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Cancún Travel Guide

Cancún Packing Lists

ME AT THE CANCUN LAGOON - Cancún
ME AT THE CANCUN LAGOON
by rachel_sun
Tips on what to pack for a trip to Cancún, posted by real travelers and Cancún locals.
Local Time 7:30 pm Friday, July 25, 2008
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Popular Packing Lists | Miscellaneous Packing Lists Tips | All Tips (56)
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  • Kerry & me in just our bathing suits! - Cancún
    Kerry & me in just our bathing
    suits!
    by Etoile2B
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    Depending on how long you'll be traveling try to bring just enough to carry on the plane. But leave a little room in your bag to bring home souvenirs to your jealous friends you left at home.

    During the day you'll only need sandals or thongs. If you're planning to use the hotel gym, take a jog along the boulevard or hike the ruins then bring along some tennis shoes. At night bring out the dancing shoes... you'll need them!

    Bring extra batteries, pepto bismol, Imodium and tums if you have a weak stomach or fear Montezuma's Revenge. Also bring aspirin to combat those late nights out. When you're there make sure you stop by the supermarket and stock up on bottled water.

    Bring batteries, film and/or and extra memory card for your camera. It's gorgeous here and you'll want to take plenty of pictures. Also bring an underwater or waterproof camera if you're planning on participating in water sports.

    No need to bring towels, most hotels provide both bath and beach towels. We brought our own snorkel gear - but there wasn't anything to see off our hotel beach. All organized snorkel and dive trips provide your equipment. We brought our own paddle ball set to play on the beach.

    Bring a bathing suit and sunscreen. Also bring nice clothes to wear out at night. People tend to dress up a little in the evenings in Cancun. And if you're going to the clubs be sure to check out the dress codes first.

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  • Website: http://www.cancun.info/CANCUNINFO_ING/_programas/

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    Sunblock
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  • Make sure when you go to Cancun that you take a 45 or 30 sunblock with you. The sun in Cancun is really strong and can burn really easily. David thought he could withstand the sun, and got minorly burned after the first day. Afterwards me and Dave wore the 45 sunblock that I brought and we never got burned. The other good thing is that you can still get a really good tan even with the sunblock on. Make sure the sunblock is waterproof, and sweatproof. The last thing you want to have to do is to stop every 30 minutes and put sunblock on.

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    Staying at a Resort
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  • - If you plan on spending lots of time exploring the beaches, you may want to bring a small bag with zippers on it. Things can fall from open pockets on bags and disappear in the sand.
    - A collapsible bag you can use later to bring home souvenirs. Many people like to buy large Mexican blankets which they have trouble fitting into their suitcase later. If this is your first time, there's lots of neat things to buy.

    - You will need some nice clothes to dress up at night for dinner and/or the clubs.
    - Men: Pants and proper shoes! (Some other tips say don't bother to bring them, but you may require them for fancy restaurants and the occasional chilly evening.) You may also need something nicer than a T-shirt for admission to some restaurants.
    - Women: If you're travelling during winter months, bring a light sweater--a cardigan or something like that. The wind off the Gulf can get very chilly at night.

    General rule of thumb for clothes in Cancun: Pack everything you'd like to bring and think you need, unpack it all and only put half back in.

    - Sunscreen (a high and low SPF number)
    - Aloe vera gel
    - Solarcaine or similar treatment for sunburns
    - Immodium, Pepto Bismol, and Gravol (just in case)
    - Ibuprophen, Aspirin (hangovers)
    - Polysporin (in case you knick yourself on underwater rocks/coral)
    - Mosquito repellent if you plan to do any jungle activities or visit the ruins at Coba
    - Normal toiletries
    - No need to bring a hairdryer, they will have one in the room

    - Camera, extra film and/or sufficient memory card(s), battery charger
    - Underwater camera if you plan on snorkeling. Your resort will have them but they will charge a fortune.

    - Bathing suits (1 or 2)
    - Sunglasses
    - Sandals
    - Sarong (women)
    - No need to bring beach towels to a resort, they will lend them to you
    - Hat (if you're a hat person)

    - ATM card
    - Credit card
    - A watch/small travel clock (you may find your resort doesn't have a proper clock in the room)
    - A book to read
    - MP3/CD player
    - A pen for filling out all the forms at the airport
    - An electrical adapter if you need to bring your own hairdryer, curler, etc., and you're not from North America (US and Canadian appliances will work fine in these outlets.)
    - Pack bathing suits, lotion, and other beachwear at the top in your luggage so you can access them in case you arrive at the resort before regular check-in time

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    Stuff to Bring
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  • We brought 2 small suitcases for a week long stay and ended up bringing back an additional handcarry duffel bag to carry the extra stuff we bought, mostly bottles of Mexican liquor and souvenirs. We ended up getting the duffel bag for free but it's also convenient to just bring an empty one flattened down in the suitcase to use on the way back.

    We went in July and the evenings were consistently warm. We brought light sweaters just in case but didn't end up using them. The type of outfits I normally wore were cropped pants or long shorts for the evenings with sleeveless tops. It does get damp out in the evening, so the lighter the clothing the better. I only brought a pair of sandals with short heels and flip flops and those were all I wore the entire time. Cancun is mostly informal wherever you go; but do bring along a summer dress or nice slacks for the more formal restaurants.

