We returned from Cancun vacation last week. This vacation break was some what different from places and things we have been doing over the past several years– namely, children friendly destinations such as Disney or road trips to National Parks. As such not knowing much about popular tourist destinations such as Cancun, we were a bit overwhelmed planning the trip. Headlines such as, “Four Dead in a Drug Related Shooting on a Mexico Beach” did no good to ally our anxiety.
Nevertheless, despite these concerns, our time in Cancun turned out to be surprisingly pleasant and refreshing for all four of us. In this blog post, I’ll walk you through our Cancun trip – from the planning stages to our experiences while there – and wrap up with some insights on what we might do differently if we were to visit this beautiful place again.
Planning
As we began planning for our vacation destination, our primary goal was straightforward: find a warm location with easy beach access. Cancun emerged as the top choice for a December getaway, being renowned as Mexico’s premier beach destination. The prospect of surfing the waves resonated well with the kids, making it an exciting option.
Before our trip to Cancun, the only international family excursion we’d taken was back to our country of origin. Consequently, this upcoming journey promised an entirely fresh experience for us as a family. With this in mind, my primary focus was to prioritize safety and comfort in our planning, relegating budget considerations to a secondary role. Adapting to this approach was a novel experience for me personally,and took some getting used to.
As someone who values finding good deals, my usual approach to travel involves searching meticulously for cost-effective options across airfare, accommodations, and activities. However, for this particular trip, I opted to explore bundled vacation packages. Among the various websites I explored, three stood out as particularly helpful: Costco Travels, TripAdvisor and Viator.
After navigating through numerous options, battling the overwhelming choices that often lead to decision paralysis, we eventually settled on booking our trip through Costco Travel. We secured a package for the Fiesta Americana Condesa, an all-inclusive resort perfectly situated in Cancun’s bustling “hotel zone.” The total cost for a six-night stay with airfare for two adults and two children under 12 amounted to $6,778.
4.4 star reviews, direct access to beach, large pool, all inclusive and cost under $8000, (double of our usual travel budget) were some of the factors that played into our choosing Fiesta Americana Condesa.
Next on the planning list was entertainment and activities. Although simply basking in the resort’s amenities and relishing 24-hour access to the pristine white sandy beach with crystal-clear turquoise waters, while sipping a cold drink and diving into a good book, seemed like an incredibly enjoyable option in itself, we had approximately $1200 left in our travel budget. Determining how to allocate these funds became another bout of grappling with the familiar challenge of “decision paralysis.”
As our travel dates drew nearer, an exclusive online discount for Xcaret excursions, available only with advance booking at least a week prior to our intended visit, finally nudged me out of my decision-making rut. Presented with three alluring options — Xcaret Park, renowned for its eco-archaeological wonders; Xplor, an adrenaline-pumping adventure park; and Xel-Há, an aquatic paradise — we settled on Xplor for our planned visit on the last day of our stay. Taking advantage of the offer, we swiftly purchased tickets and arranged convenient round-trip transportation directly through the official Xplor park website. Total cost for the tickets and round trip transportation from hotel: $596.
When traveling within the United States, concerns about cell phone data plans and currency exchange are typically not on our radar. However, these aspects become crucial when exploring a foreign country. During my research on cell phone coverage options, I stumbled upon https://www.plancun.com/, a well-organized site tailored for planning trips to Cancun. This website suggested acquiring an eSIM through Airalo and even provided a coupon code for a $3 discount. I took the recommendation and purchased an esim on the day of our departure.
As for currency, I read at lot of places that it would be beneficial to carry Mexican peso preferably obtained via ones local bank. There were also some tips on how to get best exchange rates for converting dollars to pesos while in Cancun. As it turns out, to order foreign currency from local bank, one has to do so atleast a couple of days in advance. My planning error resulted in us not having any way to get Mexican peso’s without incurring a hefty currency exchange charge. I therefore decided that it was prudent to carry dollar bills in small denomination of ones and fives instead and to look for ways to exchange money to pesos (if needed) while in Cancun.
In summary, here’s a breakdown of our pre-planning for Cancun trip.
