Our Cancun Trip – First Maya Ruins, First All-Inclusive (and a Bit of Food Poisoning!)

We visited Cancun, in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, in October 2024. After living in California for almost twenty years, this was only our second time visiting Mexico. Our first visit was more than ten years ago—a quick stop at a town on the west coast during a cruise trip so short that I can’t even remember the town’s name.

Cancun is often called the "garden of the U.S.," though some people criticize it for being overly commercialized and pricey. Still, I wanted to see it for myself at least once. To save money, we traveled during the off-season. My plan for this trip was simple: spend most of the time lying on the beach, sipping cocktails, and gazing at the beautiful blue Caribbean Sea, with a little sightseeing mixed in since we flew all the way to Mexico. Our trip was divided into two parts: a few days exploring Playa del Carmen and the surrounding area, followed by a stay at a resort in Costa Mujeres, north of Cancun.

Exploring Maya Ruins: Tulum and Coba

When people think of the Yucatán Peninsula, the Maya culture usually comes to mind. I didn't want to take a long ride just for one site like Chichen Itza, so instead, I booked a one-day tour that visited the Tulum ruins, the Coba ruins, and ended at Xel-Há water park, all from our first hotel. The tour made for a long day—we met at 7 a.m. and returned around 8 p.m.—but it was worth it. Having a guide made visiting historical sites like Tulum and Coba so much more engaging. Although it was cloudy, the views of the Tulum ruins perched on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea were still breathtaking. Tulum had noticeably more tourists compared to Coba, which is located farther inland and is best known for the Nohoch Mul pyramid, one of the tallest in the Yucatán Peninsula. Our visit to Coba was relatively short, and the main pyramid was under repair during our stay, but it still ended up being one of my favorite parts of the trip. We rented a tricycle taxi to reach the pyramid quickly—feeling the breeze on our faces and smelling the trees along the way made for such a peaceful, memorable moment.

A Dip at Xel-Há

We arrived at Xel-Há around 2 p.m. and had about four hours to play. To be honest, it was a bit confusing at first—after getting lockers from our tour guide, there weren’t many instructions. After grabbing a buffet lunch, we hopped on bikes and explored the park. We floated down the river, but word of advice: if you're not super young, skip the double float and choose the single float! Sitting awkwardly half-submerged for twenty minutes made our backs ache, and I even felt dizzy afterwards. That was the last activity I managed to do at Xel-Há! My husband tried snorkeling in the bay and enjoyed it. Overall, Xel-Há is a fun spot, but don’t expect much help—you’re pretty much on your own picking out bikes, life vests, and snorkeling gear. The food was just okay (it’s buffet-style and included in the ticket), but you come here for the adventure, not the cuisine.

Soaking in the Atmosphere of Playa del Carmen

Honestly, compared to the full-day tour, I enjoyed just strolling the streets and beaches of Playa del Carmen even more. The laid-back vibe, humid air, little grocery stores, and street vendors brought back warm memories of my childhood. Because it is a busy tourist area, we felt safe walking around, even at night.

Stays: Rooftop Relaxation and All-Inclusive Experience

We spent the rest of our time relaxing at our hotels and resort. At The Fives Downtown Hotel & Residences, we lounged on the rooftop balcony, reading and sipping cocktails whenever the weather allowed. I chose this hotel because it’s only a 5-minute walk from the ADO bus station. Thanks to my Hilton credit card, we even got a free room upgrade! The room was clean, spacious, and surprisingly quiet given its proximity to downtown bars. The breakfast was fine but could have used more variety during our four-day stay.

Then came the second half of our trip: a stay at TRS Coral Hotel, an adults-only all-inclusive resort, booked with reward points. Our suite was beautiful and spacious, complete with a lovely balcony. The resort offered plenty of dining options, from buffet meals to specialty restaurants featuring French and Italian cuisine. Each room was even assigned a butler to assist with restaurant reservations and share information about daily activities and events. I played beach volleyball once — it was SO much fun! But after about 30 minutes under the intense afternoon heat and humidity, I was completely wiped out. (No wonder one of the players called a timeout mid-game and sprinted straight into the ocean to cool off!)

Unfortunately, things took a turn. My husband got food poisoning on our first day at the resort, and I had mild diarrhea. He spent most of the trip in bed, barely eating. We canceled all our restaurant reservations, left most drinks in the room refrigerator untouched, and skipped the cocktails-on-the-beach fantasy we had dreamed of.

Food Gems in Playa del Carmen

Thankfully, we had enjoyed some amazing meals earlier in Playa del Carmen. We had delicious tacos al pastor at El Fogón and fantastic grilled chicken at Asadero El Pollo—both affordable and tasty. I love Mexican food, as it features ingredients like pork feet and intestines—things you rarely see in American restaurants—that remind me so much of home-cooked meals. After trying authentic street food, I appreciated Mexican cuisine even more. We also stumbled upon Sakura Ramen, run by Japanese staff, and were surprised to find such authentic ramen and curry rice in Playa del Carmen! (However, the Japanese rice balls from 7-Eleven were a big disappointment—the rice was hard, and I wouldn’t recommend them.)

As life often goes, travel brings the unexpected. Despite the food poisoning saga, I still consider this trip memorable and full of firsts: our first Maya ruins, our first all-inclusive resort experience, and even our first brush with food poisoning abroad. I had worried that off-season rainy weather would ruin our plans, but it turned out fine. We were lucky to get home before a hurricane (which later headed to Florida—ironically, our original vacation plan).

Final Travel Tips

For U.S. travelers, Cancun is a convenient destination. Most places accept U.S. dollars and credit cards, though paying in pesos can sometimes save you money, so we exchanged some pesos when we arrived Playa del Carmen. Transportation around tourist areas is easy too. We took the ADO bus (a big, air-conditioned coach) from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen, and a taxi arranged by our hotel to reach the resort. For the airport transfer back, we booked a shuttle with USA Transfers. There’s also a local option called colectivo—shared vans running between towns at a cheaper price—but we didn’t get a chance to try it.

Here’s a short video I put together from our trip — hope you enjoy it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OiGtpWLyos