Destination Cancun: Five Scenic Day Trips

Cancun is a happening Mexican resort. Loads of beaches, nightclubs, attractions, shopping centers and restaurants can easily keep Cancun timeshare owners busy for a week or more.
But venturing further afield brings many opportunities for more fun sightseeing and outdoor adventures. Here’s a look at five different day trips from Cancun:
Puerto Morelos
Just 15 minutes south of Cancun International Airport, Puerto Morelos is a small fishing village reminiscent of “old Mexico.” Here, local residents make their living on the sea, small cafes and restaurants offer tasty seafood specialties, and the town square serves as a central meeting place. It’s a largely undeveloped community where folks are friendly. Note that many “gringos” have relocated and retired here, so don’t be surprised if you hear English spoken around the plaza. Spend your day shopping in the handicraft stores or snorkeling on the reef just off the main stretch of beach.

Tulum
The ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum are less than a two-hour drive from Cancun. Its location is especially scenic, perched on the top of limestone bluffs above the Caribbean Sea. Here you can see the remains of the walled city and its structures that were built between 1200 A.D. and 1450 A.D. A tour guide can share a bit of the history and lore of these ancient buildings and temples, as well as the people who once made their home here. Pack a swim suit, as you can take a dip in the ocean after touring the ruins.

Xel-Ha
Usually, when visitors make the drive down the coast from Cancun to Tulum, they also stop at the ecological preserve of Xel-Ha, 8 miles north of the ruins. At this “natural aquarium,” you can swim with the dolphins, view a myriad of marine life, jump from cliffs or swing from ropes into the ocean, snorkel in a calm cove, or take a rest and enjoy the ocean breezes in one of many hammocks strung between palm trees. The “eco theme park,” Xcaret, offering similar attractions, is farther north, even closer to Cancun, but it’s more developed and typically more crowded; still, it’s worth a visit if you prefer not to make the longer drive south to Tulum and Xel-Ha.

Isla Mujeres
While you can overnight on the island of Isla Mujeres, which translates to “Island of Women,” many Cancun visitors just make it a day trip. Spending time at this laid-back beach locale just 9 miles offshore is a nice alternative to the bigger, busier city of Cancun. Browse the local shops and sample Mexican food at the al fresco restaurants. The beaches are generally uncrowded, and there are spots for snorkeling. Tour operators and resorts offer chartered, all-inclusive tours to the island, or you can do it on your own, boarding a 30-minute ferry that leaves the port in Cancun every 15 minutes or so throughout the day.

Tres Rios
This ecological park is not as built up as Xel-Ha. The pristine tropical reserve is only 30 minutes from Cancun and offers horseback riding and biking along primitive trails, as well as canoeing and kayaking in mangrove swamps. After a few hours of outdoor activity, you can relax on the beach or in a shaded hammock. All-inclusive packages here include the cost of food and drink.

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