Cancún has a population of over 800,000 and there is another Cancún, a lesser-known face to many.  This is the heartbeat of the entire area, this is Cancún City known locally as 'Centro' or downtown.
This is an area that is not heavily promoted, but should definitely be included as part of your vacation.
When the beach and hotel scene get to be a bit overwhelming take a short drive and see where the locals live and spend much of their time. downtown has some great restaurants, modern shopping facilities and is a semi-peaceful diversion to all of glitz and hype that surrounds the hotel zone.  Your wallet will appreciate your visit to downtown, as your money will certainly go farther, as prices for almost everything are more reasonable in the city, be prepared to barter for even better prices!
Downtown you will find a variety of restaurants featuring fresh fish and native dishes, a small medical centre, pharmacy, church, grocery stores, fruit stand, book shop, Mexican handicraft shops, money exchange, travel and car agencies plus bicycle rentals. In addition, outside of the downtown area you will find a Crocodile farm plus a magnificent botanical garden with their own Mayan ruins. Its location makes it the perfect starting point to visit all of the area’s popular attractions including the archaeological sites of Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza, the ecological parks including Xcaret, Xel-Ha and Tres Rios and the Sian Ka'an biosphere all within a few hours of your hotel’s lobby