Plaza Las Américas Cancun and Malecón Américas
Plaza Las Américas and adjoining Malecón Américas are a practical choice for shopping in downtown Cancun. You can browse department stores and familiar clothing brands, pick up groceries, stop for lunch or watch a movie. Both are popular with locals, so this feels more like an everyday city shopping trip than an outing built around tourists.
The two shopping areas are connected, and you can visit both on the same trip. They sit between Avenida Tulum and Avenida Bonampak, near the southern end of downtown. If you want clothes, a replacement pair of shoes or something you forgot to pack, this is a useful alternative to the Hotel Zone malls.
At a glance
- Best for: department stores, everyday shopping, groceries, casual food and cinema.
- Where: downtown Cancun, between Avenida Tulum and Avenida Bonampak.
- When to go: late morning onwards for a broad choice of shops; individual opening hours differ.
- Rainy days: Plaza Las Américas is entirely under cover, with indoor shopping and cinema.
- Allow: two or three hours for browsing and lunch, or longer if you add a film.
Plaza Las Américas and Malecón Américas: what is the difference?
Plaza Las Américas is the established shopping centre on the Avenida Tulum side. Malecón Américas is the adjoining shopping area towards Avenida Bonampak. You may also see the latter called Malecón Cancún. In practice, you can walk between them without planning two separate outings.
The different names matter most when you are looking for a particular shop, restaurant or entrance. A taxi dropping you at the Avenida Tulum side may leave you a fair walk from a business at the Bonampak end. Use the store name as well as the mall name if you have a specific destination.
Malecón Américas is not Malecón Tajamar
Malecón Américas is the shopping area. Malecón Tajamar is the separate outdoor area towards the lagoon, across Avenida Bonampak. If you want a waterfront walk, make sure that is the location you have chosen rather than expecting the shopping corridors to lead straight onto a seaside promenade.
Likewise, this is not Cancun Mall, another shopping centre elsewhere in the city. Ask for Plaza Las Américas or Malecón Américas rather than simply asking a driver to take you to “the mall”.
Plaza Las Américas Cancun shops and brands
The combined complex has a useful mix of department stores, fashion, footwear, accessories and everyday services. Recognisable names include Liverpool, Sears, H&M, Old Navy, Zara and Converse. There is also a Chedraui supermarket, making it possible to combine browsing with groceries or vacation essentials.
| Shop | Useful for | Planning tip |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | Department-store shopping, clothing, beauty and home departments | Check which department or part of the complex you need |
| Sears | Clothing, footwear and department-store purchases | Confirm the Cancun branch’s hours if making a special trip |
| H&M and Old Navy | Casual clothing and family shopping | Allow time to try things on rather than relying on familiar sizing |
| Zara | Women’s, men’s and children’s clothing | Look for the Las Américas branch, not the Hotel Zone store |
| Converse | Trainers, casual footwear and clothing | The branch is listed under Malecón Américas |
| Chedraui | Groceries, toiletries and everyday supplies | Do the supermarket stop last if you are carrying bags back to your hotel |
Is it cheaper than shopping in the Hotel Zone?
There is a broader everyday-shopping feel here, but an address downtown does not make every item cheaper. Chain-store prices and promotions depend on the product and the branch. Compare the actual item rather than assuming an imported brand must be a bargain in Mexico.
Prices are normally displayed in pesos. If you are offered a dollar price, compare the conversion before paying. Our Cancun currency guide explains the practical choices.
This is fixed-price mall shopping. For crafts, souvenir stalls and bargaining, compare Mercado 28 and Mercado 23 in our Cancun Shopping guide. They are separate destinations, not sections of Plaza Las Américas.
Food courts and restaurants at Malecón Américas
You do not need to make a restaurant reservation to eat during a shopping trip. The food courts work well when everyone wants something different, while a sit-down meal gives non-shoppers a longer break.
Bubayou Cajún Grill
Bubayou has food-court branches in both Plaza Las Américas and Malecón Cancún. The menu includes grilled chicken, shrimp, ribs and sides with a Cajun influence. It is a useful option for a quick meal without leaving the complex.
