Cancun/All-inclusive resort Advice? | The Boneyard

Cancun/All-inclusive resort Advice?

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Hello all. I just book four nights in April at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun. I've never been to an all-inclusive or Cancun before. Do any of our well-traveled boneyarders have advice on things to do, things I should know about Cancun or staying at one of these resorts?

Any and all advice, comments, experiences, etc. are welcome and appreciated.
 

CTMike

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Was it the excellence Riviera? That's where we're going. They offered a cooking class too that we want to try.
We were in Playa Mujeres but I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!
 
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Tough to leave a resort for a full day when it is all inclusive, but the day trip to Isla Majeres by catamaran is a lot of fun. If you are into history, any of the Mayan ruins are interesting, but the ones inland can be very hot since no ocean breeze to keep it reasonable. We have had good experiences at any of the Riu hotels as well as the Excellence resorts. Our first trip there was many (10+) years ago at an adults only resort called Golden Parnassus. On the smaller (and lightly dated) side, but good food and service and no big crowds if you are looking for a less frenetic pace.
 
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Be careful going off-resort in Cancun and Playa Del Carmen nowadays. I know to a degree its media hype and of course do not go looking fr trouble; but, drug related murders have skyrocketed in the region over the last year or two as the Sinaloa Cartel seems to be hell bent on pushing out the Los Zetas Caretl from the region, which is valuable to the Cartels as a transportation route between South America and the US, the local tourist drug trade, and poppy growing.

Cancun sees record 540 murders in 2018 | Daily Mail Online

Initially, I looked into going to Playa Del Carmen last year to an all-inclusive with the family last year; but, my wife wanted nothing to do with Mexico and we went to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic instead.

Only a small number of tourists have been directly involved to date; but, its enough for the US State Department to put up alerts:

Quintana Roo state – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution due to crime.

Criminal activity and violence, including homicide, remain a primary concern throughout the state. While most of these homicides appeared to be targeted, criminal organization assassinations and turf battles between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. Bystanders have been injured or killed in shooting incidents.

There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Quintana Roo state, which include tourist areas in: Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the Riviera Maya.


Yucatan state – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution due to crime.

There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Yucatan state, which includes tourist areas in: Chichen Itza, Merida, Uxmal, and Valladolid.
 

August_West

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an hour down the highway.

Dreams Tulum
 

CL82

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Be careful going off-resort in Cancun and Playa Del Carmen nowadays. I know to a degree its media hype and of course do not go looking fr trouble; but, drug related murders have skyrocketed in the region over the last year or two as the Sinaloa Cartel seems to be hell bent on pushing out the Los Zetas Caretl from the region, which is valuable to the Cartels as a transportation route between South America and the US, the local tourist drug trade, and poppy growing.

Cancun sees record 540 murders in 2018 | Daily Mail Online

Initially, I looked into going to Playa Del Carmen last year to an all-inclusive with the family last year; but, my wife wanted nothing to do with Mexico and we went to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic instead.

Only a small number of tourists have been directly involved to date; but, its enough for the US State Department to put up alerts:

Quintana Roo state – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution due to crime.

Criminal activity and violence, including homicide, remain a primary concern throughout the state. While most of these homicides appeared to be targeted, criminal organization assassinations and turf battles between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. Bystanders have been injured or killed in shooting incidents.

There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Quintana Roo state, which include tourist areas in: Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the Riviera Maya.

Yucatan state – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution due to crime.

There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Yucatan state, which includes tourist areas in: Chichen Itza, Merida, Uxmal, and Valladolid.
I went to Cancun in the late 80's with my wife. I asked the concierge to arrange for a tour a Chichen Itza. I expected some kind of formal tour but it just some guy in a piece of sheet clown car. I look over at the concierge and he gets what I am thinking but he nods and tells me about how good this guy is. Against my better judgement we get in the car and off we go.

This guy is driving down this incredibly crappy road at like 90, for some of the time in a driving rain storm. I am literally thinking, "so this is how I die." The poverty was stunning once you got out the tourist areas. We pulled over at a little restaurant. They had some Asada de Puerco stewing up in a big pot. I'm always up for local cuisine and it smelled terrific. I had it and it was delicious. (Though I suppose it's not surprising in retrospect, 'Mexican roadside pork stew' was not one of the better decisions I have ever made. I leave the details to your imagination, which I am confident will be wholly insufficient.)

