Cancun Shopping Guide

For those tired of the beach scene or wanting to get some souvenirs or a new club outfit, Cancun shopping has the answer in its many malls, which cater to loads of tourists from the U.S. and other European countries. 

Our experience has been that clothing prices tend to be more expensive than what you will find inside the States.  However, the duty-free shops hold many bargains for those whose pocketbooks run a little deeper.  UltraFemme, for example, is one of the more pervasive Cancun shopping stores which specializes in perfumes, cosmetics, and jewelry.  Note that the downtown location of this store has better prices than you will find at any of its resort or airport locations.  For serious shoppers, this may be worth the ride to the mainland.

The biggest Cancun shopping mall is Plaza Kukulkán with more than 300 shops and restaurants.  It also has a movie theater, bowling alley, laser tag pavilion, and liquor store.  There’s plenty of designer clothing shops and plenty more that specialize in bathing-suits, in true resort fashion.  For those wanting to stay in contact with home, there is also an internet cafe among the half-million square feet of shopping space found in this Cancun shopping mall.  Open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Plaza Caracol offers the long-standing traditional souvenirs of Señor Frog along with fashion mainstays like Guess and Gucci.  It’s a nice two-story air-conditioned Cancun shopping mall with marble floors and great architectural design.  Cartier also has a nice little shop located here.

Another Cancun shopping mall, Plaza Flamingo, is smaller but tends to be less crowded.  It houses Planet Hollywood and the infamous Pat O’Brien’s, while nearby Forum by the Sea has a wide selection of restaurants including The Rainforest Café, Hard Rock Café, Coco Bongo, and the Santa Fe Beer Factory.  Internationally recognized stores like Berger, Swatch, Tommy Hilfiger, Levi's, and Harley Davidson are among this Cancun shopping mall’s 78 shops.  Note that many of dinner and club locations stay open much later than the retail shops.

Along the lagoon side of the island you will also find the newest in Cancun shopping- La Isla Shopping Village.  Done in a new open-air village style, this complex has lots of shops and restaurants lining its canals.  We found it very well done, and very nice!  There’s also an aquarium, dolphin swim pavilion, American movie theater, video arcade, and nightclub right in the mix.  Benetton, Guess, and a Warner Brothers Studio store are thrown in for good fashion measure.   Definitely a Cancun shopping mall worth a look.

For those looking for more crafty souvenirs, there are several large open air market inside Cancun city.  Coral Negro, located in the Hotel Zone on the island, has the same kind of crafts and is open daily from 7 AM till 11 PM.  At night, the restaurant inside the market becomes a disco.

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