DK Travel : Cancún and the Yucatán : Cancún and the North

Cancún is the great magnet at the top of the Mayan Riviera, with lavish hotels, shopping and dining of every kind, wild nightclubs, theme parks, water parks, and other fun things to do spread out along one of the world’s finest beaches. To the south is Playa del Carmen, a trendier, more compact style of vacation town, and family-friendly eco-parks that provide an unforgettable introduction to the nature of tropical Yucatán. For a change from resort life, in the same area there are also places where the frenetic pace of modern life still seems delightfully far away – in the ever-mellow Puerto Morelos, at the spectacular bird reserve on Contoy, and on laid-back Isla Mujeres.

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Acamaya

A secluded spot to get away from just about everything, set at the end of the bumpy beach road north from Puerto Morelos. There’s a small cabaña hotel and a camping site.
Apasionado, Playa del Carmen

A mixture of modern chic and Caribbean style – a mellow, coolly comfortable “jazz-bar-restaurant” beneath a giant palapa palm roof above the Quinta.
Avenida Hidalgo, Isla Mujeres Town

Isla’s main street, and its main drag for leisurely browsing. Here and in parallel Av. Juárez small shops offer painted wooden birds, original T-shirts and local shell and coral jewelry.
Azúcar, Cancún

The best place in Cancún to dance to salsa, the Afro-Latin merengue and other rhythms played by fantastic live bands (see Live Attractions).
Belinda’s, Cancún

Lorenzillo’s, CancúnOne of the finest waterfront restaurants in Cancún, Loren-zillo’s is built on the lagoon. The menu includes fresh lobster, cray-fish, and crabs.
Blue Bayou, Cancún

Highly regarded Cajun and Creole cooking, served in a lovely tropical garden that’s beautifully lit at night.
Blue Parrot Beach Club, Playa del Carmen

Dance under the stars at this beachfront club split into two separate venues. DJs perform nightly.
Blue Parrot, Playa del Carmen

The hub of Playa nightlife has been declared “one of the world’s best beach bars”. Stake out one of the rope-swing seats by the bar (see Nightspots).
Buho’s, Isla Mujeres

Isla’s funkiest beach bar. With a palm roof to give shade, it’s right on the sand, just steps away from the sea, and offers Mexican snacks to go with the cocktails and chilled beers.
Cancún Beach

Every one of the Riviera’s beaches has the same wonderful fine white sand, which stays deliciously cool to the touch, but Cancún’s is unquestionably the finest, stretching the whole 23 km (14 miles) of Cancún Island. Along it, in the Hotel Zone, are resort hotels, shopping and entertainment centers, snorkeling and fun parks, plus the Mayan ruins of El Rey (see Cancún).

Señor Frog, Cancún

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
- under $5
- $5-$10
- $10-$20
- $20–$35
- over 35