Cancun... Before and During the Pandemic

Miles

Cancun is the first destination that many of our minds go to when we think of spring break destinations among college students. It offers beautiful scenery/weather and a great party atmosphere. But, collegiate crowd or not, anyone can enjoy the island. Its tropical weather allows for great activities such as snorkeling, jet skis, ATVs, jungle tours, regular city tours, zip lining and so much more! And if you're just trying to lay back and relax on a beach, Cancún offers that too.

Pre-Pandemic

Grand Oasis Cancun

The Grand Oasis Cancun is a beautiful all-inclusive resort located on Kukulcan Blvd in the hotel zone. I loved this hotel and enjoyed my stay there. You honestly don't have to leave the resort if you don't want to. It's a one-stop shop. There was a variety of entertainment and activities to do during the day as well as at night. They had great food options with several restaurants located in the resort free of charge. The location made it easy to travel to the strip with a 10 minute bus ride. 

I tried tight roping for the first time 🤣.

Pandemic

Royalton Chic

This all-inclusive resort is true to its name. It has a mature/sophisticated look and feel compared to Grand Oasis. The food is mediocre—mostly because the quality is inconsistent. One day you can have an AH-MAZING meal and you order the same exact meal the next day and its totally different. The hotel is less than a five-minute walk from the main strip on Kukulcan Blvd. Traveling into Mexico you do not need a negative Covid test to enter however, as the guideline require, you must receive a negative Covid test in order to return back to America. The test must be taken 72 hours prior to your departure. Royalton Chic provides free Covid test and 14 day quarantine if you test positive.

They had a foam party and it was worth it!

Meals

Pre-Pandemic

Restaurante Thai

Restaurante Thai is a Thai restaurant with a beautiful, open and enchanting atmosphere. I felt like I stepped into Thailand for a minute lol. The restaurant is located in a shopping center called Plaza La Isla. The food was delish! 

Pandemic

Taboo Cancun

Taboo Cancun is a super sexy chic restaurant with all the vibes. The dimly lit setting and décor add to the ambiance of the restaurant. The food is really good with some of the entrees and cocktails having a theatrical component to them which adds to the experience. This is a great spot if you want to celebrate anything and can even be a date night option. They are run by the same people who own Rosa Negra.

Memories

Pre-Pandemic/ Pandemic

Extreme Adventures (ATVs, Cenote, Zip lining)

I recommend this tour because it is a cost efficient and great way to sample each activity. I went with two different companies (pre and during pandemic)—each company has their own routes. Both had their pros and cons. You typically can book excursions with your hotel but if you’re looking for a good deal, Kukulcan Blvd is where it is at. There are many companies selling this tour which makes it easy to negotiate pricing. It's helpful to shop around when looking for excursions and tours; that way you're aware of the general price and can even try to bargain.

 ATV

(Pre)

Need for speed? This activity is for you! The ATV Jungle Expedition through the Mayan jungle is one activity from the Extreme Adventures three-part activity package. You can ride alone or with someone. I recommend bringing a scarf/bandanna to wrap around your nose and mouth as it gets very dusty when driving the ATVs. Ladies I would also recommend an additional scarf/bandanna for your hair.

(During)

ATVs is the activity I always look forward to the most when purchasing the Extreme Adventures three-part activity package. I adore them. However, the package I bought this time around, the road that the ATVs were driven on was very bumpy so you couldn't drive as quickly (which in my opinion defeats the purpose of driving an ATV lol). Don't get me wrong, it's still fast and enjoyable but you have to be extremely careful. This is one of the cons of booking a tour from a street vendor rather than a hotel. Overall, 9/10 the experience will be well worth it. There is always that 1% chance that it isn’t quite what you expected. Realistically that could be the case for hotel excursions too. My recommendation is to always do what feels most comfortable and natural to you—if that’s with the hotel, do that, and if it’s with bargaining with street vendors, do that.

Zip Lining

(Pre)

Zip lining was a fun experience, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone afraid of heights. In this activity, you're climbing up trees, walking across bridges, and zip lining through the Mexican jungle. I found myself nervous several times but making it to the end was rewarding.

(During)

This company’s zip lining was short and sweet but fun nonetheless.

Cenote

(Pre)

This Cenote was far from flattering. It looked and smelt like a swamp. Many people in our tour group decided to go in but I decided to sit that one out.

(During)

This Cenote was stunning! Polar opposite from the previous experience. Check it out below.

Side Note: I really wish I remembered the names of both companies I used for these tours.

Kukulcan Blvd

(Pre)

Kukulcan Blvd is the main strip in Cancun filled with bars, restaurants, stores, and places to get souvenirs. It truly comes alive in the nighttime.

(During)

This time around I visited Kukulcan Blvd during the day. Its not as lively but they have a new hot spot that was having a day party that seemed to be popular among the early 20s crowd. There was a swarm of them standing in line waiting to get in.

Pre-Pandemic Activities

I didn’t get to experience these activities during the pandemic, but they are certainly noteworthy.

Speedboat

This tour is done on a two-person speedboat. There's a tour guide that leads you through the green mangrove channels along the Nichupté Lagoon. What I liked about this tour is that it's only an hour and a half, leaving you with the rest of the day to do as you please. I'm not sure whether I had more fun on the ATVs or with the speedboat, but both quenched my thirst for adventure. 

Snorkeling 

Snorkeling took place at the beautiful Punta Nizuc which is part of the world’s second largest coral reef. You get to swim with beautiful sea creatures and marvel over some of the spectacular under water views the sea has to offer.

Fish Pedicure 

Want a fun unique experience? Swap out your average pedicure for a fish pedicure at Plaza La Isla. I was so nervous to try this pedicure because I thought I would actually feel the fish biting me. I was totally wrong. It more so feels like a vibration or even tickling sensation. This pedicure consists of these tiny little fish nibbling at the dead skin on your feet. However, I’m not sure that this is still a thing during the pandemic.

Fat Tuesday 

Fat Tuesday is a bar with a variety of alcoholic slushy beverages. Fat Tuesday Cancun is very similar to the one in Miami. My personal favorite slushy is Mango!

Congo

Congo is a club with a young, vibrant, energetic, collegiate crowd. The music is booming, there's gogo dancers, and people dancing. You can pay an additional fee for unlimited drinks or you can purchase your drinks as you desire. This is a great spot to go to if you want to dance the night away to top 40s hits.

Travel Tips/Travel Hacks

• My trip was from Monday to Friday. I can’t say that this holds true for all hotels during this pandemic time, but the Royalton Chic Hotel started to get crowded on Thursday. I'm almost positive because of the weekend crowd. By Friday, the hotel was starting to look packed. More people could be seen at the pool and common areas.

• When looking to book your trip to Cancun, stay at hotels that offer Covid testing as part of your stay. Some hotels even offer 14 day quarantine if you test positive for Covid. This is the best alternative considering you need a negative Covid test to return back to the US and pricing at testing sites can be high.