Many people dream of visiting Cancun at some point in their life. That’s because it’s a great place to vacation, no matter where you are from in the world. While you will be looking to book a spontaneous trip to Cancun, you should still consider the time you are going. There are two main seasons in Cancun, with the wet season running from May to October, which is slightly warmer than the other season.
Despite the fact this is called the dry season, the temperatures are slightly cooler. This is due to the north-based winds, which are strongest in this season, bringing over cool breezes to the coast. You should consider when it is you want to go, and what you want from the trip. The time that is the least busy is actually the Cancun summer, mainly due to the increased amount of rain. Continue reading this article to learn some tips and tricks that could serve you well.
1. Shop Around For The Best Price
It’s important that you search for the best price around. Despite the fact this will be a spontaneous trip to Cancun, that doesn’t mean you need to purchase the first flight you see and book the first hotel that comes up on your search. You should be smart with your search so that you can save some money that could either be put away for an emergency or be spent on more things once you arrive in Cancun.
There will be a few different ways to find the best price, such as going with recommendations from those who have gone before or by doing your own online search. You can compare prices from leading airlines to find the best price from wherever you’re flying from. If you are looking for a Los Angeles to Cancun flight, you may have to look for in-direct options to break up your travel time and save money. Compare different airlines to find the best deal for yourself.
When searching for hotels, you should look into a variety of options. That means looking into individual hotels, package deals, motels, and vacation complexes. Depending on what sort of vacation you’re looking for, it may decide what sort of hotel you want.
2. Bring All Your Documentation
Spontaneous trips are an exciting time, and they can all happen sooner than you were expecting. As such, you should ensure you have all the paperwork you need ahead of time. This means knowing you have your passport ready and in-date and any tickets you might need.
Keep a travel checklist so that you can keep track of everything you need ahead of time. If applicable, there will be specific paperwork you need for Cancun, such as a FMM Mexico Tourist Card and a visa.
Consider where you are traveling from, and if in doubt, contact your travel agency or even look at the online tourism site to find specific information. You may even benefit from contacting the local embassy, as they have more specific requirements, and you may even need to contact them. It’s good to know where your local embassy is in general, just in case you need to contact them in an emergency.
3. Understand The Currency
You should be aware that the ‘$’ symbol means something different in Mexico. Instead of it being an American Dollar, it will be a Mexican Peso. While they are the same symbol, they have a different worth. You may go to a bar and buy a drink and be alarmed when you see a bill for $200. Don’t be alarmed, as this will roughly exchange to around $10 US Dollars.
Of course, the exchange rate the worth is always changing, so you should always be keeping an eye on the trends to find the best price. You don’t need to take out physical cash, but it could help you to have the option of cash to pay for things when cards aren’t accepted.
Traditional cards and banking options may put on a fee for purchasing goods in another currency, but there are cards from private providers that can eliminate these costs. It’s worth looking into a few different options and having cash as well as cards.
On the topic of currency, you should have a good idea of how the tipping culture is in Mexico. The tipping rates are similar for waiters and bartenders alike, with tips making up the bulk of their income. Taxis and airport shuttle drivers can be tipped a small amount, something around the $10 pesos mark, which is around half a dollar. It’s up to you in this regard.
You may be able to tip in US Dollars, but only the bills, with coins not usually accepted due to how difficult they are to exchange locally. You should keep an eye on restaurants, as some tourist places may include the service charge in the bill. This means it won’t be expected of you to tip, and if you do, it may be considered double tipping. Again, it is up to you how you deal with this.
