Car Rental in Cancun, Mexico
Known for its beaches filled with white sand and for its turquoise sea, Cancun is one of the most popular destinations in Mexico. The majestic mangroves, exuberant jungle and coral reefs, mystical cenotes and mysterious underwater caverns make the city’s tourism stand out and attract numerous visitors each year.
What many of those visitors find is that renting a car can make the experience of visiting Cancun even better. Keep on reading to understand why and answer all your questions about car rental in Cancun!
How does car rental in Cancun work?
With Localiza, renting a car in Cancun is very easy. All you need to do is follow these steps:
- Access our website and chose the pick-up date, time and location.
- Choose the return date, time and location.
- Click on “Continue”.
- Choose the best car group, fees and upgrades for your trip.
How much does it cost to rent a car in Cancun?
The average cost to rent a car in Cancun may vary according to different factors, like the car model, the upgrades and the time of year (prices tend to increase during high season, for instance).
Nevertheless, renting a car in Cancun has one advantage over other locations: the average price for a car rental in Cancun is one of the lowest in the world!
What’s necessary to rent a car in Cancun?
To rent a car in Cancun, you need to have a valid driver’s license, a valid photo ID card and a credit card in your name. Most companies also require that the driver is over 25 years old.
If you’re younger than 25 but older than 21, it’s also possible to rent a car under the “Young driver” category. However, additional fees might apply.
Is it worth it to rent a car in Cancun?
Car rental in Cancun has one of the lowest average costs in the world, so it’s a specially advantageous option for travelers.
The city is known for its hotel zone, and it’s possible to have a very nice few days without leaving it. Even so, it’s a large region and the high heat and humidity make it hard to walk, so being able to move by car will definitely make the trip more enjoyable.
In addition, the roads of Cancun have great infrastructure and the local drivers are known to be respectful, all of which makes driving in the city much easier. There are also plenty of parking spaces that are not usually expensive and the gas prices are very good.
What to do in Cancun with a rental car?
Whether in or out of the hotel zone, Cancun offers wonderful tours to its visitors. Here are a few suggestions for you to enjoy the city even more with your car rental:
Hotel zone
Cancun’s hotel zone, also known as Isla Cancun, is a fringe of land that goes on for about 23 km (14.3 miles) and is home to beaches, resorts and most of the city’s touristic attractions.
If you want to enjoy the most of the breathtaking Caribbean Sea, you can choose between a variety of beaches, such as Playa Delfines, Playa Tortugas and Playa Chac Mool. If you wish to know all the city has to offer, don’t worry, because there’ll be no shortage of options.
For a culture-filled afternoon, the Mayan Museum and the Archeological Zone of Cancun are the best places to learn about Mayan culture and history. The Interactive Aquarium Cancun is also a great source of learning and fun, where you can see and interact with a large variety of marine species.
Isla Mujeres
Isla Mujeres is close to the coast of Cancun and can only be accessed through ferry. Our suggestion and to board in the Puero Juárez terminal, 15 km (9 miles) off the hotel zone, to cross the sea towards the island in about 20 minutes.
From there, you can rent a car and explore the island’s beaches and touristic attractions, like the Garrafon Natural Park, the Celarain Lighthouse in the Punt Sura Park and the Underwater Museum of Art, or MUSA, which has over 500 life-size sculptures. You can visit the MUSA by glass-bottom boat tour or by snorkeling.
When in Isla Mujeres, also be sure not to miss Playa Norte, considered one of the most charming beaches in Mexico.
Xcaret Park
Xcaret Park is located 80 km (about 50 miles) off the hotel zone in Cancun. It’s one of the biggest natural water parks in Mexico, as well as the most famous in the region.
It has over 50 attractions and activities for all ages, like diving in underground rivers, swimming with dolphins and observing the local flora and fauna. In addition, in the park, you can also watch local dance shows and visit pre-Hispanic archeological sites.
Mayan Ruins of Tulum
Tulum was one of the last cities inhabited by the Mayan people and an important trading center. Nowadays, it’s one of the most impressive archeological sites in Mexico, with an incredible view of the Caribean Sea. You can visit on your own, or ask a local guite to take you through this city-musuem and learn more about the history and culture of the former inhabitants of the region.
After that, you can visit the groundwater pools formed by underground rivers, which are known as cenotes. Some of the most famous are Gran Cenote, Cenote Dos Ojos y Cenote Calavera.