10 Things to Do in Cancun in September

There's plenty to see and do in Cancun all year round but if you're a late holiday taker, you won't be disappointed in this paradise destination in September either.

The commemoration of the beginning and consummation of Mexico's Independence is celebrated in every corner of the country. Popular festivities and verbenas decorate the central squares of towns and cities with colours and music. Cancun has a particular way of experiencing the national holidays, in addition to its well-known tourist offer.

Although the destination owes its fame to its white sandy beaches and turquoise sea, and is always associated with ostentatious celebrations in exclusive hotels and resorts, in reality there are all kinds of activities awaiting your visit in September. Read on to find out more.

Banners on car antennae and mirrors wave as they pass over the streets, while on the pavements vendors don't abandon the cliché of the sombrero and moustache to dress up as "Mexicans", inviting you to let yourself be carried away by the fiesta atmosphere.

Cancun's public squares are dressed with banners and green, white and red lights, from the wires hanging from lamp posts to the most bent palm trees, to commemorate the heroes who fought for Mexico's Independence.

Many celebrate these national holidays as part of a family ritual and prepare typical delicacies and drinks at home, while other families decide to go out and celebrate in the streets. If you are visiting the destination during this season, you can choose to celebrate at a special event at your hotel, or enjoy the great outdoors.

Cancun's inhabitants usually go to the Plaza Central, the seat of government of the Benito Juarez City Hall, to which the city belongs.

From the balcony of the Palacio Municipal, the mayor intones the Grito de Independencia. The harangues to the heroes of Independence are raised to end with a resounding "Viva Mexico", which provokes pride and emotion in most of the attendees.

Beyond the traditions, the national holidays take on a special flavour in Cancun. Before and after "giving the shout", you will be able to find restaurants of all kinds offering special menus for their Mexican night, hotels with promotions alluding to the dates, among other attractive offers to celebrate this great day.

The military parade that always takes place the morning after the "grito". It is an annual event that has become a tradition of social coexistence. The deployment of hundreds of military elements in different units is intended to generate greater contact and proximity between the army and the citizens.

Convoys, cavalries and floats advance along Tulum Avenue to the sound of marching bands, reinforcing the admiration of the people of Cancun for the military, and the pride of many local children for the country's armed forces.

The parade usually starts early in the morning and ends around midday.

One of the most representative celebrations of the religious calendar for Cancun and neighbouring Cozumel takes place during this month. It is the festivities in honour of San Miguel Arcángel, the patron saint of San Miguel de Cozumel.

Religious services, from masses to processions, as well as festivals adorned with the best pieces of the local artisans and with all the flavour of the typical dishes of the region, await you in the Isla de las Golondrinas, where all the festivities dedicated to this saint take place.

While in Cancun you are only a ferry ride away to witness the typical costumes such as the embroidered huipiles, and the procession of the fishermen, who set off in their boats carrying a large effigy of San Miguel Arcángel and leave cloaks of flowers on the water as they go along.

Take advantage of one of the organised excursions or tours to spend a great day in the area.

The archaeological zones surrounding the planned city of Cancun receive thousands of tourists towards the end of the month, who come to "vibrate high" by capturing the energies of the Autumn Equinox.

The sun, when positioned exactly over the Earth's equator, triggers this astronomical phenomenon that in fact occurs on all planets. They mark a time when day and night are of equal length, which is why deities such as Kukulcan are associated with aspects of the duality of existence, such as the boundaries between good and evil.

From all corners of the world, thousands of fans of Mayan culture and their interpretations of astronomical phenomena gather in ruins near Cancun, such as Chichen Itza, where you can see with your own eyes the path of the winding of the light.

As a natural and mystical consequence of the Autumnal Equinox, the appearance of the feathered serpent, symbolising the god Kukulcan or Quetzalcoatl, is awaited by thousands of visitors to the Mayan ruins around Cancun during September.

The light of each equinox causes a phenomenon that creates the illusion of seeing a serpent ascending the steps of the northern section of the pyramid of Kukulcan.