    (1) Aloe vera/after sun soother: It is well worth it since you will need it almost immediately if you haven't been in the sun for a long time. The stuff we brought with us was just a godsent the moment we got back to the hotel.
    (2) Sunscreen: The weather was always around 90 F and the sun is scorching hot, you will definitely need sunscreen applied right away. Again, it's so much better to bring it from home.
    (3) Immodium: Aside from Pepto-Bismal and Tylenol, I didn't recognize the brands of other medical products which are mostly Mexican. The drugstores show the comparison/translation of the Mexican's brand name to the U.S. brands, but you might just want to bring any medical supplies from home anyway since familiar brands will be very hard to find.
    (4) Shampoo, body wash, lotion, face wash
    (5) A must-have: face lotion with SPF, I brought along one by L'Oreal with SPF 15 and I credit it for protecting my face, especially my nose, from sunburn throughout the day.

    (1) Underwater camera: prices are much higher in the shops in Cancun
    (2) Ziploc bags for extra protection for camera from sun, sand, and wetness

    We ended up buying souvenir beach towels for about US $10 each at a souvenir shop but the hotels do provide beach towels for the guests. Do pack a beach bag if you have one, if not, they are easily found for US $10 - $15 at the local shops.

    Reading material? I had a hard time finding English magazines and there were only one or two places where you can buy paperbacks.


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    Be prepared...
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  • I bring a small soft-side cooler with me. This way you can carry water/beer with you where ever you go. I also use it for my purse and camera bag when I go to the beach.

    I suggest bringing a sweater or a lite jacket for after dusk. Even though you are in a troplical region, it still can get cool at night. (65F) Just from personal experience, ladies, who wants to wear a sexy little strappy dress and be freezing all night long?!

    Bring your cameras and video, but also bring a soft cloth for cleaning them off. The sand at the beach blows around, and your equipment will get sand in every crack & crevis. the humidity and salt in the air can also make the buttons stick a little. When you get home, have the equipment professional cleaned. It's worth it!

    Carry a high SPF sunscreen. The sun is VERY intense and it doesn't take long to burn. (like 15-20 min) It doesn't feel like you're burning because of the everlasting, cooling ocean breeze. I tan very easily, but still put it on lips, shoulders & tops of ears. A bad sunburn will ruin your vacation, so just take a few minuites and put on your sunscreen

    Bring a stack of $single dollars$ for tipping. You will need to tip everyone from the bell boy, maids, wait staff, bartenders, drivers, tour guides.....you get the picture. I always bring about $50 in singles, this way you always have a dollar to tip, and you will be appreciated and recieve the best service!


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    Save Your Stuff!
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  • Zip-lock bag saves the day! - Cancún
    Zip-lock bag saves the day!
    by Pat&ZoAnn
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    For a number of years now, we have been putting things like lotions, shave cream, etc., in zip lock bags. By doing that, those things are isolated in case they accidently open during travel, making a mess of our clothes. Usually, there is no problem, but this time, one of the bottles opened and leaked. Thank goodness for zip-lock bags!

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    Bathing Suits!
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  • Its warm in Cancun the whole year round.. we were there during December and it was still hot. Bring several swimsuits and summer clothes.

    Lots of pictures and videos!

    If you have your own snorkeling equipment bring it! They also have rentals there.

    Tanning Lotion

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    Bring the appropriate beach attire
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  • Depending on when you go to Cancún, it can either be very hot or cool. During the summer season, shorts, t-shirts, swim trunks and tank tops will do (you can also bring some casual slacks for those places that require it). During fall season, the days are warm, but the nights can be cool, so a wind breaker and slacks should be brought in addition to your summer clothes.

    Any camera will do, but suggest buying film in your own country since prices can be steep.

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    What do i need to take with me?
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  • I felt totaly safe here.My flight was 10 hours.Deep vien thrombosis is now quite common on long flights,so dont drink alcohol,drink plenty of water,take an asprin before and during the flight.Get up every hour and stretch your legs.
    Some of Cancuns atractions are abit of a rip-off,but Cancun is touristy so that is to be expected.Im surprized how nice it was.
    I REALLY ENJOYED CANCUN AND WILL RETURN VERY SOON.

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    Packing List - Where to Go
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  • Weather & Sun:

    Cancún has the sun on permanent retainer. The
    city's temperature averages an ideal 80°F year-
    round, dipping painlessly from time to time, hitting
    65°F in January. It can swelter to 100°F in May, though
    ocean breezes keep it more bearable than the rest of
    the Yucatán, which can get drenchingly muggy and hot.
    Rainfall is rare, though violent storms called nortes
    can roll in on any afternoon, their black clouds, high
    winds and torrents of rain followed within an hour by
    bright sun and blue sky.

    November and early December are perhaps the best
    times to go, as there are fewer tourists and prices are
    low. The busy season is from mid-December to April,
    when prices are noticeably higher.

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    More Cancún Tips
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