Seasons- Technically, high season is from December 15 to April; low season is from May to December 15, when prices drop 10% to 30%. Some hotels are starting to charge high-season rates during June and July, when Mexican, European, and school-holiday visitors often travel, although rates may still be lower than in winter months.
Climate- It's hot but not overwhelmingly humid. The rainy season is May through October. August through October is hurricane season, which brings erratic weather. November through February is generally sunny but can also be cloudy, windy, somewhat rainy, and even cool.
Special Events- The annual Mexico-Caribbean Food Festival, featuring special menus of culinary creations throughout town, is held each year over the first two weeks of November. Additional information is available through the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
City Layout
There are really two Cancúns: Isla Cancún (Cancún Island) and Ciudad Cancún (Cancún City). The latter, on the mainland, has restaurants, shops, and less-expensive hotels, as well as pharmacies, dentists, automotive shops, banks, travel and airline agencies, and car-rental firms all within an area about 9 blocks square. The city's main thoroughfare is Avenida Tulum. Heading south, Avenida Tulum becomes the highway to the airport and to Tulum and Chetumal; heading north, it intersects the highway to Mérida and the road to Puerto Juárez and the Isla Mujeres ferries.
The famed Zona Hotelera, or Hotel Zone (also called the Zona Turística, or Tourist Zone) stretches out along Isla Cancún, which is a sandy strip 22km (14 miles) long, shaped like a "7." It connects to the mainland by the Playa Linda Bridge at the north end and the Punta Nizuc Bridge at the southern end. Between the two areas lies Laguna Nichupté. Avenida Cobá from Cancún City becomes Bulevar Kukulkán, the island's main traffic artery. Cancún's international airport is just inland from the south end of the island.
Finding an Address- Cancún's street-numbering system is a holdover from its early days. Addresses are still given by the number of the building lot and by the manzana (block) or supermanzana (group of blocks). The city is relatively compact, and the downtown commercial section is easy to cover on foot.
On the island, addresses are given by kilometer number on Bulevar Kukulkán or by reference to some well known location. In Cancún, streets are named after famous Maya cities. Chichén Itzá, Tulum, and Uxmal are the names of the boulevards in Cancún, as well as nearby archaeological sites.
Consulates- The U.S. Consular Agent is in the Plaza Caracol 2, Bulevar Kukulkán Km 8.5, third level, 320-323 (tel. 998/883-0272). The office is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 1pm. The Canadian Consulate is in the Plaza México 312 (tel. 998/883-3360). The office is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. The United Kingdom has a consular office in Cancún (tel. 998/881-0100, ext. 65898; fax 998/848-8662; information@britishconsulatecancun.com). Irish, Australian, and New Zealand citizens should contact their embassies in Mexico City.
Currency Exchange- Most banks are downtown along Avenida Tulum and are usually open Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 5pm. Many have automated teller machines for after hours cash withdrawals. In the Hotel Zone, you'll find banks in the Plaza Kukulcan and next to the convention center. There are also many casas de cambio (exchange houses). Downtown merchants are eager to change cash dollars, but island stores don't offer very good exchange rates. Avoid changing money at the airport as you arrive, especially at the first exchange booth you see its rates are less favorable than those of any in town or others farther inside the airport concourse.
Emergencies- To report an emergency, dial tel. 060, which is supposed to be similar to 911 emergency service in the United States. For first aid, the Cruz Roja, or Red Cross (tel. 065 or 998/884-1616; fax 998/883-9218), is open 24 hours on Avenida Yaxchilán between avenidas Xcaret and Labná, next to the Telmex building. Total Assist, Claveles 5, SM 22, at Avenida Tulum (tel. 998/884-1058 or 998/884-1092; totalassist@prodigy.net.mx), is a small (nine-room) emergency hospital with English speaking doctors. It's open 24 hours and accepts American Express, MasterCard, and Visa. Desk staff may have limited command of English. Another facility that caters to English-speaking visitors is Ameri-Med (Plaza Las Americas, in downtown Cancún; tel. 998/881-3434) with 24-hour emergency service. Air Ambulance service is available by calling tel. 01-800/305-9400 in Mexico.
Police- Cancún has a fleet of English-speaking tourist police to help travelers. Dial tel. 998/884-1913 or 998/884-2342. The Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (consumer protection agency), Av. Cobá 9-11 (tel. 998/884-2634 or 998/884-2701), is opposite the Social Security Hospital and upstairs from the Fenix drugstore. It's open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 3pm.
Post Office- The main correo is at the intersection of avenidas Sunyaxchen and Xel-Ha (tel. 998/884-1418). It's open Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm, and Saturday from 9am to noon just for the purchase of stamps.
Safety- Aside from car break-ins, there is very little crime in Cancún. People are generally safe late at night in tourist areas; just use ordinary common sense. As at any other beach resort, don't take money or valuables to the beach. See "Crime," above.
Swimming on the Caribbean side presents a danger because of the undertow.