3 Days in Cancún: Beaches, Isla Mujeres & Chichén Itzá

Day 01

Hotel Zone Beaches & the Maya Museum

Ruins, beaches and a sunset dinner on the lagoon.

Morning
Playa Delfines
Photograph the CANCÚN letters at sunrise, then walk the long, wild beach.
Late Morning
El Rey Archaeological Zone
Explore the Maya platforms and buildings, where iguanas sun on the stones.
Lunch
Käajal
Have a light Mexican lunch with healthy options in the Hotel Zone.
Afternoon
Museo Maya de Cancún
Spend the hot hours in the museum, then walk to San Miguelito.
Late Afternoon
Playa Chac Mool
Swim near Punta Cancún and look for the large Chac Mool mural by the beach.
Evening
Lorenzillo's
Book a sunset table over the lagoon for lobster, the house specialty.

Day 02

Ferry, golf cart and the calmest beach in the region.

Morning
Puerto Juárez ferry
Take an early ferry across the turquoise bay, with views back to the Hotel Zone.
Late Morning
Punta Sur
Rent a golf cart and drive to the cliffs and sculpture garden at the southern tip.
Lunch
Isla Mujeres town
Have seafood in town and wander the colorful streets around Avenida Hidalgo.
Afternoon
Playa Norte
Swim in the calm, shallow water of the island's most famous beach.
Sunset
Playa Norte
Stay for the sunset, one of the best in the region.
Evening
Back to Cancún
Return by ferry and have a relaxed dinner downtown or in the Hotel Zone.

Day 03

A day trip to the great Maya city and a colonial town.

Early Morning
Highway 180D
Leave Cancún early by car, tour or Tren Maya to reach the site at opening.
Morning
Chichén Itzá
Explore El Castillo, the great ball court and the sacred cenote with a licensed guide.
Lunch
Near Chichén Itzá
Have a Yucatecan lunch, with dishes like cochinita pibil or sopa de lima.
Afternoon
Cenote swim
Cool off in one of the cenotes near the site, many with stairs and platforms.
Late Afternoon
Valladolid
Walk the colonial center and visit the convent of San Bernardino de Siena.
Evening
Back to Cancún
Return to Cancún for a late dinner downtown.