Mexico is a country of contrasts: tropical jungles, palm-fringed beaches, majestic ruins of the Aztecs and Mayans. It's also a troubled place, where drug gang crime has spiralled out of control, especially in the North of the country. But you will very rarely see someone lay under a cactus with a big sombrero on his head.

 

Cancun

Cancun is often notorious for being a party beach resort to American school leavers partying on the sand, though that's mainly during March-April. Cancun is split into two parts: the Hotels zone which is mile after mile of perfect beach with huge nice hotel after huge nice hotel on the beach, catering for tourists (primarily Americans). Then Downtown which is where most local Mexicans reside. All beaches are public but there are not many public footpaths to actually get to them.
There's some cool daytrips out of Cancun like the resort park Xcaret, the Chaak Tun cenote, the Mayan ruins of Chitzen Itza, or the Isla Mujeres island.

 

Las Coloradas

Las Coloradas are stunning cotton-candy pink lakes filled with salt. Some places the water was more pink than others and there's a beach where the pink lake touches the sea. The pink water feels very thick and greasy and it does not mix with the sea water. There are also some wild animals like pink flamingos.