Packing lists

What to pack for Cancún in March

March is one of the most reliable months on the Caribbean coast of Mexico. It is warm and sunny almost every day, the humidity has not yet built up, and the sea is calm and clear. It is also spring break, so the hotel zone is busy and prices are at their highest.

So the list is mostly swimwear and light clothes, with a few things for the day trips. The ruins at Chichén Itzá and Tulum are hot, open and shadeless, and the cenotes ask you to rinse off all sunscreen before you swim. Evenings at resorts and in Playa del Carmen are relaxed, but one nicer outfit is worth packing.

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The weather

Daytime high
84°F
29°C, with a steady sea breeze.
Overnight low
70°F
21°C. Comfortable for dinner outside.
Sea temperature
79°F
26°C. Warm enough to swim all day.
Daylight
12 h
Sunset around 6:15pm. The sun is strong from 10am.

The capsule

A week, one traveler, Regatta palette. Navy and white with a flash of red, from the beach to dinner. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.

Regatta palette · 10 pieces · 8 outfits

Tops

  • Linen shirtLinen shirt
  • Cotton tankCotton tank
  • Halter topHalter top

Bottoms

  • Linen shortsLinen shorts
  • Tailored shortsTailored shorts

Dresses

  • Beach cover-upBeach cover-up
  • Slip dress, for dinnerSlip dress, for dinner

Shoes

  • Flip-flopsFlip-flops
  • Flat sandalsFlat sandals
  • Water shoesWater shoes

Three days from this capsule

Chichén Itzá ruins
Swimming in a cenote
Dinner in Playa del Carmen

Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.

The full list

Clothes

  • Two or three swimsuits
  • Beach cover-up
  • Four or five light tops
  • Two pairs of shorts
  • A dress or outfit for a nicer dinner
  • Light long-sleeve shirt for sun
  • Light sweater for air-conditioned rooms and buses

Shoes

  • Flip-flops
  • Sandals for the evening
  • Water shoes for cenotes and rocky entries
  • Sneakers, if you are visiting the ruins

Beach and sun

  • Biodegradable, reef-safe sunscreen
  • Wide-brimmed hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Dry bag
  • Snorkel mask, if you have one that fits
  • Refillable water bottle
  • Packable daypack

Documents and tech

  • Passport
  • Travel insurance details
  • Some pesos in cash for taxis, tips and cenote entry
  • Card for resorts and restaurants
  • Power bank

Health and toiletries

  • After-sun lotion
  • Insect repellent for the jungle and cenotes
  • Stomach remedies
  • Any prescriptions, in your carry-on

Gear worth the space

  • A rash guard

    Snorkeling in the reefs and cenotes means hours face down in the water. A long-sleeve rash guard saves your back and shoulders.

  • A dry bag

    For boat trips to the islands and the cenotes, where you want your phone and cash close but dry.

  • Water shoes

    Light, quick-drying and grippy, for cenote steps, boat decks and rocky shores.

  • A packable daypack

    Room for water, a towel, sunscreen and a change of clothes on a day of ruins and swimming.

Chichén Itzá has no shade, and the cenotes want the sunscreen rinsed off. Packlier packs your March for both.

Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.

One email at launch, nothing else.