Stuff To Know About Cancun, Mexico

Land Sports / Activities

With it's year-round warm weather, mostly sunny skies, and stunning scenery, Cancun and the Riviera Maya areas are host to a wide variety of opportunities to do some serious power-relaxing, or be as active as the only-24-hours-in-a-day limit allows. For those of you who prefer being on the go to sitting by the pool, here are just a few suggestions.

Golf
Cancun is home to two beautiful 18-hole championship golf courses, and the Riviera Maya boasts another two superb 18-hole courses.

In Cancun there is the Pok-Ta-Pok course, which runs along the the coast of the Caribbean and also Laguna Nichupté, the other is the Hilton Cancun Golf Club course that hugs the shores of Laguna Nichupté near the El Rey ruins on Kukulcán Blvd.  The Hilton course is rumored to have alligators in one of the water hazards.  Along the Riviera Maya there is The Playacar Golf Club which is adjacent to Playa del Carmen, and the Moon Palace Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus designed course for guests of the Moon Palace Resort.

In addtion, a couple of three-par executive courses can be found along Kukulcán Blvd at the Meliá Cancun hotel and the Oasis Cancun hotel, and a nice miniature golf course is located at the Cancun Palace hotel.

Horseback Riding
One of the best ways to enjoy the beaches and the Cancun surroundings is on horseback. The Rancho Loma Bonita is one of the most popular places for renting horses; the place itself also has a great riding area.

Archaeological Tours
Cancun has vestiges of Mayan culture in places such as El Rey and El Meco. Cancun Museum, set in the Convention Center in the Hotel Zone, displays pieces from these and other archaeological sites in the state.  Also, Cancun is just a short trip away from imposing Mayan centers such as Tulum and even San Gervasio, on Cozumel Island. Two hundred kilometers outside Cancun, in the state of Yucatan, stands Chichén Itzá, which can be reached by taking Highway. 180 to Mirada.  If you are a Palace Resorts guest, many of these tours are included in your "all-inclusive" rate - check out our Included Tours page to see what is covererd.

Ecotourism
Cancun is within easy reach of nature reserves such as Contoy Island and Sian Ka’an. The Riviera Maya has parks such as Tres Ríos and Xpu-Há offering cycling, walks and rowing facilities. It also has eco-archaeological parks such as Xcaret and Xel-há with a wide range of attractions.