Punta Cana or Cancun

[August_West]

I have a home in Portugal so lodging costs nothing

LOL. Nice. Excellent comparison.

 

[ColchVEGAS]

LOL. Nice. Excellent comparison.

Do you think lodging for a week is going to cost $3k? That is the difference between the two locations. Also, 14 days in Portugal vs. 5 in Punta Cana. So the difference would be even greater if we cut the amount of time spent there in half. Sure you do not get the luxury of being waited on which could bring a large value depending who you are.

 

[upstater]

This thread is classic BY.

oh lets see......................... cancun where you can go all in on the best of everything for about 1/10th the cost of going all in on Italy, Greek islands, or wherever on the Mediterranean your heart takes you. Id rather be in Italy too, or Europe. But this is an extreme apples to oranges comparison wallet wise. Not to mention what your families desire for a vacation is.

Just FYI, before the pandemic, we went to Italy as a family. Every ticket was sub $400 roundtrip on British Air. While we were there, we stayed in AirBnB homes for under $100 a night and we ate several course meals at trattorias for $30-40 for the 4 of us. My children were 10 and 12. Later that year, we took them to Disney for the first (and ONLY) time for 3 days, and that cost us 3x as much as 10 days in Italy. I know Mexico might be cheaper than both, but I always found Greece, Italy and Spain to be quite doable on a budget. Northern Europe? Not so much.

 

[boog204]

All of the Caribbean or just the Mexican beaches on the Caribbean? Because I've never experienced that on any of the Caribbean islands.

Sounds like Mexico and DR are expecting a really bad Sargassum season. Having been there when it was present, it's pretty gross. Legit smells like sulphur and it's nasty to the touch. I was in Playa Del Carmen a few years ago and the resort beach was completely unusable but you could trek down a half mile or so and it wasn't as big of an issue. Still, if you are thinking Caribbean Beach vacation, you may want to reevaluate for now.

Mexico’s Caribbean beaches awash in foul-smelling sargassum algae

This comes as resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum are recovering from a two-year drop in tourism brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

chicago.suntimes.com

 

[upstater]

Sounds like Mexico and DR are expecting a really bad Sargassum season. Having been there when it was present, it's pretty gross. Legit smells like sulphur and it's nasty to the touch. I was in Playa Del Carmen a few years ago and the resort beach was completely unusable but you could trek down a half mile or so and it wasn't as big of an issue. Still, if you are thinking Caribbean Beach vacation, you may want to reevaluate for now.

Mexico’s Caribbean beaches awash in foul-smelling sargassum algae

This comes as resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum are recovering from a two-year drop in tourism brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

chicago.suntimes.com

wow--- given what they attribute the problem to (logging and deforestation) in the Amazon -- it sounds like the problem can only get worse.

 

[boog204]

wow--- given what they attribute the problem to (logging and deforestation) in the Amazon -- it sounds like the problem can only get worse.

It's an enormous issue. I know they were in the processing of developing some sort of system to stop it before it reaches the beaches, but there were delays. The seaweed has some positive aspects so eliminating it completely is not ideal. But, it's a drag to get to a nice resort and constantly smell dirty diapers.

 

[August_West]

Just FYI, before the pandemic, we went to Italy as a family. Every ticket was sub $400 roundtrip on British Air. While we were there, we stayed in AirBnB homes for under $100 a night and we ate several course meals at trattorias for $30-40 for the 4 of us. My children were 10 and 12. Later that year, we took them to Disney for the first (and ONLY) time for 3 days, and that cost us 3x as much as 10 days in Italy. I know Mexico might be cheaper than both, but I always found Greece, Italy and Spain to be quite doable on a budget. Northern Europe? Not so much.

Yeah I remember the days of 2 dollar a gallon gas too.

 

[SubbaBub]

If you want the resort thing, I think Cancun does it better. Keep in mind that the beaches in Caribbean have seaweed issues that smell like legit dirty diapers and it renders some of the beaches unusable. They're supposedly coming up with some sort of system to help, but it was pretty brutal when I was in Mex three years ago.

I'd imagine Europe would be better, unless you just want to lie around and be a gluttonous drunk (not that there's anything wrong with that.)

I forgot about this. It is a really bad seaweed year for the east coast of Mexico. You should check locally, but the Maya Rivera gets is really bad during bloom years.

 

[SubbaBub]

Sounds like Mexico and DR are expecting a really bad Sargassum season. Having been there when it was present, it's pretty gross. Legit smells like sulphur and it's nasty to the touch. I was in Playa Del Carmen a few years ago and the resort beach was completely unusable but you could trek down a half mile or so and it wasn't as big of an issue. Still, if you are thinking Caribbean Beach vacation, you may want to reevaluate for now.

