Where to stay

Stay in the heart of Cancun, the Hotel Zone, a nearly 14-mile stretch of world-class resorts, white-sand beaches, nightclubs, restaurants and shopping centers. All of the resorts and hotels in the Hotel Zone are within walking distance of the Caribbean waters. Hotels around kilometer 20 have the best access to Cancun's favorite beach, Playa Delfines, and the most swimmable beaches are found between kilometers 4 and 9. Everything from Michelin-starred cuisine to family-run taco stands line the main streets here. Evenings come alive in vibrant nightclubs and bars, serving up margaritas and the latest dance music. From the Hotel Zone, it's easy to arrange watersports and jungle adventures, including swimming in underground cenotes, birdwatching on Isla Contoy and snorkeling in the calm waters of Nichupte Lagoon.

For a tropical getaway, look for accommodations on Isla Mujeres, a five-mile beach paradise that feels eons away from the energy of Cancun. What was once a small fishing village now has top resorts along white-sand beaches, shopping and even a turtle sanctuary. Stay here and shop for island-made handicrafts, from handblown glassware to woven rugs, help release turtles into the sea, and visit Punta Sur, the island's highest point and home to a Mayan temple. From the island, a 20-minute ferry takes travelers straight to the Hotel Zone in Cancun for its epic nightlife and entertainment. Alternatively, stay several miles north of Cancun in Costa Mujeres, a planned community with remote white-sand beaches you'll have seemingly all to yourself. This is also where you can catch the boat for Isla Mujeres.

The Hotel Zone is undoubtedly the epicenter of Cancun nightlife and where to stay if you love to party. Stay along Avenida Kukulkan to be in the "Party Zone," home to the most popular nightclubs and upscale restaurants. Night owls will find everything from acrobatic shows to '70s and '80s music to the latest DJ-spun tunes. Hotel Zone accommodations make it easy to hop from one club to the next, night after night. While certainly more sedate than the Hotel Zone, Downtown Cancun, particularly in the bars along Avenida Yaxchilan, offers live rock 'n' roll most evenings.

Significantly less glitzy than the Hotel Zone, Downtown Cancun is where most locals live. Stay along Avenida Tulum in intimate, independently managed hotels oozing authentic Mexican charm and hospitality. Family-run restaurants and local markets are a nice diversion from the frenetic pace of the Hotel Zone. Choose accommodations in Downtown Cancun, or El Centro, and you can tour the ancient Mayan ruins of El Meco, watch bullfighting on weekday afternoons and shop Mercado 28, a vast flea market with local handicrafts and authentic Mexican food stalls.