PV or Cancun? Which is better?

[ajstanger]

OK, I tell everyone how great PV is and they tell me how great Cancun is. Since I have only been to PV and never to Cancun, I want honest answers from you readers who have been to both. Ups and downs, goods and bads. Basically I want your thoughts of which one you like better and why.

It most likely won't make me want to go to Cancun unless I won a trip or something.

27 days and counting

Tony

[karinav3]

Well I've never been to Cancun so you are probably thinking "so why are you responding"
but I have friends that have gone.. and they are in love with Cancun.. if you see the hotels
in expedia and the water crystal clear blue.. I wish I could have gone, but it cost alittle more $$
next year I am going for sure.. what they said that it's more a party place... un-like PV it's more quiet..
I guess..
if I had to choose between both

CANCUN HERE I COME!!

[webmaster]

I've been both places, I can say the following:

Cancun, impressive water and sand, though my wife (from Venezuela and a Caribbean connoisseur) says there are better places in the Caribbean. If you are sun and sand person there is no doubt Cancun is the place to go. I really did not enjoy Cancun that much (I get burned easily), the town itself looked like any other beach tourist trap around in the Caribbean, not really Mexican at all, actually not Mexican at all. Cancun, as you may know, is a fabricated destination, built and developed with one thing in mind: attract US tourism. I did enjoy the side trips (though the heat was at times unbearable) to Chichen Itza, Tulum and Xelha. If you're an archeology fan, Cancun is a place to visit at least once and from there take day tours. Hotels over there certainly are larger and more impressive and for an Al inclusive fan they'll be better as they normally have a large amount of restaurants to choose from. Cancun is also known to cater to young high school students that like to act in an uncontrolled fashion.

Puerto Vallarta, is a Mexican town that over time has casually become a tourist destination, so if you are planning to visit Mexico and see some of the local culture, you'll find it in Vallarta (not Nuevo Vallarta, which is also a fabricated tourist destination, though beaches are nicer there), beaches are nice, but to nearly as impressive as over in Cancun. The water is nice too, but not as clear as the Caribbean, that's just nature. Pacific waters are more productive (with makes them full of fauna and flora) than the Caribbean that is more like a desert (waters are less productive) except where there are coral ecosystems, so waters are by consequence murkier on the Pacific side a nice emerald green. Vallarta offers lots more ambiance and people here surely are more friendly and genuinely hospitable. In Cancun it was hard to find a smile and most people acted very 1st World'ish, that is, a bit distant. Vallarta is more an adult and family destination, though there's lots to do for the younger rowdy crowd too, but that isn't the cities main market.

I visited Cancun once and feel that was enough, next time I'll visit other places in the Caribbean. Vallarta never fails to attract visitors more than once. Actually I think I remember reading somewhere that Vallarta is the most revisited destination in the world, I guess if that isn't true, it's very close to the truth.

Kind regards

Mogens
Webhamster

[corolla03]

Well, I have been to both places. Unless you venture into the original part of Cancun, you don't even know you are in Mexico. Yes, the beach and water are beautiful; but it is just one fancy hotel and club after the other. At least, when you come to PV, you feel like you are in Mexico and get to see how normal Mexicans live.

[Margaritaville]

We have been to nearly every Tourist city in Mexico. Yes, Cancun has beautiful water, and white sandy beaches. But every time we have been there, it has been very windy. trade winds. And it isn't always sunnier. The last time we were there, it rained or was cloudy all but 3 days. We found no seaside restaraunts, or shady places on the beach like you find in PV. Also, its alot more expensive. Very American. PV on the other hand, is much more Mexican. We would not go back to Cancun, unless we got a free trip. PV is a better place, in my opinion.

[marcos]

Sue and I have been to both although our last visit to Cancun was on our honeymoon, almost 200 (oops, make that 20) years ago

I agree with most of the posts here. Cancun is not as Mexican but the Mayan ruins that are nearby are certainly worth a visit if you've never seen something like that and are into history

On the whole I prefer PV but the one thing that I did like in Cancun was the food. There are many places where you can get Mayan-style food like "pollo pibil", "conchinita pibil" and "pesce pibil". Very tasty and unique.

[beach_girl13]

Do you want to go to the Mall? Go to Cancun..it looks nice but may lack atmosphere and will cost you more. I have yet to be to a place and enjoy the atmosphere and the people more than in PV. Bet your wife's been to Aruba Mogens? Most beautiful water I have seen, I won't go back there tho it lacks PV's charm and it hurts the pocket book, big time! Windsurfing is alot harder than boogie boarding too!

[webmaster]

Yep, both Aruba and Los Cayos in Venezuela, she says have more impressive beaches and waters than Cancun.

Mogens

[robbyxoxo]

im glad i found this topic, as i was about to ask the same question myself.....we just got back from a month in Cancun and now are considering PV as our next vacation stop.....i gotta say, we fell in love with Cancun and am worried that the PV beaches and water wont be very enticing in comparison.....what we liked about cancun was that if offered soooo much to do, to keep us busy for the entire month.....the snorkeling, the different jungle resorts to visit, the nightlife, the variety of shopping and eating options.....and cheap prices cab be found if you wander outside the touristy area and into downtown Cancun.......i know i would love the fact that PV has a more Mexican feel to it, but im worrying i may have less things to do there when spending an entire month........the fact that i can rent an apartment for half the price in PV, may be the deciding factor when forced to choose between the two destinations

[Jennybean]

I've been going to Vallarta for 7 years now, and have yet to run out of things to do or see. I have barely scratched the surface.

