Depending on your nationality, you may not need a passport or visa to enter Cancun. All U.S. citizens need a passport to get into Mexico and for re-admittance into the United States, so packing a valid passport is essential. For other countries, contact your travel agent or the Mexican Consulate in your area for the specific documents you might need for traveling to Cancun.
Check with your travel agent to determine the average daily cost of staying in Cancun. Taking a few minutes to plan out a budget for meals, entertainment, sightseeing, souvenirs, and recreation will help you determine how much money to take. Travelers checks are best because they are easily replaced, although a credit card is a useful backup. Write down the toll-free number for your credit card and keep it in a separate location. That way, you have the number to call if the card is lost or stolen.
Keep travelers checks, credit card and passport in a money wallet or zippered pouch that can be worn under your clothing. The two basic types are a pouch worn like a necklace and a money belt that fastens around your waist with Velcro straps. Keep a little spending money in your pocket so you won't need to remove your shirt to access your finances while sightseeing.
If you are an avid diver or snorkeler, Cancun is the place for you. The resort area is world-famous for its reefs and tropical fish. If you already own a good diving mask and snorkel, bring them since they are already fitted to your face. Otherwise, you can rent or buy virtually any piece of diving equipment you might need in Cancun.
Bring your underwater camera or still camera, with extra batteries, and film or a spare digital memory card. Don't forget the power transformers so you can plug in your gadgets to the local electrical outlets. You'll need adapters that can transform the 240-volt current to the 110 volts that you need for most U.S.-manufactured appliances.
If you exercise daily, don't forget your running shoes and workout clothes. Good shoes for dancing will help you take advantage of Cancun nightlife.
Cancun enjoys tropical weather year-round, so pack accordingly. Cotton shorts, twill, T-shirts and dress shirts made of a cotton blend are compact, lightweight and wrinkle resistant. Pack two outfits for each day of your stay. That way, you have fresh, clean clothes to change into when going out to dinner after a long afternoon of sightseeing.
One nice outfit for going out at night should get you through the week. Alternate a lightweight suit with different colored shirts, or transform a cocktail dress with a scarf or sash to create the appearance of different outfits.
As for luggage, carry-on bags are the way to go. You'll get in and out of the airport much faster. Most airlines into Cancun permit passengers to bring two carry-on bags. Avoid hard-shell luggage and stick to canvas or rip-resistant nylon. These are lightweight, flexible and easy to stow in the overhead compartment.
Frequent travelers to Mexico follow a few simple rules to avoid picking up water-borne parasites, bacteria and other microscopic nastiness that can ruin a vacation. Don't drink the local water. Some resorts in Cancun will swear their water supplies are purified. If you feel like risking it, take a chance. Otherwise, stick to drinking, brushing your teeth and rinsing with bottled water only.
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, if you cannot boil it or peel it, then don't eat it. That shredded lettuce and those diced tomatoes on a plate of nachos might look appetizing, but chances are the vegetables have been rinsed in the restaurant's kitchen sink with traces of the water left behind. Avoid gastrointestinal disaster and pack a bottle of multivitamins as a diet supplement while you dodge fruits and vegetables rinsed in the local water supply.
Take blister packages of Imodium or anti-diarrhea tablets to relieve your symptoms. Pepto-Bismol or another antacid product in chewable tablet form is also a useful addition to your first-aid kit.
