I can’t believe I am back in Cancun. I was just at a wedding about two months prior and loved the resort so much that I decided to take my daughter there this time around. This is my fifth time in Mexico, and this is my first time in Mexico with my daughter, and as such, no partying this time. Instead, I want to spend most of my time exploring the country. This blog is about my experience in Cancun in June 2019.
First Three Days in Cancun
We stayed in downtown Cancun for the first three nights. This was different to me, but I will try to do this often. There is so much to do downtown, and you will be with the locals and not just tourists. You get to go to real authentic Mexican restaurants and eat fresh seafood or whatever you want. Downtown is also home to several shops and markets, such as Market 28, famous for selling everything, from cigars to local crafts. It was good that she saw the real Mexico before experiencing life in a luxury resort (What I like to call “the fake Mexico”).
 |
| Day 1 felt good, but I was tired and I just wanted a drink |
The city of Cancun is divided into two main sections, the downtown Cancun area and the hotel zone island with the beaches and resorts. Unlike at the resorts where most of the locals speak English, in most places downtown, the locals don't speak English or speak very little English except for taxi drivers, most of whom speak English well. Don't let that discourage you, as they understand most of the English words you will most likely use. Like "How much is this?" "beer," "wine," "food," etc. There will also be someone around that speaks English and Spanish, and the locals who speak English are always willing to help or translate; they are nice people.
We had no problem shopping, walking around, asking for directions, or just being in the city. The three main parts of the city that we explored were the market area, Puerto Cancun; and the downtown beachfront area, also known as the hotel zone; but they are all relatively close to each other.
Puerto Cancun
 |
| It was very hot this day |
This is a fairly new and expensive part of the downtown area. There are many brand-new condos in this area. It was only about a 3-5-minute ride to the more crowded parts of downtown. As soon as you leave Puerto Cancun, you will see the difference.
Don’t spend most of your time in Puerto Cancun when you are just 3 minutes away from hanging out with locals. Puerto Cancun has locals, but they are the rich Mexicans who have made this area almost a resort-like vicinity.
 |
| This is my balcony and the view from my balcony in Puerto Cancun |
 |
| You will find these guys all over Puerto Cancun |
If shopping is your thing, then I will recommend you shop at the newly developed mall, The Cancun Marina Town Center, that was attached to the hotel I was staying at, The Renaissance by Marriott. The mall has many restaurants and cool bars. If you walk into the mall, you will immediately think it is expensive because of the look, but I found most things there were of great quality but reasonably priced.
 |
| The heat and humidity will get you feeling like this sometimes |
In addition to condos or shopping, it is the place to go, if you like to walk quietly through the shops of well-known brands, without the hustle or the crowds you’ll find in other places in Cancun.
Market 28
Market 28 is a market area in the downtown area of Cancun where you will find the best hustlers in Cancun. Nothing around this area is priced to stand. Don’t ever focus on the price you see, as you can negotiate freely, and most of the items here are sold in several stores, giving you stronger bargaining power. You will be overwhelmed when you arrive at the market entrance, but take your time, and never rush to buy anything.
My first stop was the tequila museum, a cool little spot that has tequilas ranging from $30.00 US a bottle to a bottle that costs $500.00 US. I have to say, it was a smooth drink. I am not a big tequila fan, but this definitely was a good one. You will never find any tequila from this store anywhere else but in Cancun or Mexico. I had to sample a bunch of different shots, so I was feeling tipsy by the time I decided on what to get. I think that’s their strategy: get you feeling good so you can spend. I bought two bottles that I thought tasted great, but I am not a tequila guy, so I was not super excited about most of the shots I tried. Regardless of if you buy anything there or not, the guys there were very nice, knowledgeable, and not pushy at all.
 |
| The $500 (US dollars) Tequila |
The rest of the market is what you would expect from a market in any major city’s downtown area. The only thing I will say is never show any interest in anything, even if you are super excited about it. Always act like you are in a rush to do something else or you could easily talk to some of the sellers for hours. They are very good at what they do, so you do not have to be rude, but do not act like something is cheap or looks amazing. A poker face works here.
Hotel Zone
The Hotel Zone is where most tourists know or spend most of their time, and it's only about a 20- to 25-minute car ride from the airport. This is where you would find most of the hotels and luxury resorts. Most of the hotels and resorts are a short drive or walk from each other, and they all have plenty of ground to play and run or the beach to swim and relax.
Last four days in Cancun
Riviera Cancun
Just a 30-minute drive from the downtown area is Riviera Cancun. This is where I spent the rest of my time in Cancun. There are many resorts in this part of Cancun, but the resort I chose to stay at was the Royalton, the same resort I stayed at two months prior. I really like it and recommend it. This blog is not about recommending any resort, but I will say it was the perfect resort for my daughter and especially for her first time in Cancun.
 |
| You will spend most of the day in the pool, drinking. |
Royalton is a luxury resort. There are 840 upscale mega rooms with modern décor. Some of the rooms have a swimming pool, so you do not have to use any of the 11 pools that the resort has. My room had an ocean view, which I really enjoyed in the morning. The service was first-class. I did not use the fitness center, but who does in a place like this? But I heard good things about the gym facility. There were activities every day and all day for adults and kids.
There is also a casino inside the resort. I will have to admit though the beaches in the Hotel Zone were better than in Riviera Cancun. There are other places in or around Cancun with even better beaches.