Mexico’s Caribbean beaches awash in foul-smelling sargassum algae

This comes as resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum are recovering from a two-year drop in tourism brought by the coronavirus pandemic.

chicago.suntimes.com

Mexico has a west coast that is an 90 minute flight from DFW.

 

[HuskyNan]

This thread is classic BY.

oh lets see......................... cancun where you can go all in on the best of everything for about 1/10th the cost of going all in on Italy, Greek islands, or wherever on the Mediterranean your heart takes you. Id rather be in Italy too, or Europe. But this is an extreme apples to oranges comparison wallet wise. Not to mention what your families desire for a vacation is.

I’ve been to Italy a couple time and it’s very doable on a budget. We use a travel agent - we just give him dates, places, and budget and he makes it happen.

Do you have any useful suggestions or just like to sneer at other peoples’?

 

[August_West]

I’ve been to Italy a couple time and it’s very doable on a budget. We use a travel agent - we just give him dates, places, and budget and he makes it happen.

Do you have any useful suggestions or just like to sneer at other peoples’?

OK, give your travel agent a week for this july or august and get back to me on the price quote.

 

[superjohn]

What is this in response to? Not everyone likes the same cities/vacation spots.

 

[upstater]

Yeah I remember the days of 2 dollar a gallon gas too.

?? This was before the pandemic. When gas was $3 to $3.20.

Oh, and guess what the tickets are now?

$660 roundtrip.

Not that big a deal

 

[husky429]

Not necessarily true. I cannot speak to Italy, Greece, or many other European destinations but I can when it comes to Portugal as I travel there often.

I did an all inclusive trip to Punta Cana last summer with the family and with airfare it was just under $6k for the four of us for 5 days. I am leaving for Portugal in a couple weeks and the airfare for the four of us was $1200. I have a home in Portugal so lodging costs nothing, but we usually bring about 1500 euros for the 14 days we stay there and are able to eat out 2 times a day and go shopping as well as get an Airbnb if we want to stay at the beach. We usually come home with some extra euros in hand.

So half the price of our trip to Punta Cana and more than twice as long of a vacation. With that said I would for sure go back to Punta Cana, just not during hurricane season.

Portugal is fantastic on the wallet compared to much of western Europe. Loved my trip there.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Portugal is fantastic on the wallet compared to much of western Europe. Loved my trip there.

It was even better pre-Euro. I went in 2000, we stayed in really nice places for like $50 a night. I had wonderful meals, with a bottle of wine and paid about $30-40. It was crazy. But certainly it remains more affordable than most.

 

[BleedHuskyBlu]

Been to Tel Aviv. Did not like the trip.

That is the extent to the dislike.

 

[Minicoop69]

If you're going to Mexico I would go to Mexico City, it's my favorite city I've been to in the world but there's no beach so that's not what you're looking for. I don't like sitting at the beach or pool and I don't like golf...

When I travel I like seeing everything there is to see, eating and drinking everything, and immersing myself in the culture. I've been to Cancun and for beach/pool sitting it's fine but there's better options in Mexico. I've never been but my buddy and his wife love Playa del Carmen and go all the time. Another friend went to Puerto Vallarta for the first time and liked it so much he bought a house there which he goes to months at a time and he'll retire to. As imno1 said there's also Cabo.

Italy, Spain, and France are great but the only one I've been to the beaches at was Italy and it wasn't good for that. Italy is all about exploring the cities and small towns in the countryside. I saw the beaches in Nice, France and they looked really nice but I didn't spend any time at them. I've heard from friends Portugal and Greece are great for the beaches/coast. I've heard Croatia is even better. That will be my next trip, Croatia and Serbia.

I am going here with my family and in-laws in July. My wife is Mexican and her mother and sister just came back from there in March. What are your thoughts on sites to visit or places to make sure you see before you leave.

Staying for 7 nights.

 

[ColchVEGAS]

It was even better pre-Euro. I went in 2000, we stayed in really nice places for like $50 a night. I had wonderful meals, with a bottle of wine and paid about $30-40. It was crazy. But certainly it remains more affordable than most.

Still is like that. You can get a three course meal for three with two bottles of wine for about $40.

Just double checked and I have an Airbnb for four nights directly on the beach in Nazaré and three nights in Lisboa with the total for both coming in at under $700. So yes Mr. West it is a very "excellent comparison."

