Ultimate Guide to 3 Days in Cancun, Mexico

Turquoise water, palm trees, authentic Mexican food, white sand beaches, catching a tan, no signal and being disconnected from reality, and cheap drinks. It's no wonder Cancun is one of Mexico's most popular destinations. Getting out of the country and into a tropical state of mind is always a nice idea. Cancun offers all inclusive resorts, numerous activities, (such as zip-lining, horseback riding, ATV's, cenote, tequila tasting, snorkeling, jet skies, boat rides, etc.) and endless opportunities to be adventurous! If you want to travel the world, this is a great place to start being that it is easy to fly into Cancun from North America. An incredible city with something for just about everyone and this 3 day travel itinerary has you covered in being able to experience just about everything Cancun has to offer!

Day 1:

• Looking for real authentic Mexican food ranging from tacos, nachos, tortas, gringas and more? Los Chachalaco is the perfect taqueria to stop at. It gives a less formal environment/atmosphere and is all outdoor but covered seating. Prices are reasonable and the mango margarita is delicious!

• Walking up and down Zona Hotelera is a must! This strip is full of Mexican shops, night life, restaurants, live music and activities. Shops typically close around 11 p.m. and the bars close around 3 a.m. Did I mention that the Mexican shops have the cutest and most unique custom and handmade items?

• Señor Frog grill and bar. This aesthetic bar was so nice in offering multiple instagram friendly lighting and photo opportunities. For my audience who loves to listen to Karol G, Bad Bunny, Anuel AA, and more of that genre....this bar plays soley that kind of music!

Day 2:

• Breakfast at our hotel, Beachscape Kin Ha Villas and Suites. We never went out for breakfast/brunch because our hotel truly offered the best FREE food options and restaurant style service and dining with seating both indoors or outdoors.

• Walk around to explore the local area, sight see, and shop at local shops around the Zona Hotelera area.

• Excursions! I purchased an excursion activity package that included hotel pickup/drop off, horseback riding, cenote, tequila tasting, lunch, ziplining, monster truck activity, and ATV four wheelers through the jungle. All of these activities for only $130 each person?! A HUGE STEAL. The best $130 you will ever spend! Keep reading below under "tips/recommendations" for information on where I booked this and if you would like the direct link, please reach out to me!

• I cannot say enough wonderful things about our excursion above. The staff was wonderful. They have trained leads to guide you at each activity. You are separated from the group to get a more one-on-one experience which is nice. Each activity was so fun and they did not rush our time at each activity. The entire excursion with hotel pick up/drop off included took 8 hours of our day and leaves you drained and so tired but in the best way! All activities were equally fun and easily my favorites. They do not allow you to have your phone while at activities for safety purposes but this was the best part because you truly end up disconnected and one with nature. For a total of $20 each person, they offer 20 photos taken of you at each activity. Talk about not worrying about getting good pics because you have a personal photographer!

• Upon getting back from excursions, we got dressed and went to walk around and explore. You'll notice that there is simply not enough time in the day to explore all that Cancun has to offer and if you get to book something around Zona Hotelera, it is even better because everything is around you.

• Dinner was at Wing's Army which is arguably the best wings in Cancun! I am a chicken wing enthusiast and these were 10/10!

• Snacks! Don't laugh but our favorite snacks ended up being local gas station (oxxo) chips and cookies. The reason why is because they have very very different options that the United States have. They have their own exclusive Mexican brands and they are SO GOOD.

Day 3:

• Go for a run on the beach. We went for a one mile run on the beach followed by a workout and it was really nice. The morning weather and the view of the beach front with the water hitting the shore makes for a wonderful environment to do just this.

• Breakfast at our hotel. A MUST if you hotel offers free breakfast.

• Lay out at the beach on a day bed to tan and take in the beautiful white sands and turquoise waters.

• Buy a coconut at the outdoor bar and drink out of it because there is no better place to do so and sometimes you need to take part in the cliche. I never realized how amazing natural coconut water with no sugars tastes.

• Excursion! Our last excursion of the trip was a private boat ferry to Isla Mujeres. The boat ferry offered open bar and lunch. Not only did they offered this, but the staff really serviced and catered to you. The trip to the island took about an hour and this included a 30 minute stop before getting to the island just to take in the water and they also let you get off the boat to swim in the ocean. Once getting to the island, they let you get off for a couple of hours to explore before having to meet and head back.

• While on the island, I truly recommend just walking all around and exploring. There are so many shops and sights to see. The nature and landscape is beautiful. The entire excursion with hotel drop off and pick up took about 7 hours. We were supposed to do snorkeling on this excursion but it was cancelled due to water hazard/safety. We weren't upset about it. There is/was so much to do and see that your time fills up.

Tips/Recommendations:

• Be prepared to come back to the United States knowing a lot more Spanish than when you originally departed to Cancun!

• If you are anything like me, you like coffee shops and exploring/trying different ones. I will say that in the area we stayed (Zona Hotelera) there is no local coffee shops or cafes aside from Starbucks. BUT the Starbucks in Cancun is A LOT better than any Starbucks in the United States. Hands down. Fun fact, you'll learn how to order your coffee in Spanish, which is always cool to know!

• I booked all excursions on Trip Advisor and I highly recommend. Quick process, very organized, easy to find your tickets and even easier to communicate with the excursion team.

• Be prepared with walking shoes/sandals to walk everywhere.

• Take plenty of cash for tip, souvenirs, and food. Try to avoid using your credit or debit card. I used my card twice in an attempt to save my cash and regretted it as my bank charged me "foreign fees".

• You will not have signal in Cancun unless you are on wifi somewhere but this is one of the best parts of the trip because you truly get to disconnect from reality and become one with Cancun. Take advantage of not having to worry about who is texting or calling and having to look at your phone.

• Lay out at the beach and take it all in AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. The feel of the white sand on your toes, feeling the sun rays tanning your body, and the refreshing turquoise water is something you'll want to soak in. One thing I regret, is not spending enough time just laying at the beach getting tan.

• Stay aware of your surroundings and safe. Don't put yourself in a situation to be vulnerable. Taxi drivers and/or people around you who are watching you WILL take advantage if they see an opportunity.

• We stayed at Beachscape Kin Ha Villas and Suites and I highly recommend. I booked this hotel on booking.com and was able to find a great deal of more than half off. Every morning, a huge breakfast buffet is offered and they make you anything you want in addition to have a very wide variety of foods. It is also beachfront with a nice outdoor bar, day beds, and activities. The location is also amazing to where you can easily walk no more than 7/8 minutes to the downtown strip.

• I flew Southwest both to Cancun and departing Cancun and had no issues. My brothers flew Aeromexico and had a very smooth and comfortable flight. Their flight times and durations were actually much quicker than mine with no connections. If given the chance again, I would go with Aeromexico just for ease of time.

• Buy your tanning oil, sunscreen, bronzer, in Cancun. It will be more just a little bit more pricey than the United States because of the demand. However, you do not have to worry about traveling with it and it possibly popping in your suitcase. Fun fact, the Cancun airport does not allow you to bring back any tanning oils, sunscreens, or bronzers.

• Get to the airport two hours or more, early!! We got to the airport an hour and a half early and even with that time frame, my brothers missed their flight.

• All of my Cancun outfits were purchased on Shein. If there is anything you liked or stood out to you, message me and I will send you the link to all of my outfits. I love to share my style with you all!

As always, if you have additional questions, do not hesitate to ask or reach out! if you would like exact links to anything that we got to do, message me! Let me know if you liked these recommendations and/or tried them out. Safe travels my friends!

XOXO,

Tess