- Round trip airfare and resort booking through Costco travels– 6-nights stay for a family of 4 with two children (age 8 and 12), $6778
- Xplor park – 3 adults + 1 child, $596
- Airalo esim- 10GB data plan with discount coupon, $23
- Dollar bills- Ones and Fives, $500
Total Cost: 7897
Cancun Resort Stay
We took a red-eye flight from Seattle, departing at 11:59 PM, with a layover in Houston. We landed in Cancun at ~11.35 AM the following morning (Cancun falls under EST timezone). Costco’s local travel partner, BD Experience had folks waiting to take us from airport, in a shared ride to our hotel– which falls in the so-called “Hotel Zone”, about 20 min ride from the airport.
While waiting to check in at the hotel, we experienced our first taste of the “all-inclusive resort” ambiance. A friendly hotel staff member approached us and offered drinks, which we gladly accepted. By the time we completed the check-in process, it was already 1:00 PM. However, we were informed that our room wouldn’t be available until 3:00 PM. This gave us a nice couple of hours to explore the hotel.
Upon inquiring at the check-in desk, we discovered that the lunch buffet was open until 2:00 PM. So, we decided to head over to the buffet for a quick lunch. To my surprise, the variety and quality of food options available at the buffet exceeded my expectations by far—they truly hit it out of the park with this one!
Exiting the hotel lobby, we were greeted by a breathtaking view of the vast expanse of turquoise ocean waters, absolutely pristine! The combination of delightful food and drinks, direct access to the beach for leisurely walks, and the sunny 70-degree weather struck a chord with us. In that very moment, it became crystal clear that we had made the perfect choice for our vacation.
The first couple of days at the resort was spent exploring all the amenities on offer and soaking in the white sands and the pristine oceans! ! However, on the third day, we opted to step out of our hotel for a day excursion to Izla Mujeres (Women’s Island), just a 30-minute ferry ride from Cancun. Apart from the novelty of renting a golf cart and navigating the entire island (which surprisingly took just about 45 minutes), the day trip turned out to be a letdown. This time, we hadn’t planned the excursion through a tour operator, and in hindsight, we regretted the experience.
The following day, I made the decision to book an excursion through Viator to visit Chichen Itza, home to the Mayan temple of Kukulcan—one of the new seven wonders of the world. Located about a 3-hour drive from Cancun, our journey also included a stop at a Cenote, which are natural sinkholes with permanent water. Our tour guide was truly remarkable, particularly in his explanations about the astronomical significance tied to the construction of the Kukulcan temple. He highlighted how the ancient Mayans comprehended the Earth’s precision and its orbit around the sun long before Galileo’s groundbreaking discovery of the sun’s central position in the solar system.
The tour expenses totaled $231 for our group of four. However, this price did not cover the mandatory tourism tax of $94, which every foreign visitor must pay before entering Chichen Itza. Despite the additional fee, the trip’s value was unquestionably justified by the awe-inspiring visit to Chichen Itza. Moreover, the delightful bonus of swimming in a natural sinkhole made the experience even more memorable!
On the penaltimate day of our stay in Cancun, we visited the Xplor Park. The park offered an exhilarating experience with more than 14 ziplines, the opportunity for a river swim inside natural caves, and a lunch buffet—all included in the price. Needless to say, we had an absolute blast!
On our way back we had a halt in Denver, with an hr layover. As it turns out, an hour is not a sufficient time for a layover in Denver, especially coming in from a Foreign country. We landed on terminal A23 and our connecting flight was from terminal B35. Not withstanding the distance between the two terminals, immigration and security clearance had us almost miss our connecting flight back home!
Overall, despite visiting a bustling tourist hub during a peak season and acknowledging the concerns about potential safety issues, we thoroughly enjoyed an incredible vacation and had jolly good time staying in a high-end Cancun resort.
If planning another trip to Cancun, here’s what we would consider doing differently:
- Obtain Mexican pesos from a local bank at least two days before the trip for convenience.
- Opt for a direct flight from Seattle to Cancun, avoiding the hassles of a connecting flight.
- Skip visiting Isla Mujeres, particularly if staying at a hotel or resort with direct beach access in the hotel zone.
- Allocate more time to relax at the resort, avoiding overloading the itinerary with numerous excursions.
- Brush up on basic Spanish phrases to enhance communication and immersion in the local culture.