Cancún – Day 1: Luxury and Low-Budget
CANCÚN
Day 1: Luxury & Low-Budget
August 27, 2022
My next bus ride took me to the most touristic city in Mexico – Cancún. Being a relatively new city, built in 1970 mostly for tourism purposes, Cancún is found in the state of Quintana Roo and forms part of the Caribbean coast.
It took me one day to feel like I’d experienced the city itself – and that was more than enough. In the resort zone known as the Riviera Maya – the area that attracts most tourists – one can find countless fancy hotels and resorts, spread all along this huge, never-ending road that’s also lined with a number of equally nice beaches. Meanwhile, I’d be spending my time in Cancún living it up in the cheapest studio apartment I could get my hands on (which was still anything but cheap), trying my best to ration my limited budget to do as many things as I could.
I couldn’t help but feel out of place, especially as a backpacker stranded in a luxurious, high-end resort area where tourists are seen as walking dollar bills. Hell, my first Tinder date over there was with a multimillionaire who had his chauffeur pick me up from my low-budget studio in the ‘historical’ centre in his own personal limo. As soon as I got to his grand mansion – walls lined in gold and black marble – I knew this was something I’d never get to have, nor would I probably ever want to. We had a pretty good time together and he seemed to be a genuinely humble guy – except for the part where he showed me his walk-in closet – a vast room the size of my apartment back home, overflowing with designer items that had me lusting all over it. Maybe that part I’d want.
Apart from that momentary brush with high society, the rest of my adventures were quite low-end. Like when I got stuck manoeuvring across a multi-lane highway in my flip-flops during a torrential downpour. It was only a few weeks earlier that I had complained to my friends about how I couldn’t walk in those damned things, and suddenly I was this pro-flip-flopper – something most people staying in Cancún wouldn’t quite be proud of.
Caribbean Reunion
Whilst I wasn’t a huge fan of the city itself, this is where I got to reunite with the Caribbean Sea for the very first time since my time in Cartagena, Colombia. After the storm settled and my flip-flops dried, a very expensive cab ride took me to the Riviera Maya. There, I proceeded to take a long walk along the coast, enjoying the stupendous Caribbean beach views and jumping into the turquoise sea whenever I felt like it.
As I swam in Playa del Delfín – a pristine beach in the same area – I couldn’t help but feel that same sense of freedom that washes over me whenever I find myself alone on a beach, with no responsibilities or commitments. As much as I loved the solitude and introspection that came with such beach visits, I also didn’t mind the company of Cristian, Celeste, and Jerga – three Argentinian police officers on holiday with whom I got acquainted. Turns out, they thought I was a local and figured I’d be the best person to ask for recommendations. Well, given that my itinerary had been planned for months on end, they weren’t completely wrong.
After a barrage of questions about my plans and nationality, they offered me a few beers, invited me over to their hotel, and we chilled by the pool for a while before heading out to party. By now, I had grown so accustomed to hearing Bad Bunny and Karol G everywhere I went that I practically knew all the words to every song. As fun as that might have been – especially since I had been neglecting nightlife and partying (much to any backpacker’s chagrin) – I can’t say I was impressed with all that Cancún has to offer. Clubbing in Malta is way, way better – with Paceville being one of the main party destinations in Europe. That said, I did not, in fact, dish out some hundred bucks to enjoy one of the city’s main highlights.
One Good Thing...
After one day, it felt as if I’d had enough of Cancún, with the only redeeming factor being the discovery that the many OXXO markets littering every corner of the city (and the country) also served the largest cup of coffee at the cheapest of prices.
For almost an entire month, I’d been cutting back on my favourite thing in the world – mostly ’cause I’d be on a tight schedule, and also ’cause of financial constraints. But now? Now I could finally give in to my deep, passionate lust for coffee! To think I could’ve been doing that right from the start…
