Cancun

Cancun in Mexico was always portrayed as the party place in paradise. Often glamorized as a crazy and wild from the American Spring break movies. Anyway that wild period is in March & April so I decided to visit Cancun in August. One of the main reasons I chose this month is because it is whale shark season from May till September. To swim with them was a special phenomenon that one must experience in their lifetime.

Knowing nothing much about Cancun, Chichen Itza, and the Maya Riviera (Playa del Carmen, Xcaret, Tulum), I just packed my bag and flew out there to see what the fuss is all about the Yucutan Peninsula.

ARRIVAL
The arrival options here are from Europe requires that stopover in USA/South America before catching the next flight to Aeropuerto Internacional de Cancun. Alternatively you can fly into Merida which is further west and then drive east to Cancun. My plan involved a trip to New York (JFK) and Cancun (CUN) from there. Aero Mexico was perfect with its modern Boeing fleet featuring the newer seat configurations and entertainment system including chargeable ports for all seats.

International Airport:
The arrival at the airport is smooth but once you clear customs, the hustlers pop up trying to sell you hotels and tours. At this point you don’t even know what you really want so ignore them and keep walking. The objective here is to exist the airport and get a taxi, shared shuttle or private pickup to get you to your hotel. (Pre arranging a private pickup is wise here)

The ride to the Cancun tourist zone is about 30-45 minutes depending on traffic and method of transportation as shared transport will have lots of stopovers.

While this option has not been officially done by me, I can tell you from the road experience from Cancun to Chichen Itza (Approximately 200km) the roads are in great condition so driving here is not an issue.

By Road:
While this option has not been officially done by me, I can tell you from the road experience from Cancun to Chichen Itza (Approximately 200km) the roads are in great condition so driving here is not an issue.

Tanning sessions in the beautiful settings at Sun Palace

The beautiful but milky ocean

ACCOMMODATION

Main tourist Strip:
Boulevard Kukulcan holds almost all of the main hotels in Cancun. Including the famous Cancun bar Coco Bongo. The area is always busy especially on the roads but once you settle into you hotel it is very relaxed and the beach is amazing. There are many all-inclusive hotels and this is the way to go. Also look into adult only hotels if you looking for that children free experience.

I selected Sun Palace and I would definitely recommend it. The beach, pools, and service was fantastic but what did it for me was the food. The seafood, meat and Mexican specialty food stations will guarantee a quick insertion into Mexican cuisine. For me this was 3 nights of Heaven and we could have called it a reality TV show called “The Biggest Gainer”.

Outside the Tourist zone:
There are several options outside the hotel zone heading north or south. If you want some more Island vibes then head to the Island Isla Muljeres. Thirty minutes by ferry from Puerto Juárez Federal Dock, it is the perfect getaway from the mainland. You can read more about Isla Muljeres here.

THINGS TO DO:
Daytime excursions are recommended if Cancun is your only stop for your holiday. Day trips to Tulum, Isla Muljeres, Conzumel, Coba, Chichen Itza, and Valladolid is an option but it is far wiser to actually go to these places and stay there to experience it better. There are many theme/adventure parks as well to get some thrill & entertainment during the day. However these parks are closer to Playa del Carmen.

Daytime:
I could go all touristy here and throw in a lot of activities that was recommended to be done here by the tourist brochure, but if you at an all-inclusive hotel for a couple of nights, just eat, drink and relax at the beach & pool. Get some exercise done with some swimming, Yoga, walking or running on the beach. Most of the hotels come with good gyms for some weight training as well.

For those who are considering snorkelling of the beach, this is not that kind of beach. The water is milky and beautiful but it is not clear with strong waves and currents that create a lot of sand in the water reducing visibility. The Ocean currents are strong so be careful and check with the lifeguards.

Nightime:
There are several bars around the place but Coco Bongo is the place to go at night to experience the Mexican style Vegas performance. The all you can drink and high on life performance is part of the trip. Cooking classes are a great option as well to fill in the evening.

View from Sun Palace balcony

One of the many combinations for breakfast

WILDLIFE:
There is not much to worry about here. There are a whole lot of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and fishes in the Yucutan Peninsula but Cancun has the least. Maybe take the insect repellent.

COSTS:
Out of all the locations in the Yucutan Peninsula, Cancun would be the most expensive. This is the main Tourist hub and prices can be steeper than neighbouring towns. However it is not expensive at all if we comparing it to New York or London for hotel costs, dining out, groceries and shopping.

Always use the ATM inside the banks or hotels or malls. Also make sure they are not charging a stupid service fee. In one instance I saw $50 US dollars service fee for an ATM found in Playa del Carmen’s main tourist avenue. So the trick is to bring with you a $1000-2000 US dollars and keep that safe & secure. Try to deal in Peso’s where possible especially markets, taxis, and restaurants.

