Cancun, Mexico is far more than beaches and hotels, there’s an immense amount of life, culture, and nature all around the main city area.
![Cancun, Mexico - People And Nature In The City Beyond The Tourist Zone](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beach-1.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1)
While I lived in Cancun for several years my interest in photography really took root and began to flourish. I would go on long walks around the city to capture everything I saw. During my time there I took hundreds of photos. Unfortunately, I had several CDs of photos stolen from me a month before I came back to the US. I ended up losing the majority of those photos except for some of my favorites which I had uploaded to Flickr.
Beaches and Sea Animals
I loved going to beaches while living there, I easily went to them over a hundred times during my 4 years there.
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Beach.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Caribbean-Sea-e.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![A beach cabana I spent a couple weekends in](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/cabana-1.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
One evening I got see a massive sea turtle come ashore and lay eggs.
![A huge sea turtle coming on shore to lay eggs](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mother-Turtle.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
Several weeks later I helped release baby turtles into the sea at night to increase their risk of survival to avoid the birds that pick them off during the daylight.
![Cancun, Mexico](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/000_1047.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![Me helping release a bunch of baby turtles](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Baby-Turtles-3-1.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/634735865_c6485d460f_o.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![Baby turtles in Cancun, Mexico](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/634735843_54d15edb5e_o.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
During certain times of the year crabs would be everywhere. It was so cute. I loved them, I would even pick them up and let them crawl on my shoulders.
![Mother sand crab in Cancun, Mexico](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Mother-Crab.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sea-Snail.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![An iguana in Cancun](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Iguana-02.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
Flowers
Because of the tropical environment, there were beautiful blooming flowers everywhere almost all year long. I really enjoyed the colorful and lively atmosphere of it all.
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Flowers.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![Hibiscus flower in Cancun, Mexico](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Hibuscus.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Purple-Flower.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Lantana.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/White-Flower.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/wall.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
They skies were very intense sometimes. This photo was of a sunset that made the clouds look like actual fire.
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Clouds-e.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![Lighting storm in Cancun, Mexico](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/543070634_d713e53fd0_o.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
Downtown Cancun
I lived in downtown Cancun. The photos below are of the street I lived off of, at night and during the day. The street was the main party and fun street for locals called Avenida Yaxchilan.
![Avenida Yaxchilan in Cancun, Mexico](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Yaxchilan.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![Avenida Yaxchilan in Cancun, Mexico](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Yaxchilan-Ave.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Big-House.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Junk-TV.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![An abandoned art museum in Cancun](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Museum.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
One time while I was walking around I came upon firefighters putting out a fire.
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Fire-1.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Fire-3.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Fire-6.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Cancun-Fire-7.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Carpets.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mexican-Soldier.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Circle.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![An abandoned police car in Cancun, Mexico](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Policia.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
The Hotels
I worked in the hotels. Some of them were absolutely incredible with wild animals walking around and full trees and flowers.
![Hotel Zone in Cancun, Mexico](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/537871060_fe7157312e_o.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![Girasol Hotel in Cancun](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Girasol.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![Cancun Ocean](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ocean.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Barcelo-Hotel-Fountain.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/pool.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/El-Dorado-Royal-3.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/El-Dorado-02.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/El-Dorado-04.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/El-Dorado-09.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/El-Dorado-Royal.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)
![](https://emprubyub2a.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/peacock-tail.jpg?lossy=1&quality=85&webp=85&avif=80&sharp=1)