Author: Vera
Holidays in Mexico are a great option for those who are fed up with overused tourist destinations like Turkey and Thailand. It takes a very long time to fly there - 13 hours, prices for air tickets and tours are not cheap. Although Russians do not need a visa to Mexico in 2021, they will have to obtain an electronic entry permit before departure.
But believe me, five minutes on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, a sip of Pigna Colada, and you will understand: it was worth it - both money and stiff knees on the plane.
We, the editorial staff of HowTrip, also flew to Mexico - to Cancun - in March last year, just on the eve of the border closure. We marked the Caribbean Sea for ourselves as the best among those that we have seen. We wrote a large and interesting trip report and shot a video. Look in the text!
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My trip to Mexico
I've been to Mexico twice:
- back in 2012, when I traveled by buses from Mexico City to the eastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula in two weeks,
- and in 2018: it was from Mexico that our journey across Latin America began, which lasted almost 9 months.
In my opinion, Mexico is the ideal country for the first acquaintance with Latina. There is literally everything there: for those who are fond of history and archeology - the ancient ruins of the Aztecs (Teotihuacan) and Maya (Chichen Itza); for connoisseurs of architecture - colorful colonial cities (Oaxaca, San Cristobal de las Casas); for wildlife fans, the dense jungles of Chiapas, Yucatan and Quintana Roo. And also - very tasty food, and no, not all of it is spicy.
Prices for vacations in Mexico were slightly higher than we expected, but still within reason.
With all the richness of the local culture, a beach vacation in Mexico is still the main reason for the trip for our tourists. In this article I will try to tell you exactly about him, and first of all - about the resorts of the Yucatan Peninsula, about the Caribbean Sea. There are, of course, many beaches on the Pacific coast - for example, the famous Acapulco - but getting there from Russia is quite inconvenient, and the gentle Caribbean is in every way more pleasant than the raging Pacific Ocean. Unless you are a surfer :)
Hotelier Beach Area in Cancun / Caracol Beach
Vacation season in Mexico
High season on the Caribbean coast lasts from December to April... At this time, you can be sure that your vacation in Mexico will not be spoiled by rain or hurricanes. This is the best time to go on vacation, but keep in mind that prices for tours and accommodation increase by 30-50% in winter, and almost double during the Christmas and Easter holidays.
Low season - from May to June and from September to November. The weather is spoiling: hurricanes are not uncommon, and the autumn months are the rainy season. But there are no crowds of tourists, and if you try, you can find a great hotel for very little money.
As for July and August, it is transition season... It is very humid and hot throughout the Yucatan, prices are moderate, and the majority of tourists are locals who flock to the sea to escape the scorching heat.
In general, it's up to you to decide when it is best to go, but the general rule is that the better the weather, the higher the prices.
Views from the Mayan pyramid in Kobe
Prices for tours to Mexico
It is very joyful to write this message - in May 2021, Russia officially resumed flights with Mexico.
Moreover, charters fly right away - which means that 1) there are tours to Cancun and nearby resorts, and 2) one can hope for adequate prices. Please note that direct flights only depart from Moscow. Regions are unlikely to be included in the flight program.
To find out what tour operators have prepared in Mexico and at what prices, look after and choose hotels here and now - the most convenient way is to use aggregators. They collect tour options from all major tour operators in the Russian Federation, rank them in order from budget to not very, and immediately pull up the latest reviews of tourists about hotels:
- Travelata
- Level.Travel
- Onlinetours
Interestingly, compared to the "golden" years of travel until 2020, the cost of travel to Mexico has hardly changed. Perhaps the reason for this is the low season. Or a discount for "first-time buyers" :).
✓ The minimum prices for tours to Mexico now are from 125,000 rubles for 10 nights. This is Cancun and a normal 3 star hotel with no meals.
✓ "Turkish" (all inclusive) vacation in Mexico: Cancun - from 170,000 rubles for two for 10 nights, Playa del Carmen - from 180,000, Riviera Maya - from 190,000 rubles.
✓ A trip with your family - mom, dad, child - will cost from 180,000 rubles.
Although it is more profitable to visit distant countries for a short time on a tour, this does not exclude a large layer of independent travelers. Good prices for a plane ticket to Mexico with a transfer - about 45-50 thousand rubles per one. You can find them on Aviasales and hotels on RoomGuru.
