Cancun Mexico Facts

• Currency: top
  Mexican peso (US dollar is widely accepted)

• Area Code: top
  The international telephone access code is 52. The city code for Cancun is 0988.
  
  Omit the 0 when calling from abroad. Because long-distance calls are so expensive, visitors are advised to place reversed-charge calls. To reach an international operator, dial 09.

• Money Matters: top
  Currency: Mexican peso. The rate of exchange against other currencies fluctuates daily. Though banks and casas de cambio (exchange houses) change most major currencies, US dollars are always easiest to change due to their economic stability on the global market and the proximity of the United States to Mexico.
  
  Casas de cambio usually give exchange rates close to the rate given at banks, and are easier to use. However, they occasionally do not accept traveler's checks for exchange and you may sometimes be required to go to a bank to exchange traveler's checks. The worst exchange rates are found at hotel zone casas de cambio. Downtown exchange houses generally give better rates.
  
  Banks and ATMs are plentiful in Cancún, and there are numerous money exchanges. Cirrus and Plus are the most commonly found ATM networks. ATMs give the best service (24 hours per day) and rates.
  
  U.S. dollars are widely accepted in Cancún, but you will not usually get the best exchange rate using dollars at local establishments. It is best to exchange your money for pesos at a bank or a money exchange.
  
  Most credit cards are accepted in shops, hotels and travel agencies. Major purchases are best made with a credit card. You automatically receive the bank rate of exchange, which is higher than the rates given in town or at the hotels.

• Electricity: top
  110 volts, 60 cycles, same as in the U.S.

• Banks and Currency Exchange Facilities: top
  US Dollars are easily exchanged into pesos in banks, major hotels, airports and exchange houses. Mexican banks are generally open from 9 am to 2:30 pm weekdays only. Exchange houses are open longer and offer quicker service. Most credit cards are accepted in shops, hotels and travel agencies. Major purchases are best made with a credit card. You automatically receive the bank rate of exchange, which is higher than the rates given in town or at the hotels.

• Business Hours: top
  Most stores are open from 10 am to 10 pm daily in the Hotel Zone. Stores downtown may close between 2 pm and 4 pm for the traditional "siesta" and on Sundays.

• Climate: top
  Semi-tropical with an average temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for Cancún: January-March, 68-86°F (20-30°C); April-June, 71-89°F (22-32°C); July-September, 75-91°F (24-33°C); October-December, 68-87°F (20-31°C).
  
  Cancún has an average of more than 200 sunny days a year and has less annual rainfall than the Virgin Islands or the Bahamas. You may run into some rain, overcast weather and days with bothersome wind gusts. Usually a light breeze blows across the island, keeping things cool.
  
  The city's temperature averages an idyllic 80°F (27°C) year-round, dipping painlessly from time to time, hitting 65°F (19°C) in January. It can swelter to 100°F (38°C) in May, though ocean breezes keep it more bearable than the rest of the Yucatán, which can get drenchingly muggy and hot. Rainfall is rare, though violent storms called nortes can roll in on any afternoon, their black clouds, high winds and torrents of rain followed within an hour by bright sun and blue sky. Hurricane season lasts from July to November.
  
  November and early December are perhaps the best times to go, as there are fewer tourists and prices are low. The busy season is from mid-December to April, when prices are noticeably higher. Surcharges get tacked on around the Christmas, New Year's and Easter holidays.

• Crime: top
  There is little crime in Riviera Maya. In the tourist areas, you are generally safe late at night. Car break-ins are just about the only crime, especially around the shopping centers. So be sure to lock your door like you would back at home. Like any other beach resort, do not leave money or valuables unattended on the beach.

• Popular Excursions: top
  Chichen Itza
  A day tour inland to the famous Mayan ruins.
  
  
  Tulum/Xel-ha
  Visit the spectacular Tulum ruins about an hour's drive south of Cancun & afterwards snorkel in the sheltered waters of the national park at Xel-ha ("shell'ha").
  
  Isla Mujeres
  You can take a day trip by large boat to this charming island near Cancun.
  
  
  Cozumel
  Cozumel, an island just 40 miles south of Cancun, has long been subjected to comparisons with Cancun. It has a laid-back, sedate atmosphere and superb fishing, snorkeling and diving. You can take a day trip by ferry or small plane.

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