My Trip to Cancun
Hi everyone, I’m back! As you can see from the title, I went on vacation to Cancun, Mexico. I was gone for a week so it was a long one!
I went with my parents and extended family so this was very much a family-oriented trip. I did a lot in the 8 days that I was there and can’t wait to share it with you all. Read on below to learn more!
The Hard Rock Resort in Cancun, Mexico
First and foremost, I stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel. I don’t usually stay in hotels when I travel so this was my first time at a Hard Rock! They play classic rock all day and have various musical artifacts (They even have outfits worn by Britney Spears Katy Perry on display!).
A hot tub is included in each room at the Hard Rock Resort in Cancun
The rooms are cozy and relatively simple. My favorite part is the hot tub that comes with every room (my mom and I used it several times). When booking this trip, my mom asked for an ocean view which you can see in all its glory below.
The ocean view from my hotel room
I have a few more things to say about the Hard Rock before I move on. This is an all-inclusive resort, which means all the food and drinks were included. The service and the food were exceptional. I have never stayed anywhere that’s all-inclusive and it was an amazing experience, to say the least
How much did I pay? Let me break it down. I did not plan this trip; other family members who happen to have a timeshare with the Hard Rock did.
That being said, they get the lowest price when booking and we booked this vacation a year or more ago. Just for myself was $1000 for the week which is a VERY low price and I did payments. My flight was about $500.
I’ve said this before but if you want to travel on a budget, book as far in advance as you can! It will save you a lot of $$$ in the long run.
Now, let’s get into some of the excursions I did!
The gondolas at Xoximilco
One of the first things we did was visit what’s advertised as a “Mexican floating fiesta”. On a Xoximilco tour, you ride a colorful gondola, play carnival games, listen to live music (the musicians play on different gondolas you come across on your tour) and eat traditional Mexican food. A host accompanies you on each gondola and there is also an open bar.
This tour is about 3 hours long and is an incredibly fun and relaxed experience. The food was different than the Mexican food I’m used to (the cuisine differs from every region) and the gondola takes you through what is basically a jungle. I paid $120 and transportation, drinks, appetizers, dinner, and dessert were all included.
My parents and I at Xoximilco
The lazy river at Xel-Ha. Bluriness due to my phone being a waterproof pouch
Alright, y’all let’s talk about Xel-Ha! This was the excursion I was looking forward to the most but it ended up being the most exhausting. Nonetheless, I’m here to tell you it was worth it!
Xel-Ha is a theme park where you can do various water-based activities including swimming with dolphins, zip line, power snorkel, ETC. The beauty of it is that this is not a man-made river; it’s all-natural baby and in the heart of the Riviera Maya.
The activities I mentioned above are not included in your general admission ticket (which is about $90+); they are extras (about $60 each) you have to pay for. I’m here to tell you though that it’s really not necessary unless you’re are fiending to do them.
The natural beauty of Xel-Ha
With general admission, you can snorkel and swim with an inner tube as much as you want. Moreover, you can walk through the jungle paths, lounge in chairs, and also rent a bicycle. I did all of these and it took up the entire day. We left at 7:30 am and we got back around 8 pm or later.
The best part is that food and drinks were also included in general admission, that’s right guys Xel-Ha is all-inclusive and the food was pretty good. As I said above, tickets are about $90 but my parents ended up going to a timeshare meeting at the Hard Rock and were given free tickets for all 3 of us!
Islas Mujeres
The final excursion I went on was to Islas Mujeres. This translates into the “Island of Women”. I think this was my favorite activity we did. From Cancun, you take about a 30-minute boat ride to the island (seen in the GIF I made below). This was my first time on a boat and sadly, I found out I get seasick 😔.
Nausea aside, I had a blast. This excursion cost around $140. It included the boat ride there and back, food and drinks, a golf cart tour of the island, a boat ride to the center of the island, as well as snorkeling.
I adore the beach and it was the first time seeing white sand and clear blue water in several years. My personal favorite part of the day was the golf cart tour. I got to see most of the island and parts that aren’t as populated with tourists.
I did not get to go snorkeling due to me being so nauseous but it was a beautiful experience to get to to visit the island. Check out the gallery below to see more photos!
How I ended my stay
The last few days of my vacation were spent a the resort. I got a massage, I got my nails done, I ate a lot, and spent time at the pool. I also got to spend a lot of time with people from my extended family.
I also attended a wedding at the resort (some family friends got married). It’s safe to say that I was booked and busy the entire time I was in Cancun!
I want to thank my mom and my family for making this trip happen and a special shout out to Marjorie, Kelly, Giselle, Deilany, Thalia (pictured above) for making this a spectacular vacation!
That’s all about my trip to Cancun although I’m sure I’m missing more things I did (see gallery below for more pics). Thank you for reading and I will see you all next time on #theleslielife!
