Q: In the U.K. we don't get a 'spring break' so I wondered if it was the same time as our Easter holidays? I understand lots of teenagers descend on Mexico at this time of year- is this right? We are getting married at a 5* hotel in Cancun over the English Easter break in 2010 and I wondered if our hotel is going to be full of American teenagers? I'm really looking for dates- i.e. "spring break is normally 1st of march-20th march"....
A: Yes you are correct. High school seniors and college students, all in their older teens, do flood into to the Caribbean looking for a fun time, and particularily alcoholic drinks during their spring break, as the legal drinking age here is 21, versus 18 in South America. Our spring-breakers have quite a reputation, as we can tell haha. If you are planning to go during your Easter holidays, during the first days of April, then unfortunately it probably will be quite chaotic during the night - party hours - and pretty crowded during the day at the pool and such. It's true that different high schools and colleges have different spring break dates though (lots of times depending on the area they're located in) so the date range will be quite broad, but my estimation is anywhere between March 15th through April 17th... Second half of March and first half of April should encompass mostly all schools' spring breaks. It changes from school to school erraticly. One year it could begin March 20th, and the next April 10th at that same school, but you can be sure that a number of schools will be out at any given time between those dates. So honestly, if you really want a more tranquil, placid environment for your wedding, maybe consider a "low season" to go to Cancun. Hope this helps and congratulations on your engagement!! =]