All-inclusive in Cancun and the Riviera Maya
Cancun and the Riviera Maya, all-inclusive, zone by zone.
The largest all-inclusive coast in the world, from the Hotel Zone to Tulum. The zone you pick sets the beach, the transfer and the trip.
Both open in a new tab. Rates, dates and reviews are there.
The flight is the other half
An agent prices every airline flying into Cancun (CUN) on your dates, with bags and seats included, and you hear the total before anything is charged. Book the resort once the flight is confirmed.
Toll-free. No obligation.
Which zone?
Cancun's airport feeds about 80 miles of all-inclusive coast. The Hotel Zone is the original strip on the sandbar; Costa Mujeres, north of the city, is the newest stretch with calm water and adults-only resorts; Playa del Carmen and Playacar put a walkable town outside the gate; the Riviera Maya proper, between Playa and Tulum, is the long run of large self-contained resorts; and Tulum's are the smaller, pricier ones at the southern end. Every package includes the room, the meals, the drinks and the entertainment; the differences are the beach, the age policy and how far you are from the plane.
01
Hotel Zone, Cancun
The classic strip with the big resorts, the nightlife at Punta Cancun and the widest choice of family and adults-only properties.
Suits: First visits, families, nightlife
Transfer: about 20 to 30 minutes
02
Costa Mujeres
North of the city: newer resorts on a calm, reef-protected beach with less seaweed, many adults-only. Quiet, with the city and the ferry to Isla Mujeres close.
Suits: Couples, calm water, newer resorts
Transfer: about 40 minutes
03
Playa del Carmen and Playacar
Resorts on the gated Playacar beach with the town of Playa del Carmen, its restaurants and the Cozumel ferry, a walk away.
Suits: People who want a town outside the gate
Transfer: about 45 to 60 minutes
04
Riviera Maya
The long coast between Playa and Tulum: very large resorts with several restaurants, kids' clubs and their own beaches, with nothing outside the gate but the highway.
Suits: Families, big-resort stays, water parks
Transfer: about 60 to 90 minutes
05
Tulum
Smaller, higher-end resorts at the southern end, near the ruins and the cenotes. Two hours from the airport and the quietest nights.
Suits: Couples, design-led resorts
Transfer: about 2 hours
Resort links open Expedia in a new tab, filtered to all-inclusive properties. All Travel Fun earns a commission on bookings made through them; it does not change what you pay. Transfer times are approximate.
What all-inclusive means here
- What the package covers
- The room, all meals at buffets and most a la carte restaurants, drinks including alcohol, non-motorized water sports, pools, gym, kids' clubs where offered and the evening shows. Tips are usually included but welcome.
- What it does not
- Airport transfers unless the listing says so, spa treatments, motorized sports, premium wine and spirits at some resorts, some specialty restaurants, excursions off the property and the Mexican tourist taxes some resorts collect at check-out.
- Adults-only and family
- Most resorts declare one or the other and enforce it. Several brands run an adults-only resort beside a family one with shared facilities; the listing says which building you are booking.
When to go
- December to April
- Dry, warm and the high season. Christmas, New Year and spring break are the peak weeks for price and crowds.
- May to August
- Hotter and more humid, with lower rates and the heaviest seaweed on east-facing beaches. Whale sharks swim off Isla Mujeres from June.
- September to November
- The rainy and hurricane season, with the lowest rates and the emptiest resorts. Watch the forecast; November is usually settled and good value.
Questions before you book
How do I compare all-inclusive resorts?
Decide the zone first, then the age policy, then compare the included restaurants and the beach on the listing. Each Expedia listing shows the current rate, what is included, the reviews and the cancellation terms.
Does the flight come with the package?
Not through these links. The resort is booked on Expedia; the flight is a separate booking. Call us to price the flight to Cancun on your dates, and book the resort once the flight is confirmed.
Is Costa Mujeres better than the Hotel Zone?
For calm water, newer rooms and less seaweed, yes. For nightlife, shopping and the shortest transfer, the Hotel Zone wins. Both are a short ride from the city.
How do I book a resort from this page?
Each "See resorts" button opens Expedia's hotel search for that zone, filtered to all-inclusive properties, with live rates, what is included, reviews and the cancellation terms. You book and pay there. All Travel Fun earns a commission on bookings made through those links; it does not change what you pay.
Plan the rest of the trip
- Things to do in Cancun
- Where to stay in Cancun, including room-only hotels
- Mexico and Central America Flights by Phone
Flights to Cancun (CUN)
Other all-inclusive coasts
Flying into Cancun (CUN)?
One call, every airline on the route, the total with bags and seats before you decide. Nothing is charged until you say yes.
Toll-free. No obligation.