The Beaches of Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean

Cancun, which is a 7-shaped stretch of land separated from the mainland by a series of lagoons, is practically lined with beaches from one end to the other.

All of these beaches are public, despite the appearance of being privately owned by the hotels that front them. In essence, beach-goers can start at a beach on one end of the island, and walk along the water to the other end.

Water temperatures are at their hottest during the months of August and September, but any time of year is really a good time of year to swim along the beaches of Cancun.  Because the temperatures remain hot throughout regardless of season change, the waters stay warm as well.

The beaches in Northern Cancun tend to be the best places to swim, due to the calming effect the nearby island of Isla Mujeres has on the wind and water. Regardless of where you choose to swim, make sure to check out Cancun's water-safety flags each day before you venture into the water. Cancun has established colored flags on beaches and in front of hotels to warn visitors of current water conditions.

 

Cancun's Flag System

Color	Water Conditions	Proceed...
White	Excellent	...without fear
Green	Normal	...without fear but with caution
Yellow	Uncertain	...with extreme caution
Black or Red	Unsafe	...to the nearest pool!

Most of the beaches in Cancun do have life guards on duty during the day, especially around the resort areas. The Mexican Navy also patrols the shores on a regular basis, allowing guests to feel safe from not only the ocean, but crime as well.

Sports are especially popular on the beaches.  Hotels along the coast are known to provide their guests with equipment to play with, such as water skis, kayaks, beach volleyball courts, frisbees, and snorkeling equipment.  If you aren't staying at such a resort, these items can often be rented from hotels at reasonable prices; as can lounge chairs, umbrellas, and towels.  Guests who choose to snorkel along the beaches tend to surface unsatisfied, as marine life is not known to stay close to  the sandy shores.  Rather, the best snorkeling can be done inside caves and cenotes; though snorkelers on the beaches of the southern tip can sometimes get lucky and spot a few colorful fish.

Keep in mind that although there are no official nude beaches, it is perfectly legal for women to bathe topless. It is rare, but it does happen, so keep an eye open when choosing where to lay your beach blanket if you are traveling with children and feel that this type of activity is inappropriate.

Beach Recovery

After two hurricanes struck Cancun within two years of each other (Hurricane Wilma in 2005 and Hurricane Dean in 2007), the island's beaches began to erode significantly. As a result, Cancun's Beach Recovery Trust began work to restore the beaches in 2009 with a budget of $71 million. Over sixteen miles of beaches were refurbished with sand collected from underwater sand banks. Almost 180 million cubic feet of sand was used to fill in gaps caused by erosion, but as of 2010 the beaches have been restored to their original state, if not better than ever.

The Beaches

North Side

The north side of the island is where the boat docks are located. Despite the constant influx of ferries and cruise ships, the beaches remain clean, and the waters calm. Vacationers who are not the strongest swimmers, or simply like to play it safe will find it best to frequent the northern beaches, which include Playa Caracol, Playa Langosta, Playa Las Perlas, Playa Linda, and Playa Tortugas. 

Playa Caracol tends to be the most crowded of the North Side beaches, most likely due to the restaurants and bars that surround the beach, as well as the shallow seabed that is perfect for frolicking children.  Playa Langosta, Playa Tortugas, and Playa Las Perlas are the other three beaches with easy access to restaurants and bars.  Those planning to grab a bite to eat, or who would enjoy a few cocktails out by the ocean, would do well to choose one of these beaches to spend their day at.  While all of the beaches on the North Side are great for swimming and water sports, Playa Linda tends to attract the more adventurous traveler for dive tours and submarine trips.  Shuttle boats to Isla Mujeres depart from each of the North Side beaches, except for Playa Caracol. 

East Side

The east side of Cancun can be split into two sections: the lagoon side and the ocean side. There are no beaches on the lagoon side, and very few hotels to speak of. Beaches along the eastern coast experience slightly choppier waters, and are more suited for sun bathers, expert swimmers, and those participating in water sports. The beaches on this side of Cancun include Chac Mool, Gaviota Azul, Playa Ballenas, Playa Delfines, Playa Marlin, Punta Nizuc, and San Miguelito.

