In Cancún, most beaches are calm and peaceful, which is lovely, but sometimes I crave a little more action like body surfing. While doing research, I discovered Xcacel Beach. Unlike many other beaches in the area, it is undeveloped, making it perfect for a relaxing day trip. Even better, there is a cenote on site and access is free of charge.
I found out about the beach on SAC-BE, which had plenty of other great travel finds. I’m sure I’ll be referring back to it again for future planning.
The costs break down like this:
$500 for the month
$35 one-time cleaning fee
We will have the option to do our own laundry or have Bonnie, the property manager, handle it for $20. Bonnie is also available for any questions or issues that come up during our stay.
We are planning to rent a car, but public transportation is plentiful. There is a bus right outside the complex that goes downtown or toward the hotel zone.
For groceries, we will probably shop at Walmart and local markets and cook in as much as possible, though there are also plenty of good restaurants nearby. The condo comes with a 5-gallon water dispenser, which is very convenient.
Safety is not a concern. The property is gated and has security guards on duty, which is especially reassuring for my mom.
We are officially sold. I emailed the owners to request the rental agreement so we can sign and make our $200 down payment. Excitement is through the roof.
You heard me right… we just booked a cozy studio condo for an entire month!
I’m seriously so excited that this trip is finally starting to come together. The owner I had previously called ended up returning my message yesterday. She mentioned they’re currently on vacation in Canada and that international calls from her cell are pretty expensive, but she still wanted to reach out before we booked somewhere else- which I really appreciated.
We exchanged emails, and she plans to call again tomorrow so we can go over the final details.
The condo is $500 for the month and located right in the Cancún Hotel Zone in Cancún. The beach is literally seconds from the door, which is exactly what we were hoping to find. It sounds like the perfect spot for our stay.
I did send a quick email with a few follow-up questions. Mainly whether electricity and water are included in the monthly price, but overall everything sounds great. It feels amazing to finally have the ball rolling on this trip.
While doing some planning this morning, I also came across a really helpful travel site called TravelYucatan. It’s packed with tourist information, activity ideas, and trip-planning tools for the region. I have a feeling I’ll be using it quite a bit as we keep planning things to do while we’re there.
Things are starting to get real now!
One destination that’s definitely on our list is Chichén Itzá. It’s about a 2–3 hour drive from Cancún, which makes it perfect for a full day trip while visiting the area.
 |
| More info on Chichen Itza |
I’m especially excited to bring my camera along for this trip. The site is full of fascinating carvings and ancient Mayan symbols, and I’m really looking forward to seeing them up close. I’m sure guides at the site will provide information and translations, but I’m planning to print out a reference sheet beforehand so I can better understand the meanings behind some of the symbols while exploring.
If I find a good guide with more Mayan symbols and translations, I’ll definitely share it here.
As for the cost, this is actually a pretty affordable excursion if you’re driving yourself. At the time we were planning, it looked like it would mainly be gas for the drive, about $1 for parking, and roughly $10 per person for entrance.
Much has happened in the last year and a half of our lives. Most importantly, we welcomed our daughter into the world. Life has changed...
