Man's Take Magazine

The Manliest Vacation Destination – Cancun Mexico

So you want to get away from work and everything else. But where should you go? When I think of truly manly vacations, I think of hunting big game in the African Safari. I think about jumping off a waterfall in New Zealand. I even think about shooting craps in Vegas.

But, I’d like to be a tad more realistic. Regardless of your relationship status, you need a vacation spot that appeals to women as well and won’t cost you a fortune. It just so happens that I have just the place.

Here are some things I think should be included in a truly manly vacation:

1. Sparkling clear blue water and white sandy beaches
2. Lots of exciting activities such as speed boats, fishing, scuba diving, interesting places to explore (jungles, caves, etc), and some golf courses would be nice.
3. Tons of awesome restaurants with authentic local and international cuisine
4. Lively nightlife that won’t get me arrested, but perhaps comes close
5. High quality resorts that are established and know how to treat their guests

I could care less about shopping and I get tired of lying on the beach. I want to get out and do something. Oh, it would also be ideal if it were around 85 degrees there when it’s freezing cold here in north eastern United States.

There are certainly lots of places that fit these criteria, but non that fit it quite as well as Cancun, Mexico. I’ve been there a couple of times and I’m planning another trip next year. The weather is great. The people are great. And there is just so much to do there.

I’m the type of person who gets bored on a lazy vacation. But in Cancun there’s always a new activity to try. Take a Jungle Tour driving a speed boat, or ride horseback across the beach, and spend a lazy day snorkeling around the Caribbean Sea. You can swim with dolphins or take up bungee jumping. You can navigate underground rivers in your skivvies and explore ancient Mayan ruins.

When dining in Cancun it’s important to realize that you can easily spend a lot of money on a quality meal, but if you know where to look you can often get an authentic Mexican meal that tastes just as good as the five-star restaurant at your hotel for about a tenth the price. You can literally eat for just a few bucks per person if you head into town. At the resorts you could spend $10 just on a bottle of water for the table, where in town you could get your entire dinner for the same amount.

To get around in Cancun I suggest you take the city bus. It’s very inexpensive, safe, and moves fast. You won’t spend much time at all waiting for the next bus. Alternately you could take a cab, but the driver’s will try to gouge you (and probably succeed gringo). If you’re going on a trip to Playa Del Carmen you could rent a car, but I suggest take one of the tour buses instead.

The biggest caution I’d give to any first-timer in Cancun is to watch out for the timeshare folks. If you look like you have money, they will quickly try to bribe you into a presentation on their timeshare offers. They will offer you free cab fare from the airport, free meals, and free excursion passes. Usually these offers are for real, but you can expect to get a hard sales pitch once you sit down for the timeshare presentation.

I have actually sat through a couple of these presentations and I can tell you that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Also I’ve encountered some rather strange sales people who proceeded to insult us and tell us how we were probably too poor to afford their resort. Nice tactic considering we were staying in their same resort when we were invited to the presentation.

Don’t let these minor nuisances dissuade you from a fun and very manly vacation. Cancun has good weather year round, but you’ll want to avoid the fall months when it’s hurricane season there.

Many of the nicer hotels charge a fortune for food and drinks. So if you plan to spend a lot of time at your resort, you may want to find an all-inclusive.

Take $100 off your next all-inclusive Cancun vacation with Travelocity [Use Code 100AI at Checkout. Minimum 5+ Night, $1800 Spend]

Cancun has several prominent night clubs that you should consider poking your head into. If you’re into the dancing and club scene you definitely need to check out Coco Bongo one night. I won’t even bother describing it. You’ll just have to experience it for yourself. It is definitely a one-of-a-kind club with masked characters swinging from the ceiling, fans blowing confetti around, and entertainers on stage mimicking your favorite rock stars.

If you can’t find plenty to do in Cancun, then you might need to seek professional help.  Seriously. I do suggest you talk to your hotel’s concierge or activity/tour desk. They can usually help you find the best activities. If you wander around town you’ll probably run into several people selling the same tours, sometimes cheaper than the hotels. So far I never had a problem with their packages, but I suggest you soak up the extra couple of bucks and book it through the hotel just to be safe.

Enjoy your next trip and perhaps I’ll see you strutting your manly self on the white sandy beaches of Cancun. I just hope you’ll be wearing a shirt…

The following are some online promotions you can use to get the best deals on trips to Cancun:

CheapOAir.com: Save Up to 65% on Air Tickets

Priceline.com: Mexico Air + Hotel vacation packages from $471 pp

CheapCaribbean – Last Minute Caribbean Deals

Expedia – Book early and save: Cancun air + 4 nights from $377

Hotels.com: Top All Inclusive Resorts:  #1. Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort All Inclusive – Cancun, MX

Hotels.com – Top All Inclusive Resorts: #5. Le Blanc Spa Resort All Inclusive – Cancun, MX

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3 Responses to “The Manliest Vacation Destination – Cancun Mexico”

1. Damon Krikwen says:

   July 17, 2010 at 10:20 AM

   I would like to start off by stating, thank you for providing me with the information I’ve been looking for. I’ve been searching the net for three hours looking for it and wish I would have located your site sooner. Not only did I find what I was looking for, but also found answers to questions I never thought to ask myself. Thank you for your wonderful web-site!
2. Anonymous says:

   June 30, 2010 at 2:20 PM

   I dunno.

   This vacation seems to be for pussified men.
3. Olympus Tours says:

   September 15, 2009 at 3:10 PM

   People should visit Cancun in Fall season, less people, low prices. All Cancun beaches and Cancun resorts are for you.