🇲🇽 Cancún Guide by a Real Traveler | No Hype, Just Tips

Cancún is the ultimate “last-minute getaway” if you have a valid US or Canadian visa—no extra visa paperwork needed! It’s perfect for escaping snowy winters: soak up the sun, stare at the Caribbean Sea, stock up on vitamin D, then head back ready to work happily. This is a super detailed 5-day, 4-night Cancún guide—save it now! We booked an all-inclusive hotel + flights in late February for $2,000 CAD per person. But here’s the hack: book 6 months in advance (around Christmas) for even better deals—all-inclusive packages can drop to just $1,200 CAD per person. Rumor has it Costco’s “last-minute deals” are also cheap, so spontaneous travelers should keep an eye out for those! Our Itinerary 📅 Day 1 7:00–10:55 AM: Flight from YUL (Montreal) to Cancún via Flair Airlines 12:00 PM: Go through customs → Take a Cancún shuttle to the hotel 3:00 PM: Hotel check-in → Book tour packages (CRITICAL!) ⚠️ Key Notes ① Flair Airlines is cheap for a reason: It only includes 1 carry-on bag (size: 15 cm x 33 cm x 43 cm | weight: 7 kg). But summer clothes are soft—squish them in, and it’ll fit! ② Shuttle: We used Get Your Guide for a private shuttle ($20 CAD). Pro tip: If you book directly through the hotel’s website or Sunwing, you get a free shuttle. Booking via Expedia? No free airport pick-up—total bummer! ③ Hotel: We stayed at Riu Palace Las Americas. Many people recommend Xcaret, but Riu has perks: it’s adults-only and serves lobster. The service was top-tier—check-in was supposed to be at 3 PM, but they let us in at 12 PM when we arrived early. After checkout, they even gave us a pass to stay and keep eating. Great value—highly recommended! 📅 Day 2 Tour: Tulum Ruins + Dos Ojos Cenote (cave snorkeling) + Nicte Ha Cenote (lotus pond snorkeling) 🐈 Pro Upgrade: If you have a diving license and energy, swap this for ocean snorkeling or deep diving—way more adventurous! ⚠️ Key Note ① Buy a full-face snorkel mask (the kind you can breathe through underwater)! The lotus pond at Nicte Ha is stunning, but it’s full of plants—without a mask, you’ll see nothing but murk. 📅 Day 3 Tour: Chichén Itzá (Mayan pyramid & culture) + 2 cenotes ⚠️ Key Notes ① Book tours at the hotel—and do it on Day 1! Don’t be lazy. Tours leave as early as 7 AM (we were 5 minutes late, missed the bus, and had to take a taxi to catch up—total chaos). Also, tours might get canceled if the weather’s bad (e.g., snorkeling trips), so booking early lets you adjust plans. ② Cash = bargaining power! Tours don’t include water or food—grab some from the hotel beforehand. We exchanged 400 CAD total: half into USD (for bargaining) and half into Mexican pesos (for tips—sorry, I’m a bit thrifty! 😅). ③ Chichén Itzá is scorching! Lather on sunscreen, wear a hat, and bring a water bottle. 📅 Day 4 Leisure day: Wander around Isla Mujeres (Women’s Island) ⚠️ Key Notes ① Getting there: Take a ferry. There are departures at 11 AM and 12:30 PM; the last return ferry is at 7 PM. There are 3 ports (Playa Caracol, Playa Tortugas, Puerto Juarez)—search for the one closest to your hotel. ② Rent a golf cart: 3 hours is just enough to circle the island. But here’s the catch: if you arrive in the afternoon, most shops won’t let you rent by the hour—they’ll force a half-day rental (total scam). So take the 11 AM ferry (or earlier!) to avoid this. 📅 Day 5 Buy souvenirs → Head back home Final Thoughts Cancún is amazing, but it’s full of little traps. If you want a more laid-back trip, choose either Tulum or Chichén Itzá—not both—you’ll avoid rushing. Got questions about Cancún travel? Drop them in the comments! ❤️ #Cancun #MustVisitTravelDestinations