A One-Look Guide to Cancun

For hundreds of years, the beautiful white sands of Cancun, known locally as Kankun or “the nest of snakes” in Mayan, were left untouched by foreign footprints. Then in 1969 everything changed when the Mexican government turned its eyes to the region, hoping to attract visitors to the country. Subsequently, Cancun’s popularity as a tourist destination has skyrocketed and it is now one of the Caribbean’s premier holiday destinations, and investors have poured millions into developing Cancun for travellers from the world over. If you’re thinking of heading out to this amazing holiday spot, there are a few things you should know before you touchdown.

First of all, if you’re going to Cancun be prepared with a phrase book. Although some locals in the more popular tourist spots will know basic English, Spanish still reigns supreme and many speak it exclusively (a few even still speak the traditional Mayan).

A phrase book will help you in situations where what you want to get across to locals is perhaps a little more complicated than every day simple phrases.

Cancun enjoys a near year round summer, but this is because of its position on a hurricane belt. Therefore it’s not uncommon for the region to get the odd battering from wind and rain. Never fear, however, as hurricanes usually move slowly enough for people to get out of harm’s way and Cancun has a three day warning system that will keep you abreast of the situation. If you’re staying in a popular hotel or villas as opposed to self-catering, you will often find the hoteliers have an action plan for hurricanes that allow them to keep guests safe, happy, fed and entertained throughout the storm.

If you aren’t native to the area, you may want to watch what you eat in Cancun. You might find your stomach isn’t attuned to the heat of the local dishes. By eating spicy foods in moderation in your first few days you will drastically cut your chances of getting sick and can indulge in local delicacies once your stomach has adjusted. As with any foreign country, it’s not recommended that you drink the tap water and it’s advised that you avoid food from street vendors, as they are not held to the same strict sanitary codes as restaurants.

The currency in Cancun is the Mexican peso and while there are banks that can exchange most major currencies, US dollars are always easiest to exchange. Some local vendors will also accept payment in US dollars if you don’t have pesos, so keep some in reserve.

With this information to hand you can enjoy a fun and fuss-free visit to the fabulous Cancun.

Article Source: http://local.ezinemark.com/a-one-look-guide-to-cancun-7d33c3f9b056.html