with the ground transportation options.
There is also a first class bus service from the airport to both the ADO bus station in Cancun and to the one in Playa del Carmen. If you are going to Puerto Morelos, you can arrange being dropped at the appropriate intersection on the way to Playa. To get to the buses, go outside the main building and turn right. Head up past the end of that building and find the appropriate bus for you. Taxis from the ADO bus station to the airport cost roughly 300 pesos ($30).
Beware of leaving Mexico with enough money. The Mexican Government charges a travel tax of around 500 pesos ($46) to leave the country from the airport. Most major air carriers may already have the travel tax charged to the price of the ticket, though it is highly recommended that travelers check this before leaving to/from Cancun.
Also beware of going through security too early. Food and drink prices almost double and you can't easily go back.
By bus
Cancun's bus station is located downtown on the corner of Uxmal Avenue and Tulum Avenue. Destinations served by bus include most destinations up to Mexico City (26 hrs.).
The bus station is served by a taxi rank in front of the station. Local buses to the hotel zone pass regularly behind the station on the Tulum Avenue.
Getting Around:
Cancun is very easy to navigate. To the South is the airport, to the North is the city and in between on the stretch of land between the sea and the Nichupte lagoon are all the hotels, beaches and bars, referred to as the hotel zone or Zona Hotelera. Downtown is where most residents live and it stretches in on the mainland behind the lagoon.
By bus
Bus is the preferred way of getting around. Buses are cheap and come frequently. Most bus drivers are very courteous and will stop for you even if you are not waiting at a bus stop. After paying the fare, which is on a per person basis, the driver will hand you a ticket/receipt which are usually printed with advertisements. Just so there are no surprises, do not expect buses to have amenities such as air conditioning and seat cushions. Also, most bus drivers speak enough English just to help visitors get around.
Buses head up and down the main thoroughfare, Blvd Kukulcan, named after the feather serpent which is the main Mayan deity, from the Mayan words kukul (bird) and can (snake). Buses pass constantly but be prepared for a cramped and rough ride. The rules for the bus drivers seem to be "he who gets to the next passenger quickest, makes the most money". Therefore, be prepared for a wild, but entertaining ride. Frequently, locals will get on with their instruments and "entertain". Some are quite good.
When you are ready to get off, you can either push the button on top of the hand rail, or if you're not sure of your destination, tell the driver where you would like to get off or point to the destination using a bus map. Most bus drivers speak enough English to understand non-Spanish speakers.
Be careful when the bus is full as pick-pocketing is a concern.
Companies serving the station include all attractions and towns along the coast: the Riviera Express for the Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Xel-Ha, etc.) and ADO for the major national destinations. For some Riviera Maya destinations, it's possible to stop the buses on the Tulum Avenue without having to go all the way to the station, however if you are unsure about where to catch the bus then it's best to go to the station.
By taxi
Taxis are plentiful, a bit expensive for the hotel zone and airport, but cheap in the downtown. Fares for the hotel zone depend on how far along the Blvd Kukulcan you want to go (fares available at hotel receptions and shopping centres), while within the downtown there is a general fixed fare of about 20 pesos per trip, it is best to just ask the driver upon boarding to avoid misunderstandings. By far, the best mode of transportation for the hotel zone is by bus. The bus fare is cheap and getting from Point A to Point B doesn't take very long.
By car
Be very careful if you choose to drive in Cancun. The police seem to pull tourists over at the drop of a hat during spring break. When you pick up a rental, check that all the lights work! Also when you are pulled over for a light violation, do not be surprised if the police holds out an open palmed hand, while holding your driver¿s license hostage in the other. Most police officers are underpaid and will for the most part demand a small bribe to let you off the hook.
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