Visiting Cancun on a budget

Cancun is a  Mexican paradise. The gentleness of the beach blended with a fun and fabulous nightlife, and exotic landscapes.

When you’re not lazing or dancing, you can swim with dolphins, deep sea dive, snorkel, golf, shop, ride horses or drink at ancient Mayan archeological sites.

If your primary goal is to visit Cancun on the cheap, the best advice is to find accommodations out of the “hotel zone” which is located smack-dab in the middle of the city. There are plenty of things to do there and lots of great places to visit but the hotel and restaurant prices can get pretty steep downtown. Staying in an area outside the “hotel zone” can save you up to $100 a day on your trip. You won’t be much further from all the attractions you want to visit and you’ll find it is more serene and relaxing.

Packing smart is key and will alleviate the need to purchase the things you forgot.

Here are a few things you want to make sure you throw in the suitcase.

Clothing: Shorts, tee-shirts, dress slacks, a sundress, sweater or light jacket, socks, undergarments, sandals, tennis shoes and a plastic bag for dirty clothes.

Protection: Sunglasses, eye-glasses, sun-visor or hat, umbrella or rain coat and band-aids are great!

Snacks: Peanuts, crackers and/or potato chips, gum, candy and bottles of water.

Documentation: Valid passport, driver’s license and/or birth certificate, emergency contact information, money and/or traveler’s checks, computer printout of airline ticket confirmation. (Make sure to write the name of your destination hotel inside and outside of your luggage and be sure to have an adequate lock on each piece of baggage.)

It is easy to find a helpful webpage with more checklists of things to do before, during, and after your departure. 

Vacationing in Cancun doesn’t have to be expensive. Lounging on the beach, swimming, backpacking, picnicking, taking photos, walking along the beaches and the streets and enjoying the sights and sounds of the city and surf are the main attractions in Cancun and they don’t come close to breaking the bank.