FIRST-TIME traveler to Mexico (from WI)

[Myluvwyatt]

Hello ~

I'm researching information for my friend and I to take a trip from Wisconsin to Mexico next year (March) sometime between the 14th - 26th. Her (44th)birthday is the 21st, so we would like to be gone that day and return sometime after. We're thinking maybe a week's time or less. She's computer iliterate and I'm not that much better , so any help would be GREATLY appreciated. I haven't traveled a whole lot and neither one of us have EVER been out of the country, so you see I need a lot of input. We were told "Cancun" would be a great FIRST-TIME place in Mexico to travel for 2 ladies on a beach adventure. I would LOVE to swim with the dolphins too. She's not much of a water person, but is willing and wants to relax and have some cocktails and party. (At our age you think we would have done that sooner, 30's/40's. hahaha) We were also told this is somewhere around spring-break for most, so we would like to try to stay away from that as much as possible, but if we can't then it's fine too. My friend wants us to go for an "all-inclusive", but doesn't that raise the price a lot or is it easier and less pricy to book air / hotel seperate or together, and we need a passport as well, etc.? ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL! (I'm on the tighter budget.)
Thank You ~
Tina

[HostColleen]

Hi MLWyatt,

I *do not* recommend Cancun, but rather a nice area just south of Cancun, much more lowkey and no less lovely called the Riviera Maya. It began developing probably 10-12 years ago, maybe starting with Playa del Carmen and then it just grew from there. It's a great place now, with many lovely resorts and just a great place to relax, grab some beach time, have happy hour, well, whenever you're happy, and just enjoy your surroundings. You can also venture on up to see some Mayan ruins at Tulum, a very nice destination for some real Mexican history. You don't have to worry about it if you're not much for the water, just sitting by the beach is so "hypnotic" and "mesmerizing" that you can lie down, sit on chairs if you have a balcony room on the beach, or maybe just walk to waters edge and dip your toes in the ocean. It feels sooooo good!

Add on some great food, service and local culture and you'll be quite satisified with the Mayan Riviera. Cancun is WAY too crazy now......I'm about your age and I was in Cancun when it was still being built and was basically calm. If someone gave me a FREE vacation to Cancun, I'd not take it. It's way overdeveloped, full of themed restaurants and full of people who aren't too sure of their limits for alcohol intake. Unless you booked yourself into the Ritz Carlton in Cancun, I would not go there.

Here is a link to the official website of Riviera Maya so you can have a look around and see for yourself: http://www.rivieramaya.com/

And in advance if you come across a resort called Riviera Maya Akumal and wonder how it is, it's great. Many of our travelers on FVC.com and IT.com have visited this resort but as you'll see there are many. We just seem to get a lot of inquiries about that particular resort!!

Hope this helps get you started. See what you think and come on back with your questions or comments! We're here to help, as always

[Fregin's]

Originally Posted by Myluvwyatt

Hello ~

I'm researching information for my friend and I to take a trip from Wisconsin to Mexico next year (March) sometime between the 14th - 26th. Her (44th)birthday is the 21st, so we would like to be gone that day and return sometime after. We're thinking maybe a week's time or less. She's computer iliterate and I'm not that much better , so any help would be GREATLY appreciated. I haven't traveled a whole lot and neither one of us have EVER been out of the country, so you see I need a lot of input. We were told "Cancun" would be a great FIRST-TIME place in Mexico to travel for 2 ladies on a beach adventure. I would LOVE to swim with the dolphins too. She's not much of a water person, but is willing and wants to relax and have some cocktails and party. (At our age you think we would have done that sooner, 30's/40's. hahaha) We were also told this is somewhere around spring-break for most, so we would like to try to stay away from that as much as possible, but if we can't then it's fine too. My friend wants us to go for an "all-inclusive", but doesn't that raise the price a lot or is it easier and less pricy to book air / hotel seperate or together, and we need a passport as well, etc.? ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE HELPFUL! (I'm on the tighter budget.)
Thank You ~
Tina

Hello Tina,
I agree with Colleen about the Riviera Maya. My husband and I along with our 24yr old daughter and her friend are going in April to the Mayan. We are doing an all inclusive as were told that is the better way to go. I have been researching Resorts online and had narrowed it down to one, but after going and talking with our travel agent yesterday we have changed our minds. We were going to go to the Gran Bahia Principe Akumal, but now are going to go to the Grand Palladium Colonial Resort and Spa. The reason for the change for us is this hotel, being same rating is about 200.00 a person cheaper and also it has 4 resorts all combined and we can go between all 4 resorts. Granted the Gran Bahia had 3 resorts we could go to as well. So it came down to the price for us. Both resorts look beautiful as do all of them for that matter. Another thing that sold us on it was our travel agent is going to that resort herself in Feb.

So your best bet is to go research online. All I did is googled All inclusive vacations in the Riviera Maya Here is the link to the resort we are going to go to. http://www.grandpalladiumcolonial.com/

I am sure you will need passports to go to Mexico. I know we do, but granted we are in Canada.

Good luck with your research and I always found asking on sites like this helps alot.

Angie

[4Amber]

Hello WI Traveler,

Here are a few factors to take into consideration, if your head to the Maya Rivera you'll find 1st- the sea shores are a little rocker (at least they are at the Maya Palace were we have stayed) and 2nd there really isn't any night life comparable to Cancun and 3rd - if you’re staying in Playa del Carmen expect a 45 minutes drive to Cancun which pretty much means your stuck with the night life in P del C for the entire visit. = Bore.

I've traveled to Cancun 3 times and always preferred our nights in Cancun over MR hotels. There is easy transportation (yes the buses and boats are great) to the little Isla of Mujures which is a must) and if and you don't want to rent a car just about every hotel will offer you tours to the ruins or caves. Skip the all-inclusive the food unless you want to gain 10 pounds and never get out of your hotel. A great city centered hotel and that has one of the best restaurants in all of Cancun right in your hotel is Fiesta American. You will love it, love it, love it. The ocean is gentle and there is lots of sand as its right on the point.

Save MR for your second trip when you want to rent a car and need an adventure.

P.S. The worse thing about Cancun is the airport every flight comes in at the same time. Expect long lines and make sure you load up on fluids because they don’t offer anything to drink while you’re waiting an hour or more to go through Customs.

[Myluvwyatt]

Thank you for the advice everyone. I talked with my friend and she still wants to stay in Cancun for our first time. We don't want to drive anywhere, just walk around and kind of try to be in the center of it all so, we don't have to take taxi's or buses a whole lot. We are worried about getting lost easily too. She just wants to relax on the beach, drink and have a care-free time, maybe do some zip-lining. I want to swim with the dolphins, swim all day if I can and relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I don't think either of us are up for much adventure or walking around a whole lot or anything like that, just taking it easy and enjoying some night life as well, shopping would be fun for me too.