Las Quekas de Doña Maíz
In the Malecón Américas food court, Las Quekas de Doña Maíz serves Mexican snacks such as quesadillas, sopes and tostadas. It suits a casual lunch while you are looking around, rather than an evening planned around a lengthy dinner.
Cheester Malecón
Cheester has a Malecón branch on the Avenida Bonampak side. Choose this if you would rather sit down for a restaurant meal than eat in a food court. Check that you have the Malecón location when arranging to meet someone, as Cheester has several Cancun branches.
For a meal that is the main reason for going downtown, see our Downtown Cancun Restaurants. There are more choices beyond the mall, but allow for a separate journey rather than assuming all downtown restaurants are next door.
Cinépolis, family visits and rainy days
Plaza Las Américas has a Cinépolis cinema, including a VIP option. Check which cinema and showing you are buying before paying, as seating, prices and schedules differ.
For an English-language film, look carefully at the language and subtitle information. A familiar title or an English-language trailer does not mean the screening itself will be in English. Children’s films in particular may be dubbed into Spanish.
Shopping, lunch and a movie make an easy family afternoon without needing everyone to enjoy shopping equally. Our Cancun with Kids guide has more options for mixing up a resort stay.
Is Plaza Las Américas a good option when it rains?
Yes. Plaza Las Américas is entirely under cover, so you can browse indoors, eat and go to the cinema without spending the afternoon moving between open-air shops. You still need to allow for getting from your transport into the building, and some entrances and dining areas around the wider complex involve going outside.
It is also a useful break from the heat. If the plan is simply to escape a persistent downpour, this is a more practical choice than choosing a mall mainly for an outdoor lagoon or marina setting.
Opening hours and when to visit
There is no single opening time that applies to every shop, supermarket, food counter and cinema here. For a general shopping visit, arrive after 11am rather than expecting the whole complex to be ready early in the morning.
For example, H&M lists 10am to 10pm daily, while Converse lists 10:30am to 10pm. Other stores keep different schedules. Check the exact branch before making a trip for one particular purchase, and use the cinema’s actual session times for a film.
Late morning or early afternoon works well for browsing and lunch. If you arrive after dinner, do not assume all the shops will stay open as late as the entertainment or food outlets. Leave enough time to find your way between the two shopping areas.
Getting to Plaza Las Américas from the Hotel Zone
The Plaza Las Américas address is Avenida Tulum Sur, Supermanzana 7, downtown Cancun. Malecón Américas also has access on Avenida Bonampak. Neither is on Boulevard Kukulcán, so a Hotel Zone stay usually means a separate journey downtown.
By bus or taxi
Before boarding a bus, ask specifically whether it goes to Plaza Las Américas. Do not assume every bus heading downtown passes the mall. Depending on the route, you may need to change or finish the journey another way.
A taxi is simpler if you have children, several bags or a particular restaurant to find. Agree the fare before leaving. For the return trip, give your hotel name and location clearly, and decide where you will be picked up before everyone splits off to different stores.
Driving and parking
The complex has parking. Check the rates, payment arrangements and any store-validation conditions when you arrive, rather than relying on an old parking price online. Take a photo of your entrance or parking area so you do not finish at the wrong end of the complex with bags to carry.
Avenida Tulum and Avenida Bonampak are busy roads. Use the proper crossings if walking in from a nearby hotel, and do not treat a short distance on a map as a reason to cross several traffic lanes wherever you happen to be standing.
Plaza Las Américas and Malecón Américas map
Plaza Las Américas, La Isla or Puerto Cancun?
Choose Plaza Las Américas and Malecón Américas for department stores, everyday purchases, groceries, cinema and an indoor shopping option popular with locals. It is especially useful when the weather rules out a beach afternoon.
Choose La Isla Shopping Village for a Hotel Zone outing with canals, luxury boutiques, lagoon-side restaurants, the Aquarium and Sky Wheel.
Choose Marina Puerto Cancun for shopping and a meal overlooking the marina at the downtown end of the Hotel Zone.
There is little need to visit all three unless you particularly enjoy shopping. Choose the location and atmosphere that suit your plans, then compare the other malls and markets in our Cancun Shopping guide.