Spring Break hits Cancun… in February! Marines patrol streets as hard-partying American students roll in
- 45,000 holidaymakers are expected to flock to the holiday resort over the next month or so including thousands of Spring-Breakers
- Scenes of drunken debauchery are commonplace at the Mexican resort popular for its fine weather and party atmosphere
- Marines patrol the city in order to ensure the revelry doesn’t get out of hand
- This year it is the number one choice for students getting away for their week long break, according to student travel agent STA travel
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Getting the party started: Students have already started hitting the clubs of Cancun, pictured last night, marking an earlier Spring Break than usual
On patrol: Mexican navy marines were out yesterday to ensure there was no trouble among Spring Breakers in the resort
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Spring Break chaos has arrived early in Mexico’s Cancun this year with American college students already beginning their revelry across the resort.
Hundreds of students have been pictured starting the party early in the Mexican city today, drinking heavily and dancing the night away with marines on patrol to ensure no one gets too carried away.
This year Cancun was found to be the number one destination for students looking to enjoy the typically wild week-long holiday which doesn’t usually get going until March.
Soak up the sun: Mexican Navy sailors patrol the beach as revelers relax during spring break last year
As student advice website Student City says, visitors shouldn’t be expecting a quiet time: ‘In Cancun, the party never stops, so you may want to choose your spring break hotel based on the noise-level. Chances are that if you don’t choose a quiet one, you’ll just be up for 7 days straight. And that may not be a bad thing for some of you.’
However, no matter how many of them there are, it seems the party-goers won’t be able to escape the long arm of the law.
Mexican Navy Marines were pictured patrolling the popular nightclubs of the city yesterday starting a season where on average 45,000 people will visit the resort.
The local tourist board is keen to maintain safety in the area, particularly amid fears in Mexico that tourism will decrease as a result of violence in the tourist town of Acapulco.
Six Spanish women holidaying there earlier this month were tied by their bikinis and raped and robbed by a gang of men.
Heavy drinking: Party-goers typically engage in heavy drinking in the Spring Break hotspot, pictured
Party by the pool: The resort’s hotels are overrun by Spring Breakers – typically in March – but some colleges assign the week off in February
There have been six arrests in connection to the incident.
Jesus Almagauer, chief executive of the Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Cancun was not a city struggling to keep the peace.
‘Last year Cancun welcomed almost 4 million visitors, and while none of our tourists were victims of violent crimes, we understand that safety is always a concern when traveling to a foreign country,’ he told the LA Times.
‘In response to that concern, and in an effort to dispel any misconceptions about the destination, we always amplify our security protocol during peak travel times to ensure the safety of every person visiting us. [Cancun] has better safety records than most major U.S. cities.’
Last year the Department for Public Safety in Texas sparked a row with Mexican authorities for advising against travel to the resort – for the third year running.
They said violence between rival drug gangs as well as other crime posed safety issues for tourists.
Not in the library any more: Every year students head for sunnier climes during their week long break from college to enjoy days on the beach and nights on the dance-floor