Want to know how I spent 4 days in paradise? Well, you’ve come to the right travel blog. Starting with a flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to Cancun International Airport (CUN) with one layover in Charlotte for$600, I began my adventure to Caribbean Coastline of Mexico.
Once I arrived in Cancun, I took a taxi to my stay at the Grand Riviera Princess, an all-inclusive resort at Playa Del Carmen that features a diverse range of options for dining and activities. Though I didn’t leave the resort much, there were more than enough things to do throughout the resort to the point where I felt like I was on a mini island. Just imagine waking up to viewing scenery of palm trees, lush tropical gardens, white villas and crystal waters. The elegant design was truly unmatched. Not only was the view beautiful, but there was a lot to do in the area. Some mornings I woke up and went to the gym and multipurpose sports courts. Some afternoons I hung out by the pool-side to see the different games and group activities organized by the resort’s entertainment team. Most days I chilled near the lobby and listened to the local musicians and bands perform in front of residents at the resort. One of the best aspects of the resort that I liked was the fact that anyone of any group can easily feel right at home here. There are family-friendly facilities and services for those with kids or younger guests such as a pool designated for children, playground and craft section. However, it wasn’t too family-friendly to over-power adult interests such as the open bars and nightclubs located on the premises. I also found it amazing that they have shuttle golf carts that stop by each villa throughout the day to take residents to any location at the resort, including the beach.
Because most of what I wanted to do was literally on the resort, there were only two activities that involved being outside of Grand Riviera Princess. On Saturday evening, I took a taxi to the Quinta Alegría Mall to do some shopping and sightseeing along the long strip right outside of the building. It was a typical touristy section in a popular plaza with a lot of international retailers. The refreshing part about this three-story mall is that it was located right across the street from a plaza where locals displayed and sold their goods. It gave you an opportunity to dine, shop, and cool off after walking in the warm sun. On Sunday morning, I got up bright and early for a jet ski excursion, which happens to be my favorite thing to do. What makes this particular excursion different is the fact that you can hop off your jet ski after the ride and take a dip in the ocean, shop, dine and also enjoy cold beers or cocktails at the open bar.
Once you’ve experienced an all-inclusive resort, it’s hard to settle for anything else. When I tell you it had everything, I mean that. The food was amazing, especially the fruit. I don’t know what they do to their fruit in Mexico but it’s the best thing I’ve tasted. The resort constantly had events happening inside, outside, on the beach, everywhere. Golf carts went around the resort every 15 minutes to pick people up and taxis were always available to take you anywhere away from the resort. Trust me, of everywhere I’ve been this is hands down the best place I’ve stayed.
Full price breakdown in pesos and the equivalent in US dollars: Round Trip airline ticket from RDU to CUN- $621 Stay at Grand Riviera Princess- $333.49 Taxi to resort- $40 Taxi from resort to the mall- $20 Taxi from the mall to the resort- $20
Total price: $1,034.49
In closing, it cost the White T-Shirt Guy $1,034.49 to spend 5 days in Playa Del Carmen and so can you.
This sounds amazing. I think it would be hard for me to go back to my everyday life. For a trip like this I would take that chance.