As for Cancun, I can say I’ve been there. If your thing is Miami Beach or Waikiki, Cancun would be great. Cancun itself is basic big city with many budget options for vacationers. The beach strand is east of a big lagoon. It’s only two or three hundred meters wide in most places, with the beach strand on the east. Along there is about 10 km of upscale hotel after upscale hotel with the beach on the other side. anyone can go to the beach, though you generally have to go through a hotel to get to it. For sure, it’s great beach. Hanging out at the bar or jacuzzi on the deck seemed to me like it’s like taking a cruise ship, only it doesn’t go anywhere.
One afternoon was enough of walking the beach, lounging on the hotel lounges, cruising the shopping centers across the street, and considering eating at Chili’s, Hooters, Hard Rock Cafe, Outback, or some such place.
On the other hand, just a 20 minute ferry ride from town is the rather nice Isla Mujeres. It’s touristy, but not oppressive. There’s no traffic around, and the atmosphere is chill. I hung out a couple of days there, swam at the beach, sat under the palm trees and read, had some decent coffee in the mornings and splurged on a 700 gm ribeye steak and red wine. It was fine.
Under the right conditions, a drink on the beach watching the sunset would be great. Too bad there weren’t any clouds to give the sunsets character.
As I said, it’s something I can say I did, but I don’t need to go there again anytime soon.
From there, I went to Tulum, about three hours south of Cancun along the east coast of the Yucatan peninsula. A short blog about that is coming up.