City guide · Cancún
Cancún
From a fishing island with three residents to a Caribbean resort city, with Maya ruins nearby
Cancún's hotel zone is a long sandbar between the Caribbean and a lagoon, with clear turquoise water. From here you can visit the clifftop ruins of Tulum, the pyramid of Chichén Itzá inland, and the countless cenotes of the Yucatán Peninsula.
History
How the city came to be
According to early Spanish sources, the Maya name of Cancún island was 'Nizuc', meaning 'promontory' or 'point of grass'. After the Spanish conquest of Yucatán, large numbers of Maya died of disease, war and famine, leaving only small settlements on Isla Mujeres and Cozumel. When resort development began on 23 January 1970, the island had just three residents, caretakers of a coconut plantation. In 1974 it was incorporated as the first 'Integrally Planned Tourist Centre' of Mexico's national tourism fund, FONATUR, and went from fishing island to one of Mexico's two most famous resorts.
- c. 600Chichén Itzá began to rise as a regional centre
- 1970Resort development began, when the island had just three residents
- 1974Founded as a master-planned tourist centre
- 1988Chichén Itzá became a World Heritage Site
Before you go
Rules to know in Cancún
Mexico: carry your original passport and entry record
- Carry your original passport with its entry stamp, or download your electronic entry record from the immigration website
- Carrying only a copy or photo
Immigration officers do not accept copies; you may be questioned, detained or even deported.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Mexico travel advice
Mexico: e-cigarettes may not be brought in or sold
- Leave your e-cigarette at home before you travel
- Bringing e-cigarettes or vape liquid into the country
- Smoking or vaping in public places
Customs will confiscate them and may fine or detain you; smoking in public places can bring a fine of up to MXN 3,000.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Mexico travel advice