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man and woman sitting in hammocks on the beach in Cancun Mexico

CANCUN TRAVEL TIPS

If you are traveling to Cancun Mexico in the near future, trust me when I say, you will be SO happy to learn about these 11 Cancun travel tips down below in this travel blog. Not going to lie, if we knew these couple tips, our entry into Mexico would have been SOOO much easier!

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Cancun Mexico YouTube Videos

Cancun Mexico Travel Guide

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Black hat with writing "Cancun Good Vibes" with ocean in the background

Cancun Mexico Travel Guide

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Cancun Mexico Travel Guide

JUMP TO:

  • Cancun TRAVEL TIPS
  • Cancun Mexico PHOTO GALLERY
  • Cancun Mexico PACKING LIST
  • Staying At The ROYALTON CHIC SUITES in Cancun Mexico (Watch) 
  • Staying At The ROYALTON CHIC SUITES in Cancun Mexico (Read)
  • Swimming With WHALE SHARKS
  • Tips about HOTEL XCARET RESORT & TOUR (Watch)
  • HOTEL XCARET Information & Tips (Blog)


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Cancun Mexico YouTube Videos

Cancun Mexico YouTube Videos

Cancun Mexico YouTube Videos

If you truly want to be 'apart' of our adventures and get a true, first hand experience, definitely check out our YouTube videos in Cancun Mexico!

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12 MUST KNOW cancun travel TIPS

Large colorful letters spelling out CANCUN

WHAT YOU NEED TO TRAVEL TO CANCUN

1. Download all apps before leaving home (unless you have a cell plan... we have AT&T with full coverage in Canada & Mexico- check with your carrier to get the same)... see the list of apps we utilized the most HERE.


2. Print off ALL your travel information and take it with you!! - Before entering Cancun, Mexico, your airlines should give you an immigration form, requiring you to fill in all your travel information (Hotel name and physical address, airline name & flight #, total amount of travel days). I suggest just printing out your itinerary, which should have all the info you need.

  • Once you arrive in Mexico, you must fill out the Multiple Migratory Form (MMF) (also known as a tourist card) BEFORE going thru customs! Our airlines (Spirit) didn't give it to us, and we had no idea we needed it until we reached the customs desk and got turned away until we filled it out. They will have the form lying around in the general area, or you can FILL IT OUT HERE before you leave home, print it out, and take it with you (will need hotel name & physical address, travel dates and amount of days, airline name & flight #).

QUICK TIP: Be sure to stick a pen in your carry-on... if you don't fill these forms out at home, the airlines (& while on the plane) won't give you a pen to fill these papers out and that's when chaos begins. 

QUICK TIP #2: DO NOT PAY FOR ANY FORMS ONLINE!!! There are multiple companies out there that say you have to pay for the MMF form, you don't! I supplied the link above!


3. Pack a few snacks for your flight ... I don't know about you, but as soon as I step foot into the airport, I see all the snacks and end up paying double for a Snickers bar and Pringles 🤦‍♀️ and then I do it AGAIN while ON THE FLIGHT 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ Don't be like me 😂

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HOW DO YOU GET AROUND IN CANCUN?

4. Book your airport transport before arriving in Cancun Mexico, if your resort doesn't offer it. Trust me when I say this is worth doing BEFORE you leave home. We booked ours on Orbitz or you can try Expedia too. Generally these are the BEST prices online!

  • When you walk out of the baggage claim area (in the Cancun International Airport) & thru the double sliding glass doors, prepare for chaos and to be bombarded with multiple offers for taxi rides, excursions & resort viewings... POLITELY SAY 'NO THANKS, I'M ALREADY BOOKED' & KEEP WALKING OUTSIDE!! You will have plenty of time to book these excursions either at your resort, OR I suggest searching HERE on Viator or HERE on Orbitz (sometimes Viator & Orbitz have better prices)
  • Once you are outside... EYES PEELED! Whoever you booked your airport transport with, should have your LAST NAME printed out on a piece of paper, and they will be waiting for you.
  • DO NOT BOOK A SHUTTLE BUS!!! We made this mistake, and it took 2.5 hours to get to our resort in Playa Del Carmen (only 35 minutes from the Cancun International Airport). Pay the extra couple bucks and get your own taxi/car. It took this long because we stopped about 20 million times at MULTIPLE resorts letting other passengers off... N.E.V.E.R  A.G.A.I.N!!!


