We moved our base from Cozumel to Cancun for a few days, where we stayed with a lovely Mexican family, who immediately set the tone for our stay. On the first day, we went to the famous, dazzling white sand beach, where we took a long walk along the turquoise water, enjoying the salty breeze from the Caribbean and the view of the coastline lined with luxury hotels.
Cancun’s history is quite different from that of other cities on the Yucatán Peninsula, as it is a deliberately planned resort, where fifty years ago there were only coconut plantations, swamps and deserted jungle. In the late 1960s, the Mexican government used computer models to find the perfect location for a new tourist center that could bring economic prosperity to the region. At the time, only three people lived on the island, but the experts recognized the potential of the snow-white sand and crystal-clear water, and in 1970, ambitious construction began.
The development created a narrow, L-shaped spit of land that separated the sea from the Nichupté Lagoon, creating what is now the Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera). The first hotels opened in the mid-1970s, and thanks to international investment, Cancún grew at an incredible rate. While the coastal strip was all about luxury and relaxation, the city center, the “real” Cancún, was built on the mainland, where the service staff and local residents lived, as well as the homes, markets, and schools.
Today, Cancún has become Mexico’s best-known and busiest tourist destination, welcoming millions of visitors from around the world each year. Although originally intended as a resort, over the decades it has grown into a city of half a million people with a distinct cultural identity. The city’s success has laid the foundation for the tourism development of the entire Riviera Maya, and although modern skyscrapers dominate the skyline, smaller ruins in the area, such as El Rey, are still a reminder that the Mayans once knew this stretch of coast well.
Isla Mujeres
On one of our last days in Cancun, we sailed over to Isla Mujeres, the island of women, one of the most famous and beautiful islands in the area. We spent the morning on a fantastic beach, Playa Norte, where the water was so improbably turquoise and shallow that it felt like we were swimming in a giant swimming pool. Before returning to the mainland, we took a walk inland and found a real gem on a secluded street, a local restaurant where we saw almost only locals having lunch. This unexpected, authentic lunch made the island adventure complete.
This was the last real beach day of our vacation. The next day we said goodbye to the Caribbean coast and flew back to Mexico City. We had a full day left there, which we used to soak up the atmosphere of the metropolis one last time, walk around our favorite neighborhoods, and buy the last gifts and souvenirs for family and friends. In the evening, it was time to pack, then head to the airport to begin the long journey home.
The name Isla Mujeres dates back to Mayan times, when the island was a place dedicated to the goddess Ixchel, protector of the moon, fertility, and healing. For the Mayans, this island was the “end of the world,” as it is the easternmost point in Mexico, where the rays of the rising sun first reach the earth. When the Spanish explorer Francisco Hernández de Córdoba landed in 1517, he found many clay female statues in the goddess’s temple, which is why he named the place “Isla Mujeres.”
During the colonial period, the island remained almost uninhabited, but due to its strategic location, it was often used by Caribbean pirates as a hideout and source of drinking water. It became permanently inhabited in the mid-19th century, during the Caste Wars in the Yucatán Peninsula, when refugee families settled here and created the first fishing village. This fishing past gave the island its basic character, which is still felt today in the narrow streets of the center and in the local seafood menu.
Today, Isla Mujeres is an island of tranquility next to bustling Cancún. Although tourism is still dominant here, the island has maintained a slower, friendlier pace, where people mostly get around by golf cart. The Mayan ruins and sculpture park at Punta Sur in the southern tip, and Playa Norte in the north, are among the best beaches in the world. For us, this island was the perfect ending to a trip that combined Mexico’s history, art, and natural wonders into one unforgettable experience.
