Cancun - a walking tour

The Layout of Cancun
I borrowed this map from one of the tourist magazines so that you can see that the Cancun "Hotel Zone", (the tourist district), is shaped just like the number "7".   The hotel zone is surrounded by water with the sea on one side and a huge lagoon on the other side.   On this trip to Cancun, we stayed at the Punta Cancun Condos, marked on this map with the Red arrow.

The top part of the "7" is the northern coast, aka, the Bay Side.   The central business district for the entire hotel zone is located in the "bend" of the "7" which is shown on the map as the purple and gray area.  This is the area of Cancun where the PARTY ZONE is located.  There you will find Coco Bongos, Senior Frogs, Dady-O's, Hooters, and all the rest of the nightclubs.  Also in this area is the Hard Rock Cafe, the Rainforest Cafe, Chili's, a Sports Book, 2 shopping malls, the Native Crafters flea market,  the Cancun Convention Center and many other things.
  
Transportation in and around Cancun
Cancun has a fantastic bus system that runs all along the Hotel Zone (the "7") and into the City of Cancun (which is shown in blue on the left).  For just 75 pesos per person each time you ride (about 60-cents) you can hop on the bus and go most anywhere you want to go.  Bus stops are plentiful and buses run almost back-to-back, so the wait for one is never very long.  There are also taxis readily available for a higher charge.

La Isla Mall
Traveling south, along the back of the "7", you see a large green area jutting out into the lagoon on the left.  That is where La Isla Mall is located.  It is a large waterfront mall with shops, restaurants, a movie theater, and more.  It is the largest, newest, and most popular of all of the malls in the Hotel Zone.  It is a "must" to visit on any trip to Cancun.  It is shown as "Isla Dorado" on the map.

You can click on the map for a larger view.
This map is also helpful in planning your own trip there, as it shows most of the hotel locations.

Isla Mujeres
Above the top of Cancun's "7" shape is an island.  It is the Isla Mujeres (meaning the "Island of Women").  Reachable by Ferryboats that run back and forth all day until 5:30pm at the current cost of $18 R/T per person, the island is only about 2 miles wide and 5 miles long.  A popular tourist thing to do there is to rent a golf cart ($18hr or $40day), a bicycle, or a moped to use as you explore the island.  There are beautiful beaches with hammocks among the palm trees and beach bars and grills all around.  It is a nice day trip from Cancun to go there for lunch and sightseeing or to hang out on the beautiful white-sand beaches that get all-day sun and have calm clear waters.  (See my later post for "Day Trip to Isla Mugeres").
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This aerial view is looking south over Cancun's hotel zone.  The location of the Punta Cancun Condo Complex is marked with the RED arrow.  You are looking at Cancun's "7" shape upside down now, focusing on the "party zone" area that is in the "bend of the "7", as seen from the northern coast.  That's the back of the "7" shape along the beach as it goes into the distance.  Further down on the right, you can see La Isla Mall jutting out into the lagoon.

Please click on this aerial photo if you would like a much bigger, and more panoramic view.

To the left of McDonald's in the distance are the white curved buildings of the Punta Cancun Condos.  That is our temporary home for the first week of March, 2010.  My shiny silver sandals start walking that direction.

From the parking lot of the Plaza Caracol shopping center, we have a closer view of the condo buildings. Yes, that "is" a Starbucks in the corner of the mall, and that huge hotel behind the Starbucks is the Riu, (an all-inclusive).

Hubby chats with the guard at the front gate.  The Punta Cancun Condos feel very safe and secure.

The grounds at this complex are immaculately kept. The buildings face north toward the Isle of Mujeres and, as the sun comes around, they provide shade from the hot sun.  There are 2 swimming pools, a hot tub, and a Gym and Spa building .........where a massage or a work-out are just steps away.

Our unit is up there on the 10th floor.........2nd from the beach front with the long curved balcony.  My Shiny Silver Sandals start toward home, so shall we go up there?

Hubby is opening the door, so please come inside and have a look around.

This unit is quite spacious.  It is a 3BR/3BA unit on the 10th floor.  Hubby is having a nap in the rocking bed.

The view from the other side of the room shows a nice modern plasma T.V. and beautiful furnishings.

The kitchen is limited on cabinet space for our snack foods and breakfast groceries.  Cabinets were filled with dishes, glasses and pots and pans.  Sadly, no dishwasher......... however the unit does have a washer and dryer.

A huge sliding door to the balcony brings the outdoors in.  When the outside temperature is comfortable, you can turn off the air conditioner and live indoors and out.  No insects to worry about up on the 10th floor.

My Shiny Silver Sandals were always carrying me out onto this balcony.  They loved showing me the view of the crystal clear waters of the Carribean, not to mention the view of the Isla Mugeres off in the distance.

There are 2 queen size beds in each of the TWO spacious guest bedrooms.  The Master boasts a King bed.

View from the guest bedrooms show the Cancun Convention Center and the neighboring tourist district where the Party Zone is located.  All of this area (as described in detail beside the map at the beginning of this post) is located within walking distance of this condo.

My Shiny Silver Slippers are ready to go out for a walk through the neighborhood.  Looking at this picture, they will walk out the front gate to the street, turn left, then walk along by the Convention Center up to the Telmex Tower (shaped like an hour-glass).  We will turn right, pass by the Telmex Tower, then continue our walk along the front of the Convention Center, heading toward the Party Zone.  Ready to go along?  Let's go.

This is the front side of the Convention Center and there is the restaurant called VIPS, which is much like the Denny's Restaurants we have in America.   VIPS is owned by Walmart, according to the sign on the door.  The exchange rate at VIPS is about the best you can get.  During the first week of March, 2010, they gave us 12.50 pesos for $1 (the daily fluctuating rate was around 12.60).  The money exchange kiosks charge fees to exchange currency so this was the best option.  When we needed pesos, we went to Vips to have something to eat, paid with $100 bill, and got change in pesos.  The food is good, the prices are low, and the exchange rate is good, so if you go to Cancun, keep VIPS in mind.

We go passed VIPS and we are in the PARTY ZONE!  Hooters, on the right, is already big and they are making it BIGGER.  The orange steel beams are the new addition to the building, which appears as though it may take up the whole block when it is completed.  Dady-O's is just beyond Hooters..... and Coco Bongo is in the Forum Shops which is coming up on the left.  Senior Frogs is a little further down the street.

The Party Zone comes alive at night with live music blasting at you from every angle...... music mixing in the air so that you can only make sense of the music that is closest to you.   There are open-air bars that line the streets, and all the bars stay open until 4:00AM.  The Party Zone bustles at night when every party person in the hotel zone makes their way here for a night on the town.

I cross the street so I can get a better picture of the Forum Shops shopping center which is located in the heart of the Party Zone.  Inside here is the nightclub, Coco Bongo.  Look closely and you will see the entrance up there on the left side of the building.  The restaurants inside include Hard Rock Cafe, Rainforest Cafe, Chilis, Starbucks, Dominos, and others...... plus 3 floors of shops!