7 Best Things to do in Downtown Cancun Mexico + Travel Tips

Downtown Cancun sits 20 minutes and 12 MXN from the Hotel Zone, and almost nobody staying on the strip bothers to visit! Here are the best things to do in Cancun city center, from the markets to the lagoon boardwalk.

Cancun airport moved more than 14 million passengers in the first half of 2025 alone, and the overwhelming majority of them go straight to the Hotel Zone for the white sand, the tequila and the 24-hour nightlife.

Most of these visitors head straight for the Hotel Zone. Locals call the other Cancun “El Centro”, and it’s where the city actually lives: the markets, the taquerías, the lagoon boardwalk and hotel rooms at a fraction of the strip price. Considering how easy it is to get around, and that most tours will also do pickups from Downtown, staying here makes a lot of sense if you’re on a budget.

In this quick travel guide, I’ll run through 7 things to do in Downtown Cancun to help you plan your visit. At the bottom of this post, I’ve also got tips and things to know about visiting the region as well.

What’s Changed in Downtown Cancun (Updated 2026)

• Visitax is now enforced at the airport - Every foreign visitor to Quintana Roo owes 285 MXN (about US$16.77), infants included, and the state has frozen that rate through 2026. Pay it online at visitax.gob.mx before you fly and screenshot the QR code. Leave it until you’re at the airport and you can get charged 525 MXN for the same thing, so sort it at home, and use the .gob.mx address rather than any of the copycat sites.
• The airport bus network has doubled in two years - ADO opened a direct airport to Hotel Zone route in March 2025 at 140 MXN (about US$8.25). It started on five departures a day and was up to nine within two months, and since October 2025 it stops at Museo Maya, Aquaworld, Plaza La Isla, Plaza La Fiesta and Puerto Cancun. The ADO Centro service into downtown runs every 30 to 60 minutes for the same 140 MXN.
• Rideshare works in the city, not at the airport - Uber has been legal in Quintana Roo since the 2024 ruling and it’s my default for getting around El Centro, but drivers still won’t take airport pickups because of pressure from the taxi unions. Open the app at the terminal and you’ll get "Uber Taxi", which is a licensed airport cab at cab prices, around US$45 to the Hotel Zone. Take the ADO bus instead, or pre-book a shuttle.
• Mercado 28 are digitizing payments and you can now pay by card with their Square readers at many stalls. I prefer spending cash and so do locals, you can usually negotiate 5-10% off with pesos.
• 2024 and 2025 “Color de Mi Barrio” project funded 50+ new murals around Av. Yaxchilán and Calle Margaritas.
• Budget beds with perks - My favorite hostel in Downtown Cancun.  Nomads’ rooftop bar now hosts free salsa classes Tues/Thurs, and Nílu’s cowork lounge is a solid spot to get work done.
• The nightly eco-tax went up again - The environmental sanitation charge is pegged at 70% of Mexico’s daily UMA, so it re-prices every February. That put it at 82.11 MXN per room per night (about US$4.83) from 1 February 2026, though plenty of properties are still billing the old 79.20 MXN. Either way it’s collected at check-in and it is never included in the rate you prepay on Booking.com.

7 Best Things to do in Downtown Cancun

1. Mercado 28

• Open daily 09:00-19:00

Mercado 28 (Market 28) is a long-running flea market located at Plaza San Miguel.

Visiting this market is always among the top recommended things to do in Downtown Cancun. Here, you'll find a sprawling scene with stalls offering a wide range of items for sale including handicrafts, jewelry, souvenirs, and more.

There are also a bunch of restaurants and small street-food vendors here offering traditional Yucatan meals and of course, tacos.

2. Parque De Las Palapas

Parque de las Palapas is the main central square in Downtown Cancun City. In fact, it was the first main square to be created here and is still a lively meeting place for the people of the city. You'll find it just behind Avenida Tulum (the main street).

The park (square) has an array of food stalls and carts selling mostly tortilla-based snacks and meals including fresh tacos and quesadillas. This spot is popular with locals and is often the scene of open-air performances after sundown.

Nearby, you've also got the first Catholic Church constructed in Cancun Downtown, called Cristo Rey.

4. Go Taquería Hopping

They say that in Mexico, every meal is a celebration. From Cabo San Lucas to Cancun, there’s no shortage of taquerías in North America’s culinary capital.

So, when visiting Downtown Cancun, one of the best things to do is a DIY "Taquería Crawl". There are loads of great taco joints in the city where you can taste authentic Mexican street food without paying extortionate prices like you will in the Hotel Zone.