Anyway, we got to Chichen Itza, it wasn't as developed and touristy as it is now. Our guide was entertaining, if not 100% historically accurate, and it was blast. We hit all the main site, El Castillo, the Ball Courts, the Nunnery, the Observatory and went inside the El Castillo to see the Jaguar Temple which was cool. I really enjoyed it. I know it's more developed now, but I doubt I'd make the same kind of a trip these days. It was a really fun trip.
 

Dove

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I went to Cancun in the late 80's with my wife. I asked the concierge to arrange for a tour a Chichen Itza. I expected some kind of formal tour but it just some guy in a piece of sheet clown car. I look over at the concierge and he gets what I am thinking but he nods and tells me about how good this guy is. Against my better judgement we get in the car and off we go.

This guy is driving down this incredibly crappy road at like 90, for some of the time in a driving rain storm. I am literally thinking, "so this is how I die." The poverty was stunning once you got out the tourist areas. We pulled over at a little restaurant. They had some Asada de Puerco stewing up in a big pot. I'm always up for local cuisine and it smelled terrific. I had it and it was delicious. (Though I suppose it's not surprising in retrospect, 'Mexican roadside pork stew' was not one of the better decisions I have ever made. I leave the details to your imagination, which I am confident will be wholly insufficient.)

Anyway, we got to Chichen Itza, it wasn't as developed and touristy as it is now. Our guide was entertaining, if not 100% historically accurate, and it was blast. We hit all the main site, El Castillo, the Ball Courts, the Nunnery, the Observatory and went inside the El Castillo to see the Jaguar Temple which was cool. I really enjoyed it. I know it's more developed now, but I doubt I'd make the same kind of a trip these days. It was a really fun trip.
So, what happened with the stew?
 

SubbaBub

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Be careful going off-resort in Cancun and Playa Del Carmen nowadays. I know to a degree its media hype and of course do not go looking fr trouble; but, drug related murders have skyrocketed in the region over the last year or two as the Sinaloa Cartel seems to be hell bent on pushing out the Los Zetas Caretl from the region, which is valuable to the Cartels as a transportation route between South America and the US, the local tourist drug trade, and poppy growing.

Cancun sees record 540 murders in 2018 | Daily Mail Online

Initially, I looked into going to Playa Del Carmen last year to an all-inclusive with the family last year; but, my wife wanted nothing to do with Mexico and we went to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic instead.

Only a small number of tourists have been directly involved to date; but, its enough for the US State Department to put up alerts:

Quintana Roo state – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution due to crime.

Criminal activity and violence, including homicide, remain a primary concern throughout the state. While most of these homicides appeared to be targeted, criminal organization assassinations and turf battles between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. Bystanders have been injured or killed in shooting incidents.

There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Quintana Roo state, which include tourist areas in: Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and the Riviera Maya.

Yucatan state – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution due to crime.

There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Yucatan state, which includes tourist areas in: Chichen Itza, Merida, Uxmal, and Valladolid.


Level 2? psshaw. Do you know how many places are level 2? Just about any place popular with tourists these days. London, Paris, New York City. Just avoid being in the wrong place after dark and you'll be fine.
 
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Level 2? psshaw. Do you know how many places are level 2? Just about any place popular with tourists these days. London, Paris, New York City. Just avoid being in the wrong place after dark and you'll be fine.

Oh, I agree and I have been to worse places. The golden rule is that if one goes looking for trouble, and that includes acquiring some recreational narcotics, one will find it. That said, going to such a place on my own for work is one level or risk. Brining my family, especially my kids, is another level of risk. To each his/her own...
 

HuskyHawk

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I assume you have seen a Mexican Soap Opera and these resorts are based in Mexico...:cool:

And the people at these resorts are mostly not Mexicans.
 
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And the people at these resorts are mostly not Mexicans.

The promo videos for the resorts in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) do not highlight all of the Europeans in their banana hammocks either, thank heaven for Mamajuana deliveries on the beach.
 
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