This was my 7th trip to Cancun and my 11th trip to Mexico. I’m very lucky that one of my best friends lives in Cancun. My mate Mike is originally from Montreal and he speaks fluent Spanish which comes in very handy when visiting the places where the "Locals" go in and around Downtown Cancun and on Isla Mujeres.

Cancun has two tourist areas, Downtown and the Hotel Zone. The Hotel Zone is a 25km long stretch of hotels, restaurants and sandy beaches. At the center of the Hotel Zone, you’ll find dozens of resorts, stores, restaurants, nightclubs and shopping malls. 

We spent our days at the Krystal Cancun Hotel which is located in the heart of the Hotel Zone and offers a beautiful beach, swimming pools and exceptional poolside service.

 

Each day we would take a free shuttle service from the Krystal Urban Hotel which is located Downtown. The Krystal Urban is in a great location right next door to the old Plaza de Toros (Bull Ring) which is surrounded by many restaurants and taco stands. Across the street is a high end mini mall filled with even more restaurants, and a five minute walk away is Plaza las Americas, one of Cancun’s biggest malls! This mall has dozens of stores, restaurants, a massive food court and a big cinema complex. If shopping is something you enjoy on holiday, you can also visit La Isla Shopping Village, located at KM12.5 of the Hotel Zone, it’s a place that you can easily spend an afternoon walking around. 

I prefer to stay in the Downtown area which is close to unique restaurants, stores and it’s where Mike lives. Visiting or staying with someone who lives in the heart of Cancun allows you to see, hear, taste and feel so much more than you would do staying only in the tourist areas.

There are several great restaurants in Downtown Cancun that I’ve visited many times including Marakame, a beautiful outdoor restaurant surrounded by trees, fairy lights and the stars above. They serve a variety of local and international dishes and the tuna carpaccio and the pasta with chili, garlic and olive oil are amazing!

Another fabulous outdoor restaurant is El Tigre y El Toro. This Italian is located on Carlos Nader Avenue, a street filled with with many restaurants and bars and in an area not frequented by tourists, so there’s real locals feel. Their freshly made pasta, pizza and mixed empanadas are all first rate.

Of course no trip to Downtown would be complete without a visit to a taco stand or restaurant serving Tacos al Pastore (Tacos with pork, Cilantro, Red Onion and Pineapple) Arrachera (Steak) and Cebollas Cambray (Grilled Young Green Onions) One of the best is El Poblano and there are several locations but my favourite is on the corner of Tulum and Coba. Sit with the locals and watch the world go by!

 

Another great afternoon or evening out is to take in a baseball game. The Tigres de Quintana Roo are a Triple A championship team who play from April until August. General Admission tickets are only 50 Pesos, that’s just over $3! The stadium, fan support and all of the food at the games are all amazing!

A definite must of any visit to Cancun is a day trip or overnight to Isla Mujeres (Island of the Women). Only 15 minutes by ferry brings you to some of the nicest beaches you will ever see. There are many restaurants throughout and renting a golf cart is one of the best ways to get around the island which is only 7kms long. If you love fish tacos, visit Bally Hoo Restaurant. They are located right on the sea front just down from the ferry terminal.

If you are looking for more of an adventure in getting to the Island, I would suggest a day trip with Cancun Sailing Catamarans. I’ve sailed with this company many times and they are the best! Your day will include snorkelling, a fabulous buffet lunch, free time on the Island and the most fun sailing back you’ll ever have! The crews are highly professional and speak fluent English, French, German and Spanish. Their catamarans are available for private charters as well as the group trips.

With the Canadian Dollar currently strong against the Peso, (15.5 Pesos to $1 when I was there in January, 2017) now is a great time to visit Cancun to soak up some rays, eat some great Mexican food and chill. And if you need a guide, let me know and I’ll see if Mike is free to show you around. He accepts payment in tacos and cervezas!