Solo Trip to Cancun

Cancun, 2017’s top-rated hottest singles destination according to Conde Nast Traveler, is surely a paradise on earth with beer, blue beaches, and beauties everywhere. Located in southeastern Mexico, it is not only the safest but also usually the cheapest and quickest getaway from the United States. Popularly known as a Spring break destination, it is one vacation college students will think of in a heartbeat. But then it is also famous for family vacations due to a large number of highly renowned resorts with exceptional facilities for great family time without any hassle. Well for me, I am really glad I chose Cancun to be my first solo vacation; lovely Mexican people, breathtaking views of beaches, and nightlife, all blend in to leave a wonderful memory. So single out there, you found your destination. Families, one getaway added to your bucket list. In relation? check this out if not already. Here are highlights from my solo three-day trip to Cancun (5 days including travel) which I hope will help with your planning.

Best time:  

Early June is the best time for a better price on hotels and flights. Late June can be hit with showers. And of course, if you don’t mind spending a couple hundred bucks more, late March to April is the best time with the intense crowd, and best weather and yes it is heavily populated.

Where to Stay: 

Highly recommended to stay in Hotel Zone aka Zona Hotelera because it is easy to travel to other places from here plus the safest and cheapest. More precisely near Coco Bongo Club where major nightlife happens and you are not alone at any time of the day/night. Looking for suggestions? Riu Cancun is one of the best luxury hotels around. Suites Costa Blanca will be perfect for an average stay. Still cheap? There are several hostels too like Hostel Mayapan.

Transportation: 

Car rental isn’t really necessary but then Uber is illegal here(I faced huge trouble hiring Uber at the airport). Blue Shuttles are best to reach Zona Hotelera from the airport and back to the airport, hire a cab from the hotel team. To travel around, check the price in Uber and bargain for that or around to hire a local cab, it will save a lot of pesos. Lastly, buses aren’t bad for shorter distances. Worth a try. Great savings but they might be pretty crowded and you better know your stop.

Currency Exchange:  

Cancun is Americanized, so you can pay with dollars at most of the places except for the restaurants and local markets. So recommend avoiding exchanging in the US because there are chances you get a better exchange rate in Cancun at local stores. So US dollars in cash is all you need. Provecho, you will save money paying in dollars than paying in pesos.

Good to have: 

If you are taking your phone with an internet connection which is recommended, these apps will make your trip smoother. Google Maps, Google Translate(Can even translate pictures), AT&T with an international passport(which charges 10$/day for calls,text, and data), Discover Card(Free foreign transactions), and Spotify for Despacito 😀

Well, I guess enough prerequisites. Time to hit places:-

 Isla Mujeres        

Spanish for “Women Island” (Don’t ask me why), this is the heart of Cancun and is everything one needs or is the reason to visit. Colorful, lively, eye-feast, food haven, beach paradise, bed of water sports. Are there any other adjectives I can add to describe this splendid island?

Time to spend: 

One to two days.

How to reach: 

If you are just around Coco Bongo, an Ultramar Playa Caracol ferry ride is an option. Walkable but ferry aren’t on time and they are hourly. If you can take a bus or cab a few extra miles, Playa Tortugas is the best option. Every half hour and most regular.

Getting around: 

The best form of transportation is a bike. Remember to bargain. Know the prices around. Pelicano’s Bikes is one shop I recommend. You might need a valid ID to rent mopeds. Golf carts are famous choices to rent though.

Beaches:

If you prefer to stay around a lot of people, Playa Norte is the perfect beach with a lot of choices to grab drinks. This is less than a mile away from the ferry terminal, north of it facing the mainland. While you are there, make time for a seaside massage. Looking for some impressive views, head to Punta Sur, the southern tip of the island.

And everyone needs some me time, so head to the back of the island, away from the mainland where there are no designated beaches but you can always find a path leading from the road to the ocean. These are the places where we can spend hours enjoying views, street food, and some local beer, Mexican style. You will also encounter local people who would love to share their stories if you understand the language. Be careful though.

Carry own towel, bottled water, sunscreen and valid ID while heading to the Island.

Restaurants:

There are hundreds of restaurants serving a variety of food across the Island and almost everything is similar. Trust your instinct to choose one and you will do fine. So does Bally-Hoo to me. Close to the ferry terminal. Loved the place. Just on the shore with some good views of the beach and sailing boats. The host recommended some Mexican-style fish, it was pretty good. The other restaurant, Casa Chetto which I tried for some quick drinks just across the terminal is good too. La Lomita, on the other side of the island close to shore, is a must-try for some authentic Mexican food.

Activities: 

This is the fun part. So let’s breakdown.

1. Biking: 

One should roam around the island at least once to enjoy the views, spot colorful houses or wild Iguanas, and catch up with some spectacular local food and local shopping, and the best way to do it is by bike. You can stop anywhere you want, travel off-roads, and do much more. The island is about 7 km long, so it is a half-day trip.

2. Water Sports: 

Duh! Yeah, I understand. Of course, there are plenty of choices. Scuba Diving, Whale-Shark Tours, and Snorkeling are popular ones. While there is no hard-fast rule to have fun, there is one basic thing to take care of. Pick the right shop!!

