Dingdongler

Hi

Need to crack on and book my winter sun tomorrow, looking to go middle of Feb 2012 for half term.

It's been difficult to pick somewhere that will be hot, not 'too far', will have something for wifey/me and enough to keep the kids entertained (and also somewhere we haven't already been five times). We've decided to give Cancun a go

Anyway I'm torn between staying either in the more central part of Cancun, disadvantages being that it is built up/busy but advantages are that kids stuff like dolphin parks, water parks are on your door step. Also lots of places to eat and drink outside the hotel.

Or in the Mayan Riviera which has the advantage of being far more peaceful and less developed but then of course it's 1.5hours each way to Cancun proper.

Can anybody who's been there tell me whether the main part of Cancun is OK or is it horribly busy/loud/rowdy etc

Thanks

Thanks

Will

Done it a few times

















http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_9tP-a1yHE

SPEN555

Cancun is ace

But outside of the all inclusive hotels it is expensive. Went to senio frogs n it came to €18 for two lagers in a plastic thing shaped like a yard of ale! That was a couple of years back. The facilities at the hotels though generally r second to none.

Jer

I have been four times, twice in Cancun and twice in Mayan Riviera. Xcaret in Mayan Riviera was the best hotel I stayed in (last time I went was three years ago). I'm sure you could stay in better depending on budget. Food good, service good and it's nice and clean. Cancun is not crowded or busy as the hotels are huge and far away from each other. If you go to the Mayan Rivera you can get a really cheap bus down to Cancun. I have only been all inclusive so did not have to really venture out the hotel much. I also had very young son at the time so did not want too. If your kids are school age they have lots of entertainment to keep them happy.
If your not going all inclusive I would probably stay in Cancun and eat in Hooters every night.

Dingdongler

Thanks. We decided not to go all inclusive because of a number of reasons. We like to get out of the hotel in the evenings and to some extent I always feel as though I am subsidising other people on AI ie those people who want to drink all day and stuff their faces.

So it seems Cancun would be the right place for me.

Jer, is Hooters some kind of topless bar??

Aaron1978

iTrader: (12)

http://www.riu.com/es/Paises/mexico/...ncun/index.jsp

Hoping to stay here this year.

Stayed just outside Cancun in riviera maya in may, around 25 mins away. Loved the hotel (all inc) and only left a couple of times, once into cancun where we didn't find it too busy but we did go out of the yanks holiday season which is like the Benidorm for them

cjquicksilver

iTrader: (23)

best dolphin parks etc are the other side of riviera maya, so if u stay in that area ur in the middle and most hotels offer a shuttle bus to cancun for free any how!

stiscooby

Personally I wouldn't want to stay in Cancun. We went about 4 years ago and stayed in playacar (think it was about an hour or so from Cancun?).

Went to Cancun for a day to do a speed boat thing but it's quite built up and busy. Hotel we stayed in had 3 or 4 restaurants and main buffet which was all inclusive so didn't really have much need to find somewhere to get food outside of the hotel. Plenty of trips etc to do outside of the hotel complex during the day.

You also notice a lot of 18-30 groups heading to Cancun, as well as stag groups etc so depending what hotel you stay in things might not be too peaceful ;-)

Dr Hu

Cancun prob has one of the best beaches in the world.....
I went about 15 years ago... Back-packed all around the yucatan peninsula.. Had a fab time.... But cancun was a huge American tourist trap then.... God knows what it must be like now... But that beach...!
XCaret, Tulum, isla mujeres, playa del carmen all excellent. We hired a vw beetle for an entertaining tour! The archaeology there is stunning.... But it's damn hot, I've been all around the world but Mexico has got to be hottest place on earth... Trust me!

DonNedly

iTrader: (10)

I didn't like cancun much when i was back-packing in central america. It was completely full of American tourists. The spit of land with all the hotels on has nothing but hotels there so there isn't really anywhere to go but the beach by the hotel and thats it. Playa del carmen was more tolerable as it had bars and restaurants and a nice beach and some locals (not many but Mexicans are awesome)
As mentioned tho, beautiful beaches.

Account deleted by request

I stayed at the Iberostar Tucan in Playacar just outside Playa Del Carmen. Playacar itself is gated community with 15-20 hotels on the beach. It a 5 minute taxi ride or 40 minute walk into Playa Del Carmen. Lots to do all within a taxi ride as well. It was one of the best all inclusive beach holidays i have been on, the hotels are huge so lots to do.

