2 days in Cancún

Day by day

1. Day 1: Playa Delfines (El Mirador) and Museo Maya de Cancún and San Miguelito

   Playa Delfines (El Mirador), Museo Maya de Cancún and San Miguelito, El Rey archaeological site and Punta Nizuc snorkelling, then Coco Bongo in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Playa Delfines (El Mirador)

      The water is a striking turquoise, but the surf and currents can be strong.

   2. Late morning

      Museo Maya de Cancún and San Miguelito

      The same ticket covers the San Miguelito archaeological site in the jungle behind it, with small temples and palaces.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cochinita pibil

      Downtown taquerías and market fondas, mostly in the morning; popular places often sell out by early afternoon.

   4. Afternoon

      El Rey archaeological site

      It takes under an hour and is rarely busy.

   5. Late afternoon

      Punta Nizuc snorkelling

      Snorkel tours from the lagoon visit its corals, tropical fish and some shallow underwater sculptures.

   6. Evening

      Coco Bongo

      Arrive early; queues build fast at weekends and the show runs late into the night.

2. Day 2: MUSA Underwater Museum of Art and Isla Mujeres

   MUSA Underwater Museum of Art, Isla Mujeres, Swimming with whale sharks and Playa Langosta and Playa Tortugas, then Parque de las Palapas in the evening.

   1. Morning

      MUSA Underwater Museum of Art

      Shallower sections can be seen by snorkelling, deeper ones by diving or from glass-bottom boats, and corals and fish now cover many of the figures.

   2. Late morning

      Isla Mujeres

      Visitors get around by golf cart, scooter or bike.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Sopa de lima

      Yucatecan restaurants downtown and in Mercado 28, and many Hotel Zone menus.

   4. Afternoon

      Swimming with whale sharks

      From about June to mid-September, whale sharks, the world's largest fish, gather to feed off the north-eastern tip of the Yucatán, and licensed boats from Cancún, Isla Mujeres and Holbox take swimmers out to snorkel beside them under strict rules on numbers and distance.

   5. Late afternoon

      Playa Langosta and Playa Tortugas

      Playa Tortugas also has a ferry pier for Isla Mujeres.

   6. Evening

      Parque de las Palapas

      Come after sunset when the stalls are busiest, then walk to nearby Avenida Yaxchilán for dinner or a drink.

Before you go

• Swimming with whale sharks: Book with a licensed operator in advance; trips leave very early and can be cancelled in rough seas.
• Coco Bongo: Buy tickets ahead for weekends and spring break, and check what the package includes.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 28–38 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.9 hours in December to 13.4 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Bus. R-1 buses run the length of Boulevard Kukulcán through the Hotel Zone and into downtown around the clock, stopping on request at beaches and hotels.

More or fewer days

• One day in Cancún
• 3 days in Cancún
• 4 days in Cancún
• 5 days in Cancún
• 7 days in Cancún

Questions travellers ask