About electronic permission.
Russians do not need a visa to Mexico, but they need to issue an electronic entry permit. It is FREE (do not get fooled by the "visa processing" service from the tour operator for money) and is done in a maximum of an hour. To do this, fill out a simple questionnaire on the Foreign Ministry website, send and print a document from your mail. You don't have to bother with a permit and enter on a valid US or Schengen visa.
Beach holidays in Mexico: the best resorts and places
So, the main Mexican resorts are concentrated in the state of Quintana Roo - from the city of Cancun and along the coast to the south. The entire coastal strip and resting places after Cancun are collectively known as the Riviera Maya. Where is better?
Important: the main troubles of the beaches of the Caribbean Sea are waves and algae. They do not lend themselves to the seasons, and it is difficult to predict where what will overtake.
Cancun
Do you like all inclusive hotels, private beaches and nightclubs full of foreigners? Welcome to Cancun.
It is the most famous city among tourists on the Mexican coast, with a slightly more than completely built up coastal strip and an overall atmosphere that is not much different from the resorts of Antalya or Pattaya. Only instead of the Russian language, American English is often heard.
A significant plus of Cancun is the convenience of its location: it is there that the international airport is located. The beaches of Cancun (Playa Delfines, Playa Tortugas) are sooo decent, with white sand, but crowded and with frequent big waves.
In general, a vacation in Cancun is a good option only for people who want to spend a comfortable vacation by the sea, if possible, without leaving the hotel. And also for lovers of nightlife. Those who strive for a more authentic pastime should not stay there.
I will highlight from Cancun hotels:
- 3 * Dos Playas - a popular hotel "on the stream" with all inclusive
- 5 * Grand at Moon Palace - a huge reservation for families (there is a water park)
Well, and about cafes-restaurants with real Mexican cuisine, about pop and not so places in Cancun and its unobvious toothy dangers, read:
Playa del Carmen
The second most popular resort. Unlike Cancun, favored by the American middle class and Russian "packers", this city is a mecca for backpackers with a limited budget and less requirements for living conditions.
The main street (La Quinta Avenida) is entirely made up of hostels, bars and restaurants designed for gringo, but if you move further from the tourist center, you can also find places for the locals.
Playa del Carmen is a compromise for those who value color, but do not want to go too deep into the Mexican jungle. City beaches are inferior in quality to the beaches of Cancun (except Playacar - it's cool), but ferries to Cozumel island - first-class snorkeling turtles, or the ideal postcard beach of Xpu-ha.
From hotels:
- 5 * Sandos Playacar Beach Resort & SPA - with a good beach
- 5 * Riu Lupita - relatively budgetary and popular among Russian tourists
- 5 * Barcelo Maya Palace Deluxe - excellent from the whole hotel complex Barcelo
- 5 * Sandos Caracol Eco Resort is a hotel in the jungle, with all their lush vegetation and wildlife (tamed). Entering the sea with corals, you can't do without slippers
Tulum
Ruins and Playa Paraiso beach in Tulum
Many people come to Tulum for 1 day from Cancun or Playa to look at the ruins of the Mayan holy city, and then leave. The ruins of Tulum are truly incredibly beautiful and photogenic as they are located on a hill overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
But the city itself can well be used as a base for recreation on the Riviera Maya: it is much quieter than in other resort centers, and the nearby Playa Paraiso beach is one of the best on the coast. But keep in mind: it's about 5 km from the city itself to the beach, and it makes sense to stop in Tulum only if you don't mind getting to the sea by bike, moped or taxi. Don't repeat my mistakes: walking there under the tropical sun is a very, very bad idea.
Tulum is more for independent, so try Booking or RoomGuru: booking a hotel on the beach costs from $ 200 per night and more. In the city center, you can find a room for $ 25-40, and if you rent a house through AirBnb, then for $ 20.
Islands: Isla Mujeres, Holbox, Cozumel
If the best vacation in Mexico = a la Maldivian (calm and a little boring), then the islands always win in comparison with the mainland: there are fewer people, cleaner water and whiter sand.
