Every hotel room along Cancun's skinny sliver of land is a room with a view, each one with windows framing a tropical portrait in turquoise, white, cream, and deep blue.  

The festive, colorful sombrero is an iconic symbol of Mexican culture. You can buy them in shops throughout Cancun, but the best way to experience the beauty of the sombrero is during an authentic cultural performance.  

Cancun doesn't immediately come to mind as a destination rich in culture, but it is and that is part of its allure. Mayan roots are deep here, visible in ancient ruins and in today's Mayan people who add color and beauty to weddings and performances.  

Not everything about Cancun is glitzy and fast-paced. It is also a place where it's easy to find quiet spaces to watch the setting sun or come upon a natural treasure like this conch shell discovered on a stroll along the sandy shore.  

Even when Cancun is filled with vacationers, it's always possible to find a lounge chair or cabana hidden away in a leafy corner near the pool or out on the sand.  

You can snack on inexpensive tacos and tamales here, but Cancun is also about haute cuisine. At high-end hotels like The Royal in Cancun, guests can choose fine dining and, perhaps, handcrafted chocolate desserts, like this one.  

All along the beach in Cancun are local people who make a living helping visitors have a good time. Jet-skiing? This lady will be glad to get you ready for a high-octane adventure.  

Mexican resorts are photo-ops waiting to happen so don't forget your camera. Around every corner is a brightly colored building graced by eye-catching tropical blooms and set off against an intense blue sky.  

Hotels may rise shoulder to shoulder along the narrow island shoreline that is the hotel zone in Cancun, but step down to the water's edge and you can walk for miles along the sugary white sand.  

At The Royal in Cancun, guests in luxury swim-up suites have a private pool area and blissful 'floating' lounge chairs far from the resort crowds.