10 Things to Do in Cancun in February

Cancun is a unique destination with plenty to see and do. And because the climate in Cancun and the Riviera Maya is semi-tropical, you can visit almost any time of the year and have a great holiday.

February in particular has much cooler and more pleasant temperatures, as it belongs to the so-called dry season. It is also one of the best months to visit the city, as it is inevitably much less crowded than in the summer season.

With fewer people in Cancun in February, it's the perfect time to enjoy a boat trip along the coast. In fact, it's one of the most romantic plans you can do with your partner for Valentine's Day in the city. There are many different types of boat tours in Cancun, but for a couple's plan I recommend the sunset tour.

This activity usually lasts around 4 hours and a half and you can enjoy a nice ride along the amazing coast of Cancun and Isla Mujeres, while tasting delicious cocktails and appetizers.

The Riviera Maya is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on the Caribbean coast and February is a good month to enjoy some peace and quiet on these beaches without the high concentration of tourists in the summer. It is also a good time to enjoy the golf tournaments that are held in the area.

In the Riviera Maya it is also worth visiting Valladolid, a historic city near Cancun with incredible architecture that you will surely love to explore. Be sure to visit its Municipal Market, a great place to see the pulse of the city.

Discover the beauty of Chichén Itzá

Very close to Valladolid is Chichén Itzá, a group of ancient Mayan ruins. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is universally famous for its incredible ancient pyramids.

The oldest building in Chichén Itzá dates back to the 5th century. The most impressive structure in the entire city is the pyramid Temple of Kukulkan (aka "El Castillo"). The nine terraces surrounding it symbolise the belief in a nine-tiered heaven.

This site is very well preserved, so you can see perfectly how the ancient Maya lived. It is about 2.5 hours from Cancun by car, or 3 hours by bus. But the best thing to do is to take an organised tour to Chichen Itza. There are different types of tours to Chichen Itza, some of which combine the visit with other destinations.

Isla Mujeres is one of Cancun's best beaches and is located off the coast just 20-30 minutes away by ferry. I recommend booking an excursion to Isla Mujeres so you can visit the national parks in peace and quiet and even swim at the famous North Beach.

Isla Mujeres offers breathtaking views thanks to its rocky coastline and beautiful bays. It is also the first place where you can see the sunrise in Mexico. This quiet fishing village offers a relaxing break from the hectic nightlife of Cancun.

Watch sea turtles hatch at the local turtle farm and conservation centre. You can drive around the island in a rented golf cart, visit the temple of Ixchel, visit the Garrafon Reef Park, kayak, scuba dive, snorkel or visit the 19th century ruins of Hacienda Mundaca.

Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula is famous for its incredible cenotes, natural water-filled sinkholes formed in limestone caves. The entire Riviera Maya is covered with thousands of them, and you can swim in many of them. In February there is the advantage that you can visit a cenote without the risk of rain at other times of the year.

Cenotes are created when the limestone surface collapses, creating an opening into the great underground river system of the Yucatan.

Some of the best cenotes near Cancun are located on the so-called Ruta de Cenotes, near the town of Puerto Morelos, about 30 minutes' drive away. Here you will find La Noria cenote , Verde Lucero cenote, Mojarras cenote and Selvática cenote, among many others. And most of them can be reached on the different guided cenote tours offered.

Zip lining is one of the best activities to do in Cancun, so you can't miss it, even if you think you are afraid of heights. February is an ideal month to go zip lining, as you will be spending a lot of time out doors and the weather is more pleasant. In addition, the rates are also usually cheaper in this month.

To access it you must visit the Xplor adventure park. It has two interesting zip-line circuits, each with 7 different courses, with the highest point at 45 m (147 ft). These adventure parks often have other activities as well, such as ATVs and cenotes.

Constitution Day is celebrated in Mexico on February 5th, and downtown Cancun is a great place to enjoy parades, concerts, festivals, street celebrations and other events of this bank holidays.

In the city centre you can also enjoy the famous Mexican wrestling. Wrestling is a unique Mexican cultural experience in Cancun. There are two masked wrestlers, the "good guy" and the "bad guy", who use a mixture of wrestling, acrobatics and theatrical manoeuvres in an attempt to win. Wrestling events are held in the city centre at Arena Cancun every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday night.

Be sure to stroll down Avenida Tulum to see and experience the real Cancun. And if you want to try the typical food, be sure to sample the tacos from the vendors you'll find there. Although I recommend taking a gastronomic tour of Cancun if you really don't want to miss out on any flavours.

A temazcal ritual is a traditional Mayan purification ceremony that takes place in a small hut. To participate you have to stay in your swimming costume or underwear, and then enter the so-called sweat lodge, which is heated with hot stones and water, turning it into a steam sauna. In February you can enjoy this ancient tradition much more intimately.

A local shaman leads the entire ceremony and attends to the participants. The temazcal ceremony takes place in complete darkness, while the shaman pours water over the hot rocks, chanting and using different herbs to invoke the spirits.

The temazcal has been performed since ancient times, it is considered a purification ceremony that cleanses the body, mind and soul. As the body sweats in the small hut, one enters a deep state of meditation, enhanced by the almost hypnotic shamanic chanting.

February 2nd is Candlemas Day (also known as Tamale Day). On Candlemas Day, people dress up figures of the baby Jesus in special costumes and take them to church to be blessed. They also gather with family and friends to eat tamales, a typical Mexican dish made of corn and plantain.

Candlemas Day is celebrated on February 2nd because it was the day when farmers took their corn cobs to be blessed for a good harvest.

As this is not something that is celebrated in tourist restaurants or bars, you will have to mingle with the locals to celebrate this holiday.

The Cancun Scenic Tower offers absolutely spectacular views of the Caribbean coastline and Cancun itself. It is the tallest structure in the entire Mexican Caribbean. This 100-metre high tower is open every day of the year from 9am to 9pm, and in February you'll have to wait in less crowded lines. Please note that to access the tower you have to climb up to a 60 person capacity cabin, and in summer the waits can be long.

While the tower is slowly rotating 360 degrees to give you a spectacular bird 's eye view of the entire Hotel Zone, you can listen to the history of Cancun.

The ride to the top of the tower takes about 5 minutes, and you can spend another 15 minutes taking pictures while the deck rotates giving you incredible panoramic views.

Cancun is a bustling city with many shopping centres, craft fairs and shops. There you can find high quality products at great prices.

In February you can find even better deals than in other months of the year, so you can take advantage of your trip to buy clothes, shoes, bags, accessories and anything else you need.

The most important shopping centre in Cancun is El Mercado 28 It is not a typical shopping mall, but a huge flea market with hundreds of vendors offering everything from textiles to leather goods to maracas. At Mercado 28 you can find great Mexican handmade souvenirs, ideal for travel gifts. Don't hesitate to put your haggling skills to the test by resisting the vendor's first offer.

The days in Cancun in February are warm but the humidity is considerably lower than in summer. Evenings are a little cooler than in the summer season, but it's warm enough for pleasant swimming in the ocean and pools.

Cancun enjoys pleasant sunny weather all year round. Actually, the temperatures in Cancun don't change much during the year, what does change is the humidity. The temperature in February does not drop below 23 degrees Celsius, so it can be a very pleasant month to enjoy Cancun. If you are one of those people who don't like the heat, it can be one of the best months to spend your holidays.

However, if you are still wondering when to travel to this Mexican city, take a look at our post about the best time to visit Cancun