Cancun Spring Break Overview
For party lovers, Cancun during a college spring break is an absolute must. The trip is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the ultimate trip with your college friends. For this reason, you will want to make sure you do it right. Here is your guide to determining if, when, and how to do Cancun Spring Break.
When is It?
College spring break season kicks off as early as the end of February and carries over until early April. Normally, the peak time, i.e the time when some of the biggest schools have their spring breaks, occurs during the 2nd and 3rd week of March. Obviously, your college spring break timing is out of your control but if you are not in college, and want to experience it, the 2nd and 3rd weeks of March is normally the best time to come.
Who is it for?
Your traditional college spring break vibe isn’t for everyone, and that’s ok! However, if multiple parties in a day, large crowds, music concerts, themed events, and complete chaos sound like a fun time to you, visiting Cancun in the spring is a must. Expect to be tired and drained by the end of this trip as sleep is scarce.
Who Is it Not For?
- Families: Entering Cancun, as a family, during the spring break season can turn into an awful experience. During my trip, I saw several families express deep regret for coming at this time. Expect large crowds, noisy streets, and tons of music and rowdiness. If you are a family and do plan to go, be careful what hotels you choose. Some hotels are more spring break-oriented than others and probably the ones you should avoid. A good general rule is the fancier the hotel the less likely it is to be a spring break spot.
- Those who enjoy quiet: If the “Who it’s for” section does not sound appealing to you, I would ideally stay away from Cancun till another time. Come back when it’s less chaotic and enjoy the beach and nearby attractions such as Chichen Itza.
- Those not willing to spend much money: Spring Break Cancun isn’t cheap and you definitely do not want to pay to come here only to be stingy at clubs or bars. You either have to do this and enjoy it to the max or avoid it entirely. That being said, there are smart ways to avoid overspending (more on this later).
Where to Stay?
This is the hotel where a majority of college spring breakers stay (as of 2018). The hotel offers day parties as well as a 24/7 party-like atmosphere that makes it a true spring break scene. If you’re going to enter an environment like Cancun during spring break, you may as well stay in the hotel that offers the wildest experience. Be warned, the hotel isn’t anything special, the food is ok and the rooms are mediocre, but if you are coming on a trip like this, you probably aren’t coming for the luxuries.
Tip: Be careful when booking hotels, they are several other nearby hotels that have the name Oasis in them.
When to Book?
ASAP! The earlier you decide you want to experience this the more money you will save. As a college kid, this is huge. Be decisive and make the choice earlier rather than later. We booked our trip in October and got an excellent deal on a flight and hotel package; Six nights all inclusive with flight for just around $1000. Those that booked a few months before the trip ended up spending between $1500-$1700.
To Use a Spring Break Company or Not?
The biggest question for many college kids looking to book a spring break trip is whether to use a spring break planning service or not. We opted not to when booking our trip and I would highly recommend doing the same. Sites such as Student City will promise you exclusive access to events, a great party package that will save you lots of money, and a great deal on hotels and flights. This all can be obtained however for much cheaper. Booking the hotel+ flight combo through Expedia saved us over $300 and bought us an extra night. In addition, many spring breakers who booked through a spring break site had mentioned to us how they did not have access to all restaurants in the Grand Oasis which is something to keep in mind.
In regards to the party packages, the minute you enter the Grand Oasis there are tons of vendors willing to negotiate a party package price for you. It’ll take a bit of time away from your first day, but you can get a better deal than most spring break sites. We got a $300 party package from the Expedia stand that included covers to the best clubs, bottle service (except at Coco Bongo Club), transport, and a booze cruise.
In terms of the promise of exclusive parties that spring break sites will offer you, though this may be true, it never seemed as if we were missing any wild and exclusive experiences. Overall I was happy with our decision not to use a planning company.
Tip: If you do plan to save money and avoid the spring break booking sites, you must book early, especially if you wish to stay in the Grand Oasis. Many of these spring break sites book out rooms in advance and as you approach spring break season, these sites remain the only options to get a room.
How Much will it all Cost?
If you are smart about booking and use some of the tips mentioned above, you can do this entire trip for around $1400 (for 5-6 nights) which includes food and drinks.
Where to Party?!
The biggest question of all is where to party! Here are some of the best clubs to hit:
- Coco Bongo: What makes Coco bongo amazing is the spectacle that happens while you are clubbing. From flying acrobats to belly dancers to large balloon and confetti drops, this is a once-in-a-lifetime club experience that you won’t see anywhere else.
- Mandela Beach: The fact that this club is on a beach makes it a true spring break spot. The music is good and dancing at a beach club is a fun experience.
- Booze Cruise: Though not a particular club, I would highly recommend finding a way to do a friend’s booze cruise on this trip. It is a fun experience and booze cruises in Cancun tend to have very few rules!
- The City: This place feels more like a concert hall than a club. It is easily the biggest club I have ever seen, fitting over 11,000 people during DJ Snake’s performance when we were there. Getting in is chaos but the party vibe is awesome and one of a kind.
- Palazzo: More of a standard club but still a fun one. The club has a stage where you can dance on which always is fun. The place is slightly smaller than the rest so expect some pushing and shoving to get to the bars.
Spring Break Cancun Reaction
If you love partying you will love this trip and it will be well worth your money. If partying isn’t for you this trip may not be your best bet. There really is no sugar coating a Cancun Spring Break trip; It is an all out ultimate party scene. Most college kids love it some hate it.
I personally loved this trip and have to believe it is the ultimate college spring break spot!
Pingback: Panama City Beach Still Worth it for Spring Break? - Earth's Corner