This is the third time we visited Cancun, and on each occasion, we have learned and discovered new things. That's why we have decided to make this video, we want to share with all of you the entire experience we had acquired on these journeys, and make the definitive guide of how to travel and visit Cancun! Cancún is the main entrance to the Mexican Caribe, that's why it is recommendable to use this opportunity to meet new places like "Playa del Carmen" and "Tulum". Also, Cancun is the international entrance to the "Tren Maya" route, a stroll that will make you discover the deepest of the ancient roots of our culture. Therefore, the Cancun airport receives travelers from more than 125 destinations, and getting cheap flights is easy if you choose the right season. The first thing you have to know when you arrive at the Cancun Airport is how you are going to move from here to the door of your hotel. You have three options: the first one is getting in a taxi... We actually don't recommend that because it is really expensive. The second one is, if you come in a group, you can hire a shuttle service, they are those mini-van that could take you directly to the door of your hotel along with many other people. This option is quite inexpensive. And the third one, the one we recommend the most is renting a car, because it will give you a lot of flexibility when visiting many destinations here in Cancun or the Riviera Maya. You can also travel on "ADO" buses, they leave from the airport if your final destination is "Playa del Carmen" or "Tulum"; this is the most practical and inexpensive way to travel. Something that many international tourists have asked us about Cancun, is "in what currency can I pay?" We recommend to pay in our national currency, namely in Mexican pesos. It's essential to have cash, especially if you want to save money because you will need it to use public transportation that will take you to different beaches. Cash is also useful to pay local tours because they are cheaper than those offered by agencies. For everything else, you can use your debit card or your international prepaid card, in that way, you will get the preferential exchange rate of your bank. Avoid withdrawing money of those cash machines, because commissions are usually very high. Pay always with local currency, you will save a lot of money, and you will enjoy it more. Now, we are going to share with you our best tips on renting a car. First, ask for the price with 100% of the car insurance, thereby you can identify the real cost of the rent. And If you don't want extra charges on your card, look for local businesses that accept cash deposits. In high season, it's very common that they don't have the car you booked, so demand a similar one, and if there are not cars, look for them in other companies. Check out the car inside and outside, take photos of every detail, in that way, you can protect yourself from any misunderstanding. Return the car with the same amount of gasoline with which you received it, and reload it in the city's gas stations, because the price per liter of stations near the airport increases a lot. Oh, hubby! What a beautiful place! It's beautiful, isn't it? How much did it cost? Ahhh... hahaha! In this occasion, we are going to stay in Airbnb very well located in the center of the city. It has all the services for you to be comfortable, for a fair price. We will put the link in the description if you want to stay here too. In Cancun, we want to spend most of the time visiting beaches, so a simple lodging in the city is enough for us, but if your budget is not a problem for you, then we recommend staying in the most beautiful place of the beach. The most exclusive part of the hotel zone is in "Punta Cancun", where the sea has those blues shades that have captivated millions of travelers. In this zone, the prices for the rooms go from two thousand to 18 thousands pesos per night. The rest of the hotel zone is a wall of the beach located between the Caribbean Sea and the "Laguna Nichupté" (Nichupte Lagoon), a geographical rarity that makes Cancun a very special place, that's why we will see later each of its beaches. If you come to Cancun and you realize that you forgot the swimsuit, the shorts, the sunscreen..., don't worry; because there are quite a few shopping centers here, where you will find everything you need. This is called "Marina Puerto Cancun", but there are many others, then, regardless of where you will stay in, we will give you right away a map in which we will show you where Cancun's main shopping centers are. There are, at least, 11 shopping centers in Cancun. Those on the side of the city are really large squares, while those located in the Hotel Zone are smaller, and they are aimed at the most exigent visitors. Tonight, we are going to visit the most famous squares of the Hotel Zone, which is still growing and renewing year after year. "Luxury Avenue" is famous for having the best international brands. It's part of the "Plaza Kukulkán", which Maya stained glass is another popular icon in Cancun. I had never been to an abandoned mall before... Hahaha. No, it's no big deal. Well, we aren't used going to squares that much, honestly, it bores us a lot, but... we are here to report everything. Anything for you guys. That's it, don't even look at the "Plaza Kukulkan" right now, it's being remodeled, well, it's better to look the one that is in front of us, it seems that it has its charm and it must be newer and less unkempt. This open-air mall is called "la Isla" (The Island), currently is the most popular among visitors due to the variety of shops, and for offering the most beautiful sunset view of Cancun. The good thing about this square is that it has restaurants, shops, boutiques, well, it has everything, everything, everything. Also, in front of "la Isla" we found the Cancun Ferris Wheel, a new attraction that allows you to appreciate the beautiful landscape from a height of 60 meters. Cancun's main attraction is its beautiful beaches, that look wonderful at dawn. Today, we are going to visit from North to South the public places to find the best beaches. We get up very early and we drove about an hour to the North end of the coast, to visit a virgin beach where few tourists arrive. This is the "Isla Blanca" (white Island), the furthest and the less famous place in Cancun. We recommend coming here, if you enjoy the loneliness and the tranquility of nature. Also, if you bring your pets, nobody here will tell you anything. If you rented a car for your trip to Cancun, the cost of the parking per car is about 50 pesos, and the access schedule is from 9 am to 6 pm. Cancun must have looked like this many decades ago, and I think it's important to keep this place like this, to be able to enjoy it for many more generations. If you want to become a kiteboarding
