My checklist for my trip to Cancun.

[burt]

1) Let wife talk me into going to Cancun

Check

2) Make her decide on all the plans

Check

3) Get passports

Check

4) Wait for news about hurricane

Check

Any advice, from members that have been there? We leave March 30....man am I hoping there aren't many spring breakers at the hotel......('specially since we are taking the kids.)

[Hoover]

Don't drink the water.

[foxman]

I have only been once and we stayed in an all inclusive resort called Moon Palace. It was awsome.

Cancun Palace is part of the Palace resorts. Enough about that since you already have plans. I would highly and I mean HIGHLY recommend you go to a restaurant called pericos. Pericos (http://pericosgrill.com/)

Although we could eat for free at any Palace resort we wanted too we took a cab to Pericos and had an absolute blast.

http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/42030/2704231990044176181S425x425Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/27077/2030395380044176181S425x425Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb60.webshots.com/40699/2897836500044176181S425x425Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/14261/2978416740044176181S425x425Q85.jpg

[burt]

We are staying @ Oasis Viva Beach...and it too, is all inclusive. We will absolutely go to Perico's...thanks for the lead!

[OnTheWarpath15]

We've stayed here the last 2 times we went and loved it.

http://www.riu.com/en/hotel-riu-palace-las-americas-cancun-mexico.html


Anyway....

Assuming you are staying in the "hotel zone," public transportation is ridiculously inexpensive. I'd use it freely during the day. With kids, probably not so much at night. Especially if there are still a lot of Spring Breakers around.

Make sure you have transportation arranged to/from the airport/hotel. Personally, I never take a cab while there, and would only use one to get from the airport to hotel or vice-versa if I absolutely had to.

If you're staying at an All-Inclusive, take advantage of EVERYTHING they have to offer. Eat, drink and be merry. Because once you get outside the resort walls, you've got the entire city pulling at your purse strings.

You'll run into a TON of people trying to sell you a timeshare. Be prepared. You'll want to punch one in the face by the second day.

If you want to have Mexican currency, get it before you leave. They absolutely screw you down there. Use credit cards (not debit cards) as much as possible - for your protection. Not that it's a haven for crime, but just like any other city, there are people there who's sole purpose is to find the tourist with a pocket full of cash.

Bring lots of sunscreen.

Have fun.

[Rain Man]

Watch out for those hurricanes. They're sneaky mean.

[burt]

Watch out for those hurricanes. They're sneaky mean.

It's actually not hurricane season, but I figure with what happened to you, they will have an unexpected hurricane.

[sparkky]

have contact info and location for the nearest US embassy/consulate.

Just in case

[mikeyis4dcats.]

sign up for an HSBC acount and put some money in it. You can use the HSBC ATM card in Mexico to withdraw cash without paying for the exchange.

[MIAdragon]

sign up for an HSBC acount and put some money in it. You can use the HSBC ATM card in Mexico to withdraw cash without paying for the exchange.

great advice.

[cdcox]

A good all-day trip is to see the ruins in Tulum in the morning and then visit the Xel-ha eco-park in the afternoon. You can get a package deal for both on one tour. Ruins and a little snorkleing are both things you want to do, but this way you only burn one day away from relaxing at the ocean or pool.

My folks own a couple-three weeks at the Royal Resorts. We're joining them down there in June. Extremely relaxing vacation.

[Chiefless]

Tulum was cool, but I preferred chichen itza. It's a 3-4 hour drive through the jungle, but was well worth it. If you pop over to Cozumel, drive straight to the back of the island (the south side I believe). My wife and I basically had the beach to ourselves. There is also an out door restaurant there open during the day that was great.

Always keep cash on hand and never pass up a chance to fill up your tank. Gas stations outside of Cancun are few and far between and use circa 1960 technology...meaning when the stations close you cannot get gas.

We stayed in Tulum for three nights. My wife and her Friend booked a place in a "clothing optional" resort. Is there anything better than naked women in paradise? I think not. My wife, on the other hand would have preferred a different place.