Even if you don't give the Mayan ritual significance to the presence of this ancient god, the phenomenon alone and the mood of the attendees will make you want to vibrate with this experience, which only occurs in autumn and spring.

More and more people are interested in the ancestral knowledge of the traditions of the Mayan region, and the equinoxes and the appearance of the feathered serpent are two good reasons to be present during September in this destination.

This sporting event begins with almost two kilometres of swimming among the reefs of the Chankanaab Park, to continue with a route of three laps on bicycle that add up to ninety kilometres, taking you through all the unique landscapes of the beaches surrounding Cancun and Cozumel.

If you arrive on time for the event's activities, you'll be able to watch nearly 2,000 athletes from around the world battle it out in the swim, bike and run, in what is considered a long-distance triathlon competition.

Organised by the World Triathlon Corporation, Ironman 70.3 is considered a half Ironman because of the level of demand it places on the athletes. So not only beach tourism, but also high-level sporting competitions are ready as options for you to enjoy your stay in September.

Although the weather can be fickle in September with sudden rain showers, an express visit from Cancun to Isla Contoy can be done without major setbacks, as there is a moderate influx of tourists in this season.

It is one of the largest coral reefs in the world in one of the best kept spots in Cancun, an ecosystem that allows you to admire species of fish, migratory birds and corals like there are not in the whole Caribbean.

You will find several tours that will take you directly from your hotel to the port of Cancun to depart from there and arrive in minutes to your encounter with the exceptional. The best snorkelling experiences await you there.

The days of September are characterised by the unwelcome presence of seaweed known as sargassum on the beaches of the Caribbean Sea, very much in tune with the increased cyclonic activity in the Atlantic.

Unpleasant and uncomfortable for many, you should know that there is a good chance that when you visit Cancun in September, some of its beaches will be delineated by the presence of sargassum.

Although the end of August and the whole of September mark the end of the seaweed season, it is likely that on some of Cancun' s best beaches a brown or reddish stain will suddenly appear, indicating the presence of sargassum on your favourite beach.

The arrival of September also marks the end of turtle season on the warm coasts of Quintana Roo, so you still have the opportunity to participate in a turtle release activity at sunrise or sunset.

Hawksbill, leatherback and loggerhead turtles, among other species, nest every year on the white sands of Cancun's beaches, September being one of the best months to join in the protection of these endangered species.

By becoming a link in the process of hatching new baby turtles and releasing them into the waters of the Mexican Caribbean, you will experience the true meaning of conservation in a naturally beautiful destination like Cancun, all with the proper protocols for collecting, monitoring and releasing species.

For many locals and visitors, September is thebest month to visit Cancun. The destination of turquoise waters and white sand awaits you in this month to enjoy all the entertainment and culture it has to offer.

Depending on the plan you have and how you want to live your experience in the destination, you will find plenty of activities to do, such as the ones we mentioned at the beginning.

It is characterised for being a season of low affluence, due to the presence of rains and hurricanes that hit the coasts of the Mexican Caribbean at this time of the year. Although the rains are generally scattered or do not go beyond a shower, except when there is the presence of a hurricane.

With hundreds of accommodation options in Mexico's most popular beach destination, you should plan your visit well during September in order to take advantage of opportunities to enhance your stay.

As a world-class destination, you might think it would be difficult to find places that are reasonable value for money, as many of the hotels are boutique or grand tour type.

But there are a range of promotions, from discounted four-star hotel accommodation to two-day deals.

The warm and humid environment caused by the Gulf of Mexico currents meeting the Caribbean Sea means that Cancun has the two wettest months of the year in September and October.

It is important to keep in mind that if you visit Cancun in September you will not be spared from some light rain of about ten minutes, so you can spend the rest of the afternoon on the beaches that have conditions to be enjoyed between the sand and the half cloudy skies.

The maximum temperature could be around 38 degrees Celsius, while the average will be just above twenty-four degrees Celsius, with rainfall averaging around 182 cubic millimetres during September, with almost half the days of the month recording rain.

Nothing like a good mackintosh or an umbrella to enjoy Cancun despite the weather.