Mexico

[Onesipmore]

Has anyone ever been? Planning on going with DH and a couple of teens for a week after Xmas .Have been slightly put off about the extensive seaweed on the beach which stank and being unable to swim in the sea. Any wise words? Thanks

I haven't been as it got cancelled in COVID.. its on my bucket list though. Sea weed is usually cleared up quite quickly and the issue is with various islands. Maybe some seasons are worse than others... I went to Punta cana in 2019 and the beach was spotless! I also went to Jamaica a few years before that and it just had a tiny bit of seaweed.

@Roastonsun8 Thanks. Im really keen to go. The hotel seems to have something for everyone.I just know if we can't go in the sea everyone will be pissed off!

We went to playa del carmen a few years ago with three teens. We all enjoyed it, did a few trips out to Coba and Xcaret. Beaches were lovely - no seaweed at all.

The sargassum seaweed season tends to occur more between March and June.

We went to riviera maya in February this year, the weather was perfect and there was no seaweed at all on the beach or in the sea. Mexico is beautiful, we would go again in winter.

Thanks for the reassurance ! Looking at January

I went to Cancun in January and no stinky seaweed. We lived in the US at the time so it was a cheap escape the brutal winter break. If I’d flown long haul to get there then I would have been bitterly disappointed. I’d like to go back to Mexico for sure but not to Cancun.

We went to Cancun in February, it was great. As PP said you will be outside seaweed season in January!

@RandomQuest was it too 'touristy'

I just found it a bit soulless, didn’t feel like I was seeing Mexico, hotel was nice but literally could have literally been anywhere. Fine for cheap and a quick flight when you’re desperate for some sun but not anywhere near good enough to justify long haul time and money IMO.

@RandomQuest I've got one week only in Jan and have been to Carribean Islands quite a lot. Would love to hear any inspo, even the travel agent couldn't come up with anything! Totally get what you mean about not seeing the 'real' place.

Watching Narcos put me right off!

100,000 disappeared to date.
They need to clean up the country never mind the beaches.
Go somewhere civilised and hot.

I want to go in August with preteens. Want to see mexico City, a beach and a historical sight. Any tips?

I lived on Isla mujeres for two months. Has a lot more soul than Cancun and is right opposite it. Lots of places that aren't Cancun are nice. You can fly into Cancun and get a bus down to various spots along the coast.

I’m going in July amd I don’t care if it’s soulless or not. We will find plenty to do when we get there. If we even want to do anything other than eating in nice restaurants and drinking lovely cocktails by the beach. The only thing putting me off is the dolphins in captivity.

We’re spending 5 days in Mexico city and then going down to Tulum. Lots to do including historical sights in both places. In Mexico City we’re staying in the Condesa area as recommended by friends who live there. Staying in the town area of Tulum and will cycle/taxi on beach days.

@EachandEveryone do you mind me asking which resort you are thinking of? A friend recommended Secrets Akumel.

@GMOH The temple in Tulum is amazing. The only Mayan temple on the coast. You can go down to the (tiny) beach too.

OP, we stayed in Playa del Carmen and did lots of excursions - Chichen Itza, Tulum as mentioned, and Coba which has only been excavated 5%. It's in a jungle! Also went to the island of Cozumel cos DS went scuba diving there. A short ferry service from Playa del Carmen.

The only thing that would have interested me in Cancun was the local market, never did make it....

We go twice a year September and December but we prefer the pacific coast.
Liked Playa del Carmen and all the trips you could do though, no seaweed at any time.

And where do you usually stay @Tuters ?
Thanks @Iflyaway the trips sound great

I went years ago to Cancun and it was lovely, but crime seems to be a bit more of a problem now.

travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/mexico-travel-advisory.html

It's been in the news in the US a lot recently.

www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=mexico+drug+cartel+resort+shooting

@MissConductUS hoping its safer in the bigger hotels. With only a week I can only imagine venturing off the premises maybe once or twice.

We were just outside cancun in November last year

hotel was lovely but I didn’t feel it catered to European market
we had young kids with us and went because the family friendly Florida hol had been cancelled and we wanted to get away

sea weed was cleaned up regularly the beach was lovely however sea quite rocky

I suppose it depends on the hotel but I really didn’t feel it catered well for kids there was a kids club which wasn’t as good as some we experienced in turkey and apt of adult only sections, bars closed at 11 but that might have been a COVID thing, there was no children’s entertainment or even anything teens would enjoy

if I’m honest I wouldn’t go back- there was a fatal shooting in cancun the week before we went which I know is pretty common sadly but didn’t feel too safe- armed police on the beach some days

there was a lot of American weddings and they went hard on the booze which is fine everyone is entitled to let off steam but there was actually quite a few fights and I know this is more individuals than the resort but our hotel was a gorgeous 5* resort

how old are your teens?

for the flight time- the fact that we didn’t feel very safe- lack of family entertainment and inclusivity for children I wouldn’t be in a rush to go back and for our next holiday we’ve booked a TUI magic life in Europe where kids are actually welcomed and encouraged to get involved in the fun! But that’s just my experience!!

if I was going away in the winter months again I’d probably look at a Caribbean cruise as there is much more going on and kids especially teens can have more independence

Vallarta and surrounding areas.