Are Cyprus and Greece just as nice as Mexico?

[mrsbinggg]

My boyfriend wants to go to Mexico next year for our yearly holiday.
I don't
I don't fancy a 10 hour flight and I think there's nicer places with a shorter flight time.
I've suggested Greece and Cyprus as I've been to Cyprus and loved it.
I personally think they are just as nice as Mexico and tbh I've never fancied it
Can anyone who's been to any of these places give me some opinions ?
Price is similar too
Mexico for 10 days is £1534 pp and Cyprus /Greece is around same price

So that makes it cheaper, not more luxurious.

Never been to Mexico, but we've enjoyed Cyprus and Greece. We don't particularly enjoy beach or pool holidays so did a far bit of sightseeing and had some good holidays there.

I think you forgot Chichen Itza, Tulum ruins, numerous stunning Ceynotes, wild turtles at Akumal bay, Xcaret and Xel-ha, islands of Holbox, Cozumel, Mujeres, swimming with whale sharks, beautiful towns like Vallodolid, there is literally so much to do if you get outside the resorts of Cancun and Playa del Carmen (shudder). The buses are cheap and very easy to get around, the taxis are metered with the prices up - it literally couldn't be easier.

The major downside for your OH OP will be the sargassum, it sounds like your OH isn't aware of it and it has been causing big problems for several years unless you go very early in the year. Google 'Cancun sargassum' and the pictures will soon put him off. If you were planning on going in the summer you should probably be aware it is hurricane season too.

To me Cyprus is not a patch on Mexico, Coral Bay was so packed with Brits abroad I couldn't wait to leave even in October (we were only there for a day trip fortunately), I dread to think what it's like in the summer. I'm sure there are much nicer Greek Islands though.

You need to compare like for like. We went to a 5 AI in Mexico... but slightly out of season. So it was really quiet, lots of attention from staff (bringing cocktails to your sun lounger on the beach, just wandering with trays of them or fetching you a specific request). Whereas the 4 in Cyprus we stayed a weekend at was more crowded, had to go to the bar, queue for food etc. But one was a honeymoon, one was a quick weekend.

But away from the Tourist bit of Cyprus the food is absolutely amazing. Ots a beautiful country with an intriguing history (lived there for 2 years)

You get more for your money in Mexico in terms of quality of hotel, food etc plus there's all the cultural sites if you're into that.
Been to Cyprus and a lot of the Greek Islands and they are also lively, but it's like comparing apples with oranges imo.

We are thinking of going in June possibly July

Cyprus is rammed those months!

For me it would come down to when you're going - if it's our (UK) summer then weather in Mexico could be dodgy as rainy season and I'd go for the shorter flight, but if you're talking about our spring/autumn then Caribbean for the weather!

No amount of rationalising it with other people makes it where your partner wants to travel to.

Im not sure why you think such vastly different countries should be interchangeable but I suppose if all you want is a pool and the weather to use it they do both have that

Knossos on Cyprus has very important ruins of a civilisation a older than Greece or Rome, when we went we did overnight cruise thing to Cairo. Or there were fly in day trips. So would not see Cyprus as culture free

Palace of Knossos is on Crete not Cyprus

That was why I said different not better

I was going to say Mexico hands down but then I saw when you would be going, I wouldn't go in hurricane season.

I'd go Mexico over Greece/Cyprus.
Done all 3 and Mexico is just gorgeous compared to the others.
We did PDC in August in a RUI so not too expensive. June will be quieter too so I'd go for it.
As pp said Cancun airport is an experience on its own but as long as you're patient it's fine. Tui was at fault for our experience coming home because of delays and getting us to the airport 6 hours before the flight.

and the award for today's bitchy post goes to...

fuck me mexico is one of the most interesting countries i've ever visited. staying in an ai means you are unlikely to have had a view of the country much at all without overpriced "day trips." what a shame for you to travel all that way and not really experience the country as it is

Wow, are you sure you actually went to Mexico?
We went kayaking on a lagoon, took boat trips, saw flamingos, visited several Mayan sites inc Tulum and Chichen Itza, an old Hacienda, chocolate museum, tequila tasting, cooking class, swimming in several cenotes, local markets, lots os sea swimming, bike rides, massive range of culinary experiences. Just in one region.

That was a small group tour. I have no experience of staying in a resort and doing the odd day trip/ walk out for dinner, so can't comment on where would be good for that.

OP, I love Greece - far shorter cheaper flight so a greater proportion of your spend would go on accomodation. Do you want to/willing to hire a car or driver or do you need these things to be easily accessibly.

I love Mexico, but I've travelled around and not been to Cancun.
Amazing place, incredible food - so many things I've never eaten before (I'm veggie) and the people were wonderful.

Greece is great too and if you are having a fly & flop holiday why travel all the way to Mexico? Greek food is amazing. No jet-lag, no horrible long flight, no unnecessary air miles.

Cyprus I would never go to because of the way the police there treated the british woman who was gang raped there a few years back.

I absolutely adore Mexico, but it wasn't a cheap break in comparison to other trips we've taken.

We went for two weeks and were busy every day in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. We stayed in an AI boutique hotel in PdC, a large hotel with breakfast only in Cancun, and an AirBnB apartment in Tulum. Each place was lovely, very helpful and polite staff, clean etc so there are definitely options outside of a massive resort in Cancun.

It's a trip that needs to be planned/budgeted for properly to make the most of it IMO. Just a few examples (which do overlap with pps but they really were phenomenal):

• scuba diving/snorkelling/swimming in many different cenotes, the underwater museum, and off boats in the sea.
• visiting ruins (Chichen Itza, Coba, Tulum)
• island hopping (Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, each of which have markets to browse, restaurants etc) on catamarans
• visiting the smaller towns (Valladolid is gorgeous)
• xcaret and other adventure parks
• cooking classes and tequila tasting
• Speedboating through the mangroves

The food was incredible, the people were delightful, and we had absolutely no issues walking around. We split our time, spending more in Tulum than Playa del Carmen and Cancun. It's a lot quieter unless you go down to the beach resorts for dinner and drinks. PdC had a lot of people offering us cocaine and trying to get us into clubs, but they took 'no' without any real fuss - we were there right as covid was kicking off (returned home a matter of days before lockdown) so there was a bit of a push to get people into places before they closed down.

I'm never been to Greece, but Mexico blew my trip to Cyprus out of the water. Cyprus really didn't come close, although it was still a nice trip.

However, if I was planning on just going to resort and staying in there, I don't think it matters much. Go for the nicer hotel.

I would go to Greece personally

Cyprus - sadly just a mess now. No investment, half building sites, takes touristy areas.

Mexico - isn’t safe enough for me to just explore myself

They are completely different, so you would need to research the Mexican culture to see if you would like to visit.

My view on this is during summer stick to Europe. The weather is great and the flight time is short. Some amazing places to visit.

The Caribbean and Mexico are perfect winter sun destinations

Having repped in both Greece and Cyprus, Cyprus is far superior. A 5 star quality hotel in Greece would ‘only’ be a 4 star in Cyprus. Some of the top 5 stars in Cyprus are fantastic.

OP said she has a set budget. For the budget, the places she will get in Mexico will be more luxurious. Not sure how that is difficult to understand?

Also, you can flush toilet paper in Mexico which is definitely more luxurious.

I am looking at this very hotel in Mexico ? Did you go ? Please help as I’m torn between a week in Greece or two in Mexico with a teen and a baby and a toddler