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Original poster

7 nights in Mexico... too short?

53 replies

Quirkyme · 15/08/2022 23:08

Hello, thinking of celebrating my 30th in Mexico in March...

I was originally planning/thinking 7 nights - 4 nights in Cancun, 3 in Tulum...
But I've been told that "it'll be a waste to go to Mexico for just 7 nights"...

Do you agree? I don't mind staying longer at all, so would 10 days perhaps be better?

OP posts:
calmlakes · 16/08/2022 01:14

You can pre-book excursions before you arrive.
Trip advisor will have loads for example.
You can get more information at Cancun airport if you want.
Also your hotel is likely to be able to help as well.

Original poster
Quirkyme · 16/08/2022 01:14

calmlakes · 16/08/2022 01:14

You can pre-book excursions before you arrive.
Trip advisor will have loads for example.
You can get more information at Cancun airport if you want.
Also your hotel is likely to be able to help as well.

Thank you lovely. I'm so excited!

OP posts:
calmlakes · 16/08/2022 01:17

Enjoy it, I'm sure you will.
It is a really well supported tourist area.
There are so many little minibuses running people around from trip to trip.

disconnecteddrifter · 16/08/2022 02:06

Blimey tried to post and it deleted. Been here two weeks with my family - 4 kids. Cozumel was OK but larger and more commercial than I expected. We loved oaxaca City and puerto escondido. All our excursions including in cozumel we went local and got them half the price of trip advisor/viator for the same deal. We are in tulum now and it's great but its not oaxaca. We loved mexico city buy you do need to book frida kahlo museum in advance. Planes are great much better than easyjet and we did an overnight bus journey. Go for as long as possible! X

mathanxiety · 16/08/2022 04:52

Double check that your stay in Cancun doesn't coincide with Spring Break in US universities. Cancun is a major Spring Break destinstion.

BG2015 · 16/08/2022 07:39

We're going to the Riu Tequila next April. We were originally going April 2020 and it was cancelled 12 days before we were due to go - I cried with disappointment.

So excited to have booked again. My DP has been to Cancun and says 7 days isn't long enough, you spend 2 days travelling.

Have fun planning your trip!

Original poster
Quirkyme · 16/08/2022 11:07

mathanxiety · 16/08/2022 04:52

Double check that your stay in Cancun doesn't coincide with Spring Break in US universities. Cancun is a major Spring Break destinstion.

Yes, a few people have told me this too. My bday is 18/3 and so I was planning to go that week and the following ...
It looks like spring break is this time?

Would you advise that time that I don't go to Cancun then? But other places instead?

It seems like there isn't a definitive date for Spring Break specifically but more of a date range?! From late Feb to April?! Depending on the colleague/district...

Jesus

OP posts:
Original poster
Quirkyme · 16/08/2022 11:16

mathanxiety · 16/08/2022 04:52

Double check that your stay in Cancun doesn't coincide with Spring Break in US universities. Cancun is a major Spring Break destinstion.

Apparently there are certain areas/ activities I can do to avoid the spring breakers in Cancun as much as possible, some of my activities planned fall in line with this...

Hmmm

But the hotel I was looking at staying in Cancun is in the hotel zone which apparently is spring breaker Mecca 🤦🏾‍♀️

OP posts:
Original poster
Quirkyme · 16/08/2022 11:33

disconnecteddrifter · 16/08/2022 02:06

Blimey tried to post and it deleted. Been here two weeks with my family - 4 kids. Cozumel was OK but larger and more commercial than I expected. We loved oaxaca City and puerto escondido. All our excursions including in cozumel we went local and got them half the price of trip advisor/viator for the same deal. We are in tulum now and it's great but its not oaxaca. We loved mexico city buy you do need to book frida kahlo museum in advance. Planes are great much better than easyjet and we did an overnight bus journey. Go for as long as possible! X

The Frida Kahlo museum sounds lovely

Your excursions in Cozumel you mentioned you went local, and was a lot cheaper than online, was this through your hotel or?
So you just waited until you got there...
That might be an option too

OP posts:
Fluffyboo · 16/08/2022 11:44

*Yes, a few people have told me this too. My bday is 18/3 and so I was planning to go that week and the following ...
It looks like spring break is this time?

Would you advise that time that I don't go to Cancun then? But other places instead?*

Oh god, Cancun in spring break will be like Magaluf after a-levels have finished but on steroids. I don't particularly like Cancun anyway but you honestly couldn't pay me enough to go there then!!

I love Playacar, we had several wonderful holidays at the Riu Palace Mexico

Original poster
Quirkyme · 16/08/2022 11:45

Okay so... the hotel I planned to stay in in Cancun is more of a higher end resort and isn't a place where spring breakers tend to stay ...

