Cancún Beaches: The 5 Most Beautiful Beaches in Cancún

The Most Beautiful Beaches in Cancún on a Map

If you want to hit the beach in Cancún, you’ll need to head to the Zona Hotelera — one of the best places to stay in Cancún. That’s where the city’s most beautiful beaches are. The catch: nearly all of them are lined with hotels.
Our tips for the most beautiful boutique hotels in Cancún
Our tips for the most beautiful luxury hotels in Cancún

If you’re staying at one of those hotels, that’s obviously ideal — you’ll have a dream beach right on your doorstep. If not, Playa Delfines is your best bet for a beach day, since no hotels are built there.

For the truly spectacular dream beaches, though, you’ll want to explore the area around Cancún.

Here are our picks for the most beautiful Cancún public beaches and nearby stretches of sand:

• Playa Delfines
• Playa Norte (Isla Mujeres)
• Playa Akumal
• Playa Paraíso (Tulum)
• Playa El Cielo (Cozumel)

We’ve marked them all on a map so you know exactly where to find them.

Playa Delfines

Playa Delfines is, in our opinion, the best public beach in Cancún. It sits in the Zona Hotelera at pretty much the only spot along the waterfront where no hotel has been built.

Instead of beach chairs and bars, you’ll find just a few simple umbrellas here. Playa Delfines is very wide overall, and even when it’s busy, there’s always a quieter spot to be found.

The sand is soft and the water is turquoise — exactly how you picture the Caribbean. The one downside: the waves are usually strong, and since there are only a few lifeguards, swimming is only permitted in certain areas. That means the water can get crowded quickly.

How to Get to Playa Delfines

Bus routes R1 and R2 run from the city center through the Zona Hotelera all the way to Playa Delfines. You can stand anywhere along Blvd. Kukulcan and flag down a bus with an outstretched arm. Buses come approximately every five minutes. A ride costs 12 MXN.

Alternatively, you can take a taxi or Uber. Uber tends to be a bit cheaper.

Playa Norte on Isla Mujeres

Island beaches are often just a little more beautiful than those on the mainland — and we can absolutely confirm that for Isla Mujeres.

This Caribbean paradise sits just off the coast of Cancún, and its beaches are among the best beaches in Mexico. The standout is Playa Norte, at the northern tip of the island.

It has everything you could want for a perfect beach day: powdery white sand, crystal-clear water, and swaying palm trees.

Playa Norte is no longer an under-the-radar pick, so we recommend heading there early in the morning — the beach is noticeably less crowded then.

How to Get to Playa Norte

From Cancún, you’ll first need to take the ferry to Isla Mujeres. The crossing takes about 30 minutes.

There are several ports in Cancún. Most ferries depart from Puerto Juarez in the city center — roughly every 30 minutes. There are also several ferry terminals in the Zona Hotelera, such as at Playa Tortugas.

The most common ferry operators are Ultramar and Jetway. Our tip, though, is to take the Xcaret Group ferries — the ticket includes admission to the Torre Escénica viewpoint, one of the most beautiful attractions in Cancún.

Get the Xcaret ferry ticket to Isla Mujeres

From the ferry terminal on Isla Mujeres, it’s only about a 10-minute walk to Playa Norte.

If you’d rather not organize your beach trip yourself, just book a guided tour to Isla Mujeres.

Catamaran tour to Isla Mujeres & Playa Norte

Playa Akumal

Between Tulum and Playa del Carmen lies the gorgeous beach of Akumal.

Playa Akumal is famous for the chance to swim with sea turtles. There are designated areas in the water set aside just for that — you’ll need to book a guide for the turtle swimming experience, and a guided tour from Cancún to Akumal typically includes one.

Day trip to Akumal with turtle swimming and cenote

Beach access at Akumal costs 120 MXN. Restrooms, showers, and lockers are included. The turtle swimming section is right behind the entrance, but Playa Akumal stretches on much farther — you can stroll along it for ages.

The farther you walk from the entrance, the quieter it gets. The water is calm, clear, and seriously perfect for a vacation with kids.

How to Get to Playa Akumal from Cancún

By public transportation, it takes about two hours to reach Playa Akumal. You’ll first need to take a colectivo to Playa del Carmen — they depart from the city center of Cancún at Av. Tulum Supermanzana 2.

In Playa del Carmen, switch to a colectivo heading to Tulum. The colectivo stops in Akumal at a bridge, from where you walk ten minutes to the beach. All together, you’ll pay around 70 MXN for both rides.

The easier option is to book the guided tour from Cancún to Akumal.

Playa Paraíso in Tulum

Tulum, just like Cancún, is one of the most popular vacation destinations on the Yucatán Peninsula. And one of the beaches in Tulum ranks among our all-time favorites in Mexico: Playa Paraíso.

What makes it extra special is that Playa Paraíso sits right next to the famous Tulum Maya ruins. After some sightseeing, you can simply walk down to the beach and soak up the sun.

The sand is super soft and fine, and the many palm trees provide plenty of shady spots. Playa Paraíso is almost never overcrowded — a real rarity on the Yucatán coast.

Playa Paraíso is free to access. You do need to pay 58 MXN to enter the nature reserve, which also covers the Maya ruins.

How to Get to Playa Paraíso in Tulum

Your best bet is to combine your beach visit with a day trip to Tulum, where you can also explore the Maya ruins and some cenotes.

Guided tour from Cancún to Tulum incl. Playa Paraíso

Alternatively, buses run from the ADO terminal in Cancún to the Maya ruins in Tulum — this is the more budget-friendly option. You can buy bus tickets online at the ADO website. If that’s not working, you can also book through ViajoMucho or Checkmybus.

It’s also really worth spending a few nights in Tulum. We’ve put together separate articles with more tips on hotels and things to see in the area.

Playa El Cielo on Cozumel

If you’re into snorkeling, a day trip to Cozumel belongs on your list. It’s Mexico’s largest Caribbean island, sitting just off Playa del Carmen.

The top spot here is Playa El Cielo. The water shimmers in turquoise blue and the underwater world is simply incredible. The only way to reach this beach is by boat tour — tours typically depart from the island’s main town, San Miguel de Cozumel.

Catamaran tour on Cozumel incl. Playa El Cielo

How to Get to Cozumel

You can reach Cozumel from Playa del Carmen by ferry. The ferries depart from Muelle Playa del Carmen and take about 45 minutes. Tickets are available on the websites of Ultramar and Winjet or through GetYourGuide. Ferries go to San Miguel de Cozumel.

Ultramar ferry tickets via GetYourGuide

From Cancún, take a taxi, ADO bus, or colectivo to Playa del Carmen. We’d recommend the ADO buses — they run from the ADO terminal in downtown Cancún directly to the ADO Turístico bus terminal in Playa del Carmen.

Since you’ll need to budget about two to three hours for the journey, it’s worth considering spending a couple of nights in Playa del Carmen. We have more tips and hotel recommendations for the area in two other articles.