Planning a vacation and wondering, “When is the best time to visit Cancun?” This guide will share everything to know about the Cancun rainy season, the cheapest time to go to Cancun, and the best months to go to Cancun for excellent weather.
While there’s no bad time to visit Cancun, I’d argue there is a best time to go to Cancun. Of course, this depends on your personal tastes and preferences. Generally, December to April are considered the best months to visit Cancun for the perfect mix of rain and sunshine.
Let’s dive into the best month to visit Cancun for incredible weather!
QUICK TIP: Book your tours, rental cars, and transfers through my local contacts
I’ve been working with Living Dreams Mexico for years and they are who I send all my family and friends to when they visit the Riviera Maya. I really can recommend them enough for private tours and experiences. They have solid 5* reviews on Trip Advisor and Google from almost 4000 reviewers! You can view all their tours here.
If you’re looking for private airport transfers and rental cars then Vanessa and Oliver from Turismo Channel are personal friends of mine and I can 100% recommend them to make an inquiry click here and complete the form. Someone will be in touch within 24 hours.
When is the Best Time to Go to Cancun?
Best Weather in Cancun
Beaches are the main appeal of any Cancun vacation, so the best time to travel to Cancun is winter. These colder months guarantee the best weather in Cancun, with temperatures ranging between 75 °F and 90 °F. While generally sunny, it can still get cold at night.
Mexican hurricane season, also known as the Cancun rainy season, falls between June and November. This might be considered the cheapest time to go to Cancun, but expect a lot of cloudy, rainy weather.
If you decide to travel during this period, I recommend purchasing travel insurance to refund your expenses if you have to cancel your trip due to a hurricane or weather concerns.
Quick Tip: Book accommodation, tours, and transport ahead of time online to save money and stress.
Best Cancun Tours: Click here to check out the top Cancun tours
Best Cancun Accommodation: Click here to check out the best accommodation in Cancun
Best Cancun Transport: Click here to book a bus, ferry, or train in Cancun
Cheapest Time to Go to Cancun
I feel great when I save on airfare since I’ll have more to spend on vacation. There are many tactics to get the perfect flight deal for your vacation, and these tips and tricks will help you spend less on airfare. One of the best ways to get an affordable ticket is to book in advance—however, you don’t want to book too far ahead of time, as you may get a worse deal. With this in mind, the best time to book your flight to Cancun is three to four months in advance. Airfare tends to be cheaper during the off-season (early to mid-fall and late spring).
What about average Cancun hotel prices? The best month to go to Cancun for incredible hotel deals is September or October. I also recommend reserving your room once you purchase your flight ticket, as the earlier you book, the better.
Cancun has several kid-friendly hotels with babysitting facilities, themed water parks, an outdoor playground, and much more for kids to love. If you’re planning an all-inclusive family vacation to Cancun, expect to spend more on amenities like pools, spas, restaurants, and scuba centers.
Best Time of Year to Go to Cancun for Great Deals
The best months to visit Cancun for great deals on transportation and accommodations are July through October, during the Cancun rainy season. You can also enjoy good deals in September, October, and November since they coincide with hurricane season. Hurricanes have only occurred a handful of times in Cancun over the past few decades, so the chances of experiencing one during your trip are slim.
However, you still want to be prepared for simultaneously humid, dry, rainy, and hot days. This is the best time of year to visit Cancun if you enjoy warm weather with bursts of rain. You can also save on airfare and hotels during the Cancun rainy season.
Quick Tip: I highly recommend booking all of your Mexico transportation with GottoGo. You can search for buses, shuttles, ferries, and Flights on their website. What I love most about them is their customer service. I know these guys personally from living in Guatemala, and they look after their customers.
If anything happens and you get delayed and miss your bus, you can just call them, and they are always there to help. If you book through them, you will pay a little more than booking in person at the bus station. But it’s worth it for the ease and security. Click here to search for transportation in Mexico.
Best Time to Visit Cancun with Kids
When traveling with kids, you need to plan fun activities to keep them busy and happy throughout your stay to prevent boredom and tantrums.
For families, the best time to go to Cancun is April to June and the month of November. Not only are hotels and flights cheaper during these periods, but there are also plenty of fun and unique things to do.
This is also the best time of year to visit Cancun because the weather is fabulous for outdoor activities, and there are fewer crowds. Whether you want to spend an exciting day at an adventure park, have an education day touring the Mayan ruins, or sightseeing, you’ll have perfect conditions.
The water temps this time of year are ideal for swimming and Cancun snorkeling—you may encounter whale sharks and sea turtles in May and June, a thrilling experience!
Avoid visiting during Thanksgiving, as every American family seems to visit Cancun during that time. The Holy Week (Semana Santa) before Easter is also a busy time.
