Cancun - Mexico

  • Colorful large sign spelling Cancun near the beach with ocean and sky in the background

    🏖️ 1. Playa Delfines – Free Beach, Big Views, and the Cancun Sign Everyone Licks (I Mean… Poses With)

    If you don’t take a photo with the massive “CANCUN” letters, did you even go? Playa Delfines is the beach. Free to visit, loads of room to flop like a starfish, and no beachfront resorts claiming your spot with those smug towel-reserving tactics. Bring snacks, bring shades, bring your main character energy.

    Top tip: There’s a viewing platform where you can pretend you're in a music video.

  • A bottle of Olmeca Tequila, a glass of orange-colored cocktail with a lemon slice, and a cocktail with crushed ice and a garnish on a wooden table.

    🍹 2. Do the Hotel Zone Bar Crawl (Responsibly-ish)

    Cancun’s Hotel Zone is like the Las Vegas Strip’s beachy cousin who can salsa. Expect flashing lights, fishbowl cocktails, and at least one man in his 50s on a stag do trying to relive his youth.

    Start at Coco Bongo. Half nightclub, half circus, full chaos. Then bounce to Señor Frog’s for drinks with more sugar than your nan’s Christmas cake. End the night at your hotel buffet at 3am eating bread rolls like a raccoon.

  • Chichen Itza pyramid, ancient Mayan archaeological site, under a partly cloudy sky with tourists nearby.

    🏛️ 3. Chichen Itza – The Bit Where You Pretend You’re on a Cultural Gap Year

    You can't come to Mexico and skip the ancient Mayan stuff. Chichen Itza is about 2.5 hours from Cancun, but it’s worth the early wake-up. The ruins are incredible, the history is mind-blowing, and your phone will be full of photos you swear you’ll "post later."

    Pro move: Book a tour with a local guide. They’ll explain the history and where to stand so your photo looks like you summoned the sun.

  • A man diving headfirst into a pool inside a dark cave with rock formations overhead.

    🌊 4. Swim in a Cenote – AKA Nature’s Bathtub

    Cenotes are natural sinkholes filled with crystal-clear water. Translation: magical jungle swimming spots that make you feel like a nature fairy with waterproof mascara.

    Try Cenote Dos Ojos or Gran Cenote if you want the classic ones. Or ask a taxi driver where the secret ones are, they always know.

    Warning: The water is colder than your ex’s DMs. You’ve been warned.

  • Street market with colorful papel picado banners, palm trees, and vendor stalls selling hats, jewelry, and souvenirs on a sunny day.

    🛍️ 5. Mercado 28 – Bargain Like Your Life Depends on It

    Looking for souvenirs that scream “I went to Mexico and all I got was this slightly too tight sombrero”? Head to Mercado 28 in downtown Cancun. It’s chaotic, colourful, and full of handcrafted bits, tourist tat, and surprisingly good tacos.

    Haggling is expected. Smile, be cheeky, and walk away dramatically if the price isn’t right they’ll chase you down with a better offer (it’s basically theatre).

  • Green surfboard with painted palm trees and the words 'Isla Mujeres' on a beach, ocean waves in the background.

    🚤 6. Day Trip to Isla Mujeres – A Tiny Island with Big Main Character Vibes

    Jump on a ferry to Isla Mujeres for a day of beach clubs, golf carts, and pretending you’re rich. Rent a golf cart (it’s the law), zip around the island, stop at every cute café, and accidentally spend £60 on fish tacos because the view slapped.

    Don’t miss: Punta Sur for the views, and Playa Norte for the perfect turquoise water you’ll pretend isn’t edited when you post on Instagram.

🎒 Final Tips From Your Cancún Chaos Consultant:

  • Tip everyone. The people are lovely and work hard. Be generous if you can.

  • Use pesos, not dollars. Better rates. More tacos.

  • Suncream is life. That Cancun sun is NOT shy.

  • Stay hydrated. By which I mean water… and occasionally rum.