Outdoors · Cancún · Mexico
8 best outdoor things to do in Cancún
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Xe3osc, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with MUSA Underwater Museum of Art, Isla Mujeres and Swimming with whale sharks. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 30–40 hours across 8 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 30–40 hours
- Areas
- Bahía de Mujeres, Isla Mujeres and Caribbean Sea
Outdoors in Cancún
Experience · Bahía de Mujeres
1.MUSA Underwater Museum of Art
Visit with a tour operator that includes the marine-park fee, and wear a rash guard rather than ordinary sunscreen.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Kids
- Nature
- Iconic
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Island · Isla Mujeres
2.Isla Mujeres
Take the ferry from Puerto Juárez for the lower fare, rent a golf cart to circle the island and stay for sunset at Playa Norte.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Kids
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Views
Experience · Caribbean Sea
3.Swimming with whale sharks
Take seasickness tablets before you go; the boat ride can take more than an hour each way across open sea.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Nature
- Iconic
- Active
Beach · Northern Hotel Zone
4.Playa Langosta and Playa Tortugas
Head here when the east-facing beaches fly red flags or are affected by seaweed.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
Island · Isla Contoy
5.Isla Contoy
Bring binoculars and plenty of water; there is little shade on the boat or the beach.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Nature · Nichupté Lagoon
6.Nichupté Lagoon mangroves
Book a late-afternoon paddle and watch the sun set over the lagoon, which faces west.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
- Couples
Beach · Costa Mujeres
7.Isla Blanca
Bring water, food and shade; facilities are basic, and a high-clearance car or taxi helps on the access road.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
- Active
Nature · Southern Hotel Zone
8.Punta Nizuc snorkelling
Wear a rash guard and use biodegradable sunscreen; operators often ask you not to wear ordinary sunscreen in the water.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Kids
- Active
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Bahía de Mujeres | MUSA Underwater Museum of Art | 2–3 hours |
| Isla Mujeres | Isla Mujeres | Full day |
| Caribbean Sea | Swimming with whale sharks | Full day |
| Northern Hotel Zone | Playa Langosta and Playa Tortugas | Half a day |
| Isla Contoy | Isla Contoy | Full day |
| Nichupté Lagoon | Nichupté Lagoon mangroves | 2–3 hours |
| Costa Mujeres | Isla Blanca | Half a day |
| Southern Hotel Zone | Punta Nizuc snorkelling | 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 1 low cost, 3 mid-priced, 2 expensive. Book ahead for Swimming with whale sharks and Isla Contoy. The longest visit is Isla Mujeres; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Swimming with whale sharks: Book with a licensed operator in advance; trips leave very early and can be cancelled in rough seas.
- Isla Contoy: Only licensed operators can land on the island and numbers are limited each day; book a tour a few days ahead.
How to fit them into 8 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Bahía de Mujeres): MUSA Underwater Museum of Art, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Isla Mujeres): Isla Mujeres, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Caribbean Sea): Swimming with whale sharks, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Northern Hotel Zone): Playa Langosta and Playa Tortugas, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Isla Contoy): Isla Contoy, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Nichupté Lagoon): Nichupté Lagoon mangroves, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 7 (Costa Mujeres): Isla Blanca, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 8 (Southern Hotel Zone): Punta Nizuc snorkelling, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- March: highs of 30°C (86°F), about 3 rainy days, very busy crowds. Hot and dry, with spring-break crowds filling Punta Cancún's clubs and the Hotel Zone.
- February: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 4 rainy days, very busy crowds. Dry, sunny and busy with North American winter visitors; excellent beach weather.
- April: highs of 31°C (88°F), about 3 rainy days, busy crowds. Very sunny and getting hotter; Easter week brings Mexican holidaymakers to every beach.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Northern Hotel Zone — Calm, shallow bay beaches facing Isla Mujeres between km 3 and km 9
- Southern Hotel Zone — Big all-inclusives on wide open-Caribbean beaches
- Costa Mujeres — New large resorts on quiet beaches north of the city
- Isla Mujeres — A car-light island of golf carts, colourful streets and Playa Norte
More of Cancún
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Cancún?
MUSA Underwater Museum of Art. The Museo Subacuático de Arte has hundreds of life-size sculptures by Jason deCaires Taylor and other artists placed on the seabed between Cancún and Isla Mujeres to form artificial reefs.
+Which of these are free in Cancún?
Playa Langosta and Playa Tortugas and Isla Blanca.