Cancun Vacation Review

By Scott Bateman
© Caribeez.com
We have just returned from a week in Cancun -- our first visit to the resort strip on the Mexican coast of the Caribbean. Our impressions were decidedly mixed, and here they are in less than 300 words.

View of Cancun hotels; photo © Caribeez.com

We went on two excursions. The first was a swim with the dolphins at Isla Mujeres, a small island about a half-hour ferry ride from Cancun. We spent about an hour in the water with eight other people. The dophin was cute and remarkably well-trained. The price was higher than most Caribbean excursions, but it was not out of line considering the time we spent with it, the boat ride, and a small amount of food and refreshments included in the price.

The second excursion was a full-day trip to the large and extensive Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza. This highly educational tour with a knowledgeable guide provides views of great numerous ruins and a thorough background on a fascinating culture. It is highly recommended as a family excursion.

Other appealing aspects of Cancun include easy access to shopping and restaurants along the strip because of buses that run continually.

Less appealing on this particular trip was the weather, which was quite windy for February; the beaches that have been heavily damaged by recent hurricanes; and Cancun's well-known problems with contaminated food or water, which made one of us sick despite extensive precautions. If you go, take plenty of bottled water or buy it there.