Places to Visit & Things to Do in Cancun
Featuring 14 miles of beach-front resorts and high-end restaurants, Cancun is the gateway to the Yucatan Peninsula. The region is dotted with mystical cenotes and ancient Mayan ruins giving this place an otherworldly air.
Sights and Attractions in Cancun
The jewels in Cancun’s crown are undoubtedly the beaches, with each grain of sand and every drop of seawater converging to be as close to perfection as possible. Those to the north are graced with calmer waters and draw smaller crowds; while the more southerly beaches with their bigger waves and stronger currents offer a great selection of water sports. There’s nothing like seeing this tropical paradise from above, ascend the Cancun Scenic Tower to take impressive aerial shots of the expansive beaches. At 80 metres high and with a revolving deck you can observe 360-degree views of the ocean and the Nichupte lagoon. Though not technically in Cancun, the nearby archaeological site Chichen-Itza is on the bucket list of many visitors to Mexico. As one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, it is well worth the two-and-a-half-hour drive to see the ruins of the Mayan ancient city. The centrepiece and most recognisable structure is the four-sided El Castillo pyramid with formidable snake heads carved as the cornerstone of each side.
Art and Culture in Cancun
Though you might want to, you don’t have to venture inland to understand more about the intriguing rise and fall of the Mayan civilisation. The El Rey ruins and Mayan Museum are both situated in Cancun’s Hotel Zone, making a trip a breeze. At El Rey, you can climb the Mayan temple to see the remains of the ancient port, now home to an immense iguana population. The sleek and contemporary Mayan Museum of Cancún, connected to the San Miguelito ruins, allows visitors to delve into the fascinating elements of Mayan culture by viewing ancient artefacts. The museum’s collection comprises over 3,500 objects recovered from various archaeological digs across the Yucatan peninsula including jewellery and ceramics. If you like your art submerged beneath the surface of the sea check out the Underwater Museum of Art (MUSA). The 440 sculptures at Machones between the Hotel Zone and Isla Mujeres are 8-10 metres deep so you’ll need to scuba dive to see them. While the 33 pieces at Punta Nizuc to the south are at a much more beginner-friendly 2-4 metres deep and can be viewed by snorkelling.
Shopping in Cancun
Marina Puerto is the place to head for chic and classy shopping in Cancun and as a bonus it has restaurants, bars and IMAX theatre. The bright and airy al-fresco La Isla shopping centre in the Hotel Zone has a somewhat Venetian feel thanks to the canal running through it. Items from luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Tiffany and Coach can be purchased here, but with its Ferris wheel and lagoon-side location, La Isla is also a relaxing hang-out spot. In downtown Cancun, you’ll find the largest shopping mall in the area. Plaza Las Americas has expected staples like Nine West, Pandora and Zara, Mexican department store Liverpool as well as a cinema and plentiful food court. For souvenirs head to Mercado 28, a huge flea market with 600 vendors selling everything from leather goods and ponchos to lucha libre masks and hammocks.
Food and Drink in Cancun
The town has a wealth of high-end restaurants serving up a global menu both in the Hotel Zone and downtown area. Award-winning La Habichuela in downtown is both a culinary and cultural experience with beautiful and significant Mayan touches adorning the indoor dining area and lush garden. Cooking up Mexican cuisine, steaks and seafood, diners are also wowed by Mayan drumming and dancing. Porfirio’s, adjacent to Nichupte lagoon, offers traditional Mexican food with a modern twist in a loud and lively setting. Make sure you dress up for Cenacolo (either the Hotel Zone or downtown location). This eatery gives diners a sumptuous taste of Italy with pasta made daily from scratch and also has an impressive wine list of Italian and Mexican tipples. Cambalache and Harry’s Steakhouse are top picks for meat lovers serving up Argentinian and 35-day dry-aged steaks respectively. Head to RosaNegra for a taste of Latin America with delectable tacos, ceviche, seafood and steak.
Unique to Cancun
Nichupte Lagoon’s ever-shifting tones make for a breathtaking body of water with seven mangrove-fringed lakes. A haven for visitors who want to canoe, kayak, fish, birdwatch, paddleboard, take a boat ride or even fly with a water jet pack known as a Flyboard. A 15-minute ferry from Gran Puerto near downtown Cancun runs every 30 minutes to the more laid-back Isla Mujeres, graced with turquoise waters and sparkling sands. Rent a bike or golf cart and head to Punta Sur for the views of the Mayan ruins, cliffs and ocean. Isla Holbox is another enchanting island - though a little further away via a road journey and two-hour ferry - with a similarly dreamy coastline. There are a staggering 6,000 cenotes in the Yucatan peninsula, offering mesmerising sights to view and swim in. These open-air or cavernous natural pools are popular with visitors and locals with the clear attraction being the azure hues of the water and the verdant vegetation. Cenote Azul, Cenote Cristalino and Gran Cenote will sear themselves into your mind as places of fun and beauty. Several tours will take you to one or two but if you hire a car, you can follow the ruta de la cenotes, a 20-mile route of natural lidos.
Membership Rewards® Programme
Cardmembers enrolled in the American Express Membership Rewards® programme will earn one additional bonus Membership Rewards point in addition to their standard earn rate (for a total of 2 points) for every full £1 spent on flights, prepaid hotels, car hire and experiences booked through the American Express Travel website americanexpress.com/en-gb//travel. Specific Card products or limited time promotions may offer additional Membership Rewards points, please see individual Card or promotion Terms and Conditions for more information. Additional Membership Rewards points cannot be earned on products which are not prepaid but are paid directly to the supplier, including cruise bookings and select hotel bookings. These bookings will not earn two Membership Rewards points for every £1 spent but will be earned at the normal rate of one point for every £1 spent. Full Terms and Conditions apply, please visit americanexpress.co.uk/termsandconditions.
