Last Updated
Cancun is a super picturesque destination, with stunning beaches, turquoise ocean, and beautifully designed resorts providing plenty of photo ops. But there are other attractions that will also look great on your social media feed. Here we share the top 5 places for photo ops in Cancun.
Playa Delfines and Playa Longosta
Two of Cancun’s spectacular beaches, Playa Delfines and Playa Langosta, each offer great photo opportunities. If you’re looking for the classic Cancun beach scene, here you have it. That white, white sand and crystal clear, sparkling ocean will leave friends, family, and followers in no doubt about where you are when you post the photos to your socials.
Find yourself a palapa umbrella to recline under, or strike a pose by one of the brightly-colored Cancun city signs. Snap the waves as they crash on the shore, or capture a special moment with your loved ones as a reminder of your vacation. There are options galore for new content at Cancun’s beaches – just remember to make time to relax too.
Aerial view from the Ferris Wheel
In the center of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, you’ll find La Isla shopping mall. Here, as well as some of the best shopping in Cancun, you’ll also find a huge Ferris wheel to enjoy. Also known as the Gran Rueda or El Sol de Cancun, this wheel reaches a lofty 70 meters in height, which makes for great photo opportunities as you gaze down over Cancun.
Wait until you reach the peak of the loop, then have your camera at the ready, as you decide whether the ocean, Nichupté Lagoon, or a pano shot will do the views most justice. If you visit near the end of the day, you might also catch a sunset. And don’t worry if you miss your chance the first time round – you’ll complete three full loops, so you’ll have extra chances to take that perfect shot.
Underwater museum
If you’re planning a day trip to Isla Mujeres from Cancun, as many visitors do, then another great photo op is the MUSA, otherwise known as the underwater museum. Here’s a handy guide to visiting the MUSA.
The initiative was built with the intention of creating a man-made reef that would divert divers away from the natural reef, allowing it to repair and replenish. The MUSA opened in 2009 and has since become one of the most popular attractions in the Cancun area.
If you plan to dive at the museum, you’ll need an underwater camera, but non-divers needn’t miss out, as there are also glass bottom boat tours available so you can capture some great shots of the enchanting underwater world, where you’ll spot some of the 500 sculptures carefully placed at the bottom of the ocean.
Street Art
There are many Mexican Caribbean destinations that are becoming leading areas for street art, and Cancun has now been added to that list. Colorful street art makes for a great photo opportunity, especially alongside the urban sights of downtown Cancun.
Since 2016, PangeaSeed, an ocean preservation organization, has commissioned various pieces of street art under the campaign ‘Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans’. The aim of the campaign is to increase awareness of marine life through art, and it appears to be working, with many people visiting the most popular pieces of art to take striking photos.
The art can be found all around the downtown Cancun area, with clusters on the side of apartment blocks in Avenida Bonampak and further popular pieces found along Avenida Yaxchilán, Avenida Uxmal, and Avenida Nader. If you don’t want to head downtown, there’s also street art in the Hotel Zone, including a huge snake mural near the fire station on Avenida Kukulcán.
El Rey Mayan ruins
Mayan ruins are one of the most culturally important sights in the Mexican Caribbean and, although most people think of Chichen Itzá or the Cobá ruins, there’s also a ruin site in Cancun where you can take some great vacation photos.
Found mid-way down the hotel zone, the Mayan ruins at El Rey Archaeolgical site date back as far as the 1,200s when it was an important site for maritime trade. The ruins at the Museo Maya de Cancun are a great place to visit as an introduction to this fascinating aspect of Mexican culture.
As much as the ruins themselves are important, many people now visit the site to see the hundreds of iguanas that call El Rey their home. Whether you choose to take a guided tour, or just pay the 55 Peso entry fee to catch a glimpse of the iguanas is entirely up to you, but you’ll end up with some great photos either way.
Plan Your Next Cancun Vacation:
Traveler Alert: Don’t Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip!
Choose From Thousands of Cancun and Riviera Maya Hotels, Resorts and Hostels with Free Cancellation On Most Properties
↓ Join the community ↓
The Cancun Sun Community FB group has all the latest travel news, conversations and tourism Q&A’s for the Mexican Caribbean
Subscribe to our Latest Posts
Enter your email address to subscribe to The Cancun Sun’s latest breaking news affecting travelers, straight to your inbox.