Hotels near Parque de las Palapas

To see how locals celebrate Christmas in Cancun, head downtown to Parque de las Palapas. On 12 December, the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's most important religious day, brings processions, music and pilgrims. From 16 to 24 December, families hold posadas, nine nights of songs re-enacting Mary and Joseph's search for shelter, ending with piñatas and warm ponche, a hot fruit punch.

The square usually has a Christmas tree, Nativity scene and evening entertainment, and food stalls sell tamales, buñuelos and marquesitas, crispy rolled crepes filled with cheese. On New Year's Eve, many Mexicans eat 12 grapes at midnight, one for each month, and fireworks light up the Hotel Zone beaches.

Pro Tip: Come after 19:00, when the park fills with families and street food. Prices downtown are much lower than in the Hotel Zone, so it is also the best place for dinner on a budget.