Cancun is most famous for being the place where Pamela Anderson and Tommy - Lee Jones got married. Not really a great advert for it when you consider the problems their marriage went through later on down the line!!!
However there is a lot more to Cancun than the sum of its parts - as I found out in July of last year.
The flight is 8 hours there and 9 on the way back (something to do with the winds..) but don't let that put you off because as soon as you land and catch a glimpse of that turquoise blue ocean the whole plane ordeal will be forgotten.
The peak season for going to Cancun is early in the year ( march - July ) as this is when the weather is at it's most sunny and rainfall minimal. I went in the middle of July and it was just coming out of season, but although they threatened rain there was only ever a quick shower once in the morning, after which the sun soon reappeared.
Having been to the Gulf coast
in Florida twice, I thought I was prepared for a beautiful, picturesque beach. Let me tell you now that you will never experience anything like the vibrancy of the azure blue sea or white sugar sand of Cancun. Any postcards, television programmes or photographs just do not do it justice.
The native language here is Spanish-Mexican but as this is primarily a tourist resort catering for Americans, all the Hotels in the area have plenty of staff that speak excellent English.
We stayed in an excellent 4/5 star resort called The Royal Solaris Caribe and if this is a typical example of what the hotels are like then you will find a superb selection of food - available 24hrs ( it is well worth taking advantage of all-inclusive offers ) comfortable spacious and luxurious hotel rooms ( ours had a massive king sized double bed that could have slept at least four people - no exaggeration!) and friendly excellent service above and beyond what was expected.
As a few examples, the maids even made our towels into the shape of swans and love hearts and on the one occasion when we blocked our toilet the cleaner came and unblocked it within an hour of our call.
My advice to anyone planning a vacation here is to make good use of the wealth of knowledge that the concierge have - they will tell you the cheapest and best places to shop, what to buy, where to go in the evenings/where to avoid etc etc and they genuinely seem to love their job.
Although a fantastic holiday for all the family, I would say that Cancun mainly caters to couples. There is a strip of fantastic nightclubs just a 10 Peso (80p) ten-minute bus ride away and the buses run 24hrs. If you come out of the nightclub even at 5 in the morning you can hop on a bus straight away - no queuing for hours like at TrafalgarSquare!!
If you like cheesy discomusic and flamboyant display shows then head to Coco Bongo (named after the night club in The Mask) and be prepared to be dazzled with Jim Carey-esque acrobatic performances and Michael Jackson/ Madonna impersonators. Drinks are cheap or you can pay about £20 on the door and drink as much as you like for free (their Bloody Mary’s are the best!!)
For a wet and wild experience then try Senor Frogs - a bar/club with it's own water chute leading into the lagoon - go in your Bikini!!
There are so many places to go it is impossible to mention them all without this turning into an essay but suffice to say there is something for all tastes.
Along with all the usual water sports you would expect, take the opportunity to go scuba diving/ snorkelling as Cancun and it's neighbouring island Cozumel has some of the best Coral reefs in the world.
There are also lots of excursions available so I would highly recommend attending the meeting with the reps to find out what is on offer. We did a jungle tour - racing through the depths of the lagoon on two-man speedboats is a thrilling experience not to be missed especially for all those budding Bonds and Bond girls out there. There are also many nature parks which are definitely worth a visit and the opportunity to swim with dolphins, which although expensive (apx £100) is a truly unforgettable, life enhancing experience. Cancun really does have it all.
Well, if you are still reading this then go go go to the travel agents and book that trip now!! - what are you waiting for??
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What a superb and fantastic first review, I went to Mexico a few years back and it was best holiday ever, I went to Puerto Vallarta and swimming with dolphins is an ultimate experience. Well done look forward to reading many more!
elspeth334 06.03.2001 22:48
I didn't realize this was your first opinion. Excellent review and Welcome to Ciao I look forward to reading more Cheers Elspeth
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Advantages: unique, in your face, great entertainment, superb value for money. Disadvantages: bit cheesy - but meant to be
TheWizardsSleeve 05.11.2007 (31.10.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Coco Bongo, Cancun, Mexico
Advantages: Trapeze acts, stage artists, great fun party music, atmosphere, strong drinks Disadvantages: Very busy, likely to get drinks spilled on you
![Video Visits: Mexico - Merida, Cancun, Belize [DVD] [1999] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/116084473.jpg "Video Visits: Mexico - Merida, Cancun, Belize [DVD] [1999] [US Import] [NTSC]")
Mar 6th, 2001
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