Dive into a pinch-me paradise

No shrinking violet, Cancun is quick to show off her natural assets. And no wonder. With powdery white beaches, tiny offshore islands and clear turquoise waves, she’s a stunner.

Stretch out on sugary sands, swim in warm seas, snooze to the sound of Caribbean waves and thank Mother Nature for smiling down on this place.

The entire region is rich in stunning scenery, from Mayan pyramids and coconut palms to jungle vines tumbling into sunken swimming holes. You don’t get much more tropical than holidays in Cancun.

Supersize your night out

While the sun-soaked days are deliciously lazy, darkness turns Cancun into a different animal.

With a pimped-up breed of super clubs designed specifically to supersize your fun, Cancun’s nightlife is nothing short of legendary.

You’ll find everything from mega clubs to hipster lounges and salsa dens to hard rock hangouts. There’s a party out there for everyone, so pull on your glad rags and prepare to paint the town red. After all, you’re on holiday in Cancun!

Meet the real Cancun

Despite the luxury hotels, mega-resorts, unsupervised Spring Breakers and souvenir grottoes stacked with sombreros, this place has plenty of soul.

While the Hotel Zone is pretty much reserved for holidaymakers, Downtown Cancun is a place where local people live. Here, you’ll find lashings of Latino spirit, cheap family-run hotels, lively plazas, leafy parks and street food stalls that will have you at hello. If you want to feel like you’re in Mexico, rather than a Mexican-themed tourist park, it’s the real deal.

When to go

With a whopping 253 days of sunshine per year, cheap holidays in Cancun are never a bad idea. Grab your sunnies and get on a plane!

Between December and April, expect unbroken blue skies and dreamy beach temperatures perfect for sipping cold beer on a sun lounger. However, this is also peak season, packed with Europeans fleeing winter, shrieking Spring Breakers getting thrown in swimming pools and families making the most of the Easter break – and not the time to bag cheap all-inclusive family deals in Cancun, sadly.

While snapping up a cheap holiday in Cancun’s high season is tricky, if you travel off-peak it’s a totally different story.

From April until early December, flight and hotel prices can shrink by as much as 50 per cent, making it much easier to get a better deal on all-inclusive package deals in Cancun in 2017.

Technically, rainy season lasts from September to November, although this often means an afternoon downpour that will force you to a) take cover in a cocktail bar or b) grab a sneaky siesta. It’s a tough life.

Events for your diary

If you’re hoping to get an inside glimpse of local life, make sure your holidays to Cancun coincide with Carnival, Mexico’s answer to Mardi Gras.

Like Cancun, it’s colossal, colourful and completely shameless. Think feather-filled floats, sequin-clad samba dancers, never-ending street food stalls and all-night music that will leave your ears ringing for days. Held around mid-February every year, it’s loco.