Cancun, Mexico

Cancun is located off the coast of the Caribbean Sea in eastern Mexico, on the Yucatán Peninsula. According to some colonialist sources, the Mayan settlement that existed here, was called Nisuk. The name Cancún first appears on some maps from the 18th century. In 1970, the Mexican government chose Cancun as a place to develop the tourism industry. At that time, there were only three permanent residents here, and the nearby fishing village of Puerto Juarez had 117 people.

Initially, the new resort was a tourist destination only for the elite of society. Gradually over the years, Cancún became one of the two most famous Mexican resorts in the world, along with Acapulco. Now the population of Cancun is about 630 thousand inhabitants. The area is also known as the Mexican Caribbean. More than 4 million tourists come here annually. They are attracted by the beautiful white beaches, nice water and a lot of cultural entertainment.

There are several open-air museums in the area representing the remains of Mayan cities. Cancun has been described as the gateway to the "Mayan world". Ancient ruins from the pre-Columbian Mayan civilization have been preserved here. These are El Rey, located in the hotel area of the city, and El Meco, located outside the city limits.

In the Ecopark Excaret, located 76km from Cancun, tourists can witness a unique evening show in addition to the interesting Mayan archaeological finds. It includes various performances-a mixture of ancient Mayan culture and traditional Mexican songs and dances.

Also nearby is the archaeological area of Tulum, which is surrounded by fortified walls. In between are the largest building in the complex-the Castle, the Temple of the Descending God, the Temple of the Frescoes and the Grand Palace.

Here in Cancun, amazing adventures are on offer for divers. The coral reefs surrounding the island can transport visitors to an incredibly beautiful underwater world. There are interesting sculptures installed beneath the sea surface in the city of Cancun and this view is not to be missed. An attraction for thrill seekers is the dolphin swim. The interactive aquarium, located in the middle of the Cancun hotel complex, introduces tourists to the underwater marine world. There are also numerous cenote - deep pits here, which are part of underwater caves. Spa treatments combining local herbs and ancient Mayan healing rituals are offered in Cancun.