Cancún Has Culture? Discover the Sophisticated Side of this Mexico Mainstay

Cancun-Mexico
Cancun-Mexico

Cancún from above (Photo: Thinkstock)

Cancún is the Vegas of the Caribbean, with a reputation as a high-energy, party-til-you-puke destination overrun with spring breakers gone wild — or insulated high-luxe all-inclusive resorts where you could basically be vacationing anywhere. But like its glitzy desert twin, it also has a low-key and surprisingly sophisticated side, familiar to the Cancúnense but practically unknown to most visitors. Check out these seven ways to experience an authentic, alternative side of Mexico’s Caribbean capital, no beer pong or Jäger shots required.

The Museo Maya (Photo: Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon)

1. Get Cultured

For culture beyond the clichés (and a calming cure for the night before), visit the Museo Maya de Cancún, where for about $5 you’ll learn about the ancient Mayan civilization that reigned in the Yucatan and throughout Mexico until the 16th-century arrival of Spanish conquistadors. The slick two-year-old facility has two parts: second-floor exhibition halls (blissfully air-conditioned — hooray!) and, downstairs, the San Miguelito archaeological site, a Mayan settlement now in scenic ruin. Although you’re only yards from Cancún’s busy main drag and its famous sandy strip, you’ll feel a world away as you stroll through the quiet oasis shaded by banyan trees and fan palms, iguanas skittering along the graveled paths as birdsong provides the soundtrack.

Related: VIDEO: Cancún’s Underwater Museum

Tequila-Museum
Tequila-Museum

The Herradura Tequila Museum in Cancún (Photo: Courtesy of Tequila Herradura Museo/Facebook)

2. Sip the Spirit

OK, so you can’t leave Mexico without tasting its signature spirit at least once. But that’s no excuse to be pounding Patrón at CoCo Bongo until sunrise. Instead, get a proper agave education (and a buzz, because: vacation) with a tequila tasting at the JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa ($120 for up to six people). The hourlong primer is led by an expert from the neighboring Tequila Museum; he’ll explain how the potent potable is made from the blue tequilana agave plant and then instruct how to differentiate your reposado from your añejo. And because the best tequilas are meant to be sipped and savored, never slammed, he’ll also show you how to properly drink it (sip, swish, swallow, exhale) with generous samplings from the Herradura brand.

One of the beaches on Isla Mujeres (Photo: Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon)

Mango Cafe (Photo: Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon)

3. Escape the City

Eight miles away but still clutching to its small-town vibe, Isla Mujeres is the yin to Cancún’s yang, where the city’s citizenry unwinds. Hop the ferry from Puerto Juarez or El Embarcadero ($11) and in 25 minutes you’ll drop anchor at Isla’s pier. Ignore the giant fiberglass amphibian enticing you to Señor Frog’s and instead rent a golf cart (about $46 a day) to tool around the 5-mile-long islet. The road circles past crashing waves and craggy cliffs to an overwater zipline, Maya ruins, and, of course, sugary beaches. But be sure to make a midisland detour at Mango Café, a 10-table Payo Obispo eatery where the green apple guacamole (it’s not on the menu, but ask) is paradise on a plate.

Related: VIDEO: Swimming with Whale Sharks’ off Isla Mujeres

The shop Silvia Suárez (Photo: Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon)

Lamps at Jellyfish (Photo: Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

4. Shop Local

With so many Cancún stores and stalls hawking piles of gaudy oversize sombreros, decidedly un-PC “sleeping Mexican” figurines, and polyester lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) masks you’d be forgiven for thinking there are no classy Hecho en Mexico souvenirs. But you’d be wrong. Venture 30 minutes south to Playa Del Carmen and you’ll find two local boutiques where the merch really merits the space in your carry-on. Designer Silvia Suárez’s flowy tops and dresses combine traditional embroidery techniques and motifs with bold color and simple silhouettes; take that, $10 T-shirt! Farther down Fifth Avenue at Jellyfish, calabash gourds are transformed into enchanting pendant and table lamps embellished with colored glass and marbles.

Related: 9 Swimsuits You Need for Hitting This Summer’s Hippest Beach Locales

Spa-Xbalmque
Spa-Xbalmque

Spa-Xbalamqué (Photo: Courtesy of Spa-Xbalamqué/Facebook)

5. Feel the Knead

Mexico’s Maya had a strong tradition of natural healing using native ingredients and age-old methods. That legacy endures at modern sanctuaries such as downtown’s Spa Xbalamqué where you can sweat out your demons (or just sweat) in a brick temazcal, a detoxifying herbal sauna treatment spiked with fresh herbs ($150). At the JW Marriott’s spa, the xocolatl treatment ($175) uses chocolate (invented by Mayans and used during sacred ceremonies) during a moisturizing rubdown, and the Hunab Ku Ritual ($160) incorporates a unique abdominal massage using ancient techniques.

Cenote Azul (Photo: Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon)

6. Take a Dip

Tired of the hard-body posturing and “my-cabana-is-cooler-than-yours” scene at the hotel pool? There are more than 20 cenotes (crystal-clear freshwater sinkholes) along Mexico’s Caribbean coast that offer the perfect antidote, and Cenote Azul ($6), about 30 minutes’ drive south from Cancún, is a good place to take a dip without all the drama. There you’ll descend via limestone steps to float blissfully in emerald pools fringed by palm trees and shared with fish who silently glide by, disinterested in the antics of swimmers and snorkelers exploring the caverns. Feeling brave? Take a running jump from the ledge 15 feet above the water while your friends try to capture the perfect midair shot. Ready, set, scream!

Related: Shhhh… Keep it a Secret: Mexico’s Undiscovered Beach Towns

Bus-In-Cancun
Bus-In-Cancun

Taking the bus in Cancún (Photo: Ben Alman/Flickr)

7. Hop the Bus

The easiest way to experience Cancún like a local is to navigate it like a resident, via public transport. Unlike other Caribbean destinations, Cancún has a bus system that is clean, safe, and reliable, used by visitors and residents alike. And for less than a dollar, you can get on the R1 or R2 bus and go anywhere along the Hotel Zone’s main drag, Boulevard Kukulcan, exploring the bars, shops, restaurants, and attractions along the way. Pay when you get on (in pesos only, but no need for exact change), and tell the driver where you want to get off. Then relax in air-conditioned comfort as the theater of city life plays beyond the windows.

Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon is a Caribbean travel expert, award-winning travel journalist, TV personality, and jetsetter-in-chief at JetSetSarah. Follow her adventures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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