There's just so much to take in - you probably don't know where to start! White sand, deep blue Caribbean, hard bodies sunbathing…still, I want to know where the best Cancún beaches are!
Even for the seasoned Cancún veterans who come here year after year, figuring out which beaches are positively the best in all of Cancún can still be a bit mystifying. Sure, you can easily say that they are all good. As mentioned above, the white, white sand, the blue, blue water and the tan - oooh, so tan - skin of the greased up bodies lining these beautiful tropical beaches is just a little too much to handle at times. But the value of finding absolutely the best beach in Cancún still has not eluded us - after all, many only get to visit this beautiful tourist destination once!
To start out with, you should be well aware that all Mexican beaches are made public by law. That mean that even the most towering and high class resort hotel that you happen not to be staying at must let you through to the beach. You can get there via the lobby or the sand - the choice is yours. One of the most notable beaches that is open to the public is one that we have painstakingly selected as truly the best in Cancún. It's called Playa Linda, and as the name suggests (it means "beach that is beautiful") Playa Linda is truly a gem. That's because it meets all the fine requirements of aesthetic pleasantness, warm water, cleanliness and a good crowd. Other runners up - and not too far behind, I might add - include Playa Langosta and Playa Tortuga (which roughly translate to "beach of the lobsters" and "beach of the turtles," respectively). Another beach that we thought to be especially attractive is known as Playa Las Perlas. With calmly lapping waves of azure blue caressing the pearly white sand of the beach, we thought the translation of its name to be apt: "Beach of the Glistening Pearls."
While it is quite possible to spend an entire day on the beach doing absolutely nothing except lying in the cool shade or bathing in the loving sunshine, there are also many activities available for the super charged and happy island vacationers such as - quite possibly - you. Interested in having the wind pull you across the water? Rent a parasail and find out what it's like! Also you can do the sailboard thing - they even offer lessons at many of these beaches.
At this point, however, it is extremely important to mention the safety warnings that are present for the beautiful beaches that face the open Sea from the main beaches of Cancún. Although I've personally never seen anybody get taken out by it, officials here warning of an insidiously strong undertow that could have drastic consequences. So, if you have children with you, or just feel like playing it extra safe out here, it is probably a good idea to take the water play over to the end of the island that faces north. There, the Bahía de las Mujeres presents a much safer alternative. (Also note that for optimally safe water play your hotel most likely will feature an inviting swimming pool).
To get a better idea of the level of safety for a specific beach, it will be very much to your advantage to familiarize yourself with the color-coded flag warning system that pertains to water safety at all of the beaches in Cancún. From best safety level to the most dangerous, the colors range along white, green, yellow and then red or even black. Don't even touch the water when the flag that's raised is red or black. A white flag, on the other hand, is great - this means that you could even bring your children into the water. But use your best judgment with green warning and exercise alertness when the yellow flag is up.
So, safety concerns out of the way, it should be mentioned that while the most attractive beaches are hard to determine at first, spending just a few hours at any of these incredibly beautiful locations will have you convinced of this insider's wisdom when it comes to finding out the best of the beautiful Cancún beaches that are really worth visiting.
