Tortuga Beach

Playa Tortugas, or Turtle Beach, is definitely up there with Cancun's most popular beaches. There's always a festival atmosphere here and, with the possibility of joining in on the beach volleyball games on the beautiful white sands, cooling off in the turquoise sea and then winding down at one of cocktail bars, small wonder that this is a firm favourite among tourists. The host of other activities on offer, including bungy jumping, attract numerous people here too.

Playa Tortugas doesn't stretch for as long as some of Cancun's other beaches, but you should be able to find a spot to set down your towel. This is a lovely place to sink into the sand or enjoy the incredible views, and there are deckchairs and loungers available here too. There's also a good range of restaurants where you can grab a drink or snack as well as more substantial meals.

The beach is a great swimming spot. The pier here is relatively long, meaning that boats don't often come close to the shoreline, so you won't have to worry about letting young children have a good splash around. The water is clean, safe and not too deep, and it's not a bad place to go snorkelling. You should, however, check how strong the currents are on any particular day, because they have been known to pick up around here at times. Not too far off the coast, you'll hit the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which stretches out from the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula all the way down to Honduras.

And, for those who feel that jumping off the pier is not quite enough air-time, there’s a bungy jumping tower ready and waiting. Make sure you stop to take in the magnificent view out across Cancun's lagoon and beaches before you take the plunge.

Playa Tortugas is 8 kilometres from the centre of Cancun and can be reached quickly and easily by bus or taxi. There's also some paid parking here. This is a public beach which means that there's no admission charge and it stays open all the time.