I went on my holidays to Mexico in October 2007 with my other half and stayed at the Riu Caribe hotel in Cancun. It was my first long haul holiday and flew with First Choice. As I boarded the aircraft I began to feel nervous of such a long flight, but First Choice’s aircraft was fantastic; it had loads of legroom considering we were in standard class, and personal televisions in the headrest of the seat in front, from which we could watch films and play games. Because we weren’t in Premium Class though, we had to pay extra for these little privelages, though it wasn’t too expensive (much less than paying to upgrade!!) and was worth it – kept us entertained for hours and took my mind off the flying. Flight attendants were also very polite, and surprisingly, for aeroplane food, this company’s in-flight meals were quite good.
Cancun Beach
When we landed I was surprised to see local people outside of the airport dancing. It was such a warm welcome. The hotel was a stunning 5* beach front property – the best I have ever stayed in. The hotels we saw in Mexico all looked very luxurious though, so if you want somewhere plush, here is the place! The first few days were spent in the hotel around the pool, but when we did venture out we went to the local pub just outside the hotel, explored a little and went on some excursions. Cancun itself was a mixture of traditional Mexico and upbeat America, loads of expensive jewellery shops and boutiques and back street markets. The local people were so friendly, just wanting to chat to you.
One of the main excursions we did was the lobster cruise and as it was our wedding anniversary and it was perfect for a bit of romance. We boarded a galleon ship for a three course meal as the sunset. The rest of the week was spent in Cancun’s night clubs on an evening, especially Coco Bongos – the best club I have ever been in. Every night there is a show of different comic book heroes doing acrobats in the air, which gives it the wow factor.
A Temple in Cancun
A Temple in Cancun
The resort did cater mainly to Americans – everywhere you went was full of steak houses and the pub chain Senor Frogs where you could purchase memorabilia of the famous name. I’m not quite sure if this tainted the true taste of Mexico slightly. It was good value for money throughout the resort and you can take the Mexican Pesos or the American Dollar which I opted for thanks to such a good exchange rate at the time.
Overall, Mexico is one of the best destinations that I have ever visited with a mixture of charm and sophistication. I would recommend Mexico to anyone. Give it a try.
By Anna McDonald
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