Located on the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula where it nudges into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, Cancún is a unique blending of ambiance, both Mexican and Caribbean. Today, Cancún is a popular retreat for Hollywood stars, who seek out this western-Caribbean resort area for its tropical beauty and Mexican flavor. But prior to 1974, when the state of Quintana Roo (of which Cancún is a part) received statehood, the ambiance of this tourist magnet was that of a small fishing village. Today Cancún has been totally transformed from a little village which was home of a dozen or so families to a thriving tourist center with a population of approximately 350,000 residents.