Cancun

Bar Om

To get to Bar Om, visitors must take the ferry over to Isla Mujeres.  This place rocks to the sounds of talented musicians playing jazz, bossa nova and reggae. The range of beverages served here runs the full gamut, from wine to tea. Bar Om is eclectically decorated with Thai and Moorish details combined with the influence of Van Gogh and Gaudi. Lighting is provided by colored lights that lend the place an oriental flavor.

Lote 19 Mza 15, Matamoros Street, Isla Mujeres, Q. Roo. Phone: 52 99 88 20 48 76

Bling

This is the place if you want a change of pace after enjoying a satisfying dinner. This stylish bar / restaurant offers haute cuisine – glazed duck, veal, sushi, etc. – within a space imbued with modern minimalist decor. Later on in the evening, Bling puts on a different costume as the nuance of the lighting changes and the infallible fun of Cancun nightlife begins.

Bulevard Kukulkán, km 13.5. Phone: 998/840-6014. www.blingcancun.com.mx

The City

If you have a defiant spirit, this is where you are sure to feel at home with the thousands of watts of power pumping out the sound and lighting up the screens in the midst of the crowd. At this night spot, quite possibly the largest of its kind in Latin America, neither electronic music nor the mad DJ hopping about in the control tower are ever lacking. The terrace, which offers a respite from the frenetic activity inside, offers a glimpse of what’s happening out on Kukulkan Boulevard.

Boulevard Kukulkán, km 9.5. Phone: 998/848-8380. www.thecitycancun.com

Labná

The cuisine of Yucatan ranks as one of the country’s finest thanks to its elaborate blend of ingredients. At Labná, you can savor the traditional flavors of Yucatan in an evocative atmosphere adorned with local vegetation, as well as photographs and paintings depicting old Mérida. Among the dishes served here are the popular local panuchos, lime soup, turkey in pipian (turkey cooked in pumpkin seed sauce with regional condiments, seasoned with achiote), campesina skirt beef, roast pork with orange juice, fried squash and a variety of starters, salads and seafood. And on weekend evenings, this friendly space is livened up by the sounds of traditional music performed by a local trio.

Margaritas 29, Cancún, Q. Roo, Phone: 998/892-3056. www.labna.com

Lorenzillos

This is the perfect place for lobster lovers. Diners can choose one of the live lobsters still swimming in the restaurant’s own pond. The shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon, or squid stuffed with shellfish that are served here are also highly recommended. The restaurant’s wooden structure is spacious, impressive and finely detailed. A must for visitors to Lorenzillo’s is a walk along the dock, that stretches out over the Nichupté Lake, in order to take in the spectacular surrounding landscape.  This place has won awards for both its overall qualities as well as the hospitality shown to its clientele.

Bulevar Kukulkán Km 10.5, Phone: 998/883-1254. www.lorenzillos.com.mx

El Cejas

A visit to this marketplace means getting away from the hotel district and getting in to the local scene.  Besides being home to a range of stores offering different types of merchandise (from arts and crafts items and souvenirs to clothes, shoes and even a post office), the El Cejas restaurant offers seafood dishes and cocktails that, even though they are not exquisite cuisine, are still of excellent quality, very tasty, varied and good value for money. An appropriately chilled beer is a good start for getting into the folkloric environment found in this market. And, while this place is set apart from the glamour of Cancun, it allows visitors to experience first hand the good honest cuisine of Mexico’s coastal regions.

Mercado 28, Sunyaxchen Avenue. Phone: 998.887-1080

Villa Playa Blanca

This is a cozy, intimate and pleasant boutique hotel overlooking the sea. Visitors can spend their vacations here in an uncomplicated Garden of Eden far removed from the sometimes overwhelming tourist environment usually offered by Cancun. Villa Playa Brava has comfortable contemporary decor and is located close to a fine white sand beach where you can enjoy both the breeze and the warmth of the sea. The surrounding scenery is typical of a Caribbean setting and a quiet afternoon by the pool or on the terrace is also highly recommended. Staying here is like being in a private home far away from the stress of everyday life.