All of the beaches on the East Side are great for relaxing in the sand and participating in water sports, but two stand out. Playa Bellenas, because it is one of the most popular beaches in Cancun; and San Miguelito because there are Mayan Ruins located on the beach.  

If a vacation filled with surf and sun is what you're after, there is no better place than Cancun. The beaches on the island are kept clean and are certainly tourist friendly. Whether you dream of baking in the sun, swimming in the cool waters, or zipping across the waves on a water ski, you won't be disappointed in Cancun's beaches.

Beach Name	Location	Coast	Island
Albertos Beach	14.1 mi. South of Cozumel	East	Cozumel
Dzul Ha	3.4 mi. South West of Cozumel	West	Cozumel
El Faro	Downtown Playa del Carmen	East	--
Paradise Beach	9.1 mi. South West of Cozumel	East	Cozumel
Playa Akumal	0.4 mi. Southeast of Akumal	East	--
Playa Ballenas	7.9 mi. Southeast of Cancun	East	--
Playa Bonita	11.8 mi. East of Cozumel	North East	Cozumel
Playa Bush	14.1 mi. South of Cozumel	East	Cozumel
Playa Caracol	7.0 mi. South of Isla Mujeres	East	--
Playa Chacal	3.2 mi. South-Southwest of Akumal	East	--
Playa Chacmool	7.5 mi. East-Southeast of Cancun	East	--
Playa Chen Rio	8.6 mi. Southeast of Cozumel	South	Cozumel
Playa del Carmen	Downtown Playa del Carmen	East	--
Playa Delfines	8.6 mi. Southeast of Cancun	East	--
Playa Garrafon	2.1 mi. South-Southeast of Isla Mujeres	South East	Isla Mujeres
Playa Lancheros	1.3 mi. South-Southeast of Isla Mujeres	South	Isla Mujeres
Playa Langosta	5.3 mi. East of Cancun	East	--
Playa Las Perlas	3.9 mi. East of Cancun	East	--
Playa Linda	4.6 mi. East-Southeast of Cancun	East	--
Playa Los Cocos	2.2 mi. Northwest of Isla Mujeres	North West	Isla Mujeres
Playa Marlin	7.6 mi. Southeast of Cancun	East	--
Playa Mia	9.1 mi. South West of Cozumel	East	Cozumel
Playa Mujeres	4.6 mi. West of Isla Mujeres	None	--
Playa Norte	7.3 mi. Northwest of Isla Mujeres	East	--
Playa Oriente	8.4 mi. Southeast of Cozumel	East	Cozumel
Playa Palencar	11.0 mi. South-Southwest of Cozumel	East	Cozumel
Playa Pancholo	2.2 mi. North-Northwest of Isla Mujeres	North West	Isla Mujeres
Playa Paraiso	0.8 mi. South of Isla Mujeres	South	Isla Mujeres
Playa Pescador	0.5 mi. South-Southwest of Isla Mujeres	South West	Isla Mujeres
Playa Punta Morena	8.4 mi. Southeast of Cozumel	South East	Cozumel
Playa San Fransico	8.2 mi. South West of Cozumel	West	Cozumel
Playa San Martin	10.7 mi. South of Cozumel	South West	Cozumel
Playa Secreto	2.8 mi. South-Southwest of Puerto Morelos	East	--
Playa Tiburon	0.8 mi. West-Northwest of Isla Mujeres	North West	Isla Mujeres
Playa Tortugas	6.8 mi. South of Isla Mujeres	East	--
Playa Tulum	2.0 mi. East of Tulum	East	--
Playa Uvas	4.4 mi. South West of Cozumel	West	Cozumel
Playa X-Puha	Xpu Ha	East	--
Playa Xhanan	14.2 mi. East of Cozumel	North East	Cozumel
Punta Nizuc	10.6 mi. South-Southeast of Cancun	East	--
Santa Pilar	4.5 mi. North-Northeast of Cozumel	North West	Cozumel
Sunset Beach	1.5 mi. West-Southwest of Cozumel	North West	Cozumel
Tulum Mayan Ruins Beach	2.1 mi. East of Tulum	North East	--