Cabo vs. Cancun
Here’s how to pick which beach town is perfect for your next sunny vacation.
A beach is just a beach. Right? After all, when the weather gets chilly and you head south, isn’t it enough to have a cushy lounge poolside chair, swaying palms, and a cold margarita? Nope. I say absolutely not. You deserve to have the best possible location for your vacation. Luckily, Mexico’s coastal destinations are far from bland, by-the-numbers beach towns. And Cabo and Cancun are two of the best.
Located at opposite ends of the country and on two very different seas—Cortez and Caribbean—Cabo and Cancun also offer very different landscapes: Cabo is rugged and arid while Cancun is lush and tropical. But both offer serious cultural depth, and a lot of amazing options to eat, play, and stay, including some of the most popular all-inclusive resorts in the country (I’m a fan of any place where you can dine, drink, and enjoy a swim all just steps from your room).
Which should you choose for your next sunny vacation? I’ve traveled extensively in both destinations and gathered all the details to help you make a choice that fits with your vacation style and travel needs.
When to go
Cabo: With a tropical desert climate, summers here can be uncomfortably hot with high temperatures routinely climbing into the 90s from May to October, with hurricane season kicking in from August through the end of September. November through April tends to be cooler, while still offering sunshine and swimming weather. The most popular months? December, January, and February, when the weather is coldest in North America and whales splash out in the bay.
Hotel rates spike during these months, though, especially around the holidays. If you’re looking to save money and don’t mind the heat, in July, you can spot adorable little sea turtles hatching on the beach. And the late fall and early spring, before spring break kicks in, are good times to get a deal.
Cancun: Sultry and truly tropical, this city maintains steady—hot—temperatures year-round. But much like Central America just to the south, you’ll find a well-defined wet/dry cycle here, with the rainy season running from the end of August to the end of November. Hurricane season is a reality here, too, starting as early as June and remaining a threat through the fall. High season runs from December into early spring, when the weather is ideal, but hotels fill up and charge their higher rates.
The takeaway: When the winter is coldest in the continental U.S., the weather and conditions are the best in both of these destinations. But with popularity comes high prices, so be prepared to pay if you visit between December and April.
Where to stay
Cabo: To steal a line from those cheesy real estate shows (that I love so much!): in Cabo, it’s all about location, location, location. In addition to the most popular areas—Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, plus the Tourist Corridor—new neighborhoods are popping up all the time.
Almost exactly halfway between the two main towns (on the Corridor), Grand Velas gives you a central location as well as all-inclusive luxury with huge suites, serpentine beachfront pools, and truly excellent Mexican, and other, cuisine at eight restaurants that may make you never want to leave. Right in the heart of the action in Cabo San Lucas, Hacienda Beach Club and Residences sits directly on Medano Beach, but also very close to the marina and shops and restaurants in the middle of town. And if you’re looking to stay closer to San Jose del Cabo? Just outside of town, Zadun (a Ritz-Carlton Reserve) offers guests the very best of desert and ocean, with a very upscale Mexican flair.
Cancun: The options for where to stay in Cancun are almost endless. But you can narrow things down by your preferred style of hotel and location. For true luxury right in the Hotel Zone, the Kempinski Cancun is a pink palace on the water. Walking the hushed hallways, you could believe you’re in a European castle—but one look out the window, and it’s all palms, pools, and beachfront. Nearby, the Hard Rock Hotel is a great option for music-lovers as well as anyone looking for an all-inclusive that’s a step above (most of) the rest, especially if you opt for Heaven, their adults-only hotel-within-a-hotel that grants access to an exclusive pool, restaurants, and bars. And if you’re looking for a change of pace from the Hotel Zone, just a little north of central Cancun, Planet Hollywood, an Autograph Collection all-inclusive resort, is set apart from the hustle and bustle of downtown. It’s a fun spot to check out Hollywood memorabilia, float the lazy river, and get out on the uncrowded waters to paddle-board and scuba dive.
The takeaway: It’s a wash: Both destinations have an abundance of accommodation options. So you’ll be able to find something that suits whatever your vacation style or location needs are.
What to eat
Cabo: With its waterside location and roots as a fishing village, it’s not surprising that seafood is served on almost every table in town. Crab, shrimp, lobster, as well as fresh fish—including snook, wahoo, and blue marlin—come in off the hardworking boats every day.
You can keep it simple and cheap at tiny taquerias serving up excellent fish tacos along the waterfront. Or, for a more elevated meal, a number of top chefs have recently opened culinary outlets here, including sushi and ceviche fusion at Jean-Georges’ Suviche at the One & Only Palmilla.
For my money, I’ll skip the fancy food and go with something bright, fun, hearty, and local. My favorite: Edith’s, right near Medano Beach, with its big steaming bowls of chowder and classic Veracruz-style fish, featuring the catch of the day.
Cancun: All of the above is also true in Cancun, where the Caribbean location means restaurants serve fresh seafood in abundance. Perhaps the biggest difference? The ancient Maya made the Yucatan their home for thousands of years and their culinary influence continues to impact contemporary cuisine here with moles and other intricately flavored sauces rounding out local menus.
Xkat-Ik is a great place to try it all. Set at the southern end of the Hotel Zone, it’s small and tucked away, with breezy outdoor seating. Order the light, flaky, colorful Tikin-xic fish, prepared with purple onions, orange juice, and achiote. Or a true classic, Cochinita Pibil, slow-roasted pork (often whole suckling pig) traditionally prepared in subterranean fashion (“pibil” means “underground” in Mayan).