- Cozumel Is the largest of the islands off the Yucatan coast with a solid selection of beaches. It is not very convenient to relax on it from a logistic point of view: due to its size, to get from one end of the island to the other, you will either have to take a taxi (from $ 15 to $ 35 per trip) or rent a car.
- But thanks to the coral reef surrounding the island, Cozumel is regularly ranked among the best diving and snorkeling spots in the entire Caribbean. The ferry from Playa del Carmen takes about half an hour and costs $ 11 one way.
- Isla Mujeres (Island of Women) is located just 13 km from Cancun and is suitable for all-inclusive relaxation lovers. There are excellent beaches, the most popular of which is Playa Norte. The length of the island is only 7 km, so you can move around it both on foot and on a rented moped or golf cart (400 pesos / day or 250 pesos / hour).
- A ferry from Cancun will take you to the island for $ 8 round trip, a boat for $ 19.
- Finally, Holbox (Holbox) - the least promoted and the most difficult to access of the islands: first you have to get to the village of Chiquila, a 3-hour drive from Cancun. But this place coincides as much as possible with the archetypal ideas about an ideal tropical resort.
- Holbox is an excellent choice for those who want to enjoy a sea view holiday away from civilization. Bonus: located on the territory of the Yum Balam nature reserve, and, if you're lucky, you can see wild sea turtles, crocodiles, flamingos and other animals.
Mayan ruins in Palenque
Prices for holidays in Mexico - 2021
Vacation prices in Mexico are among the highest in the Latin American region. Throughout most of our trip, we tried to stick to an average budget of $ 60 / night for two, including accommodation. In the state of Quintana Ru, it was the most difficult to do.
We lived in an extremely cheap room in Tulum ($ 20 / night) and spent a lot of time looking for street food stands to have dinner. But it was worth leaving the resort area, and prices for everything immediately fell by 15-20%. Here are the approximate prices in Cancun and the Riviera Maya in 2021:
Food and grocery prices in Mexico
For calculations: 1 Mexican peso = 3.7 rubles |
Food in establishments:
- Portion of meat tacos on the street - 80 pesos
- Lunch at a local cafe with a drink - 160 pesos
- Fast food lunch - 100 pesos
- Dinner with wine for two in a European restaurant - 750 pesos
Products in the store:
- Milk, l - 18-20 pesos
- Potatoes, kg - 40 pesos
- A pound of chicken breast - 50 pesos
- Pineapple, kg - 17-20 pesos
- Tequila Don Julio - 380 pesos
- Chocolate bar - 60 pesos
- Yogurt, l - 35-40 pesos
- Bottle of water, 1.5 - 10-14 pesos
Transport prices
City bus in Cancun
You can view the bus schedule and book a ticket to any city in Mexico through ado.com.mx.
- Bus Cancun - Playa del Carmen - 208 pesos (1 hour)
- Bus Tulum - Merida (Yucatan State) - 386 pesos (4 hours)
The main resorts on the Yucatan Peninsula are located along one road, so you can usually get to a neighboring settlement or a suburban beach by an analogue of a minibus - "kolektivo". The price of the trip is 20-40 pesos one way, depending on the distance.
In order to explore the Yucatan on your own, it makes sense to rent a car (for help - RentalCars). Due to the high competition, prices are low: from $ 10 / day from Cancun airport and from $ 15 - on the island of Cozumel. Gasoline costs about $ 1.5 per liter.
Hotels
Prices for hotels, hostels and private rooms - with self-armor - in Mexico range from $ 6 to infinity.
- Bed in hostel dorm: $ 6 (Playa) - $ 16 (Isla Mujeres)
- Basic Airbnb Double Room: $ 15-30
- Double room in a 3-star hotel: $ 30-50
- Double room in a 5-star hotel: from $ 200 with breakfast, from $ 400 all inclusive
The yellow city of Chetumal
Things to do? Things to do in Mexico
✓ Some of the main attractions of Mexico - Mayan ruins... The most famous ancient city, to which literally everyone goes - Chichen Itza, included in the list of the world cultural heritage of UNESCO. Worth a visit and mentioned above Tulum... To experience Mayan culture without the crowds of tourists, I advise Uxmal - less publicized, but no less spectacular!
Once a day, a bus runs to Chichen Itza from Cancun, the fare is about $ 12, and the same amount for entering the territory of the monument itself.
