Cancún

Cancún (/kɑːnˈkuːn/ or /kæn-/;Spanish pronunciation: [kaŋˈkun]) is a city in southeastern Mexico, located on the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. It is an important renowned tourist destination in Mexico, as well as being the seat of the municipality of Benito Juárez. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, and is one of the easternmost points in Mexico. Cancún is located just north of Mexico's Caribbean coast resort band known as the Riviera Maya. In older English-language documents, the city’s name is sometimes spelled "Cancoon," an attempt to convey the sound of the name.

Place names and shield

Place names

There are two possible translations of Cancún, based on the Mayan pronunciation kaan kun. The first translation is "nest of snakes." The second version and less accepted is "place of the gold snake."

Shield

The shield of the municipality of Benito Juárez, who represents the city of Cancun, was designed by the Mexican American artist Joe Vera. It is divided into three parts: The color blue symbolizes the Caribbean Sea, the yellow the sand, and the red the sun with its rays.