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Barely 30 years ago was not more than
a long virgin island of white sands among sea and gap. However today, their sophisticated
infrastructure, their offering of services turísticos of first level and the diversity
of their attractive aunado to them amaze natural and cultural they have become
it the destiny turístico more important of Mexico and in one of the ten most popular
destinies from the world upon receiving an average of three million visitors to
the year.
The zone hotelera of Cancún wrote down upon the beautiful
island of 22 Km of long, whose attractive main one are its long beaches of sedosas
sands bathed all the year by brilliant water and a sun resplandeciente. In form
of 7 is limited by the tranquil Isla Mujeres, the deep Sea Caribe of water turquoise
and the gap Nichupté, ideal to practice aquatic all kinds of sports.
Occupies an area of approximately 50,000 square kilometers that can best be described
in two words: jungle and sea. Their white soft sandy beaches and the infinite
tonalities of blue give the landscape its glory. And the natural beauties of Quintana
Roo don´t end here, because the tranquillity of the water on its surface
becomes incessant movement underwater, with its intrincate forests of coral are
home to innumerable aquatic species.
Within the walls of the archaeological
zones one can almost hear the voices of those who forged the history of one of
the most important prehispanic cultures: the Mayans. Amongst the Mayan cities
are Kohunlich, containing more than two hundred buildings; Tulum, the walled city
of the Mayans; the imposing Coba (meaning: water shaken by the wind), that is
one of the larger Mayan cities of the area.  The
history of the state of Quintana Roo is simultaneously old and recent, since for
many years it remained forgotten by the western world. The Spaniards not even
considered it in their plans of colonization, because there were very few inhabitants.
The first Spaniards who arrived were two survivors of a shipwreck who lived on
the coast from 1511. Arriving later on these coasts were Francisco Hernandez de
Cordova in 1517, Juan Grijalva in 1518 and Hernán Cortéz in 1519.
 There
remain few vestiges from the colonial period: the church of Tihosuco, founded
at the end of the 17th century, the church of Sacalá or the Temple of Our
Lady of the Candelaria and in Saban is found the temple of Santa Cruz de Saban.
In old Bak-Halal, today Bacalar, was constructed in the 17th century, the Fort
of San Felipe. Spain, England and France disputed the region to assure control
of the precious wood operation, mainly the "dye wood" (ceiba) and mahogany.
In addition, it served as defense from pirates. This fortification played an important
role during the Caste War, since the final taking of this fort on the part of
the government forces was not until the end of the 19th century when the conflict
concluded with the final pacification of Quintana Roo. Formerly its inhabitants
lived on fishing, agriculture, forestry and the extraction of chicle. Nevertheless,
from the birth of Cancún, an important percentage of the state income
comes from international tourism. It was not until the nineteen seventies when
the construction of the new Mexican tourist destination of Cancún
began. What was once a little fishing village now receives an average of 3,000,000
of visitors per year!
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