15 Things to Do in Cancún if You’re Not Into the Party Scene

Seek respite from the noise and boisterous bacchanalia with a trip to a cenote. These are natural sinkholes filled with crystal-clear water that can be found throughout the Yucatán Peninsula in the thousands. Snorkel, swim or dive into these invigorating depths, which are often surrounded by lush jungle landscapes. You can find cenotes in all shapes and sizes: named and unnamed, semi-covered and illuminated by radiant beams of sunlight, completely open-air with a collapsed roof, or dark caves that are quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

Check out Cenote Suytun (the most Instagrammed of them all), Gran Cenote (one of the most famous), or scope out hundreds of these regional treasures on the famous Ruta de los Cenotes outside Cancún. Life jackets are required to swim in some of them, and showering first is recommended to remove sunscreen and other potential contaminants.

Whale sharks are the largest fish species on the planet, reaching lengths of up to 40 feet (12 meters) and weighing in at over 20 tons. They are filter-feeding sharks (not whales) but they cannot chew or bite and thus pose no threat to humans. Despite their enormous size—as large as school buses—they are known as the gentle giants of the deep blue. You’ll realize their true magnitude and beauty when swimming alongside them, and each whale shark has a distinct set of ornate spots and stripes, akin to a fingerprint.

These colossal beings grace the waters off the coast of Cancún from May to September, but July and August in particular are the most optimal months to catch a glimpse of them around Cancún, Isla Mujeres, or Isla Holbox. There are several tour operators in Cancún that offer supervised excursions with certified guides—and sometimes marine biologists—who provide life jackets and snorkel gear, and accompany you on boat rides to the prime whale shark hangouts. Tours may begin with a pickup from your hotel or with check-in at a marina early in the morning.

One thing Cancún does exceptionally well is lavish hotels, and many of them have even glitzier spas where you can thoroughly turn down the tempo. Surrender yourself to the 35,000-square-foot, three-story Sens-yah Spa at JW Marriott Cancun, where you can customize your massage. Yesterday’s hangover will be a distant memory after a massage at Le Blanc Spa Resort, where two or four expert hands can pamper you for up to 80 minutes. Another noteworthy spa in Cancún’s Hotel Zone is at Nizuc Resort & Spa, where you’ll find an extensive array of locally-inspired experiences like Mayan cacao rituals and ancestral massages. Much lauded within wellness circles, Gem Spa at Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancún Resort utilizes gems like quartz, obsidian, and jade during treatments to make you feel good as new.

Related: Everything to Know About Booking a Stay in Cancún’s Zona Hotelera

Cancún is an utterly modern juxtaposition of high-end boutiques, ritzy hotels, and thick jungle, but there are some noteworthy archaeological treasures that provide insight into the past. Begin explorations into ancient Mayan civilization right in the Hotel Zone with Zona Arqueológica El Rey. Zip over from Playa Delfines which is right across from it, pay the entry fee, meet the many resident iguanas, and explore these pre-Columbian ruins and temples. The site is named after a presumed king (“rey” in Spanish) whose remains were found there.

Extend your explorations by visiting the San Miguelito ruins, which are located on the grounds of the Museo Maya de Cancún, an unmissable stop for history buffs. With more than 400 items sourced from around the Yucatán, this is one of Mexico’s largest collections of Maya artifacts. If you have time on your hands and don’t mind traveling outside Cancún, there are grander and more famous ruins in Cobá and Tulum which date back hundreds of years.

MUSA (Museo Subacuático de Arte) is an outstanding showcase of conservation and creativity. Also known as the Cancún Underwater Museum of Art, it is an assemblage of 500-plus life-sized sculptures affixed to the sea floor. Spread across the crystal-clear waters between Cancún and Isla Mujeres, this submerged wonderland is accessible to both snorkelers and divers at different points. Glass bottom boat tours are also available. The extraordinary sculptures—depicting everything from cars to a six-person congregation—are made from specialized materials that encourage coral growth and serve as artificial reefs that provide a habitat for marine life.

See the mesmerizing and dreamlike works designed by English artist Jason deCaires Taylor and his Mexican counterparts by booking an experience directly with MUSA or a Hotel Zone operator like Aquaworld or Total Snorkel Cancun.

