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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Oh fuck…on holiday of a lifetime and it’s going to rain until we go home

74 replies

MagicPharmacist · 21/02/2025 10:55

It’s not quite 6am, day three of our 7 day holiday in Mexico. It started raining last night and I’ve checked all the weather apps this morning and it’s relentless until the day we go home!

I did not factor this in. We’ve done one of our excursions (to Chichen Itzá) yesterday in the sunshine, the rest of the week was meant to be snorkelling and swimming until Monday when we’ve spent nearly £500 to go to an adventure park for the day - Monday is now forecasted massive thunder storms.

The resort does not appear to be set up for constant rain. There are no indoor activities apart from kids clubs and bars. We don’t drink and have one adventurous teenager with us.

Please talk me down a bit and give me some ideas. I haven’t actually left the room yet today as breakfast isn’t for another hour so I will talk to the concierge in a bit and find out if they have anything different planned.

Has anyone experienced this? I know tropical rain is a thing but a solid week of rain in February wasn’t expected. Is the holiday a wash out or am I being dramatic?

OP posts:
Bayonetlightbulb · 21/02/2025 11:32

Have you looked at the hour by hour forecast. I don't think it looks that bad. Worst seems to be today but looks like you should still get sunshine others days just with some rain jn between

Original poster
MagicPharmacist · 21/02/2025 11:36

Thanks everyone. It’s eased off a bit now and everyone else is awake so I feel less bleak 🤣

Really appreciate all the suggestions. I might just have to blow the budget and book another excursion, the idea of spending the next few days in the resort was because we’ve pretty much reached our limit but tbh we’re only here once and that’s what credit cards are for, right?

We have some lovely meals booked (the concierge and DH geeked out over bands and star wars together so he booked us into all the a la carte restaurants instead of just the three we were meant to be limited to). And the whole place is stunning; we’re surrounded by the Caribbean and the jungle, we’ve seen monkeys and iguanas and coatis everywhere and it’s just paradise. I’m off to the no WiFi zone that is anywhere but our room, and I’m going to make sure we have an amazing time whatever the weather.

OP posts:
cait967 · 21/02/2025 11:38

We had a forecast like this in Mexico a few years ago. In reality we ended up with a dramatically heavy thunder shower at about 4p m every day. Normally lasted an hour. Don’t panic yet

HundredPercentUnsure · 21/02/2025 11:40

Eat your weight in avocado and remember, even in the rain, it's not your normal home rain. It's holiday rain! Have a great time whatever you manage to do

anyolddinosaur · 21/02/2025 11:40

Sometimes the rain is heavy at night and clears in the day. It would be very unusual to have rain all day every day.

Feb2025start · 21/02/2025 11:44

Haven't read all replies, sorry, though I have seen a couple of posts along similar lines - have you checked an app that provides hour-by-hour forecasts rather than daily? When I was in Mexico a few years back we had VERY heavy rainfall overnight and for some of the morning, then bright blue skies and sunshine from about 10/11 until the evening when the rain would start up again! It was absolutely perfect - gorgeous sunny days and the rain overnight kept everything fresh and green and not too humid. Swimming in the rain in the evening or sitting out on your balcony watching it (with some cocktails!) is lovely too. So all may not be lost!

Goofy03 · 21/02/2025 11:54

I like your attitude OP. Good to let yourself be disappointed and then try and make the best. Let us know if things pick up weather wise! Hope you all have fun. Fwiw we’ve had some shocking weather on dream holidays too and it does make you rage with the unfairness!

Littletreefrog · 21/02/2025 13:04

MagicPharmacist · 21/02/2025 11:36

Thanks everyone. It’s eased off a bit now and everyone else is awake so I feel less bleak 🤣

Really appreciate all the suggestions. I might just have to blow the budget and book another excursion, the idea of spending the next few days in the resort was because we’ve pretty much reached our limit but tbh we’re only here once and that’s what credit cards are for, right?

We have some lovely meals booked (the concierge and DH geeked out over bands and star wars together so he booked us into all the a la carte restaurants instead of just the three we were meant to be limited to). And the whole place is stunning; we’re surrounded by the Caribbean and the jungle, we’ve seen monkeys and iguanas and coatis everywhere and it’s just paradise. I’m off to the no WiFi zone that is anywhere but our room, and I’m going to make sure we have an amazing time whatever the weather.

Where are you staying? that sounds exactly like what I'm looking for for our post GCSE exam trip, maybe without the rain but to be honest I think I'd enjoy it even in the rain.

ladymammalade · 21/02/2025 13:33

I've just checked the detailed weather forecast and having been to that area a couple of months ago with the same sort of forecast - it won't be wall to wall rain. It's just sunny spells, chance of storms/rain but it's usually short lived.

