Cancun Christmas

The best things to do are snorkeling and Xcaret (pronounced sh-karet).

Snorkeling in Cancun or Cozumel (which is an easy day trip) is some of the best in the world. The coral reef there is the second largest in the world. The colors and varieties of sea life were amazing.

Xcaret is a nature park. You can see all kinds of wildlife, take a snorkeling trip, swim at their beach, take an underwater walking tour, or go scuba diving. And the night show is not to be missed - it is a cultural show and is beyond words.

Quick Tips:

Remember the sun is much stronger here than in the US. And in a lot of the nature parks (e.g., Xel-Ha, Xcaret, etc.), sunscreen is prohibited. Just watch your exposure and you should be fine.

All-inclusive is great if you are planning on spending a lot of time at the resort. However, if you are planning several day trips or eating in the hotel zone, it can be wasteful.

Best Way To Get Around:

The cheapest way to get around is by bus. It is only approximately 60 cents (US). However, the bus is sometimes very crowded and is not air-conditioned. And hold on - they drive very fast with sudden stops.

Taxis are a great way to meet the local people and really learn a lot. We liked this means of transportation because of the interesting people we met.

We stayed at the Blue Bay Club/Marina, the family version of the Blue Bay Clubs. Blue Bay also has the Getaway, which is an adults-only resort, and the Desire, which is a couples-only resort.

The room was very large, with a private balcony and a wonderful view of the ocean and Isla Mujeres. The room was kept clean and no personal items or valuables were disturbed.

The hotel is listed as a four-star; however, the amenities were more of a three-star hotel. The beach is a bit small, but is kept in good shape, and there are plenty of beach chairs and umbrellas for everyone.

The staff is wonderful and friendly. And this was a very safe environment for children. There were many children's activities throughout the day while the adults wanted some time relaxing at the beach or poolside bar.

The largest downfall of the resort is that it is very far from the hotel zone, airport, and most activities, so a lot of the day was spent in transportation.

This is a very romantic restaurant that allows ocean-side dining, weather permitting, of course. It is part of the all-inclusive package and requires reservations. Make your reservations early, though. They have a preset menu, which includes a salad, entrée and dessert (drinks are included in the all-inclusive package). There are two choices in each category.

The main course is typically a seafood selection with a meat/chicken alternative. The food was very fresh and delicious. The service was outstanding! They also have a photographer who will take a nice souvenir photo for purchase if you want - no pressure.

Before heading out to an activity or to breakfast, stop by the front desk and make your reservation. We tried one day to book a seating for noon and they were already full.

Pictures and words cannot describe this experience. It is called the Sealife Plus and it is given by Dolphin Discovery at Puerto Aventuras, which is approximately 40 south of Cancun.

The staff at Dolphin Discovery was very friendly and informative. And when my daughter put on a snorkel and started feeding the gentle manatees, I thought I would cry. Then she moved on to the stingrays and was amazed at their "velvety" feeling.

But the best part of the day was spent in the water getting to touch and interact with the stars - the dolphins. The animals were very gentle and everyone had a lot of one-on-one time with the animals.