Malls, Flea Markets, and More Great Shopping in Cancun
By Carol Ruth Weber
Whether staying in the hotel zone or expanding your trip to visit Isla Mujeres and Cozumel, Cancun is a wonderful destination to soak up the local flavor with some shopping fun.
Visitors will find added joy as they hunt for the Mexican treasures of Taxco sterling silver, Mayan art, and lovely handmade blankets, in some of the most unique shops in the hemisphere.
Discover true excitement in the shopping excursions that beckon you when traveling to Riviera Maya. From luxurious malls to delightful street options, and sometimes even within resorts like The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun, Cancun presents a wonderful chance for fulfilling your shopping fancies.
Taking It To The Street
Mercado 28
This immense downtown Cancun marketplace, also known as Market 28, is a wonderful spot for you to bargain for souvenirs with local vendors. As you enjoy shopping for silver, pottery, and woven delights take a moment to savor a taste of the local culinary fare on offer.
Coral Negro Flea Market
Coral Negro is also a perfect place to practice your bargaining prowess. Here, you can continue your search for gifts silver jewelry, ceramics, Mexican fashions, and more. Take a break to grab a bite of the native flavor.
Isla Mujeres and Cozumel Street Markets
Enjoy a stroll in the colorful downtown Isla Mujeres and haggle over Caribbean-flavored artful jewelry and décor crafted from coral and shells. Bring cash just in case your merchant does not accept credit.
Cozumel is a popular destination, not only for its beauty and lively water sports fun but also for great shopping. Stroll the waterfront, from San Miguel’s Plaza del Sol into town, for silver jewelry, ceramics, leather, clothing, artwork, and more. Bargaining will find you negotiating lower prices, especially as you wander further away from where the cruise ships are docked.
Ready For The Mall
La Isla Shopping Village
La Isla Shopping Village is an open-air mall complete with Interactive Aquarium, movie theater, and an array of food establishments. For the young at heart, , there is a fountain of waterspouts to play in, as well as breathtaking views to gaze upon at sunset.
Kukulcan Plaza
Get your exclusive high-end shopping needs met visiting Kukulcan Plaza. Between shopping sprees at luxury stores enjoy a bite at a nice restaurant. Take a moment to visit the Tequila Museum, and enjoy various performances often seen at this mall.
Plaza Caracol
Plaza Caracol is another option filled with Mexican flavor and a variety of souvenir shops and jewelry stores. Great for gifts.
If you are looking for the crème de la crème of items however, you might not have to leave your resort at all. High-end, all-inclusive resorts offer amazing shopping opportunities as well. The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun has a wonderful shopping and dining area, larger than many of Cancun’s malls. Shop to your heart’s content, buying essentials and gifts, including jewelry, without leaving the premises.
Splurge on 5th Avenue
Playa del Carmen
Less than an hour down the coast from Cancun is the shopping mecca of Quinta Avenida, or 5th Avenue, in Playa del Carmen. This predominantly pedestrian walkway consists of approximately 22 blocks of retail therapy starting at the Cozumel Ferry Pier and Playacar Palace running through the town center, and beyond. You will be sure to find all your shopping desires met, from local wants to mall favorites.
There is a wealth of other activities to enjoy as you shop 5th Avenue. Restaurants and bars add to the fun. After a day of shopping, dance the night away at a nightclub open until dawn. Stop at the aquarium in Plaza Corazon to see the local marine life. There is even a small Mayan ruin to see between 12th and 14th Street.
