Cancun Shopping and Districts

(Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico)

Bargain hunters will enjoy the shopping on offer in Cancun, with plenty of opportunities to find quality gifts around the downtown district and beyond. A number of large and commercial shopping malls are present in Cancun, where the usual mall brands are to be found, such as The Gap and Hugo Boss.

Most of the shopping centres within Cancun are close to hotels and equally imposing, often featuring ornate architecture. Inside, you can expect to pay through the nose for most goods and therefore tourists often simply enjoy a spot of window shopping in these malls.

Where to Shop

The most popular shopping malls in Cancun lie within the Hotel Zone (Zona Hotelera) and in particular along the Boulevard Kukulcan, with the main centres including:

• Forum Shopping Mall - a three-storey plaza with a number of cinemas and famous brand restaurants
• Isla Shopping Village - a trendy place to shop boasting a series of waterways and bridges, designed to resemble Venice in character
• Mayfair Plaza (Centro Comercial Maya Fair) - featuring many shops selling silverware, leather goods and handicrafts, along with a number of restaurants with outdoor terraces
• Plaza Caracol - on the northern side of the Convention Centre, with around 200 shops, boutiques and restaurants
• Plaza Flamingo - a modern and glitzy mall with lots of marble, boutiques and duty-free shopping
• Plaza Kukulcan - with more than 250 shops, two cinemas, a bowling alley and a food court with restaurants and bars

Other popular shopping malls in Cancun include the Plaza Las Americas, which features more than 50 shops, department stores, cinemas, supermarkets and chain stores. Also notable is the modern La Gran Plaza shopping mall, which is close to the Cancun Hotel Zone and the Plaza Gigante.

Cancun's Mercado Municpal Ki-Huic is a great spot for a little last-minute shopping. This bustling market is located along the Avenida Tulum, on the northern side of the Avenida Coba and boasts a bewildering array of gift and souvenirs. However, this market is aimed solely at tourists visiting Cancun and whilst shopping here may be fun, bargaining over the prices can be a little fruitless.

The largest hotels in Cancun also offer their own shops and small shopping centres, usually located within the lobby. Although these shops are extremely convenient, the good are usually a little pricey.