Isla Mujeres, named by 16th century pirates who stumbled upon the island and found nothing but old statues of woman, offers a secluded, enriching experience for anyone interested in turtles, both small and enormous. The Isla Mujeres Turtle Farm protects the sea turtles’ breeding grounds and provides, for those who are careful and quiet, a close encounter with wild, roaming turtles that weigh as much as 700 pounds. Turtle Farm tours leave from Cancun daily.  « hide

19 miles north of Isla Mujeres, an island 35 minutes by boat from Cancun, is the uninhabited Isla Contoy. There are limited daily excursions to the small densely forested island that acts as a bird sanctuary to over 100 species. You can find flamingos, turkey birds, egrets, herons and brown boobies, but also coexisting in this isolated landmass are boa constrictors and small crocodiles, so if you decide to go, stay close to your guides and empty your pockets of any leftover raw meat.  « hide

Mercado 28 is an open-air market a bit outside of the main downtown shopping area. If you want to find slightly lower prices and you enjoy haggling for your goods, tell the cab driver the name of your destination, and no matter where you are on the island or in town, within a few minutes you’ll be standing amidst Mexican pottery, rugs, jewelry, ancient herbal remedies and local foods. This is a good place to blend in, so ditch the giant designer sunglasses and doe-eyed tourist glare.  « hide

Most people know that drinking the water in locations like Cancun is often hazardous to your health, although Cancun has improved its health standards significantly over the years, there are still many areas where the water is not clean enough to drink without filters. Even though owners and waiters tell you that the water is safe, you are better off sticking to bottled water. And don’t forget that water is used to rinse and prepare just about every variety of food. It is hard to escape all avenues of infection, and normally the worst case scenario is a severe case of Montezuma’s Revenge. But if you roam outside of Cancun along the peripheries, be extra careful of the water around you.  « hide

Walking the streets or the beaches of Cancun you will invariably run across some timeshare salesperson trying to entice you with a free meal, free massage or even a free weekend at a resort or hotel. If you have no intention of buying a timeshare, do not speak to the person. Do not casually banter with the person because these people are highly trained in the art of deception. Your best move is to walk away, and if you must talk, be blunt, brutally, and painfully honest. Don’t worry. Their feelings will not be hurt, and you will be spared hours of agonizing torture at the butt end of an endless sales pitch.  « hide

Shopping areas outside of the main downtown center will be cheaper and more geared towards local customers. If you’re confident in your abilities to speak the native tongue and you’re aware of your surroundings, you will probably be okay. But the farther you move outside of the center, the more risk there is of theft. Also, in every downtown market, avoid the deep mazes that pop up around every corner, and if someone tries to lure you deep into the market with promise of savings or discounts, avoid the temptation. A few dollars savings is not worth your entire wallet or an injury.  « hide