Also as Spring Break weeks fall across a range of weeks, it may not be that bad, as everyone isn't there at the same time?

I also won't be there in the very last week of Spring Break - the last week of March.

I think I'll make my first few days in Cancun shorter, or just extend the amount of days I stay in Tulum, and also look at staying in Cozumel 1-2 nights as someone suggested....

OP posts:
Samanabanana · 16/08/2022 11:46

I did 7 nights in Mexico and it was fine. Also it was an 8 hour flight for the Carribbean coast which I think is fine for a week's break!

disconnecteddrifter · 16/08/2022 13:30

I booked my tours when I got there. Sp in cozumel on the ferry port there are small stalls and I booked the boat trip there. We are a fmaily of 6 qnd it was less than half the price of trip advisor. Also in puerto escondido I went to a local tour place. Same thing. Are you after luxury hotels, big roads and lots of shops? If not, go to oaxacan coast - for me much nicer than cancun, tulum etc.

Theimpossiblegirl · 16/08/2022 15:15

For anyone going to the tequila, there's a little marketplace just outside the hotel by Starbucks. You can book excursions there for much less than the hotel prices.

ChickenBurgers · 16/08/2022 15:19

I’ve done Mexico for 3 nights, but that was only cos my friend was cabin crew so I tagged on with her on one of her trips. I wouldn’t do a proper holiday in Mexico that’s just 7 nights, it’s a long old flight for just 7 nights.

FT123456 · 16/08/2022 15:19

I think 10 days is enough. That's what I did when I flew out to Mexico :)

Jellytottss · 16/08/2022 15:27

If you search well you may find 10 days priced similar to 7 nights. Agree you need to go for longer ideally.

Original poster
Quirkyme · 16/08/2022 18:13

Fluffyboo · 16/08/2022 11:44

*Yes, a few people have told me this too. My bday is 18/3 and so I was planning to go that week and the following ...
It looks like spring break is this time?

Would you advise that time that I don't go to Cancun then? But other places instead?*

Oh god, Cancun in spring break will be like Magaluf after a-levels have finished but on steroids. I don't particularly like Cancun anyway but you honestly couldn't pay me enough to go there then!!

I love Playacar, we had several wonderful holidays at the Riu Palace Mexico

Thank you for this... it looks like I'll have to take Cancun out of my plans... I don't mind too much but did want to do a Yacht trip from there to Isla de Mujeres on my bday or at some point ...

The spring break thing is kinda putting me off though. I'll keep researching x

OP posts:
Theimpossiblegirl · 16/08/2022 20:09

You can do your birthday trip from playa del Carmen easily enough.

Original poster
Quirkyme · 16/08/2022 20:14

Theimpossiblegirl · 16/08/2022 20:09

You can do your birthday trip from playa del Carmen easily enough.

Okay, I'll deffo have a look xx

OP posts:
JobQuandree · 16/08/2022 20:16

We hopped on the ferry to Cozumel, it was pretty cheap. Also booked our excursions at the little market next to Starbucks in Playacar. Definitely visit a cenote. We did Tulum ruins, a Mayan village, another ruins (Coba I think) and rode bikes through the forest to get to it then a cenote swim to finish the day, it was amazing.

I'm so jealous of everyone going there!

Suzi888 · 16/08/2022 20:21

14- no question!

MakingNBaking · 16/08/2022 20:35

I have done Tulum for a week (fly into Cancun and then down to the Gran Bahia Principe). You arrive in the evening which is a little awkward for meals plus you're whacked. The next morning you're awake at sparrow fart (or pelican hoot), which makes for a weird day.
Coming back you're probably leaving the hotel around 12ish for a teatime flight, so that days knocked out.
So it probably is too short a time for that outlay.
Nowadays, I'd rather fly direct south for a shorter break. Even Cape Town flights are more jet lag-friendly as they are overnight both ways and time difference doesn't come into it. Plus you can be at your hotel very swiftly.

Gottoomuchgoingon · 18/08/2022 05:33

BG2015 · 16/08/2022 07:39

We're going to the Riu Tequila next April. We were originally going April 2020 and it was cancelled 12 days before we were due to go - I cried with disappointment.

So excited to have booked again. My DP has been to Cancun and says 7 days isn't long enough, you spend 2 days travelling.

Have fun planning your trip!

I'm at the tequila now. It's lovely

Fifife · 18/08/2022 05:37

7 days is a waste because it's such a long flight , with big time difference you will be spending 2 days of the 7 purely travelling.