City Guide: Cancun

City Guide: Cancun

Cancun is located on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, in Quintana Roo. Quintana Roo is a resort paradise, with several major resort areas. Cancun is full of energetic nightclubs, beautiful beaches, and resorts that range from budget-friendly to extremely luxurious.

Cancun may occasionally get a negative connotation. However, it is important to know that the resorts in this area work hard to ensure the safety of their guests and property. Cancun is safer and better than ever.  The Mexican paradise is the perfect vacation destination for couples, friend groups, and families!

Places to Stay:

Riu Palace Peninsula

This is my go to in Cancun. My review can be found here. RIU is very family friendly with lots of activities for children and adults, including a kids club, water aerobics, yoga on the beach, an art studio (for an additional fee), non-motorized water sports, and a fitness center.  Free wi-fi is available hotel-wide, working exceptionally well on the beach. The hotel also is home to six restaurants, five bars, and one coffee bar. Your all-inclusive wristband for this RIU allows you to have access to all four RIU’s in Cancun, other than for dinner dining. However, if they are more in your budget, the other RIU resorts also come highly recommended.

Iberostar Cancun

This one is also a great family friendly resort. This all-inclusive hotel is home to 4 specialty restaurants, 7 bars, an 18-hole golf course, and a FIFA regulation soccer field. The resort also has a Kids club for the kiddos age 4-12, and Teen club for the older crowd between the ages of 13-17.

Le Blanc

Le Blanc is a luxurious, adults only, all-inclusive resort. It is home to 5 restaurants and 5 bars! Guests also have access to a state of the art fitness center with a sauna and steam room. Every room is equipped with butler service. Guests can enjoy the resort’s free wifi, complimentary beach-side butler service, and a full-service spa (for a fee).

Secrets The Vine Cancun

This is a newer resort, which opened in early 2015. Located along a long strip of hotels, Secrets the Vine has an amazing beach to walk, but is not as good for swimming. This adults-only resort features seven gourmet restaurants, six bars and lounges, non-motorized water sports, dance classes, wine tastings, and Spanish lessons.

Secrets Playa Mujeres

This Secrets Resort is a brand new hotel opened in 2015. It is a bit farther from the airport, in the new Playa Mujeres area.  This resort features a great swimming beach, with very few waves. The adults-only property is home to 9 gourmet restaurants and seven chic bars. During the day, guests can enjoy waiter service by the pool and beach. With non-motorized water sports available on the beach and a state of the art fitness center, tennis courts, yoga studio, and billiards room, Secrets Playa Mujeres is sure to have something for everyone!

Zoetry Villa Rolandi Isla Mujeres Cancun

This resort is not actually located in Cancun, but is across the water on Isla Mujeres. This all-inclusive property has so many benefits, it is hard to keep track!  To start, guests have access to a complimentary wellness consultation. For the culinary lovers, 24-hour private, in-suite dining with limitless gourmet meals, snacks, and top-shelf spirits are included. Additionally, a full-service spa (fee) and complimentary 24-hour laundry are also available. The coolest feature? The resort’s private yacht will transport you to and from mainland Cancun for free!

Recommendations of places to stay are selected in collaboration with Millennium Tours Inc., my preferred travel agents and sponsors. 

To-Do in Cancun:

Water sports!

While in Cancun, I highly recommend experiencing something out on the turquoise waters.Most resorts have non-motorized water sports included into their all-inclusive price and available on their beach. Whether it be a nice catamaran ride, a kayaking excursion, or a crazy water jetpack ride experience!

Visit Chichen Itza.

This new wonder of the world is one of Mexico’s most popular tourist attractions.  The three-hour drive to Chichen Itza allows for the perfect day trip from Cancun. The ancient Mayan city is a beautiful cultural experience to add to your relaxing beach vacation.

Excursions!

If you cannot handle laying on a beach for a full week, excursions are a great way to break up your vacation. Travel providers such as Apple Vacations and Funjet, allow you to book excursions with their representative through your hotel. These excursions include snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, a tour to Isla Mujeres by the name of Royal Garrafon, visits to XPLOR (an underground paradise),  XCARET (a river swimming experience), Tulum, and Chichen Itza are all great options.

tulum xcaret12.9b6fa8

Visit the markets in town

They are perfect for buying souvenirs or local art. Instead of overpaying for things at the airport or in your hotel’s gift shop, visiting a local flea market allows you to bargain your way down to a lower place. Market  28 comes highly recommended.

Mercado-28-Cancun

PARTY! 

Even if you are staying in an all-inclusive resort, making a trip to the clubs near Zona Hotelera is well worth it. If Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Tijuana had a love-child, it would be the strip of clubs in Cancun. The most famous of these clubs is Coco Bongo, which features live celebrity-inspired performances. One of my favorites is Mandala, or their Mandala Beach Club (which is literally on the beach). Spring breakers and people looking for an inexpensive night out prefer La Vacacita and  Congo… any of these places is sure to show you a fun time!

Side Note:

Many confuse this area with Downtown Cancun! This is not Downtown Cancun… do not tell your taxi driver to take you to Downtown Cancun. Instead just tell them to take you to Coco Bongo or Mandala, the clubs are all next to each other and you can pick one once you get into the area. This area is also full of people trying to sell you items (pizza, candy, bracelets), be careful because there are definitely pick-pocketers.

Jetsetting Spirit Cancun City Guide

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4 Comments

  1. April 9, 2018 / 4:48 pm

    I’ll be visiting Cancun in June of 2018 too Celebrate my mom’ 60 b-day!!!

    • Jet-setting Spirit
      Author
      January 22, 2019 / 11:04 am

      Thank you! I appreciate the support!

  2. DeEtta Arnett
    August 25, 2022 / 3:06 pm

    I want to see traditional dancing with maybe a buffet and dinner . Anyone know where to go for this in cancun?

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