The Luxurious Side Of Cancun

Author: Justin Burch

Cancun is certainly the most luxurious destination in the Mexican Caribbean. Offering all of the finer things in life, the Hotel Zone and downtown areas of Cancun are brimming with top notch entertainment and relaxation opportunities. With everything from couture shopping to gourmet dining and exquisite spa treatments, Cancun is the place to indulge and treat yourself like royalty.

With the splendor of the Mexican Caribbean in the background, Cancun spas and resorts blend traditional Mayan techniques with innovative technology. Therapeutic treatments, such as thalassotherapy - the use of seawater to relax and rejuvenate - and traditional hot stone massage, offer guests the opportunity to decompress at the beginning or end of a Cancun vacation.

Many spas also utilize a stunning assortment of sea greens, herbs and minerals indigenous to the region in their treatments. Furthermore, despite the top-tier quality of these spas and resorts, spa visits in Cancun are generally much less expensive than comparable trips to destination spas in the United States.

Cancun also boasts the largest spa in all of Latin America, the three-level, 35,000 square foot paradise at JW Marriott Cancun Resort and Spa. Additionally, the JW Marriott Resort and Spa was recently rated as a top 5 Latin American spa by Travel and Leisure Magazine. Offering a full range of Mayan-inspired treatments, incorporating materials such as crystal, stone, mud, exotic fruit and milk, the JW Marriott Cancun Resort and Spa is certainly unlike anything you'll experience at home.

For travelers looking for an exclusively native spa experience, Temazcal is an indigenous Aztec steam bath treatment said to renew the body, mind and spirit. Performed on hot stones with aromatic herbs, the Temazcal treatments are performed in cloth huts on the beach at sunset. As a traditional form of therapy, Temazcal could be likened to certain aspects of the Turkish bath, Finnish sauna or Arabian hammam. Having been practiced for centuries by tribes throughout North and Latin America, the term "Temazcal" is derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec) terms, "temaz" (bath) and "calli" (house). Several beach resorts also offer more traditionally romantic moonlit massages in outdoor cabanas or secluded terraces, allowing guests to enjoy luxurious relaxation in a gorgeous environment with spectacular ocean ambience and vistas.

As you are in Cancun, you will probably want to indulge in some adventurous Mexican cuisine. Many internationally-trained chefs employed in Cancun are well-versed in both local cuisine and cutting edge techniques. Within the Hotel Zone, you will find the most adventurous dishes, with many chefs offering Mayan flavors with a unique European flourish. Most restaurants within the Hotel Zone and downtown Cancun will have menus in English, so there is no need to worry about a culinary language barrier. There are plenty of adventurous cafés both downtown and within the Hotel Zone, but fresh steak and seafood are always available as luxury staples. Take a stroll down the Avenida Tulum if you are looking for a sidewalk café to enjoy some sun and people watching.

Furthermore, with over 1,200 restaurants in Cancun, there is certainly a lot to savor.

The shopping options in Cancun are almost as limitless. With a number of shopping centers containing all of the world's finest retailers, you will find everything you have seen in the magazines at prices below similar stores in the U.S. The Plaza Caracol - the largest of these shopping centers - houses over 200 boutiques and galleries with everything from unique local arts and crafts to European couture. After browsing the racks at Ralph Lauren and Gucci, settle down in one of the complex's many elegant cafes for lunch or a quick snack.

The most luxurious shopping center in Cancun is probably the 500,000 square-foot Plaza Kukulkán. In addition to all types of great local products, all the best stores like Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo and Rolex are located within this sprawling mall. When you are ready to unwind after an exciting day of shopping, there are also plenty of great restaurants and bars in this area of the city.

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