Chop

davegtt

As said, Yanky tourist trap, venture a bit further away, I enjoyed Tulum and rhe beaches there were fantastic. Maybe go that little bit further and try Belize Caye Islands for some proper tranquility.

fitzscoob

Funnily enough, I'm hoping to book here soon - http://caribbeanwarehouse.co.uk/hote...FUIMfAodZHMjoA

However, I was going to wait until June when Virgin fly direct. Generally speaking I know Mexico is hot all year around but in June will it rain all the time?

FYI virgin are doing a 10% discount at the moment.

Dingdongler

Thanks.

I've cancelled my flights. It seems Feb can be quite 'cool' in terms of temp and hours of sunshine. We want it proper hot and I can't take the risk.

So now I have no holiday again and I'm meant to be going in about 6 weeks time...

Fulmentaljack3t

Went last February for my 30th birthday and had a great time. Booked through an american website http://www.bookit.com saved £2K on a 5* 2 week holiday than I could find from any other site or travel agent I looked at so could well be worth a look for you, bad thing is you would most likely have to fly to new york then get a connecting flight down to mexico like we did, which wasnt much of a hassle just a case of waiting 2 hours at JFK.

Account deleted by request

Middle of February anywhere in the Caribbean should be 26+ pretty much guaranteed, Ive been a few times in February and March and it has always been glorious. Unless you go far east not many places will be hotter. In fact Ive always found Feb/March to be really tricky avoiding most hot regions wet season and the Caribbean is about as good as it gets.

Chop

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

We've just come back from play del carmen just before Xmas. The weather was spot on December is supposed to be the coolest time. I don't think it ever dropped below 20c in the evening, and was pushing 30c+ some days. What we found was it was hot enough to sun bathe from as early as 7am though from about 3pm it started to draw in, by 5pm it was starting to get dark. It was occasionally cloudy and we did have a little rain though it cleared up in half an hour.
We also went to Cuba last year in March and it was scorchio! Though there was a slight breeze which was quite refreshing.

Dingdongler

Really? Now I'm really confused. I know it is not cold per say but from the internet I got the impression that it was not that warm in the mornings and cooled off really quickly late afternoon. Since it's a beach resort and I have no interest in shopping then you're a bit buggered if it isn't hot.

Here is the fourteen day forecast and that shows temps of about 25 degrees

http://www.holiday-weather.com/cancu.../fourteen-day/

I could go back and rebook it but I've also found a holiday to Jamaica. The pros would be it's a much more 'natural' surroundings the downside being the level of service and quality of food will be nowhere near as good.

Thanks

Account deleted by request

Jamica is the 'chav' Caribbean island IMHO.

Chop

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

When I looked at the 14 weather forecast it said it was going to rain pretty much every day and would be in the low 20c's. Someone said to us the temps were "conservative" on the 14 day forecasts.
Cuba on the other had did seem cooler in the mornings

Dingdongler

Don't be such a plank, all the islands have something different to offer and are worth seeing.

It also depends how you travel and where you stay.

Account deleted by request

Well good luck then

I have never spoken to anyone who has visited multiple Caribbean islands and had a good thing to say about Jamaica, its so dangerous you cant leave your complex, apart from Dominican it is the cheapest island to travel to, its even cheaper if you are travelling from america (to americans it is know as the s3x island, if Hedonism in a jacuzzi with Phil and Barbara from Iowa is your thing it is perfect) and it does attract a different type of person (to me that is chav) appose to Barbados, Greneda, Antigua etc.

I'd rather not go on holiday than go to Jamaica, for not much more you can get the south coast of Barbados which is an entirely different level.

Chop

Dingdongler

You are sounding a bit like a chav/wanabee yourself tbh. It is not the cheapest place to travel to, as I said it depends where and how you go. You could go to a cheap cr8p hole in Barbados flying Thomson cattle class and it will cost far less than staying in a nice place in Jamaica and flying there business class.

Just going to Barbados doesn't suddenly give you some sort of status or class. Plenty of chavs there on cheap deals. If you think it does it says a lot about you.

Also what difference does it make if some yanks use it for lets say, free love? lol. Thailand is full of sex districts and nudey bars, doesn't stop me travelling there.

I've been to Barbados four times, as well as St Lucia, The Grenadines, Antigua and Cuba. All very nice of course, but I'm happy to explore other places. Yes Jamaica is that bit 'edgier' than some places, but that is the big wide world we live in.

It's all booked and I can't wait. I'll have a glass of champagne in your honour when I'm sitting in business class.