Cancun – Designing The Proper Holiday To Paradise
Friday, July 1st, 2011Everyone 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 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 pass port 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.
One thing you definitely have to do is take the ferry to Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, two islands definitely worth visiting, and ferry companies like Ultramar can take you there. While they have gorgeous beaches as well, they also offer more. Cozumel features Chankanaab National Park, a nature preserve where you can see all sorts of tropical animals. Isla Mujeres has its own ecological water park, Garrafon.
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’ve always wanted to truly experience paradise, consider heading to Cancun. There is so much more to do than what is mentioned here. Don’t miss out on swimming with the dolphins or taking a horseback ride on the beach, and be sure to swing by the Interactive Aquarium, where you can touch sea urchins and feed sharks. Just remember that you’ll need your U.S. passport cards or passport book to get to Cancun. Fill out a U.S. passport online application so you can be on your way in no time.