Discussion
I am looking to go somewhere in hot Feb for a week or 10 days with my 21 & 24 old children that is lively, fun and not OTT on cost.
I seem to of landed on Cancun and have read what i can on the forum however i don't see any recent recommendations.
Any suggestions that are well located and worth a shout pls ?
I seem to of landed on Cancun and have read what i can on the forum however i don't see any recent recommendations.
Any suggestions that are well located and worth a shout pls ?
MJohnson said:
I am looking to go somewhere in hot Feb for a week or 10 days with my 21 & 24 old children that is lively, fun and not OTT on cost.
I seem to of landed on Cancun and have read what i can on the forum however i don't see any recent recommendations.
Any suggestions that are well located and worth a shout pls ?
IMO the bigger Mexican towns have got a bit hairy. Not been in Feb but I'm assuming it's the same all year round. PDC put me off ever going back, got offered drugs more times than I could count and that was during the day. I'm sure many will come and say they've had great experiences but with children of that age (especially if girls) I'd pick somewhere less edgy.I seem to of landed on Cancun and have read what i can on the forum however i don't see any recent recommendations.
Any suggestions that are well located and worth a shout pls ?
Mexico is good value, but echo the above - it is a bit sketchy in places.
I have stayed in Riviera Maya south of Cancun 3 times, not out of choice as it was with others, at the same hotel, with F all around it nice as it was. The hotel itself i can't recommend enough, Sian Kaan - Go there and there are 3 or 4 hotels you can use for restaruants, pools and drinks, entertainment etc. If that's the kind of holiday that suits you not bad at all, i got cabin fever but mostly due to the group not having any desire to leave it.
The hotels are great for entertainment, food superb, pools great etc and the beach is nice too.
There are excursions you can do, Xcaret, ziplining, historical areas etc but the only visit i did to a town the drug offers were constant and we did not feel safe. The first time i went there, there were police checkpoints the entire duration of the long road from the airport, heavily armed, didn't cause a problem for us but a friend drove and got pulled over constantly and bled for every penny of cash for 'speeding' by corruption. The checkpoints weren't manned on my last visit.
I wouldn't go back, but mainly as there are other places to go and all inclusive isn't for me and never was.
Oh and another friend of mine and his wife (50 odd, but very social) went to cancun and enjoyed coco bongo, until he was drugged to be robbed, fell off a bar stool, broke his arm and collar bone and spent several days in hospital and had to come home immediately when released, echoing my thoughts it is not safe.
I have stayed in Riviera Maya south of Cancun 3 times, not out of choice as it was with others, at the same hotel, with F all around it nice as it was. The hotel itself i can't recommend enough, Sian Kaan - Go there and there are 3 or 4 hotels you can use for restaruants, pools and drinks, entertainment etc. If that's the kind of holiday that suits you not bad at all, i got cabin fever but mostly due to the group not having any desire to leave it.
The hotels are great for entertainment, food superb, pools great etc and the beach is nice too.
There are excursions you can do, Xcaret, ziplining, historical areas etc but the only visit i did to a town the drug offers were constant and we did not feel safe. The first time i went there, there were police checkpoints the entire duration of the long road from the airport, heavily armed, didn't cause a problem for us but a friend drove and got pulled over constantly and bled for every penny of cash for 'speeding' by corruption. The checkpoints weren't manned on my last visit.
I wouldn't go back, but mainly as there are other places to go and all inclusive isn't for me and never was.
Oh and another friend of mine and his wife (50 odd, but very social) went to cancun and enjoyed coco bongo, until he was drugged to be robbed, fell off a bar stool, broke his arm and collar bone and spent several days in hospital and had to come home immediately when released, echoing my thoughts it is not safe.
I was there Feb this year. Although only spent one night on the mainland before heading over to Cozumel for a week of diving.
I actually found it fine, albeit I only spent the one evening and morning in Playa del Carmen. It just seemed busy with drunk Americans at night, and lots of people on the beach at sunrise doing yoga. I didn't see any trouble, or even signs of trouble. Cozumel was a lot less developed and seemed a far more relaxing place, stayed in a very nice AI, but still plenty of drunk Americans.
I actually found it fine, albeit I only spent the one evening and morning in Playa del Carmen. It just seemed busy with drunk Americans at night, and lots of people on the beach at sunrise doing yoga. I didn't see any trouble, or even signs of trouble. Cozumel was a lot less developed and seemed a far more relaxing place, stayed in a very nice AI, but still plenty of drunk Americans.
Cancun is not cheap, the Americans who visit with their stacks of USD have pumped up prices IMHO.
If you hire a car be on guard, dont stop and keep the doors locked. If you encounter the militia (happened twice for us) just show your passport straight away they are not interested in tourists. If you are going to hire a car I would do it through your hotel as you are less likely to get scammed - yes it will be $20-30 more but a lot less hassle.
We had a Nissan Micra - looked like something out of Breaking Bad. Think it cost about $70 all in - pick up from hotel lobby at 8am and return back anytime before midnight. Fuel and insurance was included.
Get a private transfer from the airport to your hotel, someone like USA transfers. They were c.$80 each way when I last did it.
If you have never been before then be aware you will be security checked on the way OUT of the airport. Also you have to fill in a form when you arrive so make sure you have a pen to hand.
The outside of the terminal will be chaos. So make sure you have looked in advance on the map where you need to go to get your transfer. There are 3 terminals. Its quite a walk between them and there are not really many signs to explain where to go.
Personally I think Thailand might be a better option... but thats just me.
If you hire a car be on guard, dont stop and keep the doors locked. If you encounter the militia (happened twice for us) just show your passport straight away they are not interested in tourists. If you are going to hire a car I would do it through your hotel as you are less likely to get scammed - yes it will be $20-30 more but a lot less hassle.
We had a Nissan Micra - looked like something out of Breaking Bad. Think it cost about $70 all in - pick up from hotel lobby at 8am and return back anytime before midnight. Fuel and insurance was included.
Get a private transfer from the airport to your hotel, someone like USA transfers. They were c.$80 each way when I last did it.
If you have never been before then be aware you will be security checked on the way OUT of the airport. Also you have to fill in a form when you arrive so make sure you have a pen to hand.
The outside of the terminal will be chaos. So make sure you have looked in advance on the map where you need to go to get your transfer. There are 3 terminals. Its quite a walk between them and there are not really many signs to explain where to go.
Personally I think Thailand might be a better option... but thats just me.
I wouldn't stay in Cancun.
Hire a car at the airport from one of the major car hire companies, and go from there.
We drove across Mexico from Acapulco to Tulum and didn't have an issues at all. This is my Family's most memorable holiday - none of us spoke Spanish, and until we got half way across the country there was surprisingly little English spoken.
We were stopped a couple of times at check points, but once they discovered we were from the UK and not gringos, no problem.
Hire a car at the airport from one of the major car hire companies, and go from there.
We drove across Mexico from Acapulco to Tulum and didn't have an issues at all. This is my Family's most memorable holiday - none of us spoke Spanish, and until we got half way across the country there was surprisingly little English spoken.
We were stopped a couple of times at check points, but once they discovered we were from the UK and not gringos, no problem.
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