My favorite taquería is Taquería Coapeñitos, an awesome little bar-style taco joint with fresh flavors and Cancun-famous tortas. Some other places you might want to check out include:

• Gory Tacos
• Taquería el Poblano
• Tacos Rigo

Tip: If you want to taste the best street food in Cancun then you can book a guided street food tour that runs for approximately 3 hours and stops at the most famous spots.

5. Mercado 23

• Open 06:00-17:00

While Mercado 28 is the main market draw in Downtown Cancun, Mercado 23 is a worthwhile visit for visitors looking to stock up on fresh fruit and produce. This is still cash-only but there's less haggling, fixed-price produce & Día-de-Muertos pop-ups.

Mercado 23 is located closer to Avenida Tulum, making it a more convenient stop.

You won't find bustling restaurants or quite the variety as you will at Mercado 28. However, strolling through this particular market definitely felt a bit more "local".

6. Stroll Down Avenida Tulum

Avenida Tulum is the main street in the city. Consequently, most hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets are on this strip. If you're running out of things to do in Downtown Cancun, go for a wander down this street or jump in a colectivo and see where it takes you.

7. Discover Mexican Street Art

What I didn't know before visiting is that Cancun Downtown is a bit of a street-art capital! There are awesome murals painted all over the city.

Below are a few photos of some that I stumbled upon. However, you can also book a street art tour that takes you to all the best ones in the Downtown Area. The best part about booking a tour is that you'll also get the back story behind the artist's vision. This is something I definitely missed when walking around.

The city government also publishes a free murals map at enjoy.cancun.gob.mx, which is what I’d use if you’d rather walk it yourself.

How to Get from Downtown Cancun to The Hotel Zone

The best part about staying in El Centro is that for 12 MXN (about US$0.71) and 20 minutes on a bus, you’re on the same white sand as everyone paying hundreds a night on the strip.

Option	Cost	Time	Notes
R1 or R2 bus	12 MXN (US$0.71)	20-40 min	Flag it down anywhere on Avenida Tulum. Pay the driver in pesos, small coins. They rarely have change for dollars.
Uber	200-250 MXN (US$12-15)	15-25 min	Works fine within the city. Add roughly 25% late at night.
Taxi	250 MXN+ (US$15+)	15-25 min	Agree the fare before you get in. There is no meter.
Colectivo	10 MXN (US$0.59)	Varies	Shared minivans for hops around El Centro. The same vans run Highway 307 to Playa del Carmen for 55 MXN (US$3.24).

I take the bus every time. For 12 MXN there’s no argument, and both routes run the length of Avenida Tulum.

Tips For Visiting Downtown Cancun

Q. Is Downtown Cancun safe?
Downtown Cancun feels safe to walk, and it doesn’t feel like a tourist beat, which is the whole appeal. The US State Department has Quintana Roo at Level 2, "exercise increased caution", and specifically advises caution after dark in Cancun and sticking to well-lit pedestrian streets. That matches what I’d tell a friend: Avenida Tulum, Avenida Nader and Parque de las Palapas are busy and fine at night, and there’s no reason to wander the residential supermanzanas after dark. Pickpocketing is the realistic risk, not violence.

Q. How do you get to Downtown Cancun from the airport?
The most convenient way to get to Downtown Cancun from the airport is to book an airport taxi. However, what I didn't know (and I got stung by this) is that there is a taxi mafia operating here. These guys will charge you crazy prices (upwards of $90 USD) for a 25-minute ride. I'd suggest not walking out of the main airport building and choosing one of the authorized taxis just outside the bag carousels. Whatever you do, don't walk left out of the airport area immediately after exiting the airport building.

The second option is to take the ADO bus. You can book a ticket at the "ADO Booth" just before you exit the airport building. This is the public airport bus service running to Downtown Cancun.

Q. How do you get around in Downtown Cancun?
Your best bet to get around is to walk, take a taxi, jump in a colectivo (mini-van ride share), or get the bus. Uber has been legal in Quintana Roo since the 2024 court ruling and it works fine inside the city, though drivers still avoid airport pickups because of pressure from the taxi unions (but expect rideshares to be around 40% cheaper than yellow cabs).

More Things to do in the Mayan Riviera

I hope you've enjoyed this travel guide featuring the best things to do in Downtown Cancun City, Mexico. While you're here on my blog, make sure to check out some of my other articles and off-the-beaten-path travel guides I've written for the Yucatan and the Mayan Riviera.