Much like many young travelers, our first international trips as a couple took us just across our southern border. We were mostly interested in the food, drinks, and sun, but these trips awakened a hunger in us for increasing our knowledge about cultures different form our own.
We have since visited countless times and have loved every destination. It has become one of our favorite places for a quick getaway. Everywhere we’ve been has been memorable and enjoyable for many different reasons, and we know this gorgeous and historic country is a place we will continue to return to for the rest of our lives for all things exploration, adventure, celebration, and/or just relaxation.
CANCUN, QUINTANA ROO
Deciding to turn to the Caribbean side of the country is a great idea!
With soft, white sand beaches and heavy Mayan cultural influences, this part of the country is beautiful beyond belief.
Accommodations
2023
This year we celebrated our combined bachelor/bachelorette with 30 of our besties at a Maya Luxe rental called Villa Bellamar – a large, privately owned property in Akumal.
2022
We stayed at The Grand Bliss at Vidanta Riviera Maya for our 10 year anniversary trip. This was hands down one of the most spectacular resorts we have ever stayed at. We will absolutely return without a doubt.
2017
We chose to return to the Riu Resorts chain after such a fun and affordable trip the year prior. However, this time we learned our lesson and opted for the “Palace” option at the Hotel Riu Palace Peninsula. We also chose to stay in the adults only junior suites, with the main benefit of having our own pool separate from the larger option with the swim-up bar. To be honest, we didn’t even miss the swim-up. The pool service in the adults-only pool was superb, and there was another less busy walk-up bar just down a few stairs. We had easy access to the beach that was filled with hammocks, cabanas, and volleyball nets.
Riu does a great job at providing entertainment in a variety of different forms, some of which include free water sport equipment rental, daily sports tournaments, and nightly shows and performances. There is a ton to do just outside the resort on the downtown boardwalk, but there are just as many ways to enjoy yourself on the resort property.
Transportation
2023
We used a transporation services we found through a google search since we had such a massive group. It worked beautifully! The buses were nice, and they made a pit stop for us at the local gas station for drinks and snacks.
2022
Included hotel transportation.
2017
We flew United Airlines on this trip to and from Cancún International Airport. All went smoothly and we were not at risk for our seats being unavailable like the year previous. We also utilized the resort’s round-trip airport transportation service, which made getting in and out of the airport a breeze. It was affordable and easy to use, so we would likely opt in for this service again.
We did not need transportation assistance when leaving the resort aside from our one excursion that included a shared van with the other tour members.
Explorations
2023
Since this was a bach trip, we did a few things. The favorite by far was our yacht day. This day was absolutely perfect – a full three-floored yacht to ourselves with a full-service bartender and 7 course meal provided and timed perfectly throughout our day.
The girls also did a Mayan Cacao Ceremony with a clay ritual on the beaches of Tulum, and the boys did an afternoon of golf at PGA Riviera Maya. Both great experiences.
2022
We stayed on-site for our trip because there was SO much to do on the property. Our favorite part was the JOYA Cirque du Soleil show and dinner experience. This is A MUST if you’re staying at Vidanta.
2017
In order to see more of the Yucatán Peninsula, we decided to book an excursion through Cancún Adventure Tours called the Jungle Maya Expedition + Tulum. This tour included a rappel and zip line experience, snorkeling stalagmite cave tour, authentic Mayan ceremony, and exploration of the Mayan Ruins of Tulum. Our tour guide was very knowledgable and informative, and we gained a lot more from listening to him than we could have if we were exploring on our own. It was a slightly lengthy drive from our resort, but the van was air conditioned and comfortable so we did not mind.
Language and Currency
Same as above: to be expected, the predominant language is Spanish and the primary form of currency is the peso. It was helpful to have a combination of pesos and US dollars for our various purchases, and tipping in USD seemed to be appreciated. The staff at the resort also seemed to appreciate our attempts to communicate in the local language.
Do’s and Don’ts
If you have the time at the Tulum Ruins, descend down the backside of the cliff and take a dip in the ocean. This water was the warmest and clearest we found all trip with perfect sized waves, and it was not overly crowded like some of the other beaches.
Bring extra sunscreen on the tours. You can quite easily go from overgrown jungle to blazing sunshine with no relief, and we got a little burnt on the second leg of our tour after the water washed off our sunscreen.
Be prepared for a little more weather than the pacific side of the country experiences. The rain storms came in almost nightly, but if they continued through the day it was only very briefly. Bring a light raincoat or umbrella just in case.
We loved having a room with a jacuzzi on our balcony. We were able to relax in the water and order room service when the rain kept us from the pool, and allowed us to actually enjoy the weather from a different perspective.
Not many don’ts here. Remain cautious as you always should in a foreign country and you should not have many issues.
If you enjoy endless fresh air and like to leave your doors and windows open like we do, then beware! Think about avoiding leaving your patio doors open at night or when you are not in your room. We love getting fresh air and sleeping with the doors open, but we would wake up to soaking wet floors due to the high humidity. We basically lived with towels on the floor for a week because we refused to close our doors!