5. Grab a taxi and make a friend- there is no shortage of taxi's in the area, especially if you are in the hotel zone! We only used a taxi a couple of times (yes, they can be spendy but very convenient), and on our last visit, we met a great taxi driver. We suggest using him when you need to get around... here's his info: Hector the Connector at +52 9988 450 968  .... he speaks EXCELLENT English, and we now officially have a friend in Mexico! 

QUICK TIP: Taxi's only take CASH. They do not accept anything else at this point, but obviously this can change in time!


6. Hop on the local bus if you do not want to pay a little extra for a taxi, MULTIPLE local buses run up and down the hotel zone and all over Cancun, and it's like 10 pesos aka SUPER CHEAP (that's about .50 cents US). 


7. Get outside of your resort! Ok, I say this with caution. You are in a foreign country, and there are still sketchy areas in Cancun (just like anywhere in the world), so use your best judgment. I wouldn't suggest walking too far at night (or at all), but it's not that big of a deal during the day! Nate and I walked all over the place while staying in the hotel zone! I'm not sure about the rest of Mexico, but a good rule of thumb, go with a group of people or at least two people, not by yourself & be aware of your surroundings.

QUICK TIP: Download an 'offline' map of Cancun (or the generally area you will be in) from Google Maps. If you are walking around and don't have cell service, you can still use this offline map to guide you!


picture of an airplane wingtip and cancun mexico
a person holding cash fanned out in hand

HOW MUCH CASH SHOULD I BRING TO CANCUN

8. Bring tip money/cash 

  •  Mexico accepts Pesos & the US Dollar for currency usage. If needed, we primarily used our travel credit card (capital one), took multiple small bills (1's & 5's) and didn't bother with Pesos. A great app to have handy is called 'Dollar to Peso'. If you want to only use pesos, you can either order some ahead of time at your local bank, OR you can exchange your US money when you are down in Cancun. The resort should have pesos, and I don't think they charge a fee to exchange them, if you are wanting peso's. 
  • We noticed the more you tip, the better/quicker the service... plus, it's always our goal to give to those who are working the hardest and giving the best customer service anywhere we go. $1 USD goes a long way in Mexico! And Peso's work too.... just make sure you know the exchange rate or download the 'Dollar to Peso' app (for US Dollars). With that being said.. when you pay with USD, it's easy to spend more than what you needed... just pay attention to the exchange rate!
  • We primarily used our Visa card when possible, otherwise it was cash when needed.
  • Yes... you can exchange cash there at all the 900 thousand exchange booths, but we know from previous experience, the USD 'talks more' in Mexico and not to mention, all the exchange booths charge a FEE 🥴
  • Check with your resort if they can break down your larger bills, most of the time they will do this for FREE  
  • For 10 days in Mexico, we brought about $500 (USD) in small bills (100 x $1, 10 x $5, 11 x $10, 12 x $20). We ran out of $1's the quickest!
  • Taxi's ONLY TAKE CASH NOT CARD! (we met a great taxi driver and we suggest using him when you need to get around... here's his info: Hector the Connector at +52 9988 450 968  .... he speaks EXCELLENT English and he was very transparent and honest with us and we officially have a friend in Mexico!)


