CANCUN, Mexico – At 32,000 feet in the air, it appears – a majestic blend of sapphire and azure water, seemingly endless, outside the porthole window.

The plane lands and waiting just outside the airport doors is the welcome cantina bar, a fitting reminder of the location – Cancun, Mexico.

College students have been flocking to this ocean-side locale for sun, surf and all the adult beverages they can get their hands on. Every year, this Spring Break Mecca welcomes its young crowd with open arms and open bars.

Carlos Martinez, an activities coordinator at the Great Parnassus Hotel, said two of the most popular hotels for spring breakers are the Gran Caribe Real and the Oasis Cancun.

The Gran Caribe is an all-inclusive resort overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

Ricardo Contla, manager of the Gran Caribe Real, said the hotel attracts a lot of spring breakers because the management staff knows what the crowd is looking for.

“I tell my staff, ‘Take care of these kids now, because they’re going to come back in four or five years and will be successful business people,'” Contla said.

Contla said he thinks the Gran Caribe Real has one of the best daily activities and event schedules compared to other hotels in the area.

Daniel Hernandez, the director of activities and events at the Gran Caribe Real, said his staff gears the daily activities to coincide with the interests of their Spring Break guests.

“We do water volleyball, dance lessons and contests, among other things,” Hernandez said. “But our most popular event is tequila volleyball. It’s water volleyball, but if you make a mistake, you have to take a pull from one of our big tequila slammers.”

At night, the hotel takes guests to area clubs, Hernandez said.

“Guests pay the same price as the club cover charge and we provide the transportation,” Hernandez said. “The best part is, if guests come with us they get to skip the line to get into the club.”

Most hotels in the hotel zone offer a similar club service. Usually the groups meet in their hotel lobby and depart for a different club each night.

Some of the most popular include Daddy Rock, Daddy’O, The City, Pat O’Briens, Senor Frogs, Basic, Bulldog and Coco Bongo.

Coco Bongo is one of the most popular clubs in Cancun and looks as if it belongs among the lights of Las Vegas rather than a tropical paradise.

Ricardo Ramon, manager at Coco Bongo, said the club is popular because of the mix of music and continuous shows.

“The thing that sets us apart from the other clubs is definitely our shows,” Ramon said. “People not only can dance here, but there is always a show going on for them to watch.”

After the initial shock of the $40 cover charge to enter Coco Bongo, an escalator directs patrons up to one of many open bars. Turn right past the bar and dance the night away amid a laser light and stage show that looks like a twisted blend of Disney World and a Las Vegas cabaret.

After a night out, the beach may be the place to be, however, if you’re looking for something a little more exciting, AquaWorld Cancun offers sight-seeing tours and water sports activities.

Diego Petul, marketing manager at AquaWorld Cancun, said AquaWorld is one of the largest activity centers in Cancun.

“We offer jungle tours, Jet Ski rentals, parasailing, scuba diving and a lot of other stuff,” Petul said. “Of course, one of our most popular activities for Spring Break is the booze cruise.”

If it is rest and relaxation that is expected for Spring Break, Cancun is probably not the place to be. But, if you’re looking for a trip that guarantees you’ll come home with plenty of stories, this is the spot.

For Your Info

All hotel nightclub services say they offer transportation, but only some offer transportation back to the hotel from the club. Check on this with a guest services representative at your hotel. Should you need to leave the club early, taxis are abundant in the downtown area and cost about $10 from clubs to hotels.The Jungle Tour at Aquaworld is not worth the money. It’s not a real jungle and the wave runners can barely carry two people.

The exchange rate in Mexico is 11 pesos to $1.