What's a good 3-day itinerary for Cancun?

Start at El Rey at 8am, when the iguanas still outnumber the tourists and the limestone feels cool under the morning shade. This small Maya site sits right on Boulevard Kukulcán at Km 18, so you don't need a taxi from most Hotel Zone properties. Entry costs 95 MXN, about $5.50 USD. Walk 10 minutes north to the Mayan Museum of Cancún, which opened in 2012 and holds over 3,500 artifacts across two floors. The air-conditioning alone is worth the 95 MXN ticket after the heat at El Rey. By noon, grab a taxi or R-1 bus to Playa Delfines at Km 17.5, the best public beach in the Hotel Zone. No vendors, no resort ropes, and the sand is coarser than at Playa Caracol to the north, more grit than powder. That said, the waves at Delfines hit harder, so stay inside the lifeguard flags. Sunset from the mirador above Delfines runs about 7:15pm in June. The lagoon side of Boulevard Kukulcán has cheaper dinner spots. Try Lorenzillo's near Km 10.5 for lobster at 600-800 MXN per plate, or the lagoon-side taco carts near Km 8 for 50-MXN al pastor.

Day 2 moves to El Centro, where prices drop by half. Take the R-1 bus from the Hotel Zone for 13 MXN, under $1 USD. It runs along Boulevard Kukulcán and deposits you on Avenida Tulum in about 40 minutes. Start at Parque de las Palapas by 9am. The park smells like marquesitas being made on the griddles at the perimeter stalls. These are crispy crepe-like tubes filled with Edam cheese and Nutella, 40-50 MXN each. From the park, walk 4 blocks south to Mercado 28 for haggling over hammocks and Oaxacan black pottery. Lunch at Pescaditos on Avenida Yaxchilán. Their ceviche negro runs about 160 MXN, and the fish taco plate with dark beer costs 220 MXN. After lunch, take an R-2 bus north to El Meco, a Maya site about 5 km past Puerto Juárez. El Meco sees fewer than 50 visitors on a weekday. The main pyramid, El Castillo, stands 12.5 metres tall and overlooks the mangroves. Entry is 55 MXN. From the top of El Castillo, you'll hear nothing but wind and birds. Return to downtown by 5pm for dinner at Tacos Rigo on Avenida Cobá, where al pastor plates run 90-120 MXN.

Day 3 belongs to the Caribbean. The Cancún Underwater Museum, known as MUSA, opened in 2010 with over 500 sculptures sunk between 3 and 6 metres deep at Punta Nizuc and Manchones Reef near Isla Mujeres. Book a morning snorkel tour from the Hotel Zone. Departures leave around 9am from marinas near Km 6 on Boulevard Kukulcán. Most operators charge 800-1,200 MXN per person for 2-3 hours, gear included. The Punta Nizuc section is shallower and calmer, better for nervous swimmers. The water in June sits around 28°C, warm enough that a wetsuit feels unnecessary. Visibility tends to run 8-15 metres depending on recent weather. After the tour, dry off and eat at Puerto Madero at Km 14.5 for a lagoon-view lunch of grilled octopus at about 350 MXN. If you still have energy, the Costa Occidental de Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancún y Punta Nizuc National Park covers the reef system you snorkeled over. It was established in 1996. The afternoon is for the pool or Playa Forum at Km 9, where the water is calmer than at Delfines. Coco Bongo at Km 9.5 opens at 10:30pm with a cover of about 1,500 MXN that includes open bar.

A few things the Hotel Zone pamphlets won't mention. June is the wet season. Afternoons bring thunderstorms that hit hard and pass in 45 minutes. Today's weather at 1:45pm showed 30.7°C with 69% humidity and a thunderstorm with hail. Conditions like these are standard from June through October. Mornings tend to be clear, so front-load your outdoor plans before noon. The R-1 bus is the cheapest way between the Hotel Zone and downtown, running every 5-10 minutes from 5am to midnight. Taxis from the Hotel Zone to El Centro cost about 250-350 MXN. The hotel front desk will quote you 500 MXN. Negotiate, or use the inDrive app. Mind you, the Hotel Zone is a 25-km sandbar between the Caribbean and the Nichupté Lagoon. Walking it end to end takes 5-6 hours, and south of El Rey there's nothing but resorts and construction. Use the R-1 bus, budget about 40 MXN per day for transit, and save your legs for El Meco and downtown. Total distance across all three days runs about 65 km by foot and transit combined.