Say you’re staying a week at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun’s Hotel Zone…and you realize you are getting bored just laying around poolside, bellying up to the swim-up bar, and eating like there’s no tomorrow.  What do you do?

Consider a day trip to Ventura Park Cancun, an easy to reach fun park with various thrills that is located just south of Cancun’s Hotel Zone.  You can reach it in various ways–take a cab from your resort (get a quote from a bellman at the resort’s front entrance so there won’t be any $ surprises), take a public bus for $1 USD p/p p/trip–R2 buses used to be the primary buses which would go south to Ventura Park, but you can wait at any south-going bus stop and ask the next bus driver which buses go to Ventura.  Most buses will have signs on their windshields if a destination is an out of the way place or a popular place for easier identification for those waiting at a bus stop.  Or, you can order an ADO bus ticket on the park’s website which leaves from the main bus stop in downtown Cancun.  Not very convenient to get to from most all-inclusive resorts if staying in the Hotel Zone because you’d be heading north instead of south just to get the ADO bus.

Ventura Park Cancun is divided into 5 “worlds”, or activity areas:

1. Wet’n Wild.  Includes a lazy river, inner tube slides, wave pool, several waterslides, and children’s water park area.
2. Aaah! Ventura. Zip lines, bungee swing, traverse aerial bridges.
3. Fun World.  This park area is primarily for young children.  It includes a small roller coaster, carousel, swing chairs, and children’s playground.
4. Grand Prix.  Go-karting at up to 25 m.p.h.  Children have to be age 14 to drive their own go-kart.
5. Underworld.  Virtual reality activities including Star Wars Battle Pod video game, navigate through a laser maze, or race remote control cars (this last one is not virtual reality).

Ventura Park Cancun also has a dolphinarium on-site, but that is an extra charge–vacationers can have access to the dolphins when purchasing a VIP Pass.

Be aware that several “worlds” require participants to be absolutely dry–Underworld, Grand Prix, and the rides at Fun World require dry clothing.  Save Wet’n Wild for later on in the day after you’ve finished all the activities you want which require dry clothing.

Here’s the packages the park offers:

• Fun Pass.  Includes Fun World, Wet’n Wild, Aaah! Ventura, and one buffet admission p/pass.  Regular admission rate is $56 USD p/adult (ages 12+), $48 USD p/child (ages 5-11).
• Platinum Pass.  Includes everything in the Fun Pass along with the Grand Prix, unlimited soft serve ice cream, unlimited buffet, unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, and National Open Bar (well drinks and Mexican beer, age 18+).  Regular admission rate is $67 USD p/adult, $59 USD p/child.
• VIP Pass.  Includes everything in the Platinum Pass along with Underworld and  interaction with dolphins.  Regular admission rate is $200 USD p/adult, $161 USD p/child.

The park’s website periodically offers great discounts if you want to order ahead–the park has a rainy day policy stating if it rains prior to noon you can get a rain check for another day.

Bring along some extra pesos to rent lockers or towels if you don’t have any to bring.  There may be extras that you may want to pay for along the way, so come prepared.

Here’s a video done by Ana Way highlighting some of the attractions at this park…what do you think?  Is this a good way to get rid of boredom while in Cancun?