Traveling Cancun, Mexico

Whether it be for a week, a month, or a year traveling is a chance to explore new lands and create your adventure. Cancun is FULL of places to go and things to do...here are just a few of the things I did during my trip.

Where To Go In Cancun, Mexico

Let me preface everything about my trip to Cancun from the perspective of someone who likes to have everything planned out for her. I like to know where I'm going, what I'm doing, and how I'm getting there at all times. For fellow travelers like me who have this preference I would definitely recommend booking excursions and activities through your hotel or resort. They're a great resource for knowing what sites to hit and when. However, they might not always be that cost effective.

Chichen Itza

Day 1: Chichen Itza

Realistically, after you'v taken a flight from the east coast all the way to Cancun, Mexico you're going to be tired. I recommend if you get to your destination at a reasonable time that you take the time to explore the resort/hotel/surrounding area you're staying at. My first day in Cancun my group (my boyfriend and two friends) decided to have a good meal, get a mojito at the hotel bar, and chill out. That being said, we also went to bed early on night one so that we could prepare to travel to Chichen Itza the next day. Our trip was booked through the resort that we stayed at and it included a bagged lunch, prearranged through the hotel, a stop by the Cenotes, and a bus ride to Chichen Itza with a tour guide.

Cancun Cenotes - Carlo Albonetti

The Cenotes are a little daunting to jump into, but once you do it once it's so addicting and so refreshing! This was a man-made cenote that served as a swimming pool of sorts for tourists.

Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is a beautiful, touristy, beach hub. It's a popular attraction for tourists and locals and an easy bus ride away from the main hotel strip in Cancun. Buses run frequently and your hotel and/or resort should be able to help you find the nearest bus stop. I recommend going here if you're looking to lay on the beach for a few hours and explore the surrounding beach town. It's low-key vibe is true to beach expectations and it has cute shops and food stops of all kinds. My group and I stopped at a Tequila shop and sampled shots of tequila for free before getting some gelato.

Day 2: Playa del Carmen

Isla de Mujeres

It's name translates literally to mean "island of women." It's known for its rich cultural background and isolated island life. The majority of inhabitants of Isla de Mujeres have lived on the island the majority of their lives and thrive off of the heavy tourism that passes through.

We booked a trip through our resort that included a catamaran ride over to the island. Our trip originally included the ability to snorkel, but we were notified the day of that, due to wind and rough waters, the snorkeling portion of our excursion had been cancelled. We had an amazing tour guide that brought us around the island in his taxi and stopped us through a turtle sanctuary and many popular look out points for tourists.

Day 3: Isla Mujeres

Lunch was included in our excursion after our tour of the island, but water was NOT. This is one important thing to note about traveling Mexico is that you should not drink the water unless it is bottled or provided to you by the resort. At times water provided by the resort is still not safe for you to drink so proceed with caution. If you know you have a sensitive stomach then I would suggest sticking to bottled water for the duration of your stay. For days that I knew I would be traveling a lot without access to free water I traveled with a 1.5 liter water bottle and made sure it was filled up with free bottled water provided by the hotel. It's not a huge deal if you have to buy water, it's usually about 50-100 pesos for a good sized water bottle, but the money adds up quickly.

Looking for more Mexico travel tips? Check out my video on YouTube!