7 Tips for a great trip to Cancun
Cancun is one of the most popular vacation spots in the world, and tourism is extremely important for cancunenses. Most people are very friendly and want to help visitors have a great vacation. Even if things don’t go as planned, locals will try their best to help you get back on track and enjoy your vacation. These seven basic tips will help you enjoy your vacation in paradise.
1. Plan Ahead
It helps to plan ahead to get the most out of your vacation, and Cancun is no different. Deciding what kind of vacation you want will help you define the basics:
Accommodation
- All-Inclusive: This is the best option for being pampered, enjoying the beach, pool, and incredible installations, and always having great food and drinks available. The hotel arranges transportation when you decide to go out.
- Hotel – This is the best option for exploring restaurants and attractions, but also enjoy the pool, beach, and excellent service on the days that you decide to relax. If you feel comfortable driving, a rental car is the best option for moving around.
- Rental Apartment – This is the best option for enjoying unique locations with family or friends and doing a lot of exploring, including beaches, cenotes, eco-parks, archeological sites, and great restaurants. A rental car is the cheapest and most efficient option.
Tip: Once you know what kind of trip you want to take, decide on your must-have adventures, whether it’s a restaurant you want to try, a beach or archeological site you want to visit, or whatever experience you’ve been dreaming about. Decide which day you want to go and reserve it. Reserving early increases your chances of being able to go and is usually cheaper.
2. Cash and Credit Cards
The currency in Cancun is the Mexican Peso (MXN). Although U.S. dollars are often accepted, the exchange rate is not good, so it’s better to change currency before going out on the town.
Key Tips:
- Most hotels, restaurants, and stores accept credit and debit cards, which are often the best and safest ways to pay.
- Don’t carry large amounts of cash.
- ATMs can provide local currency; the exchange rate is reasonable, but fees may apply. The ATMs with the lowest fees are those attached to bank branches like BBVA, Banamex, Santander, and Banorte. ATMs at tourist places like stores and hotels usually have the highest fees.
- Use cards for most of your expenses and avoid converting too much money to pesos,
Recommendations: To get better rates, convert cash at money exchange shops. However, use ATMs at bank branches for reasonable rates, more flexibility, and to avoid carrying too much cash.
3. Staying Safe
Cancun and the Yucatan Peninsula are very safe for tourists. Despite some headlines, over 2.5 million tourists visit the area every month, the vast majority without incidents and enjoying a wonderful vacation.
Like in all cities, you should follow basic principles to minimize the risk of problems:
- Avoid isolated areas, especially at night, and stay in populated areas.
- Use reliable transportation, such as taxis, transfer services, or public transportation. Rideshare apps are currently available in Cancun but are still in their initial stages, and some issues are sometimes occurring.
- Don’t carry too much cash; only take one or a maximum of two credit or debit cards.
- Don’t take your passport, leave it at the hotel. Have a copy, preferably digital of your passport and your card’s account information in case you need to report them.
- Keep an eye on your drinks at nightclubs and bars, especially if you are with strangers.
- Don’t go to ATMs at night and don’t take too much money out.
- Don’t do anything illegal.
4. Health Emergencies
Healthcare in Cancun is quite good. It has become a significant hub for medical tourism, especially cosmetic surgeries. Many hospitals and clinics are available, and pharmacies are well stocked. You can find most medicines without a prescription, and doctors are widely available for prescription medicines.
Most hotels offer medical services and have doctors on call for emergencies. Before your trip, You should purchase travel insurance that covers medical emergencies.
Follow these basic tips to stay healthy:
- Don’t drink tap water, drink bottled water instead. Avoid waste by bringing a reusable water bottle; you can ask the restaurant staff to fill it with water and ice.
- The beach, activities, heat, and humidity can quickly dehydrate you, so drink water often.
- Wear sunscreen. If you visit the beach, cenotes, or other natural areas, make sure it’s biodegradable. Remember to reapply often.
- When visiting archaeological ruins, cenotes, or jungle activities, use biodegradable mosquito repellant, especially during the rainy season from May to October. Remember that mosquitoes are more active during the “mosquito hour” during sunrise and sunset, so apply repellant generously just before this time.