SHOPPING & WALKING AROUND IN CANCUN MEXICO

9. When you're walking around downtown or any shopping area (yes, it's safe to leave your resort on foot, especially in the hotel zone DURING THE DAY), don't fall for the FREE Excursion tickets in return for attending a timeshare presentation.... trust us.... the free excursion tickets are NOT worth it 🥴🤦‍♀️  (yes, we fell for it and lost a whole day... but in hindsight, we did get to experience Hotel Xcaret - WATCH THAT HERE or READ about it HERE) 


10. If you want to buy your own hard liquor (now I'm about to sound like a lush 🤷‍♀️)

  • DO NOT BUY FROM THE DUTY-FREE store inside the airport... MASSIVE ripoff
  • DO NOT BUY FROM YOUR RESORT.... another MASSIVE ripoff
  • Our FIRST suggestion is to buy liquor at the grocery store at the end of the Hotel Zone in Cancun, close to the roundabout. It's called  Súper Chedraui Selecto, and it's MASSIVE... 2 stories worth of food, alcohol, & even clothing. I would compare it to a Kroger or Fred Meyer and the grocery side to a Safeway or Publix. If you are not staying at an All-Inclusive Resort, I recommend you go here and get all your groceries... VERY COST EFFECTIVE!
  • Our SECOND suggestion for buying liquor is at a decent-sized liquor store called La Europea, close to the massive shopping Mall. They had a little different selection than the grocery store, and the prices were identical and 'normal' ... not inflated, lol. 


11. DO NOT DRINK THE FOUNTAIN WATER (THIS ALSO MEANS ICE) - Stick to bottled water only! Mexico does NOT have the proper filtration like the USA (or your country), which will make you sick. Luckily 99% of the resorts in Mexico will supply bottled water for you. Be sure to ask for extra bottles first thing when you arrive & again when they clean your room or in the morning. 


A liqour store in Cancun Mexico called La Europea

A liqour store in Cancun Mexico called La Europea

a person holding a phone with an upload arrow into the cloud on the screen

BEST APPS TO DOWNLOAD FOR MEXICO TRAVEL

12. Best Apps To Download For Mexico Travel - These are the apps we primarily used while in Cancun, Mexico. You will want to download these before you leave your hometown, so you can utilize them when you arrive in Mexico (while attached to Wi-Fi). These are available in your app store FOR FREE (except for Netflix).

  •  WhatsApp (free texting over wifi)- We used this to connect with everyone, especially if they had a local Cancun phone number.  
  • Dollar To Peso - conversion rate calculator for your money.... this came in handy in the beginning until we remembered what the rate was if we didn't have wifi access to calculate
  • Google Translate - translation app... Yep... this also came in handy! 99% of the people we spoke with knew English well, so we didn't have to depend on this too much.
  • Google Maps - Did you know you can download an offline map of the area before leaving your home country? This was convenient... especially when we wanted to find the grocery store! If you don't know how to download an offline map from Google Maps, shoot me a message, and I will be happy to help!
  • Your Airlines Flight app- download the app of who you are flying with, get your boarding pass and flight info. This is nice to have in case you need to check which gate your flight is leaving from!
  • Netflix - download your favorite show and watch it without an internet connection during your flight/layover. Nate always gets bored on the plane while I am editing a YouTube video, so I always download a few movies for him 😜

Cancun Packing List (other than the 'norm')

SUNBUM SPF 50 - OCEAN & REEF SAFE

SUNBUM SPF 50 - OCEAN & REEF SAFE

SUNBUM SPF 50 - OCEAN & REEF SAFE

Trust us, the higher coverage, the better... especially in Cancun!! 

Sun Bum has the BEST smell, does NOT give you that 'burning' sensation, is water-resistant up to 80 minutes, and most importantly, OCEAN & REEF FRIENDLY! Before leaving Cancun, we noticed a deeper tan with the higher SPF coverage vs the lower!

2 PAIRS OF SUNGLASSES

SUNBUM SPF 50 - OCEAN & REEF SAFE

SUNBUM SPF 50 - OCEAN & REEF SAFE

Not sure if it's just a me thing, but somehow, something ALWAYS happens to the ONE pair of sunglasses that I bring... and then I end up buying a pair that I don't really like that much... tell me I'm not alone here that this happens too?! Don't let your accessories make your vacation to Cancun, a negative one!