Best Months to Go to Cancun for Outdoor Sightseeing
The best time to visit Cancun for outdoor sightseeing is December through April—I recommend checking out sites like Chichen Itza, Valladolid, and one of the many local jungle adventure parks.
During this period, you’ll experience balmy temperatures, sunny days, minimal rain, and relatively low humidity. You’ll enjoy sightseeing throughout Cancun thanks to the beautiful conditions.
While there are many things to do in Cancun during this time, be prepared for crowded attractions, hotels, and beaches, as it’s also peak tourist season in Cancun.
Quick Tip: You can book Crystal Boat Cancun tour from Living Dreams Mexico here.
Best Time to Go to Cancun to Party
Cancun has a very active nightlife scene, with dusk-to-dawn parties almost every night of the week. You can find fantastic bars and nightclubs near Zona Hotelera’s Punta Cancun to enjoy a night of fun, dancing, and drinks.
Spring is considered the best time to travel to Cancun for parties. There are round-the-clock events like shows by famous DJs and bikini contests. Many parties also happen from June to mid-July, when newly graduated high school students celebrate their last days of freedom before entering college.
Finally, December through February is an excellent time to visit for a “grown-up” version of partying. While the bars and clubs will still be crowded, the average age of partygoers is closer to 25.
Did You Get Travel Insurance Yet?
The Insurance companies I recommend are Hey Mondo and Safety Wing
Hey Mondo is great if you are looking for a great value flexible policy. They offer single-trip cover, annual multi-trip cover, and long-term travel cover. Safety Wing is great value, with monthly coverage starting at $45.08. It’s super easy to use, and it just renews each month. I currently use them as they offer me free cover for my son as part of my policy.
Read my full travel insurance post here, where I go into detail about all companies.
Looking for a place to stay in Cancun?
Mayan Monkey Hotel & Hostel Cancun
COBA STUDIOS by Mi Casa es tu Casa
Selina Cancun Laguna Hotel Zone
Cancun Travel Guide Planning
🧳 Any recommendations on what I should pack for Cancun?
Yes! I have created a whole packing guide to Cancun which you can read here and you can also check out my packing list for Cancun on Amazon here.
🚗 Where can I book bus or private transportation while I’m in Cancun?
I strongly recommend using GottoGo. You can book almost all transport in the major Mexican tourist destinations through them online. They don’t just cover buses they also cover shuttles, ferries, and private drivers.
🎫 Where can I buy tickets for museums, attractions, and tours in Cancun?
I recommend either Viator or GetYour Guide.
If you are traveling to Cancun you can use GoCity and save up to 55% of the initial cost of entrance tickets to various museums, tours, and attractions!
If you are traveling to Playa del Carmen then I recommend booking through my friend Vanessa at Turismo Channel. You can check out their tours by clicking here and using the following discount codes for the best prices clairecaroff (car rental), claire10off (for 10% off group tours), claireprivate (for a discount on private tours). You can also send her a WhatsApp message quoting the above codes to receive the discount.
👩⚕️ What is the best insurance to have while traveling?
I recommend using Heymondo for a great value policy. The app also offers you 24/7 Dr Chat. For Digital Nomads check out SafetyWing digital nomad insurance.
I have also written a blog post covering all my recommended travel insurance here
✈️ Any flight recommendations?
WayAWay offers you cheap flights with cashback. You can use this code CLAIRE22 to get 10% off. Otherwise Skyscanner or Expedia are my go-to flight searching platforms.
📱What do you use for internet connection while traveling?
I’m a big fan of personal WiFi devices and they have saved my ass so many times when traveling. I wrote a full review of the top travel WiFi devices you can read here. I personally use GlocalMe as I can either pop in a physical sim card or use their local carrier.
With regards to my phone connection, I use e-sims while traveling, so rather than having to swap out my regular sim card I can download the app and buy a virtual sim card. I recommend using eitherAirhub or Alosim. Both have great coverage of multiple countries and are very easy to use.
🛏️ What is the best platform to use for booking accommodation?
The 3 best platforms that I normally use are Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Expedia They offer great deals and multiple options. I always check all three to be sure of the best deals.
🛅 Do you have any luggage recommendations for traveling?
I do have a complete list of the best packing and luggage products that I recommend, you can check the list here. I’m currently traveling with this suitcase and this backpack.
Cancun Best Time to Visit: Final Thoughts
When is the best time to visit Cancun, Mexico? Now, you have all the key information on the best months to visit Cancun for excellent weather. Cancun is a beautiful place for families, couples, and solo travelers, with no shortage of fun things to see and do. September is the best month to go to Cancun for low prices, while April through July is considered the best time of year to go to Cancun for beautiful weather.
What are you waiting for? Start planning your trip to Cancun already! Remember that booking your flights three to four months in advance will help you save on airfare.
Author Bio
My name is Theodore, and I run the blog camperfront.com, where I talk about travel trailers, RV Campers, and general camping