We just stayed in the pool when it rained and it was usually all over within 20 minutes.

StonwEd · 21/02/2025 13:39

Not much advice on things to do but just want you to know I was in cancun/tulum this time last year and it was forecast to rain every day all day and in no way did that happen! Maybe we were really fortunate but the weather forecast was really inaccurate. We did get a margarita and play cards every time it rained too much to be out in it but I see you don’t drink so not relevant 😅
hope it turns out not to be so bad for you ❤️🌎

Wishihaveanotherone · 21/02/2025 13:42

I visit Mexico almost every year, and I've learned not to rely on weather apps. It typically rains every evening, but the rain quickly passes, and then it gets quite hot. Unless there's a hurricane nearby, you can expect this pattern.
There are plenty of amazing places to visit, like the X parks, Tulum, and Valladolid. Chichen Itza is amazing in the rain, when we went it was so hot then the rain started and was such a relief.

BettyBardMacDonald · 21/02/2025 13:47

Beach walking in the rain is lovely.

BettyBardMacDonald · 21/02/2025 13:50

Are you in Cancun?

Just looking at the forecast, there's no rain projected for Saturday or Tuesday.

Original poster
MagicPharmacist · 21/02/2025 13:54

We are in Riviera Maya. I’ve parked myself under a roof by one of the pools. It’s just about 9am and the rain is clearing and I can see blue sky. DH and DS are about to be the first ones in the pool. All is good. 😊

OP posts:
Aposterhasnoname · 21/02/2025 13:56

Letsgocamping67 · 21/02/2025 11:14

If Cancun area. You can get the bus to Walmart. It’s massive has food and there’s something for everyone.

The op is on her holiday of a lifetime and you’re suggesting a day trip to Walmart? Seriously!

Honestly op, I’ll bet good money there will be plenty of breaks in the rain. You’ll be fine.

Mandoid · 21/02/2025 19:36

We went to Riviera Maya for our honeymoon 12 years ago.
It was amazing there, I really hope you get the very best you can out of the holiday.

Maybe not the greatest idea for DS but you could go to the hotel spa on a rainy day? (if there is one)

SwanOfThoseThings · 21/02/2025 19:40

The weather forecast isn't usually accurate beyond a couple of days - it might clear up as the week goes on.

I would be looking for some really nice restaurants so you can do your stuff in the day and, if it's wet, look forward to cosy meals in the evening.

sparrowflewdown · 21/02/2025 19:43

Tumbleweed44 · 21/02/2025 11:00

Watch out for sharks they love to ambush in the rain!

Edited

I thought the same!

sparrowflewdown · 21/02/2025 19:45

MagicPharmacist · 21/02/2025 13:54

We are in Riviera Maya. I’ve parked myself under a roof by one of the pools. It’s just about 9am and the rain is clearing and I can see blue sky. DH and DS are about to be the first ones in the pool. All is good. 😊

Ah, great! Hope you have a lovely day.

lifeturnsonadime · 21/02/2025 19:53

Our Mexico week last year was interrupted by a hurricane which led to indoor closures too. I'm sure that the rain won't be relentless and they are a tourist destination so I am sure you will find indoor activities if needs be, it is gutting though to have to factor weather on a trip like that.

HelenCurlyBrown · 21/02/2025 19:54

We’re usually in the Caribbean at this time of year. I’d take the weather forecast with a pinch of salt. It invariably shows rain every day, but in my experience, it’s very short lived. Only once in many years have we had lots of rain, and that was only 2 days.

Waisted · 21/02/2025 19:55

We had rain and thunder storms forecast every day when we were there last year. It actually rained solidly for one day and that was that so don’t believe everything the forecast says.

HannahSternsBlouse · 21/02/2025 20:01

Agree with PP who said weather app will be more pessimistic than reality. I used to live in Mexico and it was often 1-2 hours of very heavy rain and blue skies and sunshine rest of day.

Rosieumbrella · 21/02/2025 20:05

We have been to Riviera Maya for Feb half term before, the forecast showed heavy rain and thunderstorms all day every day but we only ever saw (very heavy!) rain for either an hour very early morning or an hour late afternoon, people mostly got into the pool during the rain! It didn’t impact our holiday at all, cleared very quickly and was lovely and sunny the rest of the time :) have a fab holiday I love Mexico!

BreakfastClubBlues · 21/02/2025 20:09

This happened to us over Christmas a few years ago, it was rubbish 😞 It was also freezing and we didn't really have appropriate clothing, so made it even more miserable. We got about 5/14 days of sunshine.

The Xplor parks were great though! Definitely the highlight of the holiday. The one where you ride a bike through the 'rainforest' is one of my favourite memories.