✓ Thousands are scattered across the Yucatan cenote - karst sinkholes filled with water. Some of them are in the form of caves, often - with a hole in the ceiling, others are more like small natural lakes, but both are distinguished by clear water. Among the most famous cenotes are Dos Ojos, Cenote Grande, Ek Balam. Swimming is usually paid, but inexpensive, about $ 2-5.
✓ MUSA - a surreal underwater museum that was created near the island of Isla Mujeres to distract divers from the fragile coral reef. You can see more than 400 concrete sculptures installed at the bottom of the sea for $ 47 for a snorkeling session and from $ 90 for a dive with diving equipment.
✓ To see not only tourist, but also "real" Mexico, I would highly recommend visiting at least one of the colonial cities - Merida (the capital of the state of Yucatan), Isamal ("yellow city", in which every building is painted in bright mustard color) or Valladolid (a well-kept town, built up with one-story multi-colored houses). How? See the section "Prices for transport". Valladolid can be combined with swimming in the cenotes Dzitnup and Xkeken.
✓ Another wonderful place away from the resort area - unrealistic blue Lake Bacalar... The drive from Cancun will take about 4 hours, so it is worth spending at least one night there.
✓ Well, if you happened to be in Mexico during the period from May to September - congratulations, you have a unique opportunity swim with whale sharks! The most convenient way is to take a tour from one of the islands, from $ 70 per person.
Lake Bakalar
Tours
The Yucatan has good road infrastructure, and almost any of the places listed above are easy to get to on your own. If you still prefer organized tourism, choose excursions that include visiting several attractions at once.
The most popular excursions in Mexico (prices - from local agencies):
- Pyramids in Kobe, Chichen Itza, Tulum and Cenote - $ 140-150 per person (+ $ 2.5 per camera in Chichen Itza)
- Chichen Itza and Cenote - $ 99
- Kantoi Island, Women's Island and snorkeling in the underwater park - $ 138
- Los Lagartos Nature Reserve (pink lakes, flamingos, cenote) - $ 145-150
- Park Xcaret - $ 150-160 (with lunch)
- Swimming with whale sharks - $ 200 (from a tour operator)
Hint: compare prices for Tripster - this is a service for Russian-language excursions, sometimes it is more profitable.
Holidays in Mexico with children
Mexico is a great destination for families with children, in any of the many all-inclusive hotels there will be kids clubs that organize activities for young tourists while their parents relax on the beach or in the pool. Recommended hotels for families with children include:
- 5 * Dreams Tulum (Tulum)
- 5 * AZUL Beach by Karisma (Cancun)
- 5 * Barceló Maya Palace Deluxe (Playa del Carmen)
The best places on the coast to travel with the whole family:
- Akumal beach - snorkeling surrounded by sea turtles
- Eco-park Xcaret: orchid garden, folklore shows, exotic butterfly garden, live monkeys and flamingos, underwater rivers, models of ancient Mayan cities, water attractions. Ticket Price: $ 110 for adults, $ 55 for children
- Rio Secreto is an underground river, a walk along which takes about an hour and costs from $ 80 for adults and from $ 40 - for children from 4 years old. The "Secret River" flows through caves covered with stalactites and stalagmites, which are inhabited by bats
- Sian Ka'an - a nature reserve in the rainforest, in which more than 300 species of birds live. For 700 pesos, you can rent a boat with a capacity of 6 people and swim along the mangroves
Vacation reviews in Mexico
Personally, I find it hard to imagine how someone in this country might not like it. According to tourists' reviews about a vacation in Mexico, it literally has 2 drawbacks:
- Long flight, no direct flights from Moscow (if not by tour)
- Fairly high prices for excursions and tickets to parks
And the main advantages:
- Excellent beaches, warm sea water all year round, snorkeling conditions
- Abundance of marine fauna
- Colorful culture
- Friendly locals
The main advice I can give to those who decide to go: do not waste precious days in Mexico on an exclusively beach holiday in Cancun. Explore other cities, alternate beach tourism with exploring ancient ruins, souvenir shops with trips to local markets; As much as possible, communicate with traders, guides and taxi drivers - only then you will remember this trip as the best vacation of your life.
