Cancun Travel Itinerary (2-4 Days)

If you’re looking for a 2-4-day itinerary for Cancun, then you’re in the right spot.

Some people fly to Cancun and spend up to a week there. Others just spend a couple of days in the Cancun area and move on to other places in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Whichever you decide, I’m going to share:

• how I spent a few days in Cancun
• options for how to spend add-on days
• a lot of information on the logistics of getting to the different things there are to see

Cancun is known for its beaches, nightlife for spring breakers, but there are so many amazing things to do here. It’s family-friendly, romantic, and it’s also great for solo travellers, and outdoor adventure seekers.

Cancun is close enough to other spots along the Mayan Riviera that are worth seeing, so there are tons of daytrip options.

So, let’s jump in – my Cancun itinerary (I will provide replacement options in case you

My Cancun Itinerary (As a First-Time Visitor)

Cancun Arrival Day

I flew into the Cancun International Airport. I arranged an airport pickup through the accommodation I stayed at to bring me to the accommodation.

Many hotels in Cancun offer an airport pickup option (usually for an added fee), but some don’t.

If your accommodation doesn’t offer pickup, then it’s worth it to know that Uber is currently operating in Cancun, but they are not allowed to pick up passengers from the airport. Instead, use an approved taxi service like this one. ($25 if you book in advance, $45 on the spot.) I used Uber many times during my stay in Cancun, but only after I left the airport

I stayed in downtown Cancun, but most people choose to stay in a resort in or near the Hotel Zone. Both are about a 20-minute drive from the airport.

So regardless of where you stay in Cancun, you should expect your cab or Uber ride to cost between $25-$45, depending on if you reserve a discounted rate in advance, or pay at the airport. (Unless your accommodation has it built into the price.)

Day 1 in Cancun: Intro to the city/surroundings

Wherever it is you decided to stay, you’re going to want to take at least a day to enjoy the surroundings of Cancun on your first day there: beautiful weather, beaches, resort, etc.

Here are some things to do on your first day to enjoy the surroundings, depending on where you’re staying and what you prefer:

Most people stay in la zona hotelera (Hotel Zone), which is a small, thin peninsula that looks out into the ocean.

In my case, I’m not a beach person, so I spent my first day just wandering around downtown Cancun, in the area where I was staying. (I stayed at Humant Coliving in downtown Cancun. The location wasn’t ideal to get to most of the highlights for downtown Cancun, but there were some great restaurants within walking distance.)

Staying in the hotel zone, but want to spend a day exploring downtown Cancun? Here’s how I would structure it:

• Take an Uber into town, or book a day tour that picks you up at your accommodation to bring you there. (*I had no problem getting Ubers between the hotel zone and downtown Cancun in 2025, but always check the current advisories)
• Suggestions for Cancun tours that will bring you pick you up at hotel zone and bring you downtown:
  • The taco tour ($75 per person, 2-4 hours in length)
  • The general food tour that I recommended above ($75 per person, 3.5 hours in length)
• If you want to make your own way into downtown Cancun (no tour) then have the Uber drop you off at the Parque de las Palapas; it’s a large central park right downtown Cancun. From there, you can walk to Mercado 28 or Mercado 23 in just 12 minutes (they’re opposite directions of eachother, so I would only do one.)

Pro Tip: Mercado 28 and Mercado 23 are similar, but some say that Mercado 28 is more geared towards tourists, while you’re more likely to encounter locals at Mercado 23. You’re more likely to find Mexican souvenirs there, as opposed to produce and groceries, but you can find a bit of both at both markets. This blog post explains the difference between the two markets; with photos

Day 2: Exploring the Underwater Museum (MUSA)

On my second full day in Cancun, I took a day to explore MUSA, the underwater museum.

There are snorkel tours, and glass-bottom boat tours that take you to see this field of sculptures.

MUSA (Underwater Museum of Art) can be visited from either Isla Mujeres or from mainland Cancun (hotel zone). Visiting from Cancun is slightly cheaper. You specify which one you want to visit from when you buy your tickets on their website.

I chose to visit from mainland Cancun, from their location in the hotel zone area. It’s slightly cheaper, and more convenient.

Read my guide on visiting MUSA here to plan a visit.

Day 3: Cancun Day trip options

Some people can spend a few days just relaxing in the resort or at the beach, but if you’re like me, then you might want to see more of Mexico too. Here are some places to visit that are within driving distance of Cancun. You may decide that a number of the things below interest you, and want to extend your time in Cancun.