Mere minutes from Cancún are some of the most pristine islands you’ve never heard of, as well as pilgrimage-worthy patches of sand that are well-known to divers and paradise lovers. Isla Mujeres, Holbox, and Cozumel are thoroughly deserving of day trips, overnights, or weekend extravaganzas. The latter provides a refreshing change of pace with seafood-heavy daytime beach clubs and a vibrant underwater world that makes it one of Mexico’s top diving destinations and a prime location for diving certification courses. On Holbox (pronounced hol-bosh), you can swap noise and neon lights for sightings of pretty flamingos at Yum Balam nature reserve and swaying in hammocks hanging over blindingly white butterscotch soft sand. This secluded 26-mile-long island is accessible via a two-and-a-half-hour drive and a short ferry ride from Cancún.

As Mexico’s easternmost point, Isla Mujeres (“Island of Women”) is the first place in the country to see the sunrise. Accessible by a short ferry, it is the closest island to Cancún, making it the ultimate day trip locale. Comb the laid-back island from north to south—by foot or golf cart—to find a turtle farm, cliffs, majestic murals, and Mayan temples and to wade through clear waist-deep waters that render snorkel gear useless. Isla Contoy is another dreamboat island about 90 minutes past Isla Mujeres. This uninhabited national park is a serene treat for birders—as many as 173 bird species have been spotted—nature lovers, and wildlife admirers as the pristine home of turtles, lizards, butterflies, crocodiles, and carnivorous plants. Book a boat tour in advance, as just 200 people may visit Isla Contoy daily.

Related: How to Experience Cancún’s Best Beaches

Travelers of all ages will be giddy with excitement at the various eco-parks owned by Grupo Xcaret (pronounced ish-ka-ret). These theme and water parks pack in amusement, adventure, archaeology, and nature in scenic locations across Riviera Maya and Cancún. The portfolio includes Xel-Ha (a water park with a 131-foot lighthouse slide), Xplor (cave rafting, zip lines, stalactite swimming, and ATVs), Xplor Fuego (the same park as Xplor but at night), Xavage (an adrenaline-junkie nirvana with rope courses, monster trucks, and intense white-water rafting), Xenses (mind-boggling sensory challenges and optical illusions), Xoximilco (colorfully-painted trajinera boats floating down waterways à la Mexico City’s Xochimilco experience), and Xcaret. This was the original theme park with over 50 attractions as well as the applause-worthy México Espectacular presentation each evening.

Book well in advance for as much as 15 percent off ticket prices. Grupo Xcaret also has three exquisite all-inclusive hotels where guests get unlimited access to the parks, which are all within driving distance from Cancun’s Hotel Zone.

There are countless opportunities to devour and delight in international cuisine in Zona Hotelera, but it’s in Cancún Centro that you’ll savor authentic Mexican flavors and discover hidden culinary gems for a fraction of the price. One of the best ways to uncover them is by booking a spot with Cancun Food Tours, which curates different delicious journeys around the city. You’ll get to support local businesses, meet fellow food enthusiasts, experience the fiery heat of regional salsas, try tacos bursting with savory fillings, and even learn the right way to eat one. The expert guides will regale you with fascinating stories about the history and cultural significance of the dishes during each of the culinary excursions, which include a street food tour and a visit to the Lucha Libre wrestling arena.

With an average of 250 sun-soaked days per year, beaching is central to a stay in Cancún, particularly when based in the Hotel Zone, which stretches for 14 marvelous miles. If you aren’t staying at a waterfront hotel, you can visit a beach club like Mandala for your fix of sand. Cancún’s turquoise seas and alluring powdery sands lend themselves brilliantly to doing nothing at all, but sand castle-making, parasailing, windsurfing, banana boating, jet ski driving, surfing, and snorkeling are also possible pastimes. For snorkelers, always keep a safe distance from marine life, never touch any coral, and don’t miss the chance to see 16 of the undersea sculptures at Punta Nizuc.

Gorgeous public beaches to visit include Playa Tortugas, Playa Linda, Playa Langosta, Playa Caracol, Playa Gaviota Azul (also called Playa Forum), and Playa Chac Mool. Playa Delfines (Dolphin Beach) is the most accessible public beach, with no hotels obstructing access to it. It is lifeguarded during the day and has street food carts, a nearby free parking lot, and the colorful “Cancún” sign in block letters for those obligatory selfies.

