Summer all year... gorgeously turquoise ocean... sandy white beaches... shopping from Mexican handicrafts to designer clothes... stunning hotels with interesting architecture, many right on the beach... world-class restaurants... nightlife and dance clubs that go till early morning... Mayan ruins in the middle of it all... that's Cancun!

Water sports include swimming, surfing, diving, boating, fishing, kayaking, and snorkeling. Day trips to Mayan archaeological sites offer you a glimpse of the fascinating civilization that was in the area for centuries.

No wonder Cancun is one of the most popular beach resorts in all of North and South America! With over three million visitors a year, the folks in Cancun have figured out how to provide what you want for a memorable vacation, whether it's total relaxation, going out dancing, water sports, enjoying spring break or a honeymoon, or whatever.

Cancun's history is short. In the early 1970s, the Mexican government had a study done to decide where to put a new resort. A little piece of land in the Caribbean sea, just off the coast of Yucatan, was chosen. It didn't take long before tourists were coming in ever-increasing numbers. Now Cancun (on the mainland just opposite that slip of land) has a population of something over half a million -- and the visitors keep coming!

Cancun is its own kind of place. It's hardly typical Mexico, but it's a lot of fun in its own way!

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Rosana Hart has traveled to Mexico many times. Her website, www.mexico-with-heart.com, contains the full text of a book she wrote about traveling in Mexico, as well as information and travel tips