Cancun vs. Costa Rica

PharCyDe · Joined: 10 Apr 2004 Posts: 64 Location: Tennessee, USA

I've never been anywhere in South America. I know that Cancun is a big visitor spot, especially for high school students looking for a place to go on their Senior Trip. However, it can be costly because they seem to increase the prices for tourists. I have heard that the new popular spot in South America is Costa Rica. Anyone ever been there and have any advice on how to book a vacation there and what to do?

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

Don't go to Cancun unless you just want to hang out in a resort environment. It's fun, it's pretty, the beaches are awesome, but that's all it is.

I've never been to Costa Rica but I love the idea of going up to one of the lodges in the rainforest, and seeing the volcanoes!

Jonathan · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 185

A good friend of mine has been to both and, as Laura says, unless you just want to hang out on the beach, go with Costa Rica.

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

PharCyDe wrote: I've never been anywhere in South America. I know that Cancun is a big visitor spot, especially for high school students looking for a place to go on their Senior Trip. However, it can be costly because they seem to increase the prices for tourists. I have heard that the new popular spot in South America is Costa Rica. Anyone ever been there and have any advice on how to book a vacation there and what to do?

Hear Cancun IS pretty touristy, but my Dad(who has a house in Mexico City & travels ALL OVER Mexico) sez the Yucatan Peninsula is cool-
Chichen Itza, Tulum, Uxmal, if you're into ruins & history!

My bro has been to Costa Rica, for a rafting trip. Said it was GREAT and things were incredibly cheap! :D

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

Touristy can be fun if that's what you're in the mood for! Why else would people go to Las Vegas, Disneyworld, Cancun, etc.?

I keep reading and hearing about people wanting to 'get away from the tourists', and sometimes it comes across as snobbery. Everyone has their own idea of fun and sometimes that kind of fun is quite amusing indeed. Who would go to New York and avoid the Empire State Building because it's too touristy? Or the Eiffel Tower in Paris?

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

Laura wrote: Touristy can be fun if that's what you're in the mood for! Why else would people go to Las Vegas, Disneyworld, Cancun, etc.?

I keep reading and hearing about people wanting to 'get away from the tourists', and sometimes it comes across as snobbery. Everyone has their own idea of fun and sometimes that kind of fun is quite amusing indeed. Who would go to New York and avoid the Empire State Building because it's too touristy? Or the Eiffel Tower in Paris?

When I spend an entire day on a plane to get to a country I've never visited before SURELY I will visit the tourist spots, but crowds and congestion tire me and can be avoided. One of my hobbies is photography, and there is nothing worse than having what could turn out to be a beautifully executed photograph of a World Heritage Site be spoiled by tour buses lined up in front of it. I simply plan my vacations accordingly, prefer the off seasons to high seasons and get up at the crack o' dawn to do some decent shooting.

squirrel · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 74 Location: Bucharest, Romania

I'd go anywhere in South America where they have Salsa dancing! Any suggestions?

Jonathan · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 185

squirrel wrote: I'd go anywhere in South America where they have Salsa dancing! Any suggestions?
Sure... anywhere you can take me with you! :wink: :wink: :wink:

squirrel · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 74 Location: Bucharest, Romania

hmmm... interesting proposal, Jonathan... let's go to Puerto Rico (I know it's not in South America... but they have SALSA!)

ScooterMacG · Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 2

PharCyDe wrote: I've never been anywhere in South America. I know that Cancun is a big visitor spot, especially for high school students looking for a place to go on their Senior Trip. However, it can be costly because they seem to increase the prices for tourists. I have heard that the new popular spot in South America is Costa Rica. Anyone ever been there and have any advice on how to book a vacation there and what to do?
are you a high school student looking for a senior trip? i've been to both places - cancun many times and costa rica twice. they are two TOTALLY different places. i'd be glad to help you out with either. i have some great travel tips for costa rica. we had a tour company handle all of our arrangements and we couldn't have been happier with their service and the resulting trip. email me directly at onehelluvaguy@hotmail.com and i'll be glad to do what i can. scott

Jonathan · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 185

We interupt your regularly scheduled forum to say a big Travel Forums welcome to ScooterMacG/scott! ...and now back to your regularly scheduled forums...

Muchacho · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Newfoundland

I've never been to Cancun, but I have been all over Costa Rica. Everywhere you go, either salsa or reggae music is very prevalent. You can hear and dance to salsa all over the country (or, as in my case, TRY to dance salsa lol), and you can hear and dance to reggae mainly on the Carribean coast. The people in Costa Rica are very good dancers. If you go to Costa Rica, make sure you check out Manuel Antonio's 3rd beach - it's the most beautiful beach I have ever seen. Iguanas will walk by, and monkeys swing thru the trees behind you as you're lying around on the beach, and there wasn't many people there when I was there (in November).

Have fun! I know you will.