Traveling Gay Cancun: It’s Much More Than White Sand Beaches!

Posted by Nick Vivion on Jun 28, 2012 in Traveling Gay | 0 comments

I’m already smiling as that first wave of softly salty sea air hits my nostrils. There’s absolutely nothing that I love more than stepping out into a tropical breeze, and my first few steps out of Cancun’s international airport do not disappoint.

Yes, there may be a Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville offshoot right outside the terminal, and yes, there may be a throng of dozens of other Americans alongside me, equally ecstatic about their impending Caribbean vacations.

After all, Cancun is the most highly visited Mexican destination, welcoming 5.9 million vacationers in 2010.

And yes, Mexico is still struggling with an epic corruption and drug cartel problem.

Nonetheless, I’m instantly intrigued by Cancun: could there be a slice of adventure amidst the endless coastline of cookie-cutter resorts and high-rises?

After spending 5 days roaming the Yucatan peninsula, my intrigue pays off.

I hiked through the jungle and sweated my way up to the top of a Mayan pyramid. I rappelled into a cenote (a pool in an underground cave, dozens of which are accessible here). I ate street food at the locals-only downtown market. I shopped for hand-made crafts in Playa del Carmen. I ziplined through pyramids! I snorkeled and swam with the fishes. There really is a lot of adventure to be had on the Yucatan!

By basing ourselves in Cancun, we were also able to enjoy some of the amenities that the resort area had to offer, such as a rejuvenating massage at the JW Marriott Spa, or the resort pool looking out over the ocean at the Casa Magna.

Cancun days are spent gettin’ sweaty and divin’ cenotes. There are endless opportunities for adventure and athletics to tucker yourself out so as to fully enjoy the fluffy perks of being pampered on vacation. And of course, at night, there’s quite the party to be had – both gay and otherwise!

Cancun may be a beach destination, but it’s a cosmopolitan one at that. The coastline is simply jam-packed with hotels, and the sun-kissed international travelers that occupy them. But like all of the world’s marquee destinations, Cancun has a heady feeling of possibility in the air, and each day great you with the knowledge that the experience is really all about what you make of it.

And with marriage ceremonies soon-to-be legally performed, there’s yet another activity that can be the highlight of a fun-in-the-sun vacation that doesn’t break the bank.