Mexico's Caribbean coast combines miles of beautiful beaches and crystal-clear waters.
In a nutshell
A great all-round destination, Cancun is perfect for those seeking to combine a stylish beach holiday with excellent hotels, offering a superb range of amenities and activities. Playa del Carmen and adjacent Playacar have a more compact, resort feel with shops, bars and restaurants, as well as the requisite sandy beaches! For those seeking the 'real' Mexico, Tulum is altogether quieter with well-preserved Mayan ruins.
Eats & drinks
Local Living
Small beer - £0.55
Can of coke - £0.55
Loaf of bread - £0.85
Bottle of wine - £5.40
The above are approx local supermarket costs.
Getting there
Flight details - You fly non-stop from Heathrow, on Virgin Atlantic's award-winning service to Miami, where you conveniently connect on to your short flight to Cancun.
Flight time - Approx 10 hours to Miami, 1 hour 15 min from Miami to Cancun.
Time difference - GMT -6 hours.
Language - Spanish.
Currency - Mexican Pese M$.
Star attractions
- Beautiful Beaches
- Fantastic Diving
- Mayan Ruins
Additional info
Water World
There are beaches and water sports in abundance. For unrivalled snorkelling, head to Xel-Ha natural water park, a 22-acre freshwater lagoon. Here and at Xcaret Ecopark you can swim with dolphins in natural conditions.
Cultural Experience
Tear yourself away from the beach for a day trip to Chichen Itza, one of Mexico's most famous archeological sites. Other gems not to be missed include the ruins of Tulum and Xcaret theme park.
Daytime Distractions
There are numerous golf courses in Mexico. Shops, bars and restaurants provide a distraction from the beach in Playa del Carmen or bag yourself a horse for a ride through the jungle and along sandy shores.
Total Flexibility
Tailor-make your ideal holiday by combining hotels we feature in different destinations. Try a multi-centre holiday across different islands or combine with a US visit.