Cancun is divided into two main sections, the island that hosts most of the hotels and resorts and the mainland where downtown Cancun stands. The most famous tourist neighborhood is the hotel zone on the island. Aside from the corridors of large hotels and resorts, this area is also home to some excellent entertainment and dining. There are a number of shopping areas here as well, but they tend to be more expensive than the shopping downtown. The hotel zone is home to the most trendy discos and entertainment that Cancun has to offer.

Downtown Cancun is connected to the hotel zone by Kukulcan Boulevard, which is lined along some stretches with reproductions of pre-Hispanic Mayan structures. The downtown area is fully recovered from the hurricane with all markets, restaurants and bars being open.  Check out Yaxchilan Avenue for a great stretch of restaurants and bars, authentic food and prices far more reasonable than the hotel \zone. The nearby Tulum ruins (+1.5 hrs drive south) were not affected by the storm and make for a breathtaking visit. The feel of the downtown area is more folkloric and traditionally Mexican than the trendy resort atmosphere of the hotel zone.

Other interesting neighborhoods to the north are: Puerto Juarez, Playa Mujeres and Isla Blanca.  You can take a ferry from Puerto Juarez to Isla Mujeres.  Puerto Juarez looks a little ugly and run down, but further north it gets much better.  A private resort and a Golf course are being built in Playa Mujeres.  Note: Playa Mujeres is the continental part of the municipality of Isla Mujeres, i.e.: Isla Mujeres (obviously an island) has jurisdiction over land in the continent, north of Puerto Juarez.