Maya
This is an all-day thing to do. The Mayans are just amazing and kind people. You will need to spend all day there to enjoy their history and culture. It is already about a 6-plus-hour drive back and forth from Cancun to there, so why would you want anything less?
If you like history, then this place is a must to visit when you are in Cancun or around Cancun. Below is a picture I took of the famous Maya pyramids. Their pyramids have a flat top unlike Egyptian pyramids with a pointy top.
The Mayans came from Asia about 4,000 years ago. Their Spanish is different because they have to translate from Mayan to Spanish. There is this small Mayan village, called Piste, where you get to before getting to Chichen Itza. The people there are very basic and have a simple life. There is a special church in this town, where it is said that every stone in the church used to be part of the Chichen Itza temple. We left Piste and arrived at Chichen Itza in a few minutes.
The people in Chichen Itza are very crafty and make much of what they sell by hand. You will find them everywhere trying to sell you something. They are also very nice people, and because they are always around tourists, they speak English well.
Chichen Itza is named as one of the seven wonders of the world, and it is one of the well-known Mayan archeological sites in Mexico.
The Pyramid of Kukulkan, also known as El Castillo, is the most iconic structure at Chichen Itza.
 |
 |
The Mayans came from Asia about 4,000 years ago. Their Spanish is different because they have to translate from Mayan to Spanish. There is this small Mayan village, called Piste, where you get to before getting to Chichen Itza. The people there are very basic and have a simple life. There is a special church in this town, where it is said that every stone in the church used to be part of the Chichen Itza temple. We left Piste and arrived at Chichen Itza in a few minutes.
 |
| The Pyramid at Chichen Itza will leave you breathless too |
Another place worth visiting in Chichen Itza is Xcajum.
 |
Valladolid
This was the last town we visited before heading back to Cancun. This is a colonial town in the heart of Maya Yucatan.
This is another town where I would love to rent a place and hang out for a day or two. Walking through the streets feels like going back in time, but I am not sure if the buildings would look exactly the same, as the buildings are brightly painted today. The churches, though, look old, but so beautiful.
Isla Mujeres
In pre-Columbian times, the island was sacred to the Mayan goddess of childbirth and medicine, Ixchel. The Spanish later called it Isla Mujeres because of the many images of goddesses they found when they arrived in the 16Th Century. This island is another place I should have spent more time.
I did manage to spend two days here on two separate occasions. Isla Mujeres is a beautiful, peaceful paradise just across the Bahia de Mujeres (Bay of Women), from Cancun, Mexico. It is known for its beautiful white-sand beaches and calm blue water. This Island is more laid-back than Cancun, but you will still find hustlers everywhere on the island trying to sell you something. There is so much to do there from shopping, dining, to all the water sports.
I did manage to spend two days here on two separate occasions. Isla Mujeres is a beautiful, peaceful paradise just across the Bahia de Mujeres (Bay of Women), from Cancun, Mexico. It is known for its beautiful white-sand beaches and calm blue water. This Island is more laid-back than Cancun, but you will still find hustlers everywhere on the island trying to sell you something. There is so much to do there from shopping, dining, to all the water sports.
This is one of the best places to snorkel around Cancun. My daughter really enjoyed the water and snorkeling because the water is blue and very clear. We spent half of the day on a luxury boat, enjoying the sun, swimming, snorkeling, eating, and talking to others before making it the island.
There are so many restaurants and bars there. You can walk or rent a moped or a bike and ride around the island. My daughter really enjoyed this part of the tour, and she drove one of the golf carts (or maybe it was the mega cross carts). I know it was one of the carts, and she enjoyed it very much.
Swimming with Whale Sharks
June to September is the best time to see whale sharks in Cancun. There were about 60 of these massive creatures floating near our boat when we got there. The only drawback to this experience was the boat ride to our destination. It was just under 40 miles on a speed boat to our destination from Cancun.
We were so far and in the middle of the ocean. The only cool thing is that sharks, dolphins, or other sea creatures stay far away from whale sharks, even though they are not aggressive. And despite their enormity, these sea giants calmly roam around the sea looking for plankton and krill, not worrying too much about humans or other animals.
We were so far and in the middle of the ocean. The only cool thing is that sharks, dolphins, or other sea creatures stay far away from whale sharks, even though they are not aggressive. And despite their enormity, these sea giants calmly roam around the sea looking for plankton and krill, not worrying too much about humans or other animals.
Other adventures during this tour
Conclusion
Mexico is not the only place on earth with beaches and a warm climate, so what is the deal with everyone rushing there? My resort had people traveling from Europe in numbers to enjoy this country. What I can say is this: the beaches in Mexico are gorgeous, and the food is fresh, unlike in some destinations that can be nicer and cheaper than Mexico. However, their food is nothing to write or talk about.
Most of the resorts in Mexico are gorgeous and safe, but just like in any other place in the world, there are exceptions and also bad news about certain places. You just have to be careful and don’t think that, because most people there are nice, all will be nice. This is true even in your home city or country. I will recommend exploring, and if you decide to stay at a resort, then do your research. You would not go wrong with any resort rated at 4 or above in Mexico. I have stayed in several resorts in Mexico, and I have nothing but good stories in all.
Get out of your resort, and explore the country you are visiting. I do not understand why so many tourists (including myself) spend most, if not all of their time, in resorts and never want to explore the country they are visiting. To see any new country or city, you will have to jump on a bus or drive and explore. The resorts are fun, and we all love it, but you will never know a country without exploring other parts outside the resort or hanging out with the locals.
 |
| I was done and ready to go home |