GOPRO - WATERPROOF CAMERA

SUNBUM SPF 50 - OCEAN & REEF SAFE

GOPRO - WATERPROOF CAMERA

If you DON'T have a waterproof camera on your Cancun trip... we need to have a serious talk! The GoPro 8 is our MAIN camera for everything, even our YouTube videos. Giving you 4K videos, amazing photos, incredible stabilization, & it's super compact!

SNORKEL GEAR

TAKE A BACKPACK/DAY BAG

GOPRO - WATERPROOF CAMERA

Call me a germaphobe, but the idea of utilizing a snorkel set from the resort or a tour, that multiple other people have used... nah, I'm good! This one can get tight enough for my small head and larger enough for our son's (bigger) head & of course these water fins are the perfect size for your carry-on! 

TAKE A BACKPACK/DAY BAG

TAKE A BACKPACK/DAY BAG

TAKE A BACKPACK/DAY BAG

When you get to Cancun, exploring can be fun, but be sure to take your 'small' essentials with you in a small backpack of some sort! And if you are going ANYWHERE there will be water, take a dry bag or dry-pack backpack instead! There is nothing worse than wanting to take your cell phone, other electronics, & a pair of clothes & try to keep them dry!!



SPF CHAPSTICK

TAKE A BACKPACK/DAY BAG

TAKE A BACKPACK/DAY BAG

Do  NOT leave home without this! Yes, Cancun will have chapstick, but they may not have SPF specifically. The sun gets hot and since most of the time you will be either in the sun or salty ocean, you will want to keep your lips from getting fried and dried out! Once again Sun Bum SPF 30 is one of our favorites!

SPF/UPF SHIRTS

PORTABLE (SOLAR) CHARGER

SPF/UPF SHIRTS

We each only brought 4 of these guys on this Cancun trip! Living in Florida, we are out on the ocean & beach as much a possible and because of that, we now incorporate these SPF/UPF Shirts every vacation and beach trip that we go on. Nate & Blake's SPF preference (men's), and my SPF preference (woman's)

HANGOVER CURE

PORTABLE (SOLAR) CHARGER

SPF/UPF SHIRTS

I know this sounds like an odd one, but these were the BEST random items that we brought with us. You never know what to expect when you are ready to eat  & drink in a different country! These charcoal pills & these Alka Seltzer EXTRA STRENGTH pills were a MASSIVE lifesaver... especially on the day, I decided to over-indulge in the Tequila. Oh, and throwing in a Pedialite will save your life too!

The charcoal should be taken an hour before eating and the Alka Seltzer pretty much as soon as you start to have a stomach ache.

PORTABLE (SOLAR) CHARGER

PORTABLE (SOLAR) CHARGER

PORTABLE (SOLAR) CHARGER

 I can't tell you how many times this portable solar charger has been a HUGE lifesaver, especially because we are NOT always conveniently sitting next to an electrical outlet. Make sure to give it a good wall charge prior to using for best results! 


'I want to stay inside for an hour to charge my phone while on vacation in Cancun'... 

SAID NO ONE EVER! 


And this one is pretty rugged, so if it gets a little wet or dusty because you are out exploring, no big deal!

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Hope these suggestions help you out if you are planning a visit to Cancun, Mexico (or really anywhere in Mexico 😁)!


See you again soon! 

-Ashley (Nate & Blake)


CANCUN MEXICO Photo Gallery

silhouette of two people swimming with a whale shark in Cancun mexico
large colorful letters spelling out cancun
black hat reading 'Cancun good vibes' with sunglasses perched on top
palm trees sitting on a white sandy beach with bright blue ocean and a hobby cat in the background
man and woman swinging in hammocks on the beach
man holding woman while standing in the ocean in Cancun Mexico
airplane tip looking over Cancun Mexico shoreline
person swimming next to a Whale Shark in the Cancun Mexico
woman swinging on hammock on the beach, in a green shirt, sunglasses and black hat
man and woman giving piece signs, in orange life jackets getting ready to swim with Whale Sharks

CANCUN Mexico TRAVEL TIPS

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