Cancun is home to some of the most spectacular beaches in the world. It has 14 miles of beaches. Some of which are on the north side and others are on the east side. The northern side beaches are great for water sports and swimming. Calm waters and clean sand fill the destination.
During my first visit to Cancun, I was completely blown away by how gorgeous the beaches are throughout Cancun. I cannot believe I went so many years without visiting Cancun. Now I visit at least once a year. I’ve found that no matter where you stay you are going to end up on a good beach!
Summer highs reach anywhere from the 90s to the 100’s and the low’s stay around 75. June, July and August are the crowded months, but it’s also the rainy season. (Granted, I’ve been in July and there was no rain and no crowds.) Fall is another great season to visit it has less of a crowd and temperatures drop making it bearable. (I’ve once visited in September and it rained a great deal.) Winter is probably the best time to visit. From December to January temperatures cool down and swimming is still okay. It might be a little chilly, so a light jacket is recommended.
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7 Beautiful Beaches in Cancun
Playa Longosta
Playa Longosta is a very clean beach with water sports as well. Dive and snorkel tours are available to be taken here. You do not need to take a snorkeling tour though. The water is shallow here and good for snorkeling. There’s often an inflatable water park out in the water. This beach also has many bars and restaurants with nightlife to go with it. Everything is open to the public and offers great fun. The restaurants along these beaches are very familiar with tourists ranging from the Rainforest Cafe to Burger King. There is something for everybody to enjoy.
San Miguelito
Ruberyuka [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Playa Ballenas
Playa Ballenas beach is extremely popular in Cancun. It’s somewhat crowded, since it’s in the hotel zone, and has a nice nightlife. It’s a nice relaxing blue flag certified swimming beach. Before swimming keep in mind that the waves can be pretty intense here.
Playa Caracol
Playa Caracol is near Punta Cancun. This beach is great for children to play. It’s shallow water and the sandy floor is wonderful. Expect a lot of crowds, it’s one of the busiest beaches around. There are many restaurants and bars to visit here as well. Many activities take place here for everyone. There are no nude beaches in Cancun. Some women do go topless, but it’s very rare and it happens mostly in Playa Del Carmen or the Mayan Riviera. So children and other people don’t have to worry.
The east side beaches are mainly used to swim, tan, and do a variety of water sports. This side is also kept very clean but winds and currents are bigger, and they can get big waves so caution is strongly advised.
Playa Tortugas
Playa Tortugas has many of the same restaurants and bars offered. These places have just about the same prices of where you are from. Another great location to go swimming or enjoy wet bikes, and water skiing. It’s great for families and open to the public.
Playa Las Perlas
Playa Las Perlas is a beach that’s great for relaxing, swimming, and a variety of water sports. Restaurants and bars highlight this Oceanside and it’s open to the public year-round.
Playa Linda
Playa Linda has great scenery and offers dive tours. You can also enjoy water sports and swimming here. Submarines and shuttles also depart from here. It’s open to the public to enjoy the ocean and beach with less of a crowd.
Cancun has always been a magnificent place to visit. It’s all very beautiful and attracts many people each year from all over the world. There is a variety of things to do an see while visiting. So plan your visit and have fun and keep in mind that no matter which beach you visit during your Cancun vacation, it’s sure to be beautiful.
Save $20 on Cancun things to do!
More About Cancun
Fun excursions:
- 9 Adventurous Things to do in Cancun With Kids
- Pac Chen Mayan Adventure
- Coba Mayan Ruins
- Tulum Ruins
- Ventura Park an Amusement and Water Park
- Sea Trek at Aquarium Cancun
Helpful Guide Books and blog posts:
- Cancun Travel Tips
- Quintana Roo: The Ultimate Family Adventure
- Moon Yucatan Peninsula Travel Guide
- Lonely Planet Cancun, Cozumel, & the Yucatan Travel Guide
- Things to do in Cancun
- Beach Packing List
Where to stay in Cancun:
- Live Aqua
- Grand Velas Riviera Maya
- El Dorado Royale
- The Grand at Moon Palace
- Explorean Cozumel
- Riu Costa Mujeres: Riu Dunamar & Riu Palace
Should You Get Travel Insurance?
Don’t forget travel insurance! I’m a fan of Travelex insurance, because of the variety of options. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. I have gotten extremely sick twice now out of the country and Noah has had seizures in other countries, so I always recommend getting some sort of coverage. Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance here.
Car Rental
If you are looking for a car rental I recommend getting the car at the Cancun Airport. It will make things easier. This entire area is easy to drive around in. Get a Cancun car rental for $11 a day!
Thanks for these recommendations. One of these days I’ll get to Cancun!
I recently took the kiddos to Tulum, and we spent a day in Cancun in the Zona Hotelera. The beaches there were gorgeous – I’d love more time to explore Cancun!
Mayan ruins at the beach sounds like an absolutely ideal adventure day! I must get to Cancun!
I could definitely go for a stunning Cancun beach right about now! These all look beautiful.
I’ve been to Cancun once as a young single. :) I didn’t get to enjoy a beach quite like I would TODAY! These look amazing!!!
Oh man, I’ve been wanting to get back to Mexico for a few years now, and this post is reminding me how much I miss it! With this being my 3rd winter in Oregon, I could definitely go for a beach vacay!
Great recommendations. I’ve only been to Cancun once, but dying to go back!