Cancun - a coastal city in Mexico is currently becoming one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the world. According to CNN, Cancun is a coastal city in the state of Quintana Roo, in the far east of Mexico, on the Yucatan peninsula, located in the Gulf of Mexico. Cancun city offers more than just a beach vacation experience.
This is an especially meaningful time to visit Cancun, as it has been 50 years since the first hotel opened here. In the early 1970s, Cancun was little more than a beautiful, unspoiled stretch of coastline, with the exception of a small fishing village. However, its rapid growth was no accident, but the result of a strategic plan by the Mexican government to turn Cancun into a “multi-million dollar playground”.
Not only famous for its beaches, this city is known for its impressive history.
The plan, called the “Cancun Project,” was approved in 1969 and began in 1970, with the goal of building a new city from scratch. The city was planned to include a so-called hotel zone. A part for local residents and workers, and an airport for those who wanted to enjoy the beautiful weather and convenient travel. Today, the state has many resorts, of which Cancun is the pioneer and most prominent destination.
The landscape here attracts many tourists to visit.
Cancun had about 21 million visitors come here in 2023, far exceeding the Ministry of Tourism's prediction and affirming Cancun's unmissable position on the Mexican tourist map.
CITY WITH HISTORY
A night out in Cancun doesn’t have to involve shooting guns, throwing balloons, or dancing in the streets, although these activities have their appeal. For something truly local, try a night of Lucha Libre wrestling, Mexico’s famous sport.
Lucha Libre attracts a huge fan base, with wrestlers known as Luchadores competing in exciting matches. Luchadores wear masks, and traditionally, if they lose a match, they can never wear that mask again. The sport makes for a colorful yet intense experience. You can’t help but enjoy the intense matches and savor the delicious tamales before the match begins.
This city's ancient but entertaining sport
While this form of entertainment has been around since the 1900s, offering visitors a glimpse into local culture, Cancun has a history that goes back even further. Thousands of years before Cancun became a popular tourist destination, the Mayan Empire built temples and cities here. The ruins of the Mayan civilization are still visible, nestled among pyramid-like hotels that reflect their original architecture.
HISTORICAL MARKS IN TERRAIN
To truly understand the highly developed Mayan civilization that once existed here, you need to venture deep into the jungle and explore natural wonders like Puerto Morelos and its iconic cenotes. These deep sinkholes, found throughout this part of Mexico, were formed during the last ice age when limestone collapsed, providing the jungle’s only source of fresh water.
Fall in love with the paradise-like beauty of the coastal city of Cancun, Mexico
Cenote is a word that comes from the Mayan language, where people believed they were sacred spaces, doorways to the underworld. “They called it Xibalba,” explains Roberto Rojo, biologist and founder of Cenotes Urbanos, a nonprofit conservation organization. “Xibalba is the Mayan word for underworld… it’s not like hell. It’s just another place in their universe. Many pyramids or temples were built over a cenote or a cave, or very close to one, because it was so important to them.”
In fact, cenotes were so important that entire cities and temples, like Chichen-Itza, were built around them. Chichen-Itza, designated one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2000, is a testament to this. The Maya even performed sacrificial rituals by throwing animals into cenotes to appease the gods.
The mysterious sinkholes have now become a landmark.
At Cenote Zapote in Puerto Morelos, visitors can even dive to the bottom and witness things that have existed for over 10,000 years.
While the natural wonders often draw tourists to Cancun, the rains, which are more frequent than you might think, send visitors seeking shelter indoors and flocking to the town's shopping malls.
Historic Mayan Landscapes in Cancun
Although Cancun has a modern Mexican feel, the souvenirs here are still very Mayan, from local handicrafts to temple-shaped fridge magnets.
History in the heart of the city attracts the attention of many tourists
Like the ancient Mayans, the creators of modern Cancun knew what they were doing when they turned it into a tourist paradise. Today, Cancun is a wonderful blend of old and new, a remarkable destination well worth exploring, from stunning beaches to lively bars, from ancient water tanks to jungle adventures.