You will want for nothing where shopping is concerned in Cancún, whether your inner shopaholic seeks to splurge on luxury goods or hunt for local crafts. You can cover your food and casual clothing bases at Walmart and massive Mexican supermarkets like Súper Chedraui or MEGA in Downtown Cancún, which has a higher concentration of economical stores. Keepsakes and gifts should be bought at the maze of stalls at Mercado 28 or the stores along Avenida Tulum, where you can put your bargaining skills to the test.

Over in the Hotel Zone, designer brands like Vilebrequin, Pandora, Rolex, and Carolina Herrera live at the Luxury Avenue mall while La Isla Shopping Village offers a unique blend of shopping and entertainment. Situated alongside the picturesque Nichupté Lagoon, this open-air mall has everything from an aquarium and waterside restaurants to a movie theatre, a Ferris wheel, international clothing stores, and energetic shows from street performers.

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is an aquatic marvel stretching along the sun-kissed shores of the Yucatán Peninsula. It is the Western Hemisphere’s largest reef and the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Cancún’s proximity to it makes this a brilliant diving destination for beginners and advanced divers. Trade the party atmosphere for an underwater playground by getting a PADI certification. Many hotels have on-site dive centers and instructors, including Hotel Riu Palace and JW Marriott Cancun, which have a tailor-made dive pool with an artificial reef for newbies to practice in peace. You can also dive headfirst into a new adventure in Cancún with Cancun Scuba Center, Squalo Divers, Manta Dive & Snorkel Cancun, Solo Buceo, or Blue Dive Scuba Center.

South of Cancún lies Riviera Maya, a tempting slice of the Mexican Caribbean coastline with wholly distinct villages and beach towns, and Cancún is a brilliant springboard from which to experience all of them. Hire a set of wheels and set out to Puerto Morelos for a sedate, crowd-free beach experience, or make a pitstop in Playa de Carmen for city vibes, art galleries, a pedestrian-friendly main avenue, and a gaggle of glittering rooftop pools. Akumal is the go-to spot for swimming with turtles just minutes from the beach, and Tulum is the place to see the world’s only beach with Mayan ruins. Further south is the verdant and wildlife-rich Sian Ka’an Biosphere, which is the largest protected natural area in the Mexican Caribbean.

If you don’t fancy driving, you can also find day tours and multi-night trips to various Riviera Maya destinations from Cancún (check with your hotel) that include meals, transportation, and any required entry fees for archaeological sites or cenotes.

JOYÀ is a resident Cirque du Soleil show in a custom-built theater at the Vidanta Riviera Maya resort outside Cancún. This extraordinary production seamlessly combines acrobatics, live music, breathtaking visuals, and storytelling over 80 action-packed minutes. There is a one-hour music and dinner prelude and no intermission during the show. Keep this in mind when bringing younger travelers along. A transportation add-on is available when buying tickets online, and the show either starts at 6 pm or 9.15 pm each evening. Prepare to dig deep into your wallet but also to be dazzled from the start to the final curtain call.

From 9 am to 9 pm every day of the week, you can score incredible panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea, the bustling hotel strip, and the lush mangroves that border the city via the Cancun Scenic Tower (Torre Escénica). Located in the Hotel Zone, the tower stands proudly at 260 feet (80 meters) tall. No stair-climbing is required for this elevated adventure as the viewing platform lifts and lowers to pick up passengers. Visiting any Xcaret park grants you free access to the tower (normally US$20) as long as you still have your park-issued bracelet.

Chichén Itzá is Mexico’s most acclaimed attraction. A testament to the grandeur of the ancient Mayan civilization, this UNESCO World Heritage Site secured a spot among the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. The archaeological site dates back to the fifth century, and the shining star of all its monuments is El Castillo, an impressive pyramid where perplexingly, an illusion akin to a snake gracefully descending its staircase unfolds during the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.

While you have the option to rent a car and undertake the three-hour journey each way independently, for simplicity, consider booking a package tour that guarantees entry (there is a 3,000-person daily visitor cap), arranges transportation, and provides an adept English-speaking guide. Set your alarm for an early morning departure, bring sunscreen, a hat, change for souvenirs and tips, and oodles of curiosity.