- When trying street food go to places that have many customers, the food will be fresher and if they have so many customers, it’s a good bet that the food is tasty and they keep coming back because nobody gets sick.
- Don’t overdo it. Sometimes, on vacation, we exceed our limits, avoid too much sun, food, alcohol, or other excesses that could become a problem.
5. Transportation
Getting to and from the Airport
Cancun International Airport is the first place you’ll reach during your vacation. A good experience there will set the tone for the rest of the vacation. There are three main options to get to your destination.
- Shuttle Services: Shared or private shuttles, also called transfer services, are convenient and often less expensive. You should always book in advance to get a better rate and have your ride waiting when you arrive. Hotels sometimes offer this service, but unless it’s complimentary, it’s often cheaper when you book directly with a shuttle company online.
- Taxis: Official taxis are available outside the terminal. They operate on a fixed rate, so be sure to confirm the price before leaving. This option is often more expensive than the online shuttle services reserved before your flight.
Rental Cars: Renting a car is a good option if you want flexibility or plan to do a couple of day excursions during your vacation. Major and smaller rental companies are present at the airport. Compare prices and reviews online before deciding where to rent. Liability insurance is required; purchasing it when you reserve online is often cheaper. If you only plan a one-day trip, a better option is to have a rental car dropped off and picked up at your hotel for one day.
Local Transportation
Once in Cancun, there are various ways to get around the city.
- Buses: The local bus system is affordable and operates regularly. Buses to the hotel zone and downtown are easy to catch.
- Taxis: Similar to airport taxis, local taxis have set rates based on distance. Always ask for the fare before the ride.
- Rideshare Apps: Apps like Uber and InDrive are available, but are still in the early implementation stages and sometimes have problems.
- Bicycles: In the hotel zone biking is an option. Different places offer bike rentals, and some hotels lend bikes. Remember to be careful of cars and people on the sidewalk. Don’t ride while intoxicated.
6. Cultural Norms
Many cancunenses speak English but they always appreciate it when tourists try to speak Spanish.
These phrases will take you a long way:
- “Hola” (Hello)
- “Gracias” (Thank you)
- “Por favor” (Please)
- “¿Cuánto cuesta?” (How much does it cost?)
- “¿Por qué tan caro?” (Why so expensive?)
- “Amigo” (Friend)
- “¿Dónde es __?” (Where is __?)
- “No más” (No more, as in no more food)
Don’t be afraid to say NO
In Cancun, many make their living selling things to tourists; haggling is standard practice, and being very insistent is part of the selling pitch. Don’t feel uncomfortable and don’t be afraid to say NO if you don’t want whatever they’re selling, whether it’s a street vendor or a salesperson in the hotel selling vacation programs with free drinks and massages. Remember, they work on commission and sometimes use very pushy tactics to sell their products. Evaluate the arguments; if you are convinced, buy it, if you aren’t, be polite, say “not interested,” and walk away.
Tipping Practices
People in the service industry in Cancun make most of their money from tips. If the service is good, tipping is expected.
- If service is not included in the bill, a 10-15% tip is standard in restaurants. For excellent service, guests tip 20%.
- In taxis, rounding up the fare is customary.
- Tipping bellhops $1-2 per bag and $1-5 per night for housekeeping is also customary in hotels.
7. Seaweed and Hurricanes
Hurricane Season
Cancun hurricane season is from June to November; during the last 40 years, only two hurricanes have hit Cancun directly, Wilma and Gilberto. If you are flexible, these can be the best months to visit. Top resorts usually have bargain prices, and most days are sunny with low humidity and beautiful, warm, turquoise water on the beaches.
During this season, monitoring the weather as your vacation approaches is important. Scattered showers are no problem; they are quick showers that come and go and leave beautiful sunshine. However, if a tropical storm is forecast in the area, it’s better to reschedule.
Sargassum
Sargassum, a type of seaweed, can also wash onto beaches during these months. It is best to choose hotels where this is minimized, like the ones in the original hotel zone, from the Temptation Cancun Resort to the Hyatt Ziva. Another option is to choose hotels with amazing pool areas, so in case sargassum hits the beach, you can spend more time in the pool.
The hotels actively clean the beaches when sargassum occurs but another option is to monitor the condition of the different beaches online and visit beaches that don’t have sargassum.
