Cancun: Taste of Mex without the Tex

David Whitley turns his back on the Cancun scene in favour of authentic dishes downtown.

WHAT Downtown restaurants and cafes

WHERE Cancun, Mexico

HOW MUCH From$2 to $25, depending on what and where you eat.

WHY Cancun has a hybrid personality and many travellers see only one side. The Zona Hotelera - a long, seaside strip crammed with giant hotels, nightclubs, bars and restaurants - is the big drawcard and many visitors never leave the area. But the Canny Traveller does when it comes to getting a good feed.

There are good upmarket restaurants in the Zona Hotelera but most eateries tend to be ubiquitous hotel buffets or huge Americanised bar/diners that put more effort into their merchandising than your food.

If you're not all that bothered about buying a Senor Frog's T-shirt or an Outback Steakhouse cap, it's best to make your way downtown.

It would be wrong to give the impression that Downtown Cancun is a classic example of authentic Mexico - after all, the city didn't really exist until the tourism planners arrived in the 1960s - but it's a lot less touristy.