[OnceUponADrive]

I'm going to Cancun in September and there is so much to do there that I can't decide what's worth spending the money on and what I should skip. I'm staying at the Sun Palace, which is a couples only resort. Luckily the resort offers a few complimentary tours to some popular tourist sites, but I'd like to know the experiences of others who have been there. What places and activities are the best and worth the money? Any suggestions would be appreciated! I love nature, animals, fish, just about everything. My boyfriend doesn't like snorkeling, so that idea is out, but everything else is wide open.

[GradPhase]

My SO and I are trying to send his parents on a honeymoon for their 20th anniversary, and we're staying with his little brothers while they go. So I don't have any help as for what you should do - but did you use a travel agency to book and plan your trip? Did you find any really good money saving resources you'd recommend? Hoping to make their very first honeymoon a great one!

[PrettyPaula]

my sister and brother in law went there for their honeymoon and said the one thing not to miss is swimming with dolphins!

[shelby897]

The Sun Palace -- either there or the Moon Palace is were we spent our honeymoon 11 years ago!! Still all-inclusive?? That was the best because you could go to any of the hotels in the chain for dinner. I only have a minute, so I will try to dig my stuff out later and look up. One tip -- don't take a taxi anywhere -- there is a bus system that's like pennies to ride to where you want to go.

I'm not a snokler, but went a few times -- we found a day cruise that went out to an island where you could snorkel or explore the island. We missed out on the Mian (?? sp) Ruines but would highly suggest taking that day trip -- everyone at our hotel said it was awesome!! There was also a boat ride that took us jet skiing and swimming on another island. The hotel was actually the most helpful to us in recommending things to do.

[sotypical]

I was there... years ago!

We went to Xcaret (http://www.xcaret.com/) it was a big park with lots to do. Like mini ruins, swimming with the dolphins, snorkeling, swimming, underground river, etc.

Anyway it is all fake but I thought it was pretty cool, I did the snorkeling while the rest of my family just sat the on beach - we also did the swim through the underground drive and swam with the dolphins (amazing!).

The one thing I liked about the xcaret was the area they had to do the swimming, was like right in the ocean but blocked off where as lots of other places we went to just did them like in a big swimming pool - I like actually being in the ocean.

We have been talking about going to mexico soon as well (like late summer or in the fall).

[OnceUponADrive]

Eskinomad, I booked through Cheapcaribbean.com and found the best price there out of all the places I looked. I'm paying just under $1200 a person for 6 days, and yes it's all-inclusive (travel agencies were charging at least 1500 each). The Palace resorts chain is really nice from what I hear (they have locations all over different parts of Mexico) and they include 5 or 6 of the popular tourist destinations that you would otherwise have to pay for yourself. They also ALL have a double jacuzzi in every room, which is a nice romantic touch. That was the deciding factor for me.

I did look up that Xcaret park and I definitely would like to go there. I wish that was included with the hotel package, since it's fairly pricey to get in, but it looks well worth the money. I love dolphins, and if I can afford it, I'll definitely swim with them.

[212eric]

Hello, seriously there are a lot of ways to spend time and money in Cancun, here are a few.

If you are going to be interested in doing activities that involve nature, if you are traveling before September 17, you should highly consider doing a tour that is only available duirng the summer months. The swim with whale sharks puts swimmers in the water next to the largest fish on the planet and it is a rare opportunity to be with them in their natural habitat. You should check out:
swimwithwhalesharks.com

For other tours that bring you close to nature, I highly recommend doing a swim with dolphins. One of the more reputable companies doing this is Dolphin Discovery. They have their swim center on Isla Mujeres, and they also operate Garrafon National Park, also on the island.

Cancun offers a lot of great places to dine out as well. There are literally hundreds of fantastic Hotel Zone and Downtown Cancun restaurants, cantinas and bars, not to mention the amazing club scene. You can eat healthy while in Cancun as well, including vegetarian and grilled seafood dishes that are simply mouthwatering. The book with the most Cancun dining establishments is People's Choice Guide Cancun, and I think that site is:
peopleschoiceguidecancun.com

As far as Cancun hotels and resorts, you may benefit more by staying away from the All-Inclusive properties and stick to the European Plan (room only). this is because for the same money, you can often stay at a better resort, and have the option of eating out instead of the buffet fare on premises. In this way you can eat healthy and really better all around fare.

Have fun planning your vacation in paradise,
212eric

[OnceUponADrive]

Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely check out the whalesharks, that sounds great!