[foxman]

Yeah I forgot to mention we toured Tulum and it was awsome but at the time I really wanted to see Chitzen Itza although it was unworldly humidity that day.

Either place is great but I suggest Chitzen Itza depending on the weather.

Tulum
http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/40027/2069254230044176181S425x425Q85.jpg
http://inlinethumb05.webshots.com/36484/2798313880044176181S425x425Q85.jpg

[vailpass]

I have only been once and we stayed in an all inclusive resort called Moon Palace. It was awsome.

Cancun Palace is part of the Palace resorts. Enough about that since you already have plans. I would highly and I mean HIGHLY recommend you go to a restaurant called pericos. Although we could eat for free at any Palace resort we wanted too we took a cab to Pericos and had an absolute blast.

[]

Pericos absolutely kicks ass but you forgot to warn him about the godamn midget that works there.

You know the horse saddles they have for seats at the bar?

I was there a few years ago with a fine young thing wearing a short-short skirt.
We're sitting there talking when I notice a motion below and to the side of her: the midget had snuck up on her while she was sitting side saddle.
The little ****er standing up was eyeball level with her crotch staring straight up the skirt at her thong. I caught his eye, he gave me a shit-eating grin and went on his way. Funny as hell.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

We toured the ruins at Coba instead of Tulum. It was a fantastic experience. The big pyramid at Coba is the tallest in Mexico.

And for what it is worth, you can no longer climb Chichen Itza, so it's not worth the trip unless you just want to see it. CI is also much more crowded and touristy than Coba.

We did a combined Coba tour/ Mayan Jungle Experience (zipline, canoeing, and lunch at a Mayan village)/ Underground Cenote swim.

It was awesome.

http://www.alltournative.com/tours-products/maya-encounter

The tour company was great.

[vailpass]

Buy a Mexico pre-paid calling card in the US before leaving. Sam's Club has good deals on them.
I had to make a Mexico-to-US call once from a payphone, it cost me $65.00 for 12 minutes.

[vailpass]

The day trip to Isla Mujeras is well worth looking in to.

We went with another couple, two locals with a sturdy boat take you to the island serving you all you want to drink if that is your thing. It's certainly mine. Along the way you are in that beautiful Caribbean water; you can see straight to the bottom. It is the second largest coral reef in the world. They stop the boat, let you jump in and swim around.

When you reach the island there is shopping to be had and cool little restaurants/bars. You are back in time to take an afternoon siesta before dinner. The woman loved it.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Buy a Mexico pre-paid calling card in the US before leaving. Sam's Club has good deals on them.
I had to make a Mexico-to-US call once from a payphone, it cost me $65.00 for 12 minutes.

better yet, if you have a cell phone, inquire about getting an international calling plan for the time you'll be in Mexico. Usually you can do this for a few bucks and won't have to mess with a card or finding a phone.

[Duck Dog]

The only way to stay away from spring breakers is to go before the second week of March.

[DaneMcCloud]

We went to Chichen Itza on a day trip, along with Telum & Shel-ha. Chichen Itza was pretty cool (ancient pyramid ruins) but I wasn't really into the Telum & Shel-ha thing.

There's a lagoon to go snorkeling and while they tell you it's safe, it's not. I was 20 foot from shore and came face-to-face with a 4 foot plus Barracuda. It bared its teeth at me and scared the hell out of me. I swam as fast as I could back to shore where people pulled me out of the water. They could see that f*cker coming at me from the shore.

Later, there were several Manta Rays swimming in the lagoon and just after I was pulled from shore, I heard that a 10 foot Tiger shark had wandered in there in the past week.

I'd avoid, especially with children.

Many people seem to enjoy the evening cruise to Cozumel, so you might look into that if you're interested.

Enjoy!

[Bowser]

If you're lucky, you'll end up a background guy on the latest "Girls Gone Wild" video.

