by Angela Clem

Created on: July 17, 2008   Last Updated: September 11, 2009

Thinking of a vacation in Cancun, Mexico?

There are several ways to venture to and trek around Cancun. You can always fly to Cancun; but, you might consider a cruise ship. Not only you get to enjoy the amenities abroad ship, you then get the pleasure of exploring Cancun and the Yucatan Peninsula. If you are really adventurous and have the time, you can even drive there. It is about 1500 miles to Cancun from the U.S. border; and, it takes about two overnights to reach Cancun. It has been recommended that Mexican driving insurance be purchased before traveling by vehicle to Cancun; and, it is better to drive only during the day for safety.

If you decide to fly to Cancun, the flight is just a few hours from the United States. Such major U.S. cities as Miami, Chicago, Houston, and New Orleans are in the same time zone as Cancun so it is easy to avoid jet lag. At the Cancun airport, you will land at either Terminal #2 or Terminal #3. After you enter the terminal, you will have to go through Immigration and Customs at the airport. If you arrive during the weekdays, you will likely have a shorter line through immigration. While you were on the plane, you will have received a tourist card and a customs declaration to complete. Make sure to have your passport, tourist card, and customs declaration available to speed the process.

At the airport, you can purchase a voucher for either a shuttle or private taxi to the hotels. There are also bus lines that depart hourly to Playa del Carmen and downtown Cancun.

Once you have reached your hotel, there are numerous options to tour the area. Walking tours are always available. Private vans can be hired, and, cars can be rented. There are also taxis available; however, they can be expensive. If the taxi is hired at the hotel, it usually costs more than if has been hailed on the street. It is almost important to note that the taxis do not have meters and charge by the zone.

There are bus lines available. The bus fare is about 10.0 pesos; and, it is recommended to pay in pesos. If you pay in U.S. dollars, you may not get change back. Once you have paid, the bus driver will hand you a ticket which you need to keep while on the bus in the advent that an inspector checks for tickets.

There are two routes from the hotel zone to downtown Cancun. Route 1 travels to and down Avendia Tulum. Route 2 crosses Avendia Tulum at the bottom; and, it is recommended that you get off the bus at that stop. Many areas have blue signs that indicate bus stops; but, it is also possible to flag buses to stop. Once on the bus, you can ask the bus driver in advance about your stop and the driver will call it out.

Enjoy your travels in Cancun!

Sources: http://www.cancunmap.com/
http://www.graylinecancun.com/traveltips/traveltips- getting-around.asp
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070718 080339AAOe4vy

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