[randyintucson]

I have been to both also. Although Cancun has fantastic beaches and water, you would never know that you are in a foreign country, might as well be in Miami. Each place has its advantages, but I think the biggest advantage Puerto Vallarta has over Cancun is a much wider selection of restaurants in all price ranges, and almost all are locally owned versus chain type high end restaurants that you find in Cancun.

[robbyxoxo]

i so agree about Cancun being somewhat similar to Miami.....which is a GREAT thing if you love south beach Miami!.....its a shame that most tourists dont get far enough out to find the cheap buys in Cancun....if you just walk a bit further down the main ave in downtown Cancun, you can find such great prices on eats as well as mall stuff......you can find whole, cooked chickens being sold on the road for 28 pesos......you can find tons of restuarants serving entrees for less than 5 bucks....sandwiches for a buck 50.....and its a safe place to be day or night ....

[smitty]

These are my opinions of Cancun , I am a married 46 yr old white male middle class Canadian . We have been to Cancun 2 times. In the mid 90's and 2001. Both trips were at all inclusive resorts. My first advice is to book a hotel on the sheltered side of the strip . If not the ocean is beautiful yet too dangerous to enjoy. Secondly you will be closer to everything and cab fares will be eliminated or minimized- buses are an option. Cancun caters to a younger crowd of tourists then PV. The Clubs are plentiful and full of beautiful people. If you like nightlife you won't be disappointed. Beyond partying Cancun has many good points. The ruins at Tulum and the Mayan Riviera are relatively close . A cheap day trip to the Isle Mejeures (cost of a ferry ride -maybe $5) I would highly recommend. This is a small island off the coast and is worth the visit. There are beaches, shopping and plenty of local colour all walkable. Overall I would say Cancun would be more expensive then PV . Cancun is lovely and we enjoyed both our trips . Quite honestly after discovering PV and making the friends we have , we would never consider staying anywhere else. Our last visit to Cancun was the year of Hurricane Kenna in PV. It took an act of God to keep us away from our beloved PV and short of another disaster we will be returning and seeing old /new friends in PV for years ahead.

[chillmack]

Me and family visited PV for the first time last year to try something different from Cancun.IMHO Cancun is far better.Being spoiled by the Ocean in Cancun I guess.The kids also dissapointed with PV .I didnt notice that big of price despaity in all costs
between PV asnd Cancun also ,Both expenxive.We use Cancun as a starting point .Try visiting Playa Del Carmen,Cozumel
Tulum,Xel-Ha.Youll see what I mean.

[jd]

Both are equally great for their own reasons, Cancun is not the same as Puerto Vallarta because you dont get the quaint Mexican feel in Cancun , Puerto Vallarta is far better for landscape , what I mean is the mountains and the sea that is specatacular , the water is much nicer in Cancun you cant get the blue green waters of the Carribean in Puerto Vallarta . Cancun is like a great big American city not much of the Mexican expirience here as in Puerto Vallarta you get the real feel of Mexico.

Both are great places to visit however if money is a concern Puerto Vallarta is a cheaper place to visit as I found most things in Cancun are more expensive than Puerto Vallarta and there is way more people in Cancun visiting than Puerto Vallarta or at least it felt that way . As I said both are terrific as to which is better having been to both several times I would say it depends on your personal prefernce ....your vacation is what you make out of it either way you'll have fun and get great weather ....why try both and find out ?

[susana]

Cancun has more typically postcard beautiful turquoise water and white sand beaches. EVERYthing else is better in PV. I am extremely pro-puerto vallarta and completely prejudice in its favor. There is no worry for not finding enough "to do" to keep a person busy for a month.

If I ever flew into Cancun it would be only to go down the coast and see what Playa del Carmen's all about, because people tell me it is kind of a sister city to PV on the other side.

[missingvallarta]

Been to Cancun a number of times and each time I went I disliked it more and more. I think Cancun has one thing going for it and that's the ocean, other then that it's boring. Unless you are in the back of a resort you can't see the beach. PV has the beach front places to eat, PV has both the ocean and the mountains and a wide range age group. The food in PV is great and cheaper, I will always put my money on PV over Cancun, if I want to go to the mall I'll stay home. Just my opionion.

[chuck]

The last two years we ahve been switching everyother time between PV and the Mayan Sun Coast. Can't do Cancun because of being like Miami sur (I don't go to Florida). The MSC, the beaches and water are prettier and I like the mayan people and the food. Someone mentioned the wind, OMG it's usually blowing off the water at what seems to be at sonic speed. Eventhough it is mexican vacation, I am never as excited as when we are getting ready to go to PV. OK the beaches are mostly gray sand and the water can be less than clear, especially during the rainy season, but the town and the people are the best.

[chillmack]

I disagree ,Everytime I went to Cancun always found something to do with the family.Mall ?Hmm Stay out of the shopping centers and go out and about.PV was just OK for my two boys .They kept asking me when we were going back to Cancun.Different tastes and lifestyles I guess .

[chuck]

The last two years we ahve been switching everyother time between PV and the Mayan Sun Coast. Can't do Cancun because of being like Miami sur {south} (I don't go to Florida). The MSC, the beaches and water are prettier and I like the mayan people and the food. Someone mentioned the wind, OMG it's usually blowing off the water at what seems to be at sonic speed. Eventhough it is mexican vacation, I am never as excited as when we are getting ready to go to PV. OK the beaches are mostly gray sand and the water can be less than clear, especially during the rainy season, but the town and the people are the best.