Lauren & Alex
Things To Do
Villa del Palmar Resort activities
The resort offers an array of activities on its premises at no additional charge. To learn more, click view and then click on the recommended website address.
Villa del Palmar sponsored off-premise activities
Villa del Palmar has an activities center that can coordinate a variety of off-premise activities such as snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, visiting ruins, or visiting cenotes. To explore these options, click view and then click on the recommended website address.
El Rey Archaeological Zone
El Rey is a Mayan fishing village located 5-10 minutes (by car) away from the resort. It is very quiet, you can get close to the buildings, and it will take you less than 2 hours to see. There are many, many iguanas that live here. Admission is 50 pesos per person.
Coco Bongo
If you're looking for night life that's a little spicier than what the resort offers, Cancun is well known for its nightclubs and bars. The three best known bars are Coco Bongo (a HUGE club featuring live acrobatics), The City (a club with a wave pool), and the original Senor Frogs (featuring wet t-shirt contests). You'll need to take a cab downtown and to have cash in Pesos for cover charges.
Dolphin Discovery Cancun - Isla Mujeres
Dolphin Discovery is an easy day trip. Take a ferry to Isla Mujeres, and you'll be back by the afternoon. Within the Dolphin Discovery park, you can pet manatees, high-five sea lions, and swim with dolphins. This is a rescue site that focuses on preserving the habitats of these amazing sea creatures. There are restaurants inside for lunch. This is a costly activity (both in terms of entrance fee and they charge for pictures) but if you love manatees as much as we do, well worth it.
Punta Sur
One of our favorite day trips was renting a golf cart and puttering around Isla Mujeres, the island just off the cost of Cancun. At the south tip of the island is Punta Sur, a set of ruins and sculpture garden. This was an unexpected treat and we cannot recommend it enough! It does involve some hiking and climbing, and it may not be the best activity for people with a fear of heights.
Playa Norte
Playa Norte is the beach on the north tip of Isla Mujeres. It is one of the whitest, softest beaches you will ever see. If you are in need of a refreshment, visit Buhos Bar, where you can enjoy a cocktail from a wooden swing. This beach is also near Isla Mujeres's downtown, known as Centro, which is an easy walk and has lots of great food.
Cancún Underwater Museum
If you enjoy scuba diving, the resort activity center can arrange a trip to Musa Underwater Museum. Alex and Lauren have never been (fun fact--Lauren freaks out trying to breathe underwater) but we hear this is one of the coolest experiences in the Cancun area.
Chichén-Itzá
One of Mexico's most famous Mayan ruins. This is a looooonng day trip. If you'd like to go, the resort activities company has tours you can book once you arrive. The tour bus will take you to lunch and shopping at an "authentic Yucatan village," then to the archaeological site (2 hour tour) followed by a swim in a nearby cenote. You'll leave early and get home late.
Tulum
Full disclosure: Neither Alex nor Lauren have ever been to Tulum. This is another looooooong day trip that you must arrange through the activity center at the resort. Tulum is known for immaculately preserved ruins, truly excellent food and stunning architecture, many cenotes, and nature adventure parks where you can zipline and repel. It's also become quite popular with tourists in the last decade.