I learned this the hard way or maybe I am too amateur for Scuba diving. If you don’t wanna hear a fail story that might give second thoughts to diving, I prefer you to skip this 🙂 Long story short, I completed the first two levels – theory and at the shore. While I am still getting better at the shore and trying to understand the dive signs and process, my trainer felt I was good and took me to the battlefield which I opted to do at Museo Subacuático de Arte/Underwater Museum of Art from various options. I was so excited to visit this underwater museum as the pictures are mind-blowing.

We were on our way to the museum on a boat and I could hear my heartbeat while enjoying the beauty of the ocean and views. And suddenly those waves were looking at me sharply, the ocean turned black and so as sky 😀 (Really! There is a rain forecast and you know when the ocean won’t be blue anymore when it is deep, so it is black now) We stopped at a black spot, the trainer asked if I am ready, geared me up, took three-four minutes of sighs and my boat driver helped me to do back dive, five minutes or less I was crying for help to put me back on boat 😀 Those were the few minutes I can never forget in my life.

The view of the ocean bed even for a few seconds is so pretty stunning.

Mistake, the more I tried to blow the water out, the more I took in. Panic, lack of confidence, lack of trust in the trainer and the sea is so deep and clear as crystal, I had doubts as I am a 101 swimmer. Also, one wave hit me hard on my cheek asking me to go back to my place 😀 Advice, learn swimming, know about gear, join a group, and most importantly, pick the right shop with great reviews that has great trainers and gear to become one among 52% of visitors who made it to the underwater museum on their first visit to Cancun. I picked a great shop but I think it’s just me and the trainer combo and recent events got me a little confused.

End of the day, you know what made me feel better? This sign 😀

Epilogue, The next day back in the States, I was swimming for 2 hours straight 😀

3. Ocean life

Love to watch ocean life without actually being inside? Turtle Farm aka Tortugranja and Dolphin Discovery to swim with those lovely creatures are the ones you should check out.

 4. Sailing

This is one activity if you are willing to go the extra mile to catch some splendid views. Local fishermen head out to the sea in their boats during sunset. This is a great opportunity to get some great views of the island while you fish. Unique experience and mostly it is safe. Plan to go out with registered shops.

Chichen Itza Day Tour

A trip to Cancun is not complete without checking off Chichen Itza, one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and New Seven Wonders of the World. It is one of the famous Mayan ruins sites in Mexico with so much history. El Castillo, the north platform of this pyramid is significant with its theory that the shadows at a time of the year represent the feathered-serpent god Kukulkan. There are several ruins and so much history to learn at this site.

Time to spend: 

One day.

How to reach: 

There are plenty of tours from Hotel Zone and book one with great reviews instead of the hotel tour. Any tour generally includes a Valladolid city tour(actually a stop), a Chichen Itza guided tour, and Il-Kil, a cenote (sinkhole).

Tips: 

• Avoid large bus tours if possible. It will save a lot of time and too many selling tricks for tour company’s products.
•  Audio tours will be really helpful to learn history than tour guides.
• Do not fall for the tour-free buffet. If not with a lovely family on my tour, I would have fallen sick.
• Never rely on weather sources in Mexico. They are not so accurate. When we were just on the site of Chichen Itza, there was a heavy downpour which almost lasted for all the time we were there. Bright side, I wouldn’t have met a lovely girl who could have shared an umbrella with a pleasant smile turning it into a sweet memory.

This sinkhole is a fabulous place, situated close to Chichen Itza, so it is a popular destination to visit. You will witness people performing all stunts in water and ropes are tied to aid swimming. The locker place is well-maintained and towels are available for rent.

Valladolid City will be a quick stop before heading to the Yucatan Peninsula leaving us to explore a Church, a local park, and souvenir stores.

Hotel Zone

And then there is Zona Hotelera itself with plenty to do. Water sports like Jet Skiing, Museums, Clubs, and Restaurants, it is complete themselves.

Things to do: 

The top hits will be Tequila Herradura Sensory Museum to experience Mexican best tequila and the top of everything is Coco-Bongo. It is one unique club with various acts and acrobats doing professional stunts amid electrifying music. It just has to be experienced and all other clubs just cannot be compared.

Buy general tickets online for Coco-Bongo and then upgrade if you want to – inside the club to a personal table and waitress for a lower cost. Remember tips can do magic.

Where to Eat:

There are the best Mexican restaurants around like Casa Tequila and everything will amuse in its style. Street food has its taste and one shouldn’t miss it. There are several of them in the small strip in front of Coco Bongo and are open till late. I recommend Calypso’s in front of the Ferry Terminal in the Hotel Zone and for drinks, El Poblano ZH besides Suites Costa Blanca, both places have great hosts. Nachos with a variety of delicious Mexican sauces come along with drinks at every restaurant.

We can spend days here and still, there will be something missed. With longer vacations, one can visit Playa Del Carmen, another pleasant beach; Cancun Downtown(be careful at night), and Xcaret, a theme park for a full-on experience of Mexican food, music, and culture with an aquarium, adventure park, zoo, and trajineras, decorated boats.

What do you think about my solo trip to Cancun? Don’t you think it is one place we should visit solo? Hope you have a pleasant experience in Cancun!

This hotel zone view on my return journey already made me miss it.

Craving for more? All about Cancun in a short Video:

Te veo pronto!

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Travel Safe!