The northernmost point of mainland Cancun, where the car ferry to Isla Mujeres departs (the faster passenger ferries leave from Puerto Juárez, two kilometres south). The beach here is much quieter than anywhere in the Hotel Zone — locals come on weekends, but most weekdays you can have long stretches of pale sand essentially to yourself.
The shallow water and gentle currents make it good for children, and a string of palapa restaurants serve fresh fish at downtown rather than tourist-zone prices. The Punta Sam to Isla Mujeres car ferry runs roughly every 90 minutes and is the route to use if you want to take a hire car or campervan over to the island.