Ancient Mayan ruins, palm-fringed Caribbean beaches, fishing villages and Spanish colonial towns mix a chronology of cultures with year-round sun. And, of course, plenty of tequila, fajitas and enchilladas. Although the town of Cancun itself has been enormously developed, a cheap holiday to Cancun can either be just that, or, if you prefer, a gateway to the real Riviera Maya.

How to get there
Most of the major tour operators offer cheap holidays in Cancun, either as full packages or as a flight plus hotel, or if you prefer, just a flight to Cancun. Thomson, Thomas Cook and First Choice run several direct flights to Cancun per week, which take about 10 hours and depart from London, Manchester and Glasgow. These are usually a cheaper, quicker and more convenient way of booking Cancun holidays than with American Airlines and Continental Airlines, whose dates are more flexible but often involve one or two stopovers, taking from 16 up to 21 hours!

When to go
For a holiday to Cancun with an abundance of vibrant flowers in full spring bloom, January to March is the time to go: this is really the Yucatan peninsular at its best, brimming with life and colour. Consequently, these are also the most crowded and often most expensive months for a Cancun holiday. Temperatures are warm throughout the year, the hottest temperatures reaching up to 38 degrees C in May. Beware of July-November as this is hurricane season in the area: this part of the Yucatan peninsula has been hit before. December can provide the best all-round solution for a cheap holiday to Cancun, with high temperatures, lots of sun, little rain and - before mid-December - often lower prices than in their spring. So not only do you get cheap airfares, your also more likely to find a hotel bargain in Cancun.

What to do
Cancun itself is set around a stunning bay, and fully moulded to package toursim: restaurants of every kind, cinemas, and nightclubs abound. But there is plenty of real Mexico within easy reach. An hour away to the south, Playa del Carmen is still popular with tourists and developing fast, but is smaller and quieter than Cancun and has plenty of dive schools: hard to resist in the turquoise Caribbean, teaming with vivid marine life.

Holidays in Cancun can also offer an island escape. If you fancy it you can hop on a boat to the chilled hang-out of Isla Mujeres, or alternatively to the larger island of Cozumel. If you want to get a taste of the Spanish influence on the area and indulge in some truly hispanic hedonism, check out bustling, colonial Merida. The capital of the Yucatan, it is the place to go for food, theatre and, crucially, dancing!

If holidays in Cancun for you mean taking in a bit of Mayan architecture, then you'll be spoilt for choice in the Riviera Maya: Tulum and Chichen Itza are the best known sites and accessible as day trips from Cancun. And this needn't just be a holiday to Cancun: Havana is only an hour's flight - Mexicana offers daily flights from only $150.

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