Cancun Dreams

I'm writing this blog on a plane to Cancun (I opened a packet of mayo for my turkey wrap and nearly sprayed the passenger next to me!), where I've now been 3 times over the past couple of months. Yes, someone has to make sure the water color is still blue! :) It's amazing to me the transformation of the Cancun hotel zone from a spring breaker's dream to the much more cosmo, south beach vibe it has now.

The look and feel of Cancun changed completely just over 3 years ago when Hurricane Wilma overstayed her welcome (actually, she wasn't welcome at all), sitting on top the peninsula for 50 hours before leaving a path of destruction not seen since Hurricane Gilbert in the late 80's. The reconstruction didn't happen overnight, but today you would never have known a category 5 came through the area just 1000 or so days ago.

Now, don't get me wrong. Carlos & Charlie's still has the 30 foot tall margarita's in the souvineer plastic cups, and at next door Coco Bongo the party doesn't really start till 1am (or so I hear :). And of course Senor Frog's is good for some table dancing after a couple of strong ones at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. But, these are mainly (no disrespect to Daddy O's) the only main games in town for the late night club scene. Many all inclusive properties which attracted a younger crowd have either been replaced with very high end, contemporary resorts (such as the beautiful Le Blanc, the cool Me by Melia, and my favorite place on the strip, the adult only Royal Cancun) or condominiums and ownership properties loaded with wall to wall glass and gated security.

Yet, it's another new attraction that has everyone jumping for joy at the Dreams Cancun. Dolphins actually live in a lagoon inside the resort, and in some rooms you can watch them by day from your balcony! Its in a perfect location on the tip of the "7" geographic formation of Cancun, and also has full basketball courts which is extremely important for a corn fed, Mellencamp lovin Indiana boy like me!

If you want "old school" Cancun, however, it can still be found, and in a renovated, new look and style. The Oasis Cancun is still a sight to behold, with the longest beachfront access in Cancun and plenty of twenty somethings to keep the people watching crowd pleased. The Barcelo Tucancun isn't glitzy or glamory (ok, I just ordered a 10am $7 Miller Lite so my grammar is fading phast), but it has all you need, all inclusive, good price, and right across the street is the tequila distillery restaurant which is not to be missed. Finally, Riu Palace Las Americas is top shelf in all aspects, and I love the location where you can litteraly jog to a taco stand, then be back on the beach in 5 minutes flat.

Then again, last time in Cancun I jogged with my blackberry typing emails in one hand and a Corona in the other. I got to Margaritaville 40 minutes later, ordered a blue something er other, then jogged back stopping at OXXO to pick up a 6 pack of Modelo. They don't call me Caribbean Jim for nuttin !

Email me any questions or comments you have about Cancun, the Mayan Riviera, or for that matter any destination in the Caribbean or Mexico (or Bermuda! Henry VIII's pub is the place to be with piano player Dave Boodle at the helm) at caribbeanjim@cheapcaribbean.com and I'd be happy to answer it...even while jogging with a brew :)

Watch a sunset at a couple of Sunset's

A sunset, or as some call it sundown, can be one of the most memorable moments of an island vacation. The sky suddenly fills with more shades of orange ever imaginable, and the reflection of rays off the water as the sun fades away can only be enhanced when accompanied by a margarita on the rocks, salt please. So, when a hotel chain names themself after such an impressive occurance, the resort needs to live up to expecations. Fortunately, such is the case with Sunset Resorts based in Jamaica. We are featuring two of their feature properties with each offering something special, and both now at special "lowest of the year" pricing.

Let's start with just a short 15 minute drive from the Montego Bay airport (which is always good after a day in the air) at the Sunset Beach Resort & Spa. Be sure to bring your good peg leg as the Pirates’ Paradise Water Park is something for everyone to see. Shoot down a pair of 35-foot high, 250-foot long waterslides, or take a lazy ride in an intertube along Blackbeard’s Lazy River. You can also explore a Caribbean Pirate ship, or just do nothing and drink in one of two hot tubs...sounds like my speed. With every room offering a balcony, you always can step outside and look for the sunset. 5 restaurants and 6 bars will keep the day full of food and drink, with the Tamarind bar open till 2am with dancing for the real thirsty folk. The new spa is open from 9am - 6pm, so be sure to choose from an array of treatments and packages. Two favorites are the legendary “Reggae Retreat” package, featuring a manicure, pedicure and 30-minute massage, and the “Rasta Delight” option which adds a mini facial too. Other alluring spa services include reflexology, a milk and honey body wrap, mango manicure, and coffee ground scrub to name a few. Club Mongoose, the new kids club, will keep the little ones busy while you await your hot stone massage.

If it's a resort twice the size as Sunset Mo Bay with the longest beach in Ocho Rios you're looking for, then the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort & Spa is for you. With over 700 rooms and 5 lavish pools wandering through this beachside complex (not to mention loads of waterfalls, plunge pools, swim-up bars and a swaying rope bridge), it's no wonder why Frommer’s proclaimed this dramatic family favorite is “like a Hollywood production”...and that was before the new Lighthouse Waterslide was built. With an enclosed spiral staircase 60 feet up to an observation desk and an awe-inspiring, 360-degree panoramic view over the Caribbean Sea, you will want to try both water slides, each a whopping 300+ feet in length. 8 bars, 6 restaurants, and a fitness facility to work off the 8 bars and 6 restaurants are all included. With the Aqua Azul spa open from 9am - 8pm, you can soak up the treatments before treating yourself to the 80 electronic blackjack and slot machines at the resort.

So...if it's an affordable Sunset you are looking for, we have two to choose from!