Oh yes you cancun

Is Cancun really all about Sex on the Beach, Slippery Nipples and Spring Break? TheMoveChannel peeks behind the psychedelic all-you-can-drink specials to uncover the Mexican city's softer side...

You don't have to be an underage American university student in a hot pink bikini to enjoy Cancun.

Saying that, if you do fancy a spot of clubbing, there is a slew of nightclubs raging seven nights a week, especially during spring break - the traditional week in March when the 80,000 students pour in to take advantage of Mexico's drinking age of 18, as opposed to the US's 21. Be warned, the resorts, Bars and restaurants increase their prices over Spring Break, so it may be better to visit at another time of year.

Away from the nightclubs, Cancun does offer a quieter pace of life, with stunning beaches and eclectic wildlife that can only be seen in this sub-tropic of Mexico.

The wonderful areas of the Yucatan have been preserved and are just as they were when the Spanish Conquistadors took over this area. If you are into hiking or biking, you will love the many trails in Cancun's four major parks - Xcaret, Tres Rios, Garrafon Natural Park and Aktun Chen.

Xcaret is an hour's drive south of Cancun and includes a dolphin encounter, butterfly pavilion, manatee lagoon, flowing rivers, limestone caverns and jungle path tour.

If you want to get a glimpse of the true Mexico and the country's wildlife, take a 30 minute drive off the Tulum to visit Aktun Chen Park, which is bursting with spider monkeys and caverns to explore.

Forty five minutes south of Cancun on the Riviera Maya lies Reserva Natural Tres Rios. There are several ways in which you can enjoy an entire day exploring this tropical reserve, from kayaking, canoeing or jet skiing through the mangrove swamps.

You can also hire horses or bikes to trek along the jungle trails, or snorkel off the Coast to see tropical fish and coral reefs.

Garrafon National Park is on the southeastern tip of Isla Mujeres, a short ferry ride from Cancun and a hotspot for scuba diving. From the bluff you can enjoy a fantastic vista over Cancun and it's far enough away from the city to escape the madding crowds. 

Picture by lightmatter