I spent the entire month of September and early October 2025 staying at many of the most famous hotels in Cancun and Riviera Maya.
After so many trips, I wanted to create this guide with tips, the most common scams, and key precautions when traveling to Cancun and Riviera Maya.
1. Airport and Transportation
The first problem I ran into when arriving in Cancun was right at the airport.
As I always do, I requested an Uber thinking it would be a good idea. But it wasn't. The Uber took forever to arrive, and when it was finally close to the airport, the driver accepted the trip without me being inside and left. (I had to file a claim later and they refunded the money.)
I finally took an official taxi for 800 MXN and had to haggle, because, let's be honest… 800 MXN (45 USD) to Costa Mujeres is a lot of money…
Tip: Check the price on Uber and inDrive APP first, then go to the official licensed taxis at the airport exit and tell them you want to pay the same. They'll accept.
If your budget is tighter, use the ADO bus that drops you in downtown Cancun. From there, a taxi to the Hotel Zone costs around 180 MXN.
Don’t get ripped off! This is the real price from downtown Cancun to the Hotel Zone. If you want to leave your resort and explore, the fair price is around 180 MXN (10 USD)
2. Accommodation and Zones
Cancun is divided mainly into three areas: the Hotel Zone, Downtown, and Costa Mujeres.
Zona Hotelera: Ideal if you want to be right on the beachfront, with direct access to the best beaches and all-inclusive resorts. This is the classic image of Cancun. Prices are higher than downtown and similar to Costa Mujeres.
The northern Hotel Zone has nightlife, and the southern part is quieter. I recommend checking out our guide on where to stay in Cancun and Riviera Maya.
Downtown: Much more affordable, with local hotels, authentic restaurants, and a Mexican atmosphere. But there's no beach, and lately it's become a bit more dangerous at night.
Costa Mujeres: 30 minutes from the airport. A new, quiet area with modern hotels and clean beaches, perfect for couples or families because there's hardly any nightlife.
3. Beaches and Access
Not all beaches in Cancun are the same. Some are open sea with strong waves, and others are perfect for swimming and safe for children. Take a look at our Caribbean content if you're interested in this area.
The calmest beaches are in the northern Hotel Zone: Playa Langosta, Playa Tortugas, or Playa Caracol. (Unfortunately, this area is mostly for nightlife… although there are some family-friendly hotels too)
The beaches on the eastern side (like Playa Delfines) have a beautiful ocean, but with stronger currents. For example, we took the photo above at the Hard Rock Hotel Cancun, near Playa Delfines, and you could clearly feel there were many more waves than in the northern Hotel Zone.
Read our article on where to stay in Cancun and Riviera Maya so you know which area is best for your vacation.
All beaches are public by law, even though some resorts try to limit access to their guests, anyone can enjoy any beach, even if the resort is right in front.
PS: If you like this beach, take a look at our Hard Rock Hotel Cancun Review. We have original pictures, videos and our experience there.
4. Safety and Precautions
Cancun is a tourist destination and safe, but as in any place in the world, common sense and precaution should be your priority.
Avoid dark and deserted areas at night. Especially in downtown Cancun.
I spent an afternoon around the ADO bus station area and had no problems, but it's true that I noticed a bit more insecurity than in the Hotel Zone at night.
Regarding taxis, use inDrive APP and always share your location with a family member or friend. Nothing bad has ever happened to me and I've been traveling constantly for many years, but you always have to be prepared.
Regarding hotels, I advise you to leave valuables in the safes, whether it's a guest house or a 5-star resort, because if they get lost later, they won't be held responsible. Also, once you get used to safes, it's very easy and quick to store the most important things there like your passport, cash, jewelry, etc.
If you buy excursions, I recommend you book them through the hotel so they include travel insurance, accident insurance, cancellation insurance, etc.
5. Beaches and Sargassum
Sargassum (those brown algae that wash up on the shore and sometimes if not cleaned smell very bad) is an important issue if you plan to enjoy the ocean. It appears mainly between March and August.
In the Hotel Zone, the problem is usually moderate, but in Playa del Carmen and Tulum you can find a lot more algae.
Hotels usually clean the beach every morning either with a small tractor or workers with rakes and shovels, although it's not always enough, because during sargassum season, kilos and kilos of algae arrive…
You can check the current state of sargassum on websites like Sargassum Monitoring.
If you travel between November and February, you'll almost certainly have clean beaches and turquoise waters.
I was there the entire month of September and at the beginning, there was more, but by the end of September and early October there was barely any sargassum left.
6. Things Nobody Tells You
There are details you only discover once you're in Cancun… and they can make the difference between enjoying yourself or dealing with a few hours of frustration:
Some hotels have the air conditioning so strong that sleeping without a blanket is impossible. And no matter how much you adjust the temperature…it feels like the North Pole.
If you're cold because of the AC and you open the window… the entire room will fill with water vapor from condensation. When I say everything, I mean everything: damp papers, slippery floors, walls with water droplets…
As soon as you arrive in Cancun, buy mosquito spray. There are tons of them and once it gets dark, if you haven't applied it, it's impossible to be comfortable.
The cheapest tours sometimes include “surprise” stops at stores or jewelry shops. The drivers get a commission, which is why they do it.
During high season, prices skyrocket and many hotels fill up. I always recommend comparing prices with Trivago and TripAdvisor because there are so many agencies and tour operators selling the same hotel that they constantly lower prices to attract customers.
Check out our reviews and videos so you can see what the hotel looks like inside, what the food is like, the staff…etc.