Relax on white-sand beaches or poolside at luxury hotels, dive at an underwater museum, swim with dolphins and visit archaeological ruins.

From world-class shopping and hotels to watersport adventures and ancient Mayan landmarks, the Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera) showcases the many faces of Cancún. The Hotel Zone is a thin strip of land framed by the Caribbean Sea and Nichupté Lagoon. Avenida Kukulkan runs the full length of the peninsula and is the setting for round-the-clock entertainment. Have fun at the many beaches, golf courses, museums, restaurants and wildlife centres.

Hop between the area’s pristine beaches. Las Perlas Beach is the closest to the mainland and then Gaviota Azul Beach, Chac Mool Beach and Playa Delfines are part of around 6.2 miles (10 kilometres) of uninterrupted sand on the Caribbean coastline. Join fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling and parasailing excursions at Aquaworld. The 262-feet (80-metre) tall Escenica Tower affords panoramic views of the entire Cancún region.

Interact with dolphins and learn about conservation programmes at Delphinus Dreams. MUSA Cancún Underwater Museum is a unique museum of 500 sculptures anchored to the seabed that are visible via diving and snorkeling trips or onboard a glass-bottom boat.

See an exhibition of Mayan excavations at Cancún Maya Museum and San Miguelito Archaeological Site. Nearby El Rey Archaeological Zone shelters the remains of almost 50 Mayan sites, including a pyramid-shaped temple and burial ground.

If you are here to shop be sure to visit La Isla Shopping Village, home to well-known retail chains, restaurants and the Cancun Wax Museum. Find more of the same, plus the Tequila Museum, at Kukulcán Plaza. Play a round of 18 holes at Cancún Golf Club at Pok Ta Pok and Iberostar Cancún Golf Club. Take photos in front of the multicolored Cancún sign, with the brilliant white sand and perfect turquoise sea as a backdrop.

Buses travel 24 hours a day between the Hotel Zone and downtown Cancún. From Cancún International Airport it’s about a 30-minute drive. Wind down after a day of activities in the comfort of an all-inclusive resort hotel. Or, sample vibrant nightlife events ranging from pool parties to sunset dinners aboard a sailboat and swashbuckling pirate shows.