With regard to Cancun, it is actually a great base for visiting Mayan ruins on the Yucatan peninsula. In addition to Tulum and Xel-Ha, there is Coba in the same direction from Cancun. It is not a long distance. My husband and I rented a jeep to drive there. Last Sunday, it was mentioned in an article in the New York Times travel section. It said there is actually a Club Med near the entrance to Coba, but the ruins themselves remain largely unexcavated.

In almost the opposite direction is Chichen Itza, one of the more well known sites. Also, near Merida and not really that much farther than Chichen Itza are the sites of Uxmal.

Cancun itself is not much more than a beach resort area, but one can take the catamaran rides to Isla Mujeres which often include some snorkeling. Also, Cozumel is a short hop. We found it to be an ideal combination of beach and opportunity to explore Mayan ruins. I am pretty sure we have had this discussion on the list before, and there is probably some better information in the archives from John Rule who is certainly our resident expert.

Lisa in Chicago