El Centro

Neighbourhood · 4 places

Hotel Zone

Blvd Kukulcan runs 22km down a thin barrier island between the Caribbean and Nichupte Lagoon. Nearly every large resort in Cancun sits on it.

Neighbourhood · 1 place

South Hotel Zone

The quiet, upscale end. Longer beach, calmer water, fewer teenagers, further from the airport by only ten minutes but noticeably further from everything else.

Best for couples · honeymoons · anyone who wants a-la-carte over buffet

Neighbourhood · 2 places

Mid Hotel Zone

The heart of the strip. Restaurants, the convention centre, Coco Bongo, the ferry to Isla Mujeres at Playa Tortugas, and most of the "iconic" resorts.

Best for first-timers · groups · anyone who wants everything walkable

Neighbourhood · 1 place

North Hotel Zone

The party end. Closest to Punta Cancun and the bars around km 9.

Best for families with children · first-timers who want the bay water · groups on a nightlife trip

Neighbourhood · 10 places

Puerto Morelos

Thirty minutes south of Cancun airport, halfway to Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos is the pick I make most often for people who ask me where to go if they do not really want Cancun. It is still a working fishing village.

Best for food-first travellers · second-trip visitors · anyone who wants Mexico and not a resort

Neighbourhood · 3 places

Playa Mujeres

North of Cancun, past Puerto Juarez, Playa Mujeres is what the industry built when they ran out of room on Blvd Kukulcan. Newer resorts, larger plots, calmer water on the sheltered side of the peninsula, and a 25-minute drive to the airport.

Best for honeymoons · quiet all-inclusive weeks · families with older children

Neighbourhood · 6 places

Isla Mujeres

Isla Mujeres is 7km of low-rise island where the main transport is a rented golf cart. Playa Norte on the north end is the calmest swimming water in the region.

Best for anyone who wants to unplug · couples on a wellness week · snorkellers and divers