Passport/Visa Requirements: All U.S. citizens must have a passport when traveling by air to or from Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Mexico. Citizens of Canada, Mexico and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda also must have a passport or other designated secure document to enter the U.S.
Beginning 1 June 2009, passports are required for land crossings at the Canadian and Mexican borders with the U.S. and for cruise passengers returning to the U.S. from Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada or Bermuda.
Canadian citizens need proof of citizenship—either a passport or a certified copy of a birth certificate accompanied by photo ID (we recommend a passport). All visitors must fill out a tourist card. The Mexican government charges a tourism tax of US$20 for all visitors except cruise-ship passengers and a departure tax of about US$18, though both are usually included in your airline-ticket price. Reconfirm travel document requirements with your carrier before departure.
Population: 526,701.
Languages: Spanish, Mayan, English.
Predominant Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic).
Time Zone: 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-6 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is observed from the first Sunday in April until the last Sunday in October.
Voltage Requirements: 110 volts.
Telephone Codes: 52, country code; 998,city code;
| Currency Exchange | Top  |
It is quite possible to visit Cancun without using Mexican currency. U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere, and prices are often quoted in U.S. currency. If you obtain money from an ATM in Cancun, you will receive U.S. dollars or pesos according to your choice. If you plan to travel to other parts of the Yucatan, pesos may prove more useful (though U.S. dollars are widely accepted in Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and other resort areas). Always take small denominations of pesos to the more rural parts of the Yucatan because it's often tricky to cash traveler's checks or large bills.
Be careful using ATMs: ATM customers are inviting targets for thieves, although muggings are infrequent in Cancun. If you need to change foreign currency or traveler's checks, the best exchange rates are found at banks in Ciudad Cancun; the worst rates are at the airport or at hotels. Banks are generally open Monday-Friday 9 am-1:30 pm. Some are open on Saturday as well. Privately owned exchange booths or casas de cambio in Ciudad Cancun and at shopping centers in the Hotel Zone offer slightly lower rates than banks. However, exchange booths are open longer hours and seldom have lines. Most will exchange both U.S. and Canadian dollars as well as traveler's checks.
The government of Mexico charges a value-added sales tax of 15% on virtually all transactions in the state of Quintana Roo. In most cases, it's included in the price quoted. Visitors cannot obtain refunds on any taxes.
Plan to arrive in Cancun with 10-20 US$1 bills for tipping. US$2 per bag is sufficient for an airport porter or hotel bellhop. Taxi drivers don't expect a tip. In restaurants, 15% is the general rule.
Any time is great for a visit to Cancun. The summer months are warmer, with highs in the upper 80s F/20s C, but the sea breeze keeps you cool. It seldom rains in the winter. Hurricane season runs June-November, and that's when rain is most likely. Cancun is especially popular in March and April as a spring-break destination for college students from the U.S. Mexican tourists flock to Cancun a week before and after Christmas and the week of Easter. Make reservations early for those times.
| Weather Forecast | Top  |
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| Pressure: | 1010.15226188 Millibars | | Dew Point: | 71 °F/ 22 °C | | Humidity: | % | | Visibility: | 4 Miles / 7 Kilometers | | Wind: | 0 MPH / 0 KPH N | | Comfort Index: | 82 °F/ 28 °F | | Last Updated: | 8/28/2008 4:00:00 AM |
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| FRI | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| OVERCAST | 95 °F
35 °C | 75 °F
24 °C | | SAT | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| OVERCAST | 91 °F
33 °C | 75 °F
24 °C | | SUN | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| OVERCAST | 87 °F
31 °C | 75 °F
24 °C | | MON | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| OVERCAST | 89 °F
32 °C | 77 °F
25 °C | | TUE | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| OVERCAST | 89 °F
32 °C | 77 °F
25 °C |
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| What to Wear | Top |
The dress code in Cancun might be described as elegantly casual. Beachwear is acceptable at the beach and pool but not elsewhere. It is best to cover up bare skin, or if wearing shorts and a T-shirt, use plenty of high-factor sunscreen.
Evening wear will depend on the venue and can vary from shorts or jeans and T-shirts to smart casual to elegant. Many of the all-inclusive resorts have one or two gourmet restaurants with a dress code requiring closed-toe shoes, long pants and collared shirts for men.
| Communication | Top |
| Internet Access | Top |
Internet cafes are widely available. You'll find them in most of the malls and throughout Ciudad Cancun. Usually there will be one or two within a block or two of any hotel. Most of the four- and five-star hotels have Internet access, but at a price. Budget hotels also tend to have Internet access in the foyer. Prices for computer time vary, depending on the area. In the Hotel Zone, prices range US$2-$5 for 15 minutes. In the downtown area, prices are US$1-$2 per hour.