CONCLUSION:
Cancun is the tourist hub where you will start of your Yucutan peninsula or end up at some point in your journey. It is designed for tourists who want the Mexican experience without giving up the comforts of home. So there are a lot of international restaurant chains, and shopping malls. A vast contrast in appearance when compared to Valladolid or Tulum. So a lovely place to settle into your trip and enjoy 2-4 nights before moving on.

Mexico's Yucutan Peninsula: 13 Useful tips

1. You are safe: The Yucutan Peninsula is safe despite all the negative publicity Mexico occasionally receives in the media & The Government Travel Advisory. Some areas in Mexico are very dangerous but you can’t generalize the whole country based on those areas. So be street smart but no need to be afraid. There are police and military presence in most areas to protect tourists. The emergency phone number is 066. (Always good to know)

2. Learn Spanish: 92.7% of the Mexican population speak Spanish according to the CIA. So learn your Spanish phrases, and basic words. It will help in your communications. The more fluent you are the better as you will start getting offered local rates in Mexican pesos rather than American dollars.

3. Visa: Countries from the Schengen area, UK, Canada, Japan, USA, Australia, and NZ can enter with the visa free access and stay up to 180 days. Customs and airport transit are straight forward.

4. Cancun Airport Hustle: Once you exit customs you will see a lot of tour sales staff standing in your path on the way out of the airport. There is also a lot of taxi offers here. So on the transportation front, either have a driver pick you up or take a taxi from a registered taxi stand. As for the tour sales, skip it despite how good the offer sounds. The tour will get you to the same location as other vendors selling outside the airport, but the quality of the service is a important factor here so outside vendors are better. My other articles have more details on some of the good and bad tours.

5. Respect: Family, Religion, and respect are big things in the Mexican culture. So try not to get into any debates about religion with the locals. Always extend a request/question with a please (por favor). When being introduced to someone, tradition requires the kiss on the right cheek once. This is only between men-woman, or woman-woman. Man-man is usually handshakes or the man hug (hand shake leaning into each other on the shoulder area with opposite arm reaching over the back of the other person but maintain the 10-15cm gap between both men’s front facing hips).

6. Bank Fees: If you are in deep in the tourist zone like Cancun or Playa del Carmen, make sure you take cash out from ATMS in the hotel or actual banks. Most machines are in English. Ensure that they are not charging a service fee of $50 US Dollars. Fees should be around $3-5 US dollars.

7. Pesos or US dollars:This is the common question for the first time tourist. While both currencies are accepted here, the important part is knowing when to use the correct one. The exchange rate is usually 100 pesos which equals to approximately 6.5 US dollars (April, 2015 rates). General rule is to use pesos for taxis, markets, groceries, restaurants, and tipping. For day trips/excursions try to start with Pesos and negotiate. This is why the Spanish language makes life easier. A lot of the time the tour rates are fixed in US prices but it’s negotiable. Hotels can be prepaid or done in US dollars.

8. Island time: The Mexicans run on the Island time system, which means be patient and expect things to run delayed from 15 to 30 minutes.

9. Negotiate: The Mexicans are willing to negotiate for a lot of the services/tours. Never ever negotiate for food items. As for tours you can always have a chit chat about the schedule and customize it to your preferences. Rule of thumb for tours, tip your guide in advance 20- 50 US dollars depending on length of trip and expect the deluxe VIP service.

10. Taxis: Always take registered taxis wherever possible. If you find a good driver with a good vehicle, take his details and use him as your regular driver for the rest of your trip. If you coming home from clubbing this helps to have your driver come pick you up. Otherwise you need to find a taxi and then negotiate a price.

11. “Taxi Collectivo”: This is the Collective taxi which is very popular among the locals. It is ideal for the long hauls as you are transported in a 10 person air-conditioned new van. I used this to travel from Playa Del Carmen to Tulum. It cost me 40 Pesos for the ride and 40 pesos entry into the Tulum Ruins. The tour group price for the same ride but with a guide at Tulum was $90 US dollars.

12. Rip Tides: For all those who don’t know this, it is the ocean current that can pull you out while you are swimming or just chilling in the water. Don’t try to swim against it if you do get caught in it as it will drain your energy. So preserve your energy and make a swim for it once the currents have faded. Check with the life guards if in doubt. Not fun to be stuck in one of these, after several incidents in Australia and New Zealand I strongly recommend you research the beach before jumping in, especially for evening dips.

13. Chilli Peppers: Some of the best chilli peppers + food combo. You will drop some tears but continue eating because it is that good. However know your Chillies and remember that most Chillies are mild and will just shake you but the Habanero will shake you & break you with a heat index of 100,000 – 350,000 Scoville units. The most common green chilli used is jalapeño which is 2500-10,000 Scoville units.

Enjoy the explorations

Just blend in like a local ;)