CABO SAN LUCAS, BAJA SUR
Cabo is a gorgeous city on the tip of Baja California where you can’t help but enjoy yourself.
The sun is hot, the water is warm, the music is loud, and the drinks are strong! Plus it is a quick trip from the US!
Accommodations
2022
Thanksgiving family trip at The JW Marriott Los Cabos.
2021
We traveled this time for a wedding, so we stayed at The Ridge at Playa Grande with the rest of the wedding party. It. Was. Spectacular.
2016
We got lucky with choosing the Riu Resorts chain for our first Mexican resort experience, as it got us hooked on all-inclusives and lead us to our next couple years of friend-cations.
For this vacation we booked a king garden-view room at the Riu Santa Fe, the most affordable of the Riu options in the area. We did not realize the difference between the regular resorts and the Palaces at this time, and would definitely opt in for the latter next trip. Benefits of the Palace include access to the other Riu amenities (pools, restaurants, bars, clubs) as well as your own, whereas the regular resort only allows access to that specific property.
That being said, the Santa Fe was young and super fun. We basically stayed between the two main pools with swim up bars for the whole trip and were not disappointed. The beach-front pool was lively, with loud music and dancing every day. It was perfect for us, a group looking for a party, but it is easy to see how it could be a bit much for those looking to relax.
The food here was mediocre, but with drinks readily available at every turn, it hardly went noticed. They had a great evening grill set up in the middle of the common area one night that had the best tacos we ate all trip. We loved their “pink pussy” shots, and ended up ordering them as full drinks by the end of our week.
Transportation
2022
Cabs, hotel transport. The usual.
2021
We utilized our hotel’s shuttle service to and from the airport. Besides that, we walked everywhere we wanted to go!
2016
Being young, dumb, and broke, we flew Spirit Airlines to and from the Cabo San Lucas International Airport. Needless to say, this was the biggest mistake of our trip. The airline sent the wrong size plane for our return trip to America, and checking into our flight the night before was the only reason we were granted seats back home. Others who checked in at the airport were told they would have to wait several days before another plane could bring them back. ‘
We booked taxis to and from the airport that were affordable due to our 4-way split. We also used a taxi to get to and from the downtown area where our booze cruise boarded. No issues here.
Explorations
2022
If you’re staying in this part of Cabo, you have to visit the Flora Farms area. We were also recommended a couple places – Miraflores and Los Barriles – for more outdoorsy, nature day trips, though we did not visit those on this vaca.
2021
Since we were here for a wedding, we did not do any excursions or much exploring. We went to dinner in town one night but because of COVID the bars all closed early so we did not get to really “go out”.
2016
Our one exception to remaining solely at the resort was the Jungle Reggae Sunset Booze Cruise that looped us around Cabo’s infamous rock formations and kept us even more inebriated than we were at our resort. The cruise was all-inclusive booze, and they were overly generous. On top of the wild dancing and props, the views were also amazing as we got to see all sides of the landmark during a gorgeous sunset. They also took decent quality candid and posed pictures that were available for purchase at a reasonable price. We had a blast and would absolutely do it again! Just be ready to party with the best of them :)
Language, Currency, Etc.
To be expected, the predominant language is Spanish. Finding those who speak English though is not typically an issue. However, the staff at the resort also seemed to appreciate our attempts to communicate in the local language.
The primary form of currency is the peso. It was helpful to have a combination of pesos and US dollars for our various purchases, and tipping in USD seemed to be appreciated.
Do’s and Don’ts
Go experience the nightlife! Always be careful, watch your drinks, and stay with your people - but downtown Cabo is a fun, lively place that you can’t miss.
If staying at your resort, go to the nighttime shows! Although not the highest caliber performances, they are funny and interactive and we had a blast.
Try a Mexican cigar or two. We had a few with us at all times and were allowed to smoke in nearly all locations around the resort.
Try to communicate in Spanish, if possible. It seemed to be appreciated by the staff at the resort.
Tip your room service staff! The cleaning crew often gets forgotten and we were well taken care of when they noticed we were appreciative of their services.
Be willing to barter. Most vendors will negotiate prices with you if you are confident in the way to converse with them, and it can save you a bit of money the better you get.
Beware of the tap water and stick with bottles when you can. The water is highly unreliable and can easily make you sick. A great idea is to bring a water bottle with a built in filter so you can fill up mid-adventure when and wherever you run out.
Use caution when engaging with sales men and women on the beach - they can be pushy and aggressive, and some will even offer free services that you can “pay back at a later date” (would not recommend). We were offered a variety of drugs if we agreed to follow them to a second location, and they waited right on the resort lines for us daily.
Similarly, be aware of the sales tactics on the beach. The majority of these vendors are selling “designer” products that are laughable knock offs when you take a closer look. They can be great, affordable options if you have forgotten a pair of sunglasses or want to accessorize, but do not expect anything legitimate and always we willing to barter.