Making plans for first trip to Cancun. Any thing you want to share? What do I need to know before I go/make reservations. Is All Inclusive really "ALL"? Looking for insight here from those that have experienced before.

When are you going? Unless you a 20 something party person I would avoid February through April.

AI means house food and drink. House brand of liquor, wine and beer. Not top shelf. Some special cuts of meat and lobster also not included.

There are plenty of things to see and do such as: Mayan ruins at Tulum, Coba, Chichen Itza, Eco-parks at Xel-Ha and Xcaret. Day trips to Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujuras, Cozumel, Aqua World for snorkeling, water sports and parasailing, Maroma Beach for ATV's, power boats, horseback riding, snorkeling and fishing, Interactive Aquarium for dolphin and shark swims. Several malls for shopping, dining and the are tons of bars.

All inclusive really varies by resort, in terms of food, drink, and activities. As KVR mentioned, many AI resorts will have certain food or drinks that carry a surcharge (although some higher end properties do offer at least some premium drinks within the AI price). Activities are another area where some things may not be included in the AI price. Motorized watersports, spa treatments, etc. are examples of the types of activities that often have extra charges. If there are certain things that are really important to you, I'd recommend that you find out what is inlcuded with a few resorts you are considering. Depending on your preferences, you may find that a higher priced resort is a better value if it includes things that you want that would be extra at a lower priced resort.

I recomend not doing the all inclusives. If you are just going to see a resort and not the country, there is no need to travel that far.

Keith

Have to totally disagree with Keith. AI is fantastic and yes you can still see the local culture. And yes you do have to travel that far, as there are no AI's in the US as far as I can tell. I love AI's because once you are there, no worries about carrying cash, credit cards, worrying about how much you are charging, etc. Totally relaxing. AI's are not for everyone but for many many people they cannot be beat.

All inclusivew are great, and Cancun is not exception, but there are so many wonderful restaurants that I would hate to be stuck on property the whole time. I would recommend AI somewhere like Jamaica or Punta Cana.

Cancun is a fun place. There is lots of nightlife and it fits the profile if you are looking for a place to enjoy a nice beach and have fun at night.

We normally do not like All Inclusive resorts- we just feel that the quality of some all inclusives don't fit the bill for the kind of experience we want to have on a nice romantic trip. That being said....we went to Cancun with a few couples and the all inclusive was great in Cancun. We never worried about getting drinks and food and it made the experience a lot of fun when you are in a group.

I think if you are going to do AI- Cancun would be a good place to do it. It included alcohol, food, snack during the day. Many of the nicer restaurants get reserved quickly so it's a good idea to book your dinner times early.

Have fun in Cancun.

We just got back from a trip to Cancun about a month ago. Click on my screen name to see my trip report. I posted it on the Latin America board on Fodors. This was our 3rd trip there and we loved it. I also would not recommend all inclusive resort in Cancun. The restaurants were very affordable. Make sure you go on the Captain Hook Pirate Ship dinner cruise. It was so much fun! We went to Captain's Cove for a good seafood dinner and loved it. Senior Frogs and Pat O'Brian's both had great music and dancing. Casa de las Margaritas had authentic mexican food along with a mariachi band and traditional mexican dancers. You would be missing out if you did not eat out in some of the local restaurants. It is always fun on vacation to meet the people who live and work in the country that you visit. Also don't miss the market places for souvenirs. You might want to brush up on your Spanish before you go because it helps a lot if you try to speak their language. If you have any specific questions about our recent stay there, post them and I'll try to answer. I hope you have a great trip!

If you like laid-back and a bit funky, take a day trip to Isla Mujeres (ferry ride from Cancun). .