Things to Do in Cancun: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
Wondering what to do in Cancun? One tour towers over everything: the Chichén Itzá, cenote and Valladolid day trip (about $30–49) has more than 25,000 reviews and is the most-booked experience in Mexico. Around it, the favourites are the catamaran to Isla Mujeres with snorkelling and open bar ($35), a Yucatecan cooking class or taco-and-tequila tour ($79), the Xoximilco floating fiesta ($188) and, from June to September, swimming with whale sharks ($187). Give yourself five to seven days: two on the Hotel Zone beaches, one for Chichén Itzá, one for Tulum and the cenotes, one for Isla Mujeres, one for an eco-park such as Xcaret or Xel-Há. The beaches are all public and free — Playa Delfines, Playa Chac Mool and the Punta Cancún beach clubs cost nothing to walk onto. Below you can compare every Cancun tour and ticket by rating and price, with free cancellation on most.
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All experiences in Cancun — FAQ
What are the top things to do in Cancun?
By traveller reviews: the Chichén Itzá, cenote and Valladolid tour, the Isla Mujeres catamaran with snorkelling, the whale shark encounter (June–September), a hands-on Mexican cooking class, the taco and tequila food tour, the Xoximilco floating party, the Tulum ruins and cenotes trip, the MUSA underwater museum snorkel, Xcaret park and the Hotel Zone beaches. Compare all of them below.
How many days do you need in Cancun?
Five to seven days. Two beach days in the Hotel Zone, one for Chichén Itzá with a cenote swim, one for Tulum and the Dos Ojos or Gran Cenote, one for the Isla Mujeres catamaran or the whale sharks in summer, one for Xcaret or Xel-Há, and an evening for Xoximilco or Coco Bongo. With a longer stay, add Holbox, Cozumel or Isla Contoy.
What can you do in Cancun for free?
Every beach in Mexico is public: Playa Delfines with its Cancún sign and the Mirador, Playa Chac Mool, Playa Tortugas and Playa Langosta are free to walk onto. Also free: Parque Las Palapas downtown for street food and evening music, Mercado 28 and Mercado 23, sunset over the Nichupté Lagoon, the Malecón Tajamar and the small El Rey Maya ruins in the Hotel Zone (small fee). The R1 and R2 buses along the Hotel Zone cost about a dollar.
Do Cancun tours offer free cancellation?
Most experiences listed here can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before the start time; boat trips are also refunded if the port closes for weather. The policy is shown on each tour before you book.