Honeymoons in Cancun from The World's Greatest Honeymoons

Mexico is ranked #3 among this year's Top 10 honeymoon hotspots!

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The World's Top 10 Honeymoon Hotspots

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• Cancun •

The City that Never Sleeps

Why honeymoon here? Stunning beaches, non-stop nightlife, lots of activities, cost-saving packages. Cons: If you're seeking a serene, away-from-it-all honeymoon, go elsewhere.

Small wonder that Cancun is one of Mexico’s most popular destinations. Superbly situated on the Caribbean Sea—a wonder of turquoise-blue water and white-sand beaches—it's absolutely gorgeous. However, if you’re seeking a peaceful, just-the-two-of-us getaway for your honeymoon, no way is this high-spirited place right for you. Don't even consider it. On the other hand, it's perfect for couples burning to disco and party the night away, stretch out beside gorgeous blue waters all day long, and be surrounded by other honeymooners and vacationers out for a rollicking good time.

Also See: Mexico Index | Acapulco | Cancun | Cozumel | Ixtapa & Zihuatanejo | Los Cabos | Yucatan Peninsula

Cancun is a mother lode for all things sportif. As you'd expect, beach and water sports are hugely popular: snorkeling, kayaking, diving, parasailing, swimming, surfing, sailing, and whatever else you can dream up. ~ But that's just a start. Go on a big-game fishing tour (most is catch-and-release). Rent bikes or in-line skates and peddle along the palm-lined path that follows the bay. Sharpen up your tennis game (or learn tennis from the ground up). Take long, long walks along the bay each day. Even bungee jumping gets into the action here, with one of Mexico’s highest jumps—more than 225 feet.~ If you've always wanted to learn a sport, this is a good place to start. Most hotels and resorts offer experienced instructors, and can also provide you with the appropriate gear and equipment.

As for golf, two championship courses incorporate Mayan ruins into the fairways. the 18-hole Cancun Golf Club at Pok-ta-Pok, designed by Robert Trent Jones, is situated on an island just off the main hotel strip and holds ruins of two small 14th century Mayan shrines. (Pok-ta-pok was a fast-and-furious ball game played by the ancient Mayans.) ~ The lush 18-hole Hilton Cancun Golf Club is set amidst the 6th century Mayan ruins of El Rey and the beautiful Nichupte Lagoon. ~ Nearby is the new and impressive Moon Spa & Golf Club, with its Jack Nicklaus signature course. Part of the pleasure from playing at these and other courses is the backdrop of sea, sky, colorful birds, darting iguanas, and other wildlife. »»More about golf in this and other regions of Mexico

Cancun is comprised of three distinct but integrated areas. First there’s the city of Cancun. A boomtown with more than half a million residents, it offers good dining, bargain accommodations, and great shopping opportunities (check out Plaza Kukulcan, with more than 300 shops and restaurants). The second district holds Cancun’s ecological reserve, with its lovely mangroves and lagoons. And, third, there's the resort district; with its 19-mile hotel strip fronting the beach, it’s where most visitors stay.

Cancun and environs are blessed with outstanding archaeological sites such as Tulum, the only walled city built by the Mayans. The most famous of all Mayan ruins, the pyramids of Chichen-Itza (a World Heritage Site), are located in the neighboring state of Yucatan. If you can’t make it to these sites, be sure to check out the Cancun Museum, which has gathered many fascinating artifacts from various archaeological sites.

The Whale Shark Biosphere Reserve is vitally important in the protection of mussels, crustaceans, birds, and marine mammals—especially large groups of whale sharks. The biggest fish in the world, they reach anywhere from 15 to 50 feet in length and weight up to 10 tons. From May to September, when they come to feed and mate in the region, the waters off Holbox, Isla Contoy and Cabo Catoche are the best place in the world to view these gentle giants. Because these filter-feeding animals are completely harmless and peaceful, swimming alongside them has become a popular activity. Round-trip boat tours from Cancun to the feeding grounds last about 5 hours, and you'll remember that swim the rest of your life.

A long-held tradition here is the Wednesday bullfights at Plaza de Toros, popular as much for the entertainment-filled intermissions as for the pitting of men against bulls. The event starts in mid-afternoon with the age-old pageantry involved with such fights. Then, at the break, the colorful entertainment comes on the scene: flamenco dancers, mariachi bands, folkloric dance troupes celebrating regional heritage, Mexican cowboys showing off their rope and lasso tricks. Afterward, the fights continue. Beware: the bulls are actually killed in this arena.

Less than an hour's drive from Cancun are several nature reserves such as the Riviera Maya eco-archaeological sites of Xcaret (swim with dolphins, go snuba diving, take an eco-walk, see Mayan dancers) and Xel-ha, with its breathtaking cenotes, clear-water lagoons, river rapids, and forest walks. In tranquil Cozumel, reached by plane or boat, you’ll snorkel and scuba dive in waters with visibility up to 200 feet, surrounded by hundreds of colorful fish species.

For those with a culinary bent, exploring the flavorful traditional Yucatan cuisine is a reward in itself. Look for dishes like lime soup, pollo pibil (chicken marinated in pibil sauce, which is made from annatto seed paste, and then wrapped and cooked in banana leaves), and chilmole (turkey in a dark, flavorful sauce). If you can find Xtabentún—a liquor made from fermented honey—go for it! You might not have the chance anywhere else you travel. ~ Many exotic dishes of Mayan origin are distinguished by use of regional condiments such as Achiote. Also known as annato or axiote, it's derived from dark red tree seeds and is the essence of Mayan cuisine. »»More about Mexican cuisine

Cancun's nightlife is exciting and intense. The disco and club scene—there are plenty of both!—begins early and continues past dawn. Numerous party boat cruises offer dinner, drinks, and music while you sail along the bay and Laguna Nichupte. The Ballet Folklorico de Cancun is well worth the price of admission, with costumed dancers performing authentic dances from various regions in Mexico.

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All written material © WGH ~ Photos: Keith Pomakis (Cancun overview, license); Bruce Herman (Golf) and Nadine Markova (all other photographs)