El Centro

El Centro Review

Nearly two decades ago, downtown Cancún was the place to be after a day at the beach. The once-barren Hotel Zone had very limited dining options, so tourists strolled the active streets of Avenida Tulum, Xachilan, and Parque de las Palapas. With the emergence of luxury resorts and mass tourism, a major shift brought the focus back to the Hotel Zone. Today many tourists are unaware that the downtown area even exists, while others consider "downtown" to be the string of flea markets near the convention center. In reality, El Centro's malls and markets offer a glimpse of Mexico's urban lifestyle. Avenida Tulum, the main street, is marked by a huge sculpture of shells and starfish in the middle of a traffic circle. This iconic Cancún sculpture, which many locals refer to as "el ceviche," is particularly dramatic at night when the lights are turned on. El Centro is also home to many restaurants and bars, as well as Mercado Veintiocho (Market 28)—an enormous crafts market just off Avenidas Yaxchilán and Sunyaxchén. For bargain shopping, hit the stores and small strip malls along Avenida Tulum. While the Hotel Zone becomes increasingly dense and overcrowded, El Centro is booming with the development of Puerto Cancún. Construction of this downtown subset has been carefully designed to focus on the resident rather than the tourist. Shopping centers, marinas, golf courses, and more than 2,500 condos are taking shape, making El Centro's bustling Avenida Bonampak the next "Boulevard Kukulcán."