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Funniest thing I saw there 2 years ago was a Brit walking through town a tank top on, no shorts, no underwear, and a proprietor of a hop come out and start whipping him with what looked like a riding crop.

The ability of drunk British people to ruin otherwise pleasant vacation spots is borderline incredible.

 

[Chin Diesel]

This thread is classic BY.

oh lets see......................... cancun where you can go all in on the best of everything for about 1/10th the cost of going all in on Italy, Greek islands, or wherever on the Mediterranean your heart takes you. Id rather be in Italy too, or Europe. But this is an extreme apples to oranges comparison wallet wise. Not to mention what your families desire for a vacation is.

OP said he was debating between Cancun and Punta Cana or he might go to Europe.

Classic BY. OP says they're thinking of going to Europe or Mexico. Posters give opinions on options.

Some rando joins in a day late and misses the point of the thread.

 

[boba]

Classic BY. OP says they're thinking of going to Europe or Mexico. Posters give opinions on options.

Some rando joins in a day late and misses the point of the thread.

Not "some" rando, but "THE" rando, the rando you should expect to appear.

Stuck going to Italy this year (must visit Frau's mother). Hope it's better than last year where I had fires chasing me around the state.

 

[superjohn]

I am going here with my family and in-laws in July. My wife is Mexican and her mother and sister just came back from there in March. What are your thoughts on sites to visit or places to make sure you see before you leave.

Staying for 7 nights.

Don't know where you're staying but the few times I've been I stayed at an air bnb in Condesa. I would stay in Condesa or Roma unless you're getting a hotel in the Centro Historico. Historic District is awesome during the day but pretty much shuts down at night, Bosforo is a great bar there though. Cafe de Tacuba is also there, it's good and one of the oldest restaurants in the city.

Chapultepec Park, it's twice the size of NYC Central Park. Walk up to the Castle in the park, it's a bit of a walk but worth it for the grounds and views. Go to the Anthropology Museum in the park, it's an incredible museum...

Take a stop along bus tour from Chapultapec Park to the Zocalo where the gov't buildings and the Cathedral are. Go into the Cathedral and the National Palace. Templo Mayor is down there as well. Walk around that area and head back to the Palacio de Bellas Artes which you pass coming into the Zocalo. Go to La Opera, it's right next to Palacio de Bellas Artes. It's the most famous bar in the city. There's another building down there which houses most of Diego Rivera's massive murals, you need to check that out.

Take a bus or Uber out to Coyoacan and spend the whole day out there, one of my favorite neighborhoods anywhere. The Frida Kahlo museum is there and worth it. Leon Trotsky lived there and was close with Frida and Diego Rivera. There's also a museum in his old home. Last time I was there some guy just came up to me and started talking to me, he showed me around the neighborhood. My Spanish is bad but he helped me along with his broken English and explained how it's the birthplace of Mexico City, he took me into the churches, showed me where the Pope slept. He was just an awesome guy from the neighborhood who is proud of his city and wanted to show it off to an American.

Condesa and Roma are great neighborhoods with parks, cafes, and bars all over. They're right next to each other and great for leisurely strolls during the day and food and drinks at night. I can't remember the names of many restaurants and bars but there's good food all around. A lot of the best eating I've done is at food stalls on the sidewalks and at the huge city markets. Stop into El Pescadito in Condesa for the best fish tacos ever. Pujol is considered one of the best restaurants in the world, I didn't go there but went to their little offshoot lunch place in Condesa and it was very good.

Polanco is Mexico City's Beverly Hills. Go to the Soumaya museum there, it's free. There's great museums and things to see all over and they're either free or a few bucks. Sit outside at a cafe in Polanco and people watch. El Piladero de Guadalajara is a restaurant next to the Four Seasons which is not fancy at all, great Tapatio food. Get the Carne en su jugo.

Take a trip out to Teotihuacan, it's about an hour away. A lot of people like the canals at Xochimilco but that was a long trip with traffic and I didn't really feel it was worth it. It might be fun if you have a large group.

Even if you aren't Catholic it's worth it to go to La Villa de Guadalupe. It's one of the major pilgrimage sites in the world. It gets a few million people per year, there's a bunch of churches there and it's just impressive. Another long walk to the top but it's worth it.

Enjoy, everyone is super friendly to a gringo who doesn't speak Spanish well. I never see many tourists/Americans down there.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

35 friends just went to punta Cana and 22 were very sick. Spent days in their rooms with gastro issues.

and there u have it.
yugo trip wins. thread over.

and then there's the stinky baby poop seaweed to complete the stomp on the dream vacation.