On 25 October the UK clocks go back and it gets dark before five. In Cancun, the sea is 29°C and the sun sets at seven.
TUI is flying non-stop to Cancun from London Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester from £346 return. These are last-minute fares, with departures from this week until the end of October 2026.
✈️ The deal
- From: London Gatwick, Birmingham or Manchester
- To: Cancun, Mexico
- Airline: TUI
- Stops: Non-stop
- Price: £346–£397 return
- When: October–November 2026
London Gatwick to Cancun:
06/10/2026 - 20/10/2026
08/10/2026 - 22/10/2026
29/10/2026 - 12/11/2026
Birmingham to Cancun:
07/10/2026 - 21/10/2026
11/10/2026 - 18/10/2026
14/10/2026 - 28/10/2026
Manchester to Cancun:
06/10/2026 - 20/10/2026
08/10/2026 - 19/10/2026
27/10/2026 - 10/11/2026
Hand luggage is included in the fare. Checked bags cost extra.
💰 How far does your money go?
Step off the Hotel Zone and Cancun gets cheap fast. A taco al pastor from a downtown stand costs around £1, and a cold Corona in a local bar about £2, less than a third of a London pint. A full plate of cochinita pibil with tortillas is around £5, and the ADO bus to Playa del Carmen costs about £7.
☀️ The weather
October in Cancun means highs of 31°C, nights around 24°C and a sea temperature of 29°C. It is the tail end of the rainy season, so expect short, heavy showers, usually in the afternoon. By early November the humidity drops, the rain eases off and the dry season begins.
🏨 Where to stay
Downtown for value, the Hotel Zone for the beach.
Hotel Kin Mayab · 8.3/10 · From £45/night A simple hotel with a pool on Avenida Tulum, a short walk from Mercado 28 and the bus station.
Hotel NYX Cancun · 8.6/10 · From £95/night A modern Hotel Zone base with a beachfront pool, between the lagoon and the Caribbean.
Nizuc Resort & Spa · 9.2/10 · From £550/night Private villas and plunge pools at the quiet southern tip of the Hotel Zone, with one of Mexico's best spas.
🎯 What to do
Cancun is more than the resort strip, with Maya ruins and wildlife inside the city limits.
El Rey archaeological zone. Small Maya ruins in the middle of the Hotel Zone, shared with dozens of iguanas.
Isla Contoy. A protected bird sanctuary island with a daily visitor cap, reached by boat in about 45 minutes.
Sunset on the Nichupté lagoon. The west side of the Hotel Zone faces the lagoon, the best spot in town for the sunset.
Xcaret by night. The evening show at Xcaret park, a two-hour celebration of Mexican music and dance, 50 minutes south.
🗺️ Where to go from here
Cancun is the starting point for the whole Yucatán Peninsula.
Valladolid. A colonial town with pastel streets and a cenote right in the centre, about two hours by ADO bus.
Ek Balam. A Maya city with a pyramid you can still climb, around two hours inland.
Bacalar. The lagoon of seven colours, around four and a half hours south by bus.
Mérida. The cultural capital of Yucatán, with grand colonial squares and the best food in the region, about an hour by plane. Search flights
£346 return to the Caribbean, departing this month. Last-minute fares like this do not stay around for long.
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