[elvomito]

get a bottle of grapefruitseed extract in case you happen to eat or drink somethin tainted

[burt]

We went to Chichen Itza on a day trip, along with Telum & Shel-ha. Chichen Itza was pretty cool (ancient pyramid ruins) but I wasn't really into the Telum & Shel-ha thing.

There's a lagoon to go snorkeling and while they tell you it's safe, it's not.

Many people seem to enjoy the evening cruise to Cozumel, so you might look into that if you're interested.

Enjoy!

We are entertaining Chichen Izta... I like that sort of thing. Thanks for the rest of the leads!

[burt]

Great idea, we hadn't thought of it yet. Thanks.

[burt]

We toured the ruins at Coba instead of Tulum. It was a fantastic experience. The big pyramid at Coba is the tallest in Mexico.

And for what it is worth, you can no longer climb Chichen Itza, so it's not worth the trip unless you just want to see it. CI is also much more crowded and touristy than Coba.

We did a combined Coba tour/ Mayan Jungle Experience (zipline, canoeing, and lunch at a Mayan village)/ Underground Cenote swim.

It was awesome.

http://www.alltournative.com/tours-products/maya-encounter

The tour company was great.


The Mrs. has looked into this. Thanks for the advice.

[cdcox]

I was 20 foot from shore and came face-to-face with a 4 foot plus Barracuda. It bared its teeth at me and scared the hell out of me. I swam as fast as I could back to shore where people pulled me out of the water. They could see that f*cker coming at me from the shore.



What Dane was too shy to mention was that when he told this story to the Wilson sisters, they took it platinum. ;)

[blueballs]

pass on the iced kidney

[Bump]

drink the tequila with the worm in the bottle!

[burt]

Wife and kids watched a show on Cancun today...they say there is no way we're NOT gonna see spring breakers.....dang.

[KcMizzou]

Wife and kids watched a show on Cancun today...they say there is no way we're NOT gonna see spring breakers.....dang.Heh.. damn the luck, eh?

[burt]

Heh.. damn the luck, eh?

Yeah, I hate all those scantily clothed hard bodies..... Maybe I can find something clean for the kids to do tho.....

[Bowser]

If you're lucky, you'll end up a background guy on the latest "Girls Gone Wild" video.

How good am I?

[Chiefmanwillcatch]

You do know most of the Cancun beaches were eroded by hurricane a few years ago. Sorry to be a downer.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2004172067_mexicobeaches10.html

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=cancun+beaches+ruined&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Best beaches?
http://www.forbestraveler.com/Mexico/mexicos-best-beaches-slide.html

http://www.mexicoguru.com/bestbeachesmexico.php

[cdcox]

You do know most of the Cancun beaches were eroded by hurricane a few years ago. Sorry to be a downer.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2004172067_mexicobeaches10.html

http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=cancun+beaches+ruined&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

Best beaches?
http://www.forbestraveler.com/Mexico/mexicos-best-beaches-slide.html

http://www.mexicoguru.com/bestbeachesmexico.php


When Hurricane Wilma finally passed, an almost 8-mile stretch of Cancun's beach was washed away, exposing a line of jagged rocks. Cancun's recovery from the storm, however, has been noteworthy, so much so that the United Nations World Tourism Organization has declared it a model to emulate in future disasters.

The Mexican government paid US$24-million to the Belgian firm Jan de Nul to vacuum up offshore sand roughly 20 miles off the coast of Cancún and pump it back to resort-front beaches. The result of the completed beach restoration is that Cancún's beach front is now roughly twice as wide as it was before the storm (going from roughly 70 feet wide to the present-day 140 feet). Beach erosion remains a serious problem despite the restoration. Some stretches have lost approximately 30 feet of sand, and a few very problematic areas are now back to about to a width of 30 feet or less. The new sand is much coarser and somewhat darker than the powdery white original Cancun beaches.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canc%C3%BAn

[Chiefmanwillcatch]

interesting

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Cancun_2.JPG