Public wireless access (for a fee) can be found mainly at the airport and in Cuidad Cancun at the Plaza Las Americas, Avenida Tulum between SM 4 and SM 9. Try Sanborn's and Infonet.
There are several Web sites with continually updated lists of Internet cafes. One of the best is http://www.world66.com/northamerica/mexico/cancun/internetcafes.
| Mail & Package Services | Top |
The main post office is in Ciudad Cancun. (You may find it easier to mail letters and postcards from your hotel—there's a mailbox in the lobby of most hotels—or from your ship, if you are on a cruise.) Monday-Friday 9 am-4 pm, Saturday 9 am-1 pm. Avenidas Sunyaxchen (at Xel-Ha), Ciudad Cancun, Cancun.
| Newspapers & Magazines | Top |
The
Miami Herald publishes a special Cancun edition. It's available for free at hotel newsstands. Some U.S. newspapers and magazines also are sold in hotel newsstands and in Sanborn's stores.
Cancun Tips, a pocket-size guide published twice a year, is distributed free at the airport and in hotels and has been the best source for entertainment information in Cancun for many years. It is also available online at http://www.cancuntips.com.mx.
For both local and long-distance calls in and around Cancun, you are charged by the minute. Local calls cost a few cents, but long distance is usually expensive. Calls at hotels are the most convenient and therefore quite costly: Service charges are always high. (Hotels usually warn guests that international calls cost a lot.) Least expensive are those made from public pay phones, most of which require a prepaid phone card. You can buy phone cards at newsstands, malls and some shops for about US$3 for 12 minutes or US$5 for 20 minutes to call within Mexico. Long-distance calls to the U.S. or Canada are around US$0.45 per minute. Beware of phones that allow you to charge calls to a major credit card: Rates are always exorbitant. Canadians can call home using the Canada Direct service, which will put them in contact with a Canadian telephone operator. The toll-free Canada Direct numbers for Mexico are 800-123-0200 or 800-021-1994. Although using a cell phone with a roaming agreement is the most convenient way to call, bear in mind that the charges are high. Most U.S.-based carriers have good coverage in the region.
| Transportation | Top |
Most of Cancun is too spread out to be considered walkable, except for the cluster of hotels, restaurants and shopping malls around the Convention Center. Many visitors take the bus, which stops frequently along Boulevard Kukulcan and is a great bargain (less than US$1 for each fare). Taxis also cruise the island's main road. They don’t have meters so visitors are advised to agree on a price before the ride starts. Cars and bicycles are available for rent. Traffic is on the right side of the road.
Ferries make the short trip to Isla Mujeres several times a day. Intercity buses connect Cancun with other points on the Yucatan Peninsula, including all of the major Mayan sites. Cozumel can be reached by plane or by ferry from the town of Playa del Carmen, which is an hour's drive south of Cancun.
Local officials are considering a bypass of the Party Zone that would connect the boulevard near the Presidente InterContinental Hotel to the road near Senor Frogs, but construction has not yet begun. The road from Cancun to Playa del Carmen, Highway 307, is now four lanes and construction continues to widen the road all the way to Tulum.
Major airlines serve Cancun's International Airport (CUN), which is on the mainland, 10 mi/16 km southwest of the island. The airport has three terminals, one of which receives international flights. The third terminal opened in May 2007, doubling passenger capacity with the addition of 84 check-in counters and 11 departure gates. http://www.cancun-airport.com.
Connecting Transportation
Best way:
If your hotel doesn't provide shuttle service, your best bet is a taxi. There are both individual taxis and shared taxis/shuttles (known as colectivos). If there's more than one person in your party, an individual taxi is almost as cheap as a colectivo—and it will certainly be faster and more comfortable. Fares can vary greatly, depending on where you're going: The airport is about 9 mi/15 km from the closest hotels, and nearly 25 mi/40 km from those at the north end of the island. A taxi ride from the airport to the Hotel Zone should cost about US$35-$45. Tickets, even for individual taxis, should be purchased in advance from the ticket booth located between the customs exit and the main airport exit.
Other options:
Private shuttle service for individuals and groups is also available. Rates from the airport to downtown or the Hotel Zone start at US$18 person. Reservations can be made in advance. Phone toll-free 866-922-6286. http://www.cancunshuttle.com. A variety of other providers offer a similar service.
Aside from taxis and hotel shuttles, the only other choice is a rental car. Major companies maintain offices at the airport. Car rental can usually be arranged in most hotels, and there are numerous rental offices on Kukulcan Boulevard and in Cancun City.
