Cancun 2010: tips and tricks

Well hello, been a long time since firing up the ol blog.
Thought I would pass along some tips and tricks for those traveling to Cancun, Mexico.

The location and weather:
Cancun is located in the southeast tip of Mexico in our northern hemisphere, a very tropical location (think Hawaii weather). It is hot and humid during most months. The one part of the year where the weather is a little less friendly is during hurricane season (approximately July-September), my experience here tells me that early July can still be very sunny with some rain but good weather overall, however your mileage may vary as Hurricanes come when they want. :-)

What to do:
So many things to talk about, so little blog time.
- see the many Mayan/Toltec ruins in the area (eg: Chichen Itza, Tulum or Cado),each have a distinct style and varied array of things to learn about the culture.
- visit Xel-Ha or one of the other Eco-tourist parks. I have been to Xel-Ha and really enjoy snorkeling in the lagoon with all of the different types of local seawater fish. Some of the others might be interesting as well but you should always research the parks so you know what type of experience your going to get for your money.
- play around on the white sand beaches of Cancun, note; if you really like beaches you might want to stay at an all inclusive along the Mayan Riviera, or along the Northside of the island like the Fiesta Americana coral reef or the Riu. The water is generally calmer on the northside allowing you an opportunity to play around in the ocean as well as the pool.
- visit Playa Del Carmen or Isla Mujeres
- go downtown and explore the tranquil city life of old cancun
- don't forget some nice clothes to go out in, the nightlife here can be EPIC ;-)

How to get around:
There are lots of alternatives here, public bus, taxi, walking.
As in most vacation spots, taxis are generally a waste of money, unless of course it is raining and you have a long distance to travel, then they are worth every cent.
The bus is super cheap, about 7.5 pesos to ride anywhere you want to go (that is less than a dollar at this writing).
Finally, walk... That is an awesome way to burn off those extra calories and get some air from that long night of partying.

What to avoid and how to avoid it:
Let's face it, everyone needs a job to survive... In Cancun, one of the most annoying is the timeshare industry, they hound you at the airport, they hound you when walking back to your hotel (at least it is better than it used to be).
So let's talk details, at the airport when going to pick up your bags, you will be accosted by people in white outfits telling you "this way to transportation", what ever you do... DO NOT pay any attention to them, just walk right past them, they are going to try to waste your time with a "free meal and activities", what you will get is a buffet meal and some discounted activities at the cost of one day of your vacation to listen to time share sales pitches. Not worth the time, try it if you must but it is a waste of time.

You also might encounter them along some sidewalks, take my advice and do what the locals do, just ignore them and go along your merry way. Of course they will not be happy with that, but so what... Or you could do what I did (my kids found it hilarious).
When approached on the street, the guy asked 'habla usted espanol?' and my reply was 'no, I speak Japanese', he stopped for a second then asked 'are your from the US?' to which my reply was 'somos Japonese' which is spanish for we are Japanese. I confused him so much he wasn't quite sure how to respond, my kids of course were rolling on the floor laughing as they caught the irony of my responses immediately.

Some parting thoughts:
- use your credit card in most places, you will get a better exchange rate.
- if you cannot use a credit card (or don't feel comfortable in some places) then have some cash handy and exchange it at your hotel, it is always good to have some local cash on hand, but don't cash too much as the hotel exchange rates are not the best.
- as with any other country, try to speak the local language, people will appreciate it, even if you don't do so well. But just in case you don't speak Spanish, not to worry, most places you will encounter someone that speaks Spanish and is willing go assist.

Happy travels, Ken