Playa Chac Mool - Named for a Stone Figure

A stop on Cancun: Downtown and the Hotel Zone, a free self-guided tour.

This wide public beach takes its name from the chacmool, a famous figure of ancient Mexican art: a man reclining on his back, knees raised, head turned to the side, holding a dish or bowl on his stomach. The best known examples were found at Chichen Itza, a few hours west of here. Scholars still debate what the figures meant; many think the bowls held offerings.

Playa Chac Mool is the classic Cancun beach of postcards: powdery pale sand, water that shifts from turquoise to deep blue, and real surf rolling in from the Caribbean. The public walkway leads straight from the boulevard to the sea.

The sand under your feet may not be original. Hurricanes, especially Wilma in 2005, stripped much of the Hotel Zone's beach, and the shoreline has been rebuilt several times with sand dredged from offshore. On this open-sea side the surf can be strong, so read the flag before you go in.

Getting here: Walk south along the boulevard from Punta Cancun, about 5 to 10 minutes, to the public beach access at km 9.5 to 10.

Did you know?: The name chacmool was coined in the 1870s by the explorer Augustus Le Plongeon, who dug up one of the figures at Chichen Itza. The ancient name is unknown.

Photo op: Stand at the top of the public walkway and frame the path leading down to the bands of turquoise and blue water.

More on Wikipedia: Chacmool · Chichen Itza · Augustus Le Plongeon · Hurricane Wilma

Playa Chac Mool - Named for a Stone Figure

Stops on this tour