1. Visit Mayan ruins.

The Yucatan Peninsula has been inhabited for thousands of years, and there are a some Mayan ruins within a day trip distance from Cancun that you can visit:

• Chichen Itza (2.5 hours away from Cancun.) There are several day trip options that you can book online. Keep in mind, you can’t climb the Chichen Itza pyramids anymore, but you can get close to them and take pictures
• Ek Bakam, lesser-visited than Chichen Itza (less than 2 hours from Cancun.) It’s also a lot smaller, but still worth seeing. You can still climb these pyramids, as they haven’t been as overtouristed as the Chichen Itza.

2. Cenotes

One of the most unique things about this part of the world is cenotes – they were formed as a result of the asteroid that hit 66 million years ago.

The cenotes near Cancun are located along la Ruta de Los Cenotes, which is just 25 minutes from Cancun.

Most people who visit these cenotes from Cancun tend to rent a car, as there isn’t a good or easy public transit option. This blog post explains how to visit them via car from Cancun.

There are also many day tours from Cancun that include cenotes as a part of the day trip.

Day Tours that Combine Cenotes and Mayan Ruins

• Chichen Itza, Cenote & Valladolid Tour with Tequila and Lunch (12 hours, lunch included, all ages welcome, $45ish per adult)

3. Playa del Carmen 

Playa del Carmen is about an hour from Cancun, and a much smaller city with a completely different feel.

It’s much more walkable than Cancun, friendly, has lots of shops and restuarants and vibrant with Mexican culture and festivity.

If you’re doing Playa del Carmen as a daytrip from Cancun, then the main activities would be walking down the Quinta Avenida (main strip) shopping.

Playa del Carmen also has it’s own variety of day trips and things to do in the area, but you’d been more than a day trip from Cancun.

You can get to Playa Carmen via:

• A taxi (not Uber, as uber drivers arent allowed to drive to Platya currently)
• ADO bus – this is what I did, and what I recommend it’s so cheap, easy and the buses are comfortable and air conditioned

Read my post on ways to get to Playa del Carmen here.

4. Isla Mujeres

Assuming that you didn’t already go to Isla Mujeres yesterday to see MUSA (1-hour ferry ride from mainland Cancun) then many travellers enjoy visiting Isla Mujeres while in Cancun.

It has a smaller, more nature-based feel than mainland Cancun. There are hardly any cars; you can get around the island mostly on foot, or rent a buggy. The water is known for being much bluer clearer than near Cancun.

Don’t get me wrong, Isla Mujeres is still very touristy. But it has some really stunning things to see:

• Playa Norte (20 minute walk from where the ferry would drop you off) is a beautiful town and beach on Isla Mujeres, white sand, lined with palm trees where you can swim in the shallow turquoise water. There are daytime and evening shows, snorkelling.
• Punta Sur (way too far to walk from ferry terminal, but only a 20 minute golf cart ride) is the highest point on the Yucatan. It has rocky cliffs along the shoreline and the views are beautiful. You’d need to rent a golf cart and drive yourself down here. GoodMexican has the best ratings for golf cart rentals. Wear good shoes if you come here; and swimming is a possibility too.

There are also tours from Cancun that take you around Isla Mujeres like this one: All Inclusive Isla Mujeres Full day Caramaran tour (8 hours) includes snorkelling on Isla Mujeres, you get to see Playa Norte. (Punta Sur not included.) Lunch, and unlimited alcohol are provided. All ages welcome aboard

5. Swimming with whale sharks

Swimming with whale sharks is possible near Cancun, but your chances are higher of encountering them in the summer months (between June and August).

Day tours from Cancun to swim with whale sharks would be a full-day (7-8 hour) excursion, and is only suitable for anyone aged 5+ who’s a good swimmer.

6. Cozumel Island

Cozumel would be a long day trip from Cancun, so I don’t really recommend it for just a day.

You can visit Cozumel from Cancun, it would take just under 3 hours on the ferry. There are day trips such as this one (11 hours long, $250 per person) to bring you to Cozumel from Cancun.

Day 4: More Things to Do In/Near Cancun

Below, I told you about severl daytrip options from Cancun. There are also some gems that are closer to Cancun that you can

1. Playa Delfines

Playa Delfines (Dolphins Beach) is a postcard-perfect public beach in Cancun, just 20 km from the Hotel Zone.

It has free parking, bathrooms, and restaurants nearby. The waves can be strong, so you can swim but it might be a bit intense if you’re with littles.

2. Xoximilco – Mexican Floating Fiesta

Similar to the floating gardens in Mexico City, this one is located just south of the hotel zone.

Book admission on their website here.

Final Thoughts on This Cancun Itinerary

How you do Cancun depends on how you prefer to travel; some people can spend several days on the beach, others prefer to be doing something. I fall more into the ladder.

Cancun is also still one of the safest places in Mexico, as a solo female traveller there I never felt unsafe. I hope this Cancun itinerary has helped you plan a fun trip to Cancun.