To use Pay with Points, you must book your eligible purchase through American Express Travel and charge to a Membership Rewards programme-enrolled American Express® Card. Eligible purchases through American Express Travel exclude non-prepaid car rentals and non-prepaid hotels. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account, and credit for corresponding amount will be issued to the American Express® Card Account used. If points redeemed do not cover entire amount, the balance of purchase price will remain on the American Express Card account. When paying with a combination of your American Express Card and Membership Rewards points, only the value applied to the Card is eligible to earn Membership Rewards points.
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Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program benefits are available for new bookings made through Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge, Business Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge, the Dedicated Centurion® Team or American Express Travel (americanexpress.com/en-gb/travel/) with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Platinum Cardmembers or Centurion® Members and excludes Platinum Credit Companion Cards. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express® Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. The average total value of the program benefits is based on prior-year bookings for stays of two nights; the actual value varies. Noon check-in and room upgrade are subject to availability and are provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of US$100 Credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the credit will be applied to eligible charges up to the amount of the credit. To receive the credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain credits. The type and value of the daily breakfast (for two) varies by property; breakfast will be valued at a minimum of US$60 per room per day. To receive the breakfast credit, the breakfast bill must be charged to your hotel room. The breakfast credit will be applied at check-out. If the cost of Wi-Fi is included in a mandatory property fee, a daily credit of that amont will be applied at check-out.
Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay).Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the property reserve the right to modify or revoke FHR benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you may have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your FHR benefits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and
amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for FHR program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.
The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more made through American Express Travel (americanexpress.com/en-gb/travel/), Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge, Business Platinum Travel & Dining Concierge or the Dedicated Centurion® Team, with participating properties and are valid only for eligible Preferred Rewards Gold Cardmembers, Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Cardmembers, Platinum Cardmembers or Centurion® Members and excludes Platinum Credit Companion Cardmembers. Bookings must be made using an eligible Card and must be paid using that Card, or another American Express Card, in the eligible Card Member's name, and that Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. Noon check-in, late check-out and the room upgrade are subject to availability; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. The type of US$100 credit and additional amenity (if applicable) varies by property; the US$100 credit will be applied to eligible charges up to US$100. To receive the US$100 credit, the eligible spend must be charged to your hotel room. The US$100 credit will be applied at check-out. Advance reservations are recommended for certain credits. Benefit restrictions vary by property. Benefits are applied per room, per stay (with a three-room limit per stay). Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional THC benefits (“Prohibited Action”). American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke the THC benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your THC benefits. Benefits cannot be redeemed for cash and are not combinable with other offers unless indicated. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in US Dollars or the local currency equivalent. Benefits, participating properties, and availability and amenities at those properties are subject to change. To be eligible for THC program benefits, your eligible Card Account must not be cancelled. For additional information, call the number on the back of your Card.
International Airline Program (IAP)
1. Current International Airline Program Partners: Air Europa, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Etihad Airways, Emirates Airlines, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
2. American Express reserves the rights to change these conditions from time to time with 21 days prior notice and/or to discontinue the whole program.
3. Airlines reserve the right to change, cancel or restrict flight operations without notice. IAP upgrades or specially negotiated fares may be limited by airlines to certain flights and/or dates (“blackouts”). IAP is subject to the terms and conditions of each participating carrier. American Express does not guarantee that seats or tickets will be available. Cabins of service and discounts vary by airline and route. Discounts are applicable to adult fares however some airlines extend savings to child fares.
4. To qualify for the IAP upgrades or specially negotiated fares:
a) Your journey must start and end at the same port as designated by the participating airline and be completed within the period during which your selected carrier participates in the program. You will be advised of any applicable dates at the time of booking;
b) IAP tickets must be purchased through the Platinum Travel Service and must be charged to a valid American Express Platinum Card which is in good standing;
c) The Platinum Cardmember who purchases the ticket(s) must be one of the travellers;
d) IAP tickets are non-transferable and non endorsable.
5. Any travel on non-participating airlines must be ticketed and paid for separately and is not part of the IAP. Certain code share or flights on the worldwide partners of the participating airlines may not apply.
6. Certain IAP airlines or non-participating airlines impose restrictions such as ticketing time limit on advance booking to indicate a timeline for ticketing upon making your reservations. For each individual airline Terms & Conditions, please check with the Platinum Travel Service for details.
7. IAP upgrade offers or specially negotiated fares may not be combined with any other promotion, discount, negotiated or corporate rate.
8. American Express acts only as an agent for travel service providers and does not own or operate any airline or means of transportation. American Express is not liable for service deficiencies on the part of airlines or other service providers, including but not limited to: accidents and injuries; delays; changes in routes or itineraries; loss, theft or damages to possessions. American Express strongly advises travellers to insure themselves against travel risks. Travellers are responsible for ensuring that they have valid documentation and for complying with the health, customs, currency and other laws of any country they enter or attempt to enter.
9. IAP is available to Platinum Cardmembers from a variety of participating airlines each with specifically designated ports of departure and arrival. Please refer to the Platinum Travel Service for details of participating airlines, applicable routing and timetables and fares in force at any particular time.
10. Other International Airline Program Terms & Conditions may apply.
For full Terms and Conditions for Global Lounge Collection®, please visit our Global Lounge page.
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