Mexican Caribbean

Quintana Roo’s Pearls- the Coraline Islands (part 2) Cancun; Vipers' Nest

Up until 1970, Cancún was an almost deserted island with a swampy coast. Cancún has a seven shape. It is 8.8 km and 400 meters in its widest part, with a Lagunes' system that links it to the mainland. Cancún has two Maya shrines: Kin - Há and San Miguel.

In 1974 Infratur, the Mexican government agency for tourism (Fonatur), started the plan for Cancún's development.

North the Island was linked to the mainland by a bridge, Playa Linda, and south, by another, Punta Nizuc.

 A road communicating Puerto Juárez with Cancún was opened, and an air track was lain on what today is Avenue Kabah.

A touristic zone was projected, The Hotel Zone, on the Island. Filled with not only hotels but also restaurants, nightclubs, marinas, shopping malls, and golf courses.

A town on the mainland, north of the Island, was also planned as a support town, with permanent housing and all the services needed by its inhabitants. Holding the same name, Cancún.

An international airport was planned, one capable of giving service to the largest airplanes. It was built south of the Island, on the mainland, next to the highway Cancún - Tulum that was being made. To and from this airport we can travel worldwide.

Ground transport services take us everywhere in Quintana Roo and the neighboring States.

Recently the low impact sports hotel complex, Puerto Cancún, was built.

Cancún has a 14 miles long strip of beach running along the Boulevard Kukulkan. All kinds of water sports are offered at the beach and the Lagunes.

Over many years, perhaps millennia, the blue crabs have crossed the Island since the females need to go from their dens in the Lagunes to the sea to lay their eggs. They do it now, protected by Cancún's people. During the full moon nights in September and October, the Boulevard Kukulkan is closed to the traffic.

Not long ago, volunteer brigades protected the blue crabs' crossing. Nowadays, specialized brigades do the job. But the "cancunenses" still watch, behind de barriers, as their most ancient city fellows cross safely to the sea and back.