Cancun

A holiday resort popular with America gays going to Mexico for some winter fun in the sun!

City Overview

Cancun is a city in South Eastern Mexico on the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula.  Cancun is just north of Mexico's Caribbean coast resort band known as the Riviera Maya.

Mexico is one of the most popular destinations for gay travellers from USA due to location and weather.

Cancun's Zona Hotelera is the strip of resorts and hotels created specifically for tourists and full of chain restaurants, shops and amazing beaches.

El Centro is the downtown area and less touristy and more local. Here there are great local eateries and a variety of nightclubs. There are a lot of gays that live in Cancun and work in tourism.

Nightlife in Cancun doesn't really get started until 10pm or later, and lasts until 5 am in the morning.

Airport Transfer

Cancun Airport is 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from downtown Cancun but the hotel zone is further and depending on where your hotel is located it could be almost twice this distance

There are shuttle vans between the Cancun Airport and the Hotel Zone. The typical cost is around $10 to $15 per person and the lower rate for more people travelling together.

At the exit of all three terminals of Cancun Airport there are stops of ADO bus company. This is a large bus that will connect you with the Cancun ADO bus terminal in the downtown. This bus is very cheap and takes about 25 minutes to get from the Cancun Airport to the downtown bus station. Once you arrive at the Cancun Bus Station you can take a local bus marked “Hoteles” (Spanish for Hotels) on the windshield. Also you can look for the R1, R 2, R15, and R27 buses that go to the Hotel Zone and will say “Hoteles“. Many locals, workers and tourist use these public busses but if you have luggage this is difficult.

A taxi will typically cost $60 and the taxi prices are pretty set and are not open for negotiating. Tip: Do not listen to “official” looking people at the exit of the terminals in Cancun. Often these are taxi people trying to get you in a taxi. They often give you wrong information.

Places to stay

There are as yet no exclusively gay hotels in Cancun but a number of gay friendly hotels. It is always wise to book your accommodation in advance to guarantee availability and choice.

All accommodation bookable on this site are exclusively gay or gay friendly so you are assured to be welcome.

Cancun Beaches

Playa Delfines is the “unofficial” gay beach in Cancun with white sands that is perfect for sunbathing. The water is many shades of blue but little rough for swimming but a great view. At the far end gay guys hang out but a bit of a walk. Don’t expect a lot of guys at this beach, it is known as a gay beach but does not always have a lot of people.

Playa Chac Mool

Other gay popular beaches include the Playa Chac Mool which is just south of Punta Cancun and is where the club area is in the Hotel Zone. This beach is popular because there are more people here and easier access to the beach.

Playa Norte

This beach is actually on Isla Mujeres but that is practically part of Cancun. You can take the ferry over from the Hotel Zone or from Puerto Juarez. The day trip is worth it.

This beach is walkable from the ferry. Playa Norte is one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico. It is clear water and shallow. There is no official gay section but if you head to the middle or more toward the east end you will find it nicer.

Main LGBT Events

Gay Pride Cancun is a relative low-key event in June with some events in some of the night clubs.

Paradise Circuit Party usually takes place in late November. It has been held both in Cancun and in Playa Del Carmen so check for the location for the year before booking.

Other

Currency – Mexican Peso (MXN)

Language - Spanish

Visas - Not needed for travellers from the US, Canada and Europe

Best Time To Visit – All Year

Timezones – Central Standard Time CDMX (GMT-6 Mexican Pacific Standard Time La Paz (GMT-7)                Pacific Standard Time Baja California (GMT-8)

Homosexual Activity – Legal