Everyone has heard of Cancun, that veritable tropical paradise where all your troubles are stripped away in the sparkling turquoise water. Located on the Yucatan Peninsula, Cancun is a prime beach destination. Famous for the clear water, white sand, abundant sea life, and more, Cancun is a great spot for anyone looking to relax on the beach. If you are considering traveling to Cancun, you will need to get a U.S. passport cards or passport book first.
Cancun makes a great vacation choice for another reason: you don’t need to invest in passport books to get there. Instead, you can use a passport card, which are much cheaper. They can be used to travel to Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, and only if you’re going by boat or car. Taking an airplane means you will need a regular passport. There are U.S. passport online application for both passport cards and passport books, which can greatly speed up the process. Expedited passport delivery means you can be in Cancun within the week.
Naturally people flock to Cancun for the gorgeous beaches. Sunbathing on the bleach-white sand and swimming in the clear blue water is something that can be done all day, every day. One interesting thing about Cancun beaches are the local vendors who walk around selling their handmade sarongs, jewelry, and seashells. Another interesting fact is that even though it can get pretty warm in Cancun, the sand stays cool because it’s made of ground-up coral, as opposed to the silica-based sand we have on our beaches. The coral doesn’t absorb heat, and therefore doesn’t burn your feet.
Don’t miss out on taking a ferry to Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, two very gorgeous places. Ultramar offers a very pleasant ferry service. While the beaches on these islands make for excellent day trips, they offer even more. Isla Mujeres has an ecological water park named Garrafon that is worth visiting. Cozumel has it’s own nature preserve, Chankanaab National Park.
The Yucatan Peninsula once served as the hub of the mighty Mayan empire, and the areas around Cancun are full of reminders of this empire. Huge complexes of ruins still stand, and El Rey is one of these areas. It is said that Mayans inhabited this area around 900-1550 AD. Getting the name of El Rey (“The King”) from a ceremonial mask, a skull, and a sculpture of a noble left as an offering to the god associated with the sun, it houses 47 structures all together, with two absolutely breathtaking ones. Definitely don’t miss out on visiting at least one of these areas, because they are powerful reminders of the area’s history and culture. Also be sure to heed the populations of iguanas and peacocks. There are plenty more Maya sites around, some that surpass El Rey in impressiveness.
If you need an escape to paradise, Cancun is only a short distance away. While these are some good suggestions, be sure to also check out the opportunity to swim with dolphins, take a horseback ride on the beach, and feed sharks and touch sea urchins at the Interactive Aquarium. Before you can escape, however, you need to get your pass port cards. Once you fill out a American passport online application, all that’s left is to plan your trip in gorgeous Cancun.