Help me plan the quintessential Cancun Spring Break

February 6, 2011 9:27 PM

Help me plan the quintessential college spring break

I am planning on travelling to Cancun from March 23 to 28. My questions:
1. What do i need to know in terms of how much money to bring.
2. Im looking to do all the stereotypical cancun activities. , so what clubs and venues do i need to visit?
3. I am planning to book the trip in the next 48hrs. Should I go all inclusive? Where can I find deals on reliable websites? I am currently looking at american airlines.com at all inclusives around 600-800.
4. Anything else i need to know in terms of safety and juat general suggestions.
5. Are there better places to have a great party-fueled spring break than Cancun?
Thank you!!

posted by AMWKE1984 to Travel & Transportation (1 answer total)

1. If you're going to drink a lot, bring a lot of money. Drinks are cheaper than NYC or Los Angeles bars, but not free (however, there are some places that may offer all-you-can-drink for a cover). I'd budget $100 hoping I'd have change. There are ATMs all over (go to them at the banks, because like in the US the private ATMs will charge up sometimes 80 pesos in addition to whatever your bank at home charges (typically $5). My bank, BofA lets me use ScotiaBank and Santender banks without a fee. Many hotels have in-room safes for your use. I've never had a problem with things being stolen from hotels, but it is a nice to have.

2. That's not my bag, others may know current hip happening things.

3. All inclusive is great if you plan on staying at the resort all the time. But if you're going to hit bars and clubs all day you might skip that. I've stayed in all inclusive places and didn't get my money's worth. Other time's the hotel lost money on me.

In addition to looking at the airline and sites like expedia, also google the hotel names directly to see if a)there's a better deal going through them directly or b) there's not horror stories.

Not every hotel in town will be hospitable to spring breakers. Some hotels thrive on it. If you're there to party your ass off, you don't want to be a place that will kick you out at 10pm because you're being too loud.

4. Cancun is relatively safe but if you're drinking a lot you need to make sure you're watching out for yourself. If you're leaving a club at night, take a taxi back to your hotel even if you'd easily walk it during the day. The US papers are full of headlines of the cartel violence in Mexico. The beach towns aren't immune to that, but you're more likely to get beat up for your money by some ratero, or pickpocketed, than be involved in a drug shootout.

If you do smoke dope or do other drugs, realize that many police officer supplement their income by shaking down gringo tourists. So you don't want to be holding if you run into the cops. Even if you're not holding, it isn't unknown to have something planted on you and the cops will want a bribe or you risk being taken to jail. The drunker and more obnoxious you are, the more trouble you'll get yourself into. If you're at least acting sober enough not to look like an easy mark, you'll be fine.

Another thing is sometimes a local guy will come up and promise you much cooler bars (or hot chicks, or great drugs) and cheap beers. Just say no. Keep near the gringo locations. If you find yourself suddenly far from the crowd of tourist, turn around and get back to familiar territory. For the most part Mexicans are the most friendly, hospitable people I've met in the world and many will go out their way to help a stranger. But there's a few bad apple that you have to worry about. Bad guys from all over come to the beach cities because they know it is full of drunk, rich people.

Stay cool, keep your wits about you, and don't be a gringo dick and you'll be fine.

5. Cancun is pretty much the spring break capitol right now. Obviously places in the US like Havasu, St. Padre and Florida are world class.
posted by birdherder at 10:08 PM on February 6, 2011