Dolphins Beach

This guide to Dolphins Beach in Cancún traces how one exposed stretch at the southern tip of the Hotel Zone escaped the 1970s resort build-out and became the strip's last big public beach, known locally as El Mirador. It follows the giant painted letters installed in 2009 that turned the lookout into the city's most photographed spot, and the old habit of naming Cancún's beaches after sea creatures despite dolphins rarely showing. You'll also hear about the sea turtles that come ashore to nest here between May and September. Listen at dawn for the best chance of spotting either.