8 Ways to Do a Weekend in Cancun
One of our favorite weekend getaways is to Cancun. We usually go at least three times a year on free tickets acquired on Spirit Airlines. (All we have to do is pay the taxes of $84). We’ve been to Cancun a good number of times. Since we go so often, we try to avoid having the same experience over and over for fear that it would get old and we would no longer enjoy going. Here are some of the experiences we’ve had.
- Stayed on the water near downtown — The Cancun Hotel Zone is shaped like a 7. This area would be considered the top of the seven. Cons of staying in this area are the beaches are not as good as the ones on the leg of the 7 and it is the farthest area from the airport. Be sure plan a good amount of time to get to the airport since Boulevard Kukulcan often gets congested. A major pro of this area is the proximity to downtown Cancun and the ferry dock to Isla Mujeres.
Beach at the top of the “7” - Stayed downtown — Staying in this area afforded us with the ability to walk to many restaurants. Additionally, prices are lower downtown than in the Hotel Zone. The obvious con is there is no beach. Hanging out downtown is a good place to go if one just wants to eat Mexican food and drink for a weekend.
- Stayed in the main hotel zone on the water — This area would be considered the leg of the 7. I enjoy this area a lot since the beaches are wonderful in this area of Cancun. A major con of staying in this area is that it may be difficult to encounter anything close by to do so it is easy to stay confined in a resort. I have to have an outlet so we like to stay at the The Flamingo Cancun Resort. There is a small mall across the street where one can buy beer, souvenirs, and other things. Adjacent to the hotel is a great restaurant, Tacun, we try to hit every time we go to Cancun. The owner, Iloy, is very friendly, he makes a great margarita, and the Mexican specialties he serves up can’t be beat.
Beach at Flamingo Cancun Resort - Stayed in the Entertainment District on the lagoon — This area is right where the two parts of the 7 come together. This area is LOUD and it’s the place to be if one wants to party. Coco Bongo is located in this area. The lagoon side is pretty, yet there is no beach. Hotels on the lagoon tend to be less expensive than those on the beach. For people on a budget, it’s a great option to be in the heart of the night life without spending a fortune on a hotel room. I stayed at The Cancun Clipper Club. It was clean and reasonably priced.
Lagoon view at Cancun Clipper Club - Stayed in Puerto Morelos on the water — If one rents a car, it is possible to drive to this little up and coming town located just 20 minutes south of the airport. There are very few tourists here, and the sunrises are gorgeous. The beach is small, but there is a beach club where one can rent a chair and umbrella for the day. One street parallel to the beach one will find various restaurants.
Sunrise in Puerto Morelos
Puerto Morelos beach
Puerto Morelos - Stayed in Puerto Morelos in town — Once again we rented a car and this time stayed off the water near the restaurants. We opted to take a two-hour drive to the Pre-Columbian ruins of Coba.
- Stayed in Playa del Carmen on the water–We rented a car for this trip which turned out to be a bad idea. We had to pay quite a bit to park it and we only drove it one time once we got to Playa. What I really like about Playa del Carmen is the beach clubs. One can literally sit on the beach all day and have someone keep running cold beers and food to oneself. After the sun sets, strolling Avenida 10 is good fun. Tulum is only an hour’s drive to the south.
Playa del Carmen - Stayed in Playa del Carmen in town–For this trip we took the bus from the airport which was a much better idea than renting a car. For $10 each way, the price can’t be beat. We stayed in a backpacker area in a hotel named Barrio Latino located between 15th and 10th Avenues away from the water.
I am sure that as we continue to make trips to Cancun, we will find many more ways to explore this tropical gem. What is your favorite Cancun experience from your travels?
~Bella
