The Cancun bucket list

Thirty things worth doing before you leave. Tick them off, keep a streak going and collect badges.

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• 💧 Swim in a cenote

  Float in the fresh water of an underground sinkhole.

• 🏛️ Stand in front of Chichen Itza

  One of the new seven wonders, two hours inland.

• ⛴️ Take the ferry to Isla Mujeres

  Twenty minutes across the water to golf cart island.

• 🌮 Eat tacos al pastor from a street stall

  Trompo, pineapple, no plate needed.

• 🌅 Watch sunrise on the Caribbean side

  Playa Delfines before the crowds arrive.

• 🐠 Snorkel the Mesoamerican reef

  Second largest barrier reef on the planet.

• 🗿 Dive the underwater museum (MUSA)

  Sculptures slowly turning into coral.

• 🌴 See the Tulum ruins on the cliff

  Mayan stone above turquoise water.

• 🛍️ Haggle at Mercado 28

  Souvenirs, hammocks and lunch in the back.

• 🧀 Try a marquesita

  Crispy crepe with cheese and Nutella. Trust it.

• 🤼 Go to a lucha libre night

  Masks, folding chairs and pure theatre.

• 🏝️ Spend a night on Holbox

  Sand streets, no cars, bioluminescence if you are lucky.

• 🦈 Swim with whale sharks

  June to September only.

• 🏘️ Wander colonial Valladolid

  Pastel streets and the best cochinita in the state.

• 💃 Dance salsa in a local bar

  Parque de las Palapas on a weekend.

• 🍺 Order a michelada on the beach

  Beer, lime, chili rim, sand.

• 🚲 Cycle the jungle paths at Coba

  Rent a bike, ride between the ruins.

• 🐢 Join a turtle release

  Nesting season runs May to October.

• 🚌 Ride the ADO bus somewhere new

  Cheap, cold and surprisingly comfortable.

• 🥨 Eat churros at midnight

  Downtown, after the plaza fills up.

• 🪁 Try kitesurfing in the lagoon

  Flat water, steady wind, patient instructors.

• 🍲 Take a Yucatecan cooking class

  Learn recados, achiote and handmade tortillas.

• 🏡 Visit a Mayan village with a local guide

  Community tourism, money stays local.

• 🛶 Paddleboard the Nichupte lagoon

  Mangroves, herons and glassy water at dawn.

• 🌇 Watch sunset from a downtown rooftop

  The lagoon side gets the better colours.

• 🥃 Sit through a proper mezcal tasting

  Sip, do not shoot.

• ⛵ Do a catamaran day trip

  Snorkel stop, music, far too much sun.

• 🗣️ Learn ten phrases of Spanish and use them

  Locals notice immediately.

• 🍢 Eat dinner at a night market

  Cheaper and better than the hotel zone.

• 🧹 Volunteer for a beach clean

  One morning, real difference.