24 Beta Street, Puerto Juárez, 77520. Phone: 998/109-8275. www.villaplayablancacancun.com

Zoetry Paraíso de la Bonita Riviera Maya

This little piece of paradise stands about 20 kilometers from the Cancun hotel district. It has comfortable rooms boasting a splendid combination of informality, including ceiling fans and antique furniture, with luxurious marble, glass and porcelain finishes, showers with a view of the garden, sunken bathtubs and Italian bed linen. Zoetry Paraíso has five top quality restaurants featuring haute cuisine, cooked in the traditional way over a wood fire, and an extensive wine list. The hotel is a great option for getting away from it all and relaxing in a highly luxurious and enchanting setting.  It also has its own boutique, bars and a spa offering hydrotherapeutic massages.

Cancun – Chetumal Highway, Km 328, Bahía Petenpich, Puerto Morelos, 77500, Mex. Phone: 001-877-789-4988

Hotel Rey del Caribe

Visitors wishing to escape from the incessant noise must delve deeply into the flowery tropical gardens surrounding this hotel, which also include a swimming pool and jacuzzi. Out in the open air, you can lie on a hammock and enjoy the breeze while gazing at a Mayan sculpture or observing what’s going on poolside. You can also relax with some yoga or Tai Chi, or even a facial treatment or massage. The ecological theme is one of the main features of this hotel, which runs on solar power and recycles much of its waste. The colonial architecture of Hotel Rey del Caribe, in the midst of dense vegetation, is a true delight for the senses.

Uxmal Ave. SM 2A, Cancun, Quinana Roo, 77500 at Nader, Phone: 998/884-2028. www.reycaribe.com

Le Méridien Cancún Resort Spa

This is one of the most luxurious spots of the Cancun Hotel District. Le Méridien offers excellent 24-hour room service, child daycare services, 4,600 square meters of European spa services, inhalation and steam rooms, jacuzzis, Swiss showers, hydro-massage, a huge gym, two restaurants, a lobby bar, three swimming pools, two tennis courts and car and aquatic equipment rental services.  Le Méridien is a great place for vacationing in elegance, especially for a second honeymoon.

Retorno del Rey km 14, Zona Hotelera. Phone: 998/881-2200. www.cancunlemeridien.com

Tulum

This ancient walled city, formerly an astronomical observatory and a fort with its strategic location for defensive purposes, was declared a National Park in 1981 and an Archeological Monument Zone in 1983. The ancient and highly cultured Mayan Empire bequeathed us an incredible landscape that is difficult to conceptualize, even when we see it with our very own eyes. Tulum was built on a promontory overlooking the turquoise colored sea and to this day several of its original buildings remain well preserved. The lush vegetation surrounding the site, combined with the sea as a backdrop, makes for a singularly marvelous experience.  This is especially true when you leave behind the hustle and bustle of the relentless tide of visitors, and the mysticism surrounding Tulum, which has neither vanished nor diminished over time, is given the space it needs to come back to life.

Xcaret

This ecological reserve brings together a large collection of the flora and fauna that are native to the Mexican State of Quintana Roo. The tourist attractions in this natural setting of Xcaret include artesian springs, an aquatic park, traditional folkloric shows, a butterfly pavilion, an aviary, a greenhouse and the manatee pond. This illustrative and entertaining venue is an absolute must.

Xel-Há Ecological Reserve

Xel-Há is the biggest natural aquarium in the world. It combines fresh and salt water and is home to an infinite number of tropical marine species.  This ecological reserve has two interconnected salt water lagoons, fed by a number of local rivers making it ideal for diving or swimming in a peaceful and natural setting alongside the multi-colored fish that live there. You can also go hiking in the surrounding area to explore jungle fauna or even take an excursion to the archeological area.