Remember those movies where some bad American character runs for the border with Mexico trying to escape? Did you ever wonder to spend a summer vacation on a Mexican beach, even though you heard once too many times the country isn’t quite safe? If you’re in doubt and still didn’t make a choice if booking an all inclusive vacation to Cancun Mexico already (as it is one of the most favorite Mexican touristic destinations), let’s start with answering the most important question: is it safe? If you check around and do your homework, you’ll find out that Cancun has its rate of touristic crime – meaning pickpocketing mostly – but this is something that all heavy circulated touristic resorts or metropolitan areas warn tourists about, but otherwise, the real crime rate is low, or so Trip Advisor tells us. Of course, if you venture at night in a bad neighborhood in the City of Cancun, some unfortunate events might occur, but again, that’s the case with almost any big touristic city. In terms of safety, make sure you have some means of transportation to the hotel arranged previously, as hustlers and tricksters are every step of the way, it’s better to keep away from renting cars, as it’s a classic ripoff, negotiate very carefully any taxi ride, drink only bottled water and if you choose a supplementary guided tour, make sure it is associated with a reliable tour operator in order to not get over – taxed. If these precaution measures made you reconsider, let’s see what other tourists recommend and travel virtually together among ten of the touristic attractions to consider when deciding if you want to book an all inclusive vacation to Cancun Mexico.
1. Chichen Itza Ruins
You’ll have to travel there and you will need a guide, but the experience is worth the money and the trouble. The quintessence of Mexican history, intimately intertwined with the fate of all mankind, the trip to the ruins is said to be a once in a lifetime experience. If you get a guide who really knows his data and has the talent to transmit the information so that you will never forget it for the rest of your life, then you made the right choice taking this trip. The weather is tricky, so bring an umbrella and a sun hat and don’t expect much from the food served in the surroundings, some people described it “so – so”.
2. Cancun Mayan Museum
Well, the Mayans really got to our nerves lately, predicting the end of the world and all that… But to take a glimpse to who they really were, what they really did and where did those ideas of them emerged, a visit to the Mayan Museum is a must, especially if you were a fan of the Mayan Apocalypse theory and want to pay these tricksters your respect. The building is nice, the surrounding area is spectacular, maybe the artifacts won’t make you stumble and fall in awe, but they will feed you your need of knowledge. Make sure you have cash pesos on you, as they don’t receive credit cards, no foreign coins.
3. Cristo Rey Church
If you need a spiritual place to rest or pray, being a Catholic, the Iglesia de Cristo Rey is a good place for you, as you can attend and open air Mass or even admire the building’s architecture, this one being the first Catholic church in Cancun. Located in Parque las Palapas, basically in the city’s center, the building is not just a place of peace, but a majestic construction that attracts people every day. They let you take pictures so don’t be scared if you’ll see masses of tourists trying to capture the church’s magnificence.
4. Captain Hook Pirate Ship
If you’re tired of visiting monuments, the tourists’ number one rated attraction in Cancun must them make the list. This is basically quite a long boat cruise (an estimated time is of four hours) that will offer you on board an interesting Steak and Lobster buffet, free drinks and… a pirate show, which is the main attraction of the whole cruise. Some may find boring the idea of being stranded on a boat for such a long time with other passengers taking advantage of the free drinks policy and watching pirates monologue and dance, but fans of Jack Sparrow reported the cruise is the experience of a lifetime, especially if you have kids along.
5. Isla Mujeres Dolphins Swim
If you missed swimming with the dolphins in the Bahamas, you can live this amazing experience in Cancun, and by swimming, as some tourists accurately observed, we mean really swimming with the dolphins, not just take a quick bath in the same pool with them. Ranked among the best and most worthy experiences to try in Cancun, make sure you have some money upon you, as the Dolphin Discovery fun is not cheap. The surroundings are quite average and don’t expect royal treatment outside the water, but when together with the dolphins, royal is an understatement.
6. Interactive Aquarium
If you swam with the dolphins, you can continue your trip in the sea life and stay for a 20 minutes very active dolphin show at the Interactive Aquarium and if you really like adventure, you can turn Steve Irwin and pet the stingrays or even feed the shark. It is small (it’s actually at the Mall) but tidy, and if you have kids, they will surely enjoy the sea lion experience. They can take pictures with the sea lions at some points and it won’t cost a fortune, either.
7. Tulum Avenue
Wanna see more Mayan pyramids, enjoy a sunny day at the beach and smell the ocean? Then Tulum Avenue, described as amazing by recently returned visitors is a place of culture blending and history learning, together with enjoying spectacular landscapes – seeing the pyramids on the beach! – make the trip to Tulum a must. Warning, though, the distance is significant if you stay in Cancun, but the roads are fine and once you’re there you can enjoy a family vacation while trying the good food and drinks and maybe do a little shopping too.
8. Tortuga Beaches
Eh? Sounds familiar? This place is highly recommended by tourists because the area offers a lot of entertainment options: bungee jumping, jet skiing, boat cruising, bars, terraces and Mexican sun. Just be warned that this isn’t some luxurious white sandy beach you might expect, but rather a rocky local beach with less high class facilities. If you’re into cheap activities and fun for the kids, together with a cold drink and a fine snack, Tortuga beach may be the place to get a sun tan and an enjoyable sea bath.
9. Torre Escenica
This is an observation tower that rises above the ground, offering the tourists a unique and spectacular view over the area. It spins so you can see from the cabin everything around you, although some voices say it spins a tad too fast. However, you won’t stay more than 10 minutes there and the cost is around $15, but tourists enjoying the experience described it as amazing. There are machines inside which have per-recorded information messages, but in reality nobody pays attention to them, everybody is hooked on the scenery.
10. Museo Sensorial del Tequila
You may want to leave the kids back at the hotel for this one. This is a tequila museum, tasting and trying included, maybe a guided tour offered by the museum’s director himself, or just another equally prepared guide, who will introduce you into the history of tequila, its cultural value, the production process, the sensor experience attached to it and much more. Many people entered that museum knowing nothing about tequila and even not liking it, only to come out Tequila fans for life. If you’re there, don’t miss the restaurant and you can end the day at the gift shop.
Did you ever visit Cancun? Are there any touristic attractions we missed? Do you have other experiences you want to share with our readers? Comment below and let everyone know about your Mexican travel adventures!