amateur, "Isla Blanca" is a great place to practice, and it seems that today is a good day to enjoy this show. Now, we are going to visit another access to this public beach, where there are more people and more services. Today, we are going to know the best public accesses to the beaches of Cancun. To get to any of them you can take Route 1 and Route 2 of the public transportation. They charge 12 pesos and they can leave you in front of the beach you want to visit. Our first stop is in "Playa Langosta", one of the most beautiful beaches of Cancun, perfect for a family trip since the swell on its coast is minimal. That's why it's one of the children's favorites. Additionally, it has inflatable water equipment from Wibit, where kids and adults have an amazing time. The next on the list is "Playa Tortugas" (Turtles Beach), another amazing place for all the family. Here, you can find a bungee platform, as well as restaurants and beach clubs. And it has free parking, for those who want to visit it. Further to the hotel zone, there is the beach "Gaviota Azul" (Blue Seagull). This is the place that everyone falls in love with the throbbing color of the sea. If you have dreamed of visiting Cancun, this is the beach you want to be in. From here, the swell is mild, so you will always see people practicing different kinds of water sports. A little further to South, we reach "Marlin Beach", another beautiful place that is located behind "Plaza Kukulkan", here, the access is by a small corridor that has some shaded seats, and public bathrooms. While on the beach, you can rent lounge chairs and umbrellas. If you are planning to visit this beach, we advise bringing your own food, because there aren't shops or restaurants, and if you bring drinks, it mustn't be in glass containers. "Playa Delfines" (Dolphins Beach) is a public beach that is located further to the South of Cancun, and it's the most popular. Here, you are not charged for entering, or using the parking, not even for the beach huts. The things that they don't allow are glass containers, and pets. "Playa Delfines" is characterized for having the deepest sea shades of Cancun. Actually, here is the famous sign where everyone wants to take a picture in order to remember those beautiful colors that make everyone smile. However, these beaches don't always look as amazing as today. Since 2011, the sargassum began to arrive sporadically, a brown seaweed excessively disgusting to see and that produces a bad smell. Fortunately, not every day there is sargassum and it doesn't invade all the coast. To know what beaches are convenient to visit when you are in Cancun, we suggest consulting the "Observatorio del Sargazo" (Sargassum Observatory), a web that is maintained by inhabitants, visitors and tourists that daily share photographs and testimonies about the actual state of the beaches. Checking this information help you identify what beaches are infected and what are not. In that way, you can make the right decision to spend your holidays without worries. We will put the link in the description, so you can check it by yourself. We have just arrived in the market, that is called "Coral Negro" (Black Coral), here you can find crafts from all Mexico, from Oaxaca, from Chiapas, from Puebla, from Guerrero, Well, there are crafts from every, everywhere. However, the prices here are excessively high, and it's for a reason, here, sellers wait for you to haggle. Almost everything in this market is negotiable, the only thing we didn't see a discount was in the bottles of Tequila. If you want to take one with you, you must ask them to adequately wrap it up to resist the trip back to your country. The nightlife in Cancun is concentrated in the Party Center, located in the middle of the Hotel Zone. Most famous places are "el Mandala", Dady’O Sky Garden, The City, and of course the "CocoBongo". The party starts around 10 pm and it extends until the night ends. Fortunately, there are public transportation for 24 hours for you to return safely to your hotel. If you stay in Cancun, you can take the chance to do a tour. Most popular strolls are towards "Isla Mujeres" (Women Island), and "Isla Holbox". Also, to the eco-parks of the Riviera Maya, like Xcaret o Xelha, or if you are interested in ancestral cultures, you can visit the temple of Kukulkan in Chichen Itza, or visit the Archeological Zone of Tulum. And if you go further to South, you can visit the "Laguna de 7 Colores" (Lake of the Seven Colors) in Bacalar. If you rented a car, you could go and return any time you want, but you must have some cash to pay the parking, and always respect the speed limit. In public transportation there are options, the buses are available all day, nevertheless, they make continuous stops and it can be uncomfortable. Mayab's buses are another comfortable and inexpensive option, but a little slower due to its route. In return, ADO's buses are more expensive, they just stop in stations and they work with a fixed schedule. If you are planning to use them, make an order online in advance to get a discount. You can also hire a tour, costs are higher compared to the other alternatives, and you will lose valuable time taking and waiting for other passengers. Soon, we will have the Maya Train, and it will be another option to visit even the most remote destinations in no time. Guys, good morning! Today is time to visit "Xel Há", it's one of the most popular parks of all the Riviera Maya. The park opens from 9 am, the trick here is to arrive as early as you can. If you are in Tulum, you won't have any problem, in "Playa del Carmen" you must have to wake up a little earlier, but if you are visiting from Cancun like us... uff... you really have to get up early. The price of the ticket depends on the package that you choose, later we will explain to you how to save money and how to get true discounts for this or any eco-park that you want to visit. We recommend visiting at least one in your next trip to Cancun, all of them are amazing, and surely it will be an experience that you will remember forever. Let's go to adventure! 