In
1967, the Mexican government commissioned a study to pinpoint
the ideal place for an international Caribbean resort. The
computer chose Cancún, and a Cinderella-like transformation
began. More vacationers come here than to any other part of
Mexico, and many come again and again for the white-sand
beaches, crystalline turquoise waters, sizzling nightlife,
numerous restaurants, and the proximity of Maya ruins throughout
the Yucatán peninsula.
It's clear as you fly into Cancún that this resort was carved
out of the jungle. When development began here in the early
1970s the beaches were deserted except for birds and iguanas.
Now luxury hotels, shopping malls, and restaurants line the
oceanfront.
But there is more to Cancún than plopping yourself down under a
palapa (thatched roof). Downtown offers a more authentic
glimpse into the sights and sounds of Mexico. For diving and
snorkeling, the reefs off Cancún and nearby Cozumel, Puerto
Morelos, and Isla Mujeres are among the best in the world.
Cancún also makes a relaxing base for venturing to the
stupendous ruins of Chichén Itzá, Tulum, and Cobá, remnants
of the area's rich Maya heritage.
The Maya people settled the area during the Pre-Classic era,
around AD 200, and remained until the 14th or 15th century. But
little is known about them. Other explorers seem to have
overlooked the barrier island---it doesn't appear on early
navigators' maps. It was never heavily populated, perhaps
because its terrain of mangroves and marshes (and resulting
swarms of mosquitoes) discouraged settlement. Some minor Maya
ruins were discovered in the mid-19th century, but
archaeologists didn't get around to studying them until the
1950s.
Cancún has followed the typical course of any tourist resort
area, first attracting the jet set and gradually welcoming less
affluent tourists. Nowadays there are large numbers of
package-tourists and college students, particularly during
spring break when hordes of flawless, tanned young bodies fill
the beaches and restaurants.
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