Cancun began as a tourism project in 1974. Since then, it has undergone a comprehensive transformation from being a fisherman’s island surrounded by virgin forest and undiscovered shores to being one of the two most well-known Mexican resorts, like Acapulco on the west pacific coast. The majority of local ‘Cancúnenses’ are from Yucatán and other Mexican states. A growing number are from the rest of the Americas and Europe. The municipal authorities have struggled to provide public services for the constant arrival of new residents. The above photo was taken in 1970 and compared to the below image, taken in the exact same spot, the development of Cancun is obvious.

Apart from the island tourist zone which is also home to the world’s second-longest coral reef, the Mexican residential section of the city, the downtown part of which is known as “El Centro”. The residential roads of central or ‘Mainland’ Cancun, U-shaped and culs-de-sacs, insulate housing from the noise and congestion of the main flow of traffic. The center of Cancun has a central market that resembles an outlet mall, colorful buildings on pedestrian zones. The main ferry to Isla Mujeres is located in Puerto Juarez, on Ave. Paseo José López Portillo.