19 Unmissable Things to Do at Moon Palace Cancun

Welcome to Moon Palace Cancun, where our recent family trip revealed just how much this all-inclusive resort in Cancun, Mexico, has to offer. It is the perfect place to get away and relax, spend time with family, and enjoy lots of activities without leaving the resort. 

If you love water activities, you’ll be thrilled with the Water Park and the numerous pools available. There is truly no shortage of things to do at the Moon Palace Cancun properties. You can enjoy a leisurely round of golf, challenge friends to a game of bowling, or engage in a match of tennis or pickleball.

Moon Palace Cancun Overview

This massive resort has three properties, divided into two sections. If you book your stay at Moon Palace The Grand Cancun, you have access to all three properties. If you book your stay at Moon Palace Cancun, you have access to the other two properties, Sunrise and Nizuc.

No matter which property you stay at, there are endless Moon Palace Cancun activities across all three properties. There is so much to do here that you will never get bored!

☞ See Also: The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun: An Honest Review
☞ See Also: Nizuc vs Sunrise: A Review of Moon Palace Cancun

What is Included in your Stay?

Moon Palace Cancun is an all-inclusive resort. This means that all of your food, all of your alcohol, and the majority of activities and entertainment options are included in your vacation stay. 

Additional costs include golf at the golf course, spa treatments, excursions and day trips, shopping, some specialty events such as special dinners, and some experiences such as tequila tasting.

Activities at Moon Palace Cancun

When we booked our trip to this resort, I truly did not realize or appreciate the number and variety of activities available to guests of all ages. Keep reading to find a comprehensive list of all the things to do at Moon Palace Cancun.

1. Pools at Moon Palace 

Pools at The Grand

Moon Palace