1, 2, 3, power couple! Do you like it? Yes. The only way to save money and get true discounts of the Xcaret parks' tickets is buying in advance from its official web page. You get a 10% discount buying with 7 days in advance. And the 15% if you buy them 21 days before traveling. Also, if you are Mexican, there is an additional 10% discount at the moment of ordering using "PROMOMEX" code. Just remember taking with you an official identification the day of your visit to make the offer valid. We will put in the description the link of their official website, for you to buy your tickets safely and you can spend a very fun day enjoying your holidays. Back to Cancun, a very special sunset awaits for you in front of the Nichupte Lagoon. At the back of "La Isla" shopping mall, there is an entrance to the sea, where we recommend spending the rest of the afternoon watching how the color of the sky changes. Today, it's time to visit "Isla Mujeres" (Women Island). The last time we went by ferry, but, honestly, prices are now excessively high! They went crazy, and now we are looking for another option; a nicer, cheaper and more complete option. We're going out with a bus from "Puerto Juarez" to "Isla Mujeres", and they will give us the whole tour. We accorded to meet, in front of the "Mandiga” restaurant", our guide Mario Novelo, who offers a whole tour to "Isla Mujeres" at a fair price. Besides the tour, we have to pay the local tax for using the boat stations and thus have access to the motorboats that go to Isla Mujeres. Safety first, guys, if you don't put your life jacket on, the boat won't move, look... "Isla Mujeres" is just 13 kilometers off the coast of Cancun, our first task today is going snorkeling near "Farito" to see coloured fish. The tour includes the life jacket, the classic goggles and the snorkel mask, but if you want to bring your own mask to swim more comfortably, you can do it too. The freedom of breathing through your nose with this mask gets you a little less tired, and makes you enjoy the trip better. The next place to visit is "Playa Norte" (North Beach), one of the most famous in the world, due to the crystalline nature of the water, and its peaceful coastline that could relax anyone. Here, there is some free time that you can take to cross under of the bridge and walk near the stones to find more colored fish, and sea life all around you. From there, Mario took us to the town, where we learned more about the origin of the name of the Island. Since ancient times, this place is associated with fertility. The Mayan women made a pilgrimage to this island to prepare themselves spiritually when they wanted to become mothers, requesting for Ixchel's wisdom, the "Rainbow Woman" who grants and watches over gestation. Currently, the cult of the town is to the Blessed Virgin Mary, virgin of the Immaculate Conception, whose temple is located in the center, and which nowadays is also attended by believers who want to request the miracle of conception. In the colonial period, the church took the local traditions to create an amalgam of symbols, so their love for fertility is still alive today. In the South Point of "Isla Mujeres" remains the vestiges of a temple dedicated to Ixchel, located where it receives the first rays of the sun of all Mexico. To get there, we took a taxi that took us in 15 minutes from the center to the entrance of the viewpoint of Punta Sur, a very popular place to see the sunrise. Further on is the access to the cliff and the ruins of the "Adoratorio a Ixchel" (Ixchel's shrine), located in the South end of the island. The access to this Sculpture Park has a price of $30 pesos per person. We could check that the energy this place emanates still attracts the faith of thousands of women that come to this place to thank for the intervention of this force in their lives. Guys, this is the fourth stop we've made on this ride, let's eat the famous Tikin Xic fish, I will go into the kitchen to learn how to prepare this grilled fish, and then I will prepare it at home for Rosy. The first thing is to butterfly a sawfish, then we grate it. Later we bathe it in lemon and add salt to taste. Now we smear the anatto on the fish to marinate it, and we add red onion and tomato. We will take the fish to the grills, and for about 25 minutes it will cook until it is ready, and can be served on the table. This is the dish you couldn't lose when you visit "Isla Mujeres" and Cancun. Viajefest recommends that! Guys, this was just a little demonstration of everything you can do in "Isla Mujeres". We have a long way to go, but... we will have to come back to do an exclusive video of this place. We hope you like everything we have learned about Cancun. We wait for you in the next video, because we are going to visit "Valladolid" and "Chichén Itzá", and also we are going to take a tour of "Las Coloradas". Then, there is nothing we can do but thank you for staying with us. See you on the way! For these 4 nights in Cancun, we spent between the two $8,850 pesos, including lodging, activities, and food. Plus, we drove 390 kilometers on 33 liters of gasoline, making a total of $9,493 pesos. Find more useful information for planning your trip in our blog. viajefest.com/cancun