Scheduled bus service is both efficient and relatively inexpensive. For destinations along the coast to the south, such as Tulum, buses usually are much cheaper than organized tours, and they're only slightly less convenient. There is also service to inland cities such as Merida and Valladollid. Several companies offer service, and most are based in or near the bus terminal in Ciudad Cancun. Avenida Tulum at Avenida Uxmal, Ciudad Cancun, Cancun. Phone 887-1149. http://www.grupoado.com.mx.
A rental car is unnecessary in Cancun, although it is a convenient, if pricey, way to reach more distant attractions. You may be able to get a better deal by reserving a car in advance from your country of origin. Rates start at about US$40 a day, depending on the model. Be sure to check the condition of the car before you take it and make sure Mexican liability insurance (
seguros) is included (comprehensive coverage, about US$35 per day, should be seriously considered). If you have an accident without insurance, you must settle the claim there or go to jail until it is resolved. If your credit card covers collision and theft insurance, make sure that the coverage is valid in Mexico.
Driving on the island is easy because it has only one main avenue and hotels generally offer free parking. Ciudad Cancun can be confusing, and parking is scarce there. Speed limits are occasionally enforced outside of the cities, and speed bumps (topes) are used to slow traffic coming into populated areas. Driving is on the right. (Note that gas stations don't accept credit cards. Also, an attendant pumps your gas for you, and you are expected to tip.)
There are two ways to get to Isla Mujeres from Cancun itself—the regular ferry and the NautiTaxi. The most common—and cheapest—way to reach Isla Mujeres, however, is from Puerto Juarez, which is about 5 mi/8 km north of Cancun.
Boats to Isla Mujeres operate daily and leave from the Playa Caracol dock near the Convention Center. Boats depart Cancun every two hours 9 am-3 pm. They return every two hours 10 am-4 pm. The round-trip fare is about US$12.50.
Provides boat service to Isla Mujeres, and it's less expensive than the ferry. The water taxis depart from El Embarcadero. There are six departures daily to the Isla Mujeres village dock and four to Garrafon Park on Isla Mujeres. Round-trip fare costs about US$12 (if you go to Garrafon, expect to pay another US$16 as a park entrance fee). Blvd. Kukulcan Km. 4, Cancun.
This ferry service uses two different kinds of seacraft. A sleek, air-conditioned ferry makes the trip in 20 minutes, and an older, open-air vessel takes a more relaxing 45 minutes. The easiest way to get to Puerto Juarez from Cancun is to take the bus from the Westin Regina Resort (it runs every 20 minutes). The fast service operates 6:30 am-11:30 pm, and the slower service runs 6:15 am-6:30 pm. About US$4.
There is also high-speed ferry service to Isla Mujeres from the Gran Puerto Cancun dock facility near Puerto Juarez. These fast, air-conditioned boats make the trip in 15 minutes. Departures every 30 minutes 5:30 am-midnight. Round-trip fare is US$7. Phone 843-2011.
| Public Transportation | Top |
Buses are the only public transportation in Cancun. They run along Boulevard Kukulcan in the Hotel Zone and stop at
paradas (bus stops), which are marked with kilometer posts. Buses also connect to the commercial area along Avenida Tulum in Ciudad Cancun. Bus stops are easy to find, and bus drivers are happy to advise you when your stop is approaching, if you’re not sure where you are. Buses marked R1 run in a circle from the Hotel Zone to Cancun City via Ave Tulum. Buses marked R2 and R15 are the ones to take for the Wal-Mart supermarket. For getting back and forth to Cancun City or for routes within the Hotel Zone, any bus will do since the various routes don't affect things until they are deeper into the city. The buses typically run daily 6 am-midnight, though they will run later during peak travel times. Bus fare in the Hotel Zone is 7.5 pesos/US$0.75 and in the downtown area 5 pesos/US$0.50. Drivers prefer exact change but will make change from Mexican coins, Mexican bills or American bills, but they will not accept American coins. Phone 849-9040.
Though cheap when compared with taxis in many developed countries, the cost of cab rides has increased and can add up if you use them a lot. There are no meters, but prices are based loosely on distance. (From the Hotel Zone to downtown costs roughly US$6-$15.) The minimum fare in the Hotel Zone is US$6. Always negotiate the fare before getting into the car. Most hotels post approximate taxi fares near their entrance—be sure to consult them before you start your haggling. Most drivers speak some English, and fluent English-speaking drivers can be hired by the hour. Though it's convenient to take a cab right from the hotel door, you can save some money by catching a roving cab on the road outside the hotel.
Bicycles can be rented for about US$2 an hour or US$10 a day. If you have a bike, be sure to lock it when you make a stop: Theft can be a problem.