The takeaway: Unless you really dislike seafood, you can’t go wrong in either destination. But even if you do? Chefs and cooks in both also prepare chicken, beef, veggies, and pork local seasonings and tasty sauces. So you’re going to eat well, no matter which place you pick.
More places to eat in Cabo and Cancun
Culture
Cabo: Sitting at the tip of the Baja California peninsula, the place we know collectively as Los Cabos—or just Cabo—brings together two main cities. Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, linked by a 20-mile stretch of road known as the “Tourist Corridor.” The former town was once a fishing village. The latter started as a Jesuit mission in 1730.
But both have grown exponentially in the last few decades with the arrival of tourism. New districts and neighborhoods have popped up, each with their own feel and personality. Downtown Cabo San Lucas, for example, bustles with food stands and famous nightclubs. And the Marina, once home to an old cannery, is now filled with activities and life. This is where you come to take a whale-watching tour, or a sunset cruise, then settle in for some ceviche and local lobster at a waterfront restaurant.
Cancun: If you could get in a time machine and visit Cancun’s Hotel Zone in the 1960s, you’d find a rather wild island. There was a coconut plantation, a handful of people to run it, and little else. That’s because Cancun is a planned community, a project pursued by Mexico’s federal government, who financed the first nine resort hotels built here.
It worked—and Cancun is a tourism boomtown. For visitors, this is both positive and negative. On one hand, having a blueprint for development means a community neatly laid out with dozens of resorts stretching along the best stretches of white sand and the aquamarine Caribbean Sea.
The negative: there’s none of that historical patina that comes with years of organic development. Fortunately, its location deep on the Yucatan Peninsula means that the city is surrounded by natural, historical, and archeological wonders. Cool cenote swimming holes, ancient pyramids, and fascinating offshore islands are all nearby.
The takeaway: If you’re looking for a tropical vacation on a perfect resort beach, perhaps punctuated by day trips to amazing locations, Cancun might be the best choice. If you’re eager to explore a number of neighborhoods or looking for nightlife, Cabo might be the better option.
Activities
Cabo: Does partying count as an activity? If so, you’ll find plenty of places here to kick up your heels with a beverage in hand in Cabo. The most classic option is Cabo Wabo. Founded in 1990 by members of the rock band Van Halen (and for years owned by their frontman, Sammy Hagar), it remains one of the world’s most famous places to have a good time, with live music every night. (The name is based on the band’s 1988 song of the same name.)
But all joking aside, Cabo is truly a paradise for those who love to get outside, on land and sea. And the best part: it’s all close by. Ride a horse on the beach. Swing into some world-class golf—Jack Nicklaus designed some of his first courses here, and renowned champions Tiger Woods and Greg Norman have also added their own. And if you love getting an adrenaline surge, try some zip-lining or off-road racing.
But it’s on the water that this destination truly shines. Sport fishing was one of Cabo’s first big draws, and anglers still cast lines for striped marlin, dorado, tuna, and lots more. You can kayak and paddle board on the blue waters of Medano Beach, or head about an hour north to Cabo Pulmo Marine Preserve to snorkel on North America’s oldest coral reef. Swim with sea turtles, eagle rays and even whale sharks. And, of course, a boat trip out to The Arch, or El Arco, is the area’s signature experience—go on a sunset cruise, and spot playful dolphins and sea lions, along the way.
Cancun: Truth be told, in Cancun, if you stay strictly in the Hotel Zone, your activity options are somewhat limited. That certainly doesn’t mean you won’t have fun there. It’s just that most of your pursuits will be bound to the beach.
And it is, I must say, one of the most glorious beaches you’ll find anywhere. It’s only a small exaggeration to say the white sand stretches forever (in actuality: it runs a total of 250 miles). Play some beach volleyball, suntan, and swim. Ride a jet ski, or get airborne as you parasail.
But Cancun is also a place where, if you’re looking for more than just sun and sand, you’ll need to get (a little bit) out of town. Nearby, at places like Xcaret, you can swim in cold, freshwater sinkholes called cenotes. Head north for a catamaran tour to Isla Mujeres, a paradisiacal, castaway island.
And a trip to one of the nearby Mayan ancient sites is a must-do. I wholly recommend a day trip to Chichen Itza, which for hundreds of years was one of the most important cities in the Mayan world. You can feel the history wash over you, as you visit the temples and sports courts and living quarters and the soaring pyramid of one of the world’s great civilizations.
The takeaway: It all depends on what you love to do on vacation. But for anyone who loves to be in, or on, the water, both destinations deliver.
Cost
Cabo: It may not be cheaper here than Cancun, but you definitely have more options. Those traveling on a budget can find rooms in decent, well-rated, local resorts in the $100 range.
Just don’t expect the Ritz-Carlton (which, if you’re wondering, is available for upwards of $1,000 per night at the same time). Flights also span a range (using New York as a barometer) between $500 and $800.
Cancun: Because most of the options are either high-end, five-star hotels or all-inclusive resorts, your per-night rate here will likely be on the higher end. Mid-January, expect to pay $200 to $400 per night or more. Flights during that same period (priced from New York) will be $750 or higher.
The takeaway: While neither destination is inexpensive, your Cabo vacation has the capacity to be a little cheaper than Cancun.