CIARP 2005







Cancun is Mexico 's most visited tourist destination and boasts over twenty-five thousand hotel rooms. There is golf, tennis lots of shopping facilities and a remarkable biodiversity. There are four hundred seventy-five bird species, over a hundred different mammals and twelve hundred plant species.

Cancun has lots of beach and the hotels are magnificent. Some people actually never even leave the hotel grounds their entire vacation. This speaks volumes for some of these resorts situated on the edge of ocean beaches.

The beautiful ocean is home to over two thousand five hundred marine species with five hundred different tropical fish.

Cancun is located in the State of Quintana Roo at the most southern tip of the peninsula. It is divided into two sections: the Hotel Zone [Zona Hotelera] that is a 22 km sandy strip of land between a lagoon and seaside hotels located on Cancun Island and Cancun City/Downtown [ El Centro ], which is home to the many Mexicans who live in the district. Downtown is located on the mainland.


The Mexican currency is the peso ($). The present exchange rate with the U.S. dollar is about $11.00 = 1.0USD. Many local stores and branch banks do not accept foreign traveler's checks, U.S. dollars, or credit cards. Foreign credit cards are accepted in major restaurants, stores, and hotels. Best exchange rates are found in CASAS de CAMBIO (exchange houses). Most banks open only on weekdays, also from 9 am to 5 pm. USA cash or travelers checks are easier to change into pesos than other types of currency.


Cancun and the whole Yucatan peninsula are home to one of the world's most sunny climates, but as if to compensate for that, we occasionally have strong winds and rain during the months of September, October and November. Nevertheless, do not worry about that. It is nearly guaranteed that you will see the sun every day of your stay.

The average annual temperature of Cancun and the Riviera Maya is 25.5 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit), with fluctuations of 5 to 7 degrees. However, frequently daytime highs range into the eighties and overnight lows will see the high fifties and low sixties. In July, August and September, visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the sky, which can change from overcast to clear in minutes. From November to April, there are usually blue skies and a cool northern wind.

The climate changes are minimal in this area, so visitors should always pack clothes for swimming and warm weather. A light jacket, shawl or sweater is advisable for the evenings of November, December and January.

Yucatan 's inland areas tend to be ten to fifteen degrees warmer than the coast, which is perfect in winter, but furnace like in the spring (up to 110 degrees!).


Spanish is the official language in Mexico . But in Cancun a lot of people speak English. However, we advise you to have a good dictionary and a phrasebook when you venture out.

Some interesting links are:

Archeological sites in the region.


Cancun Weather



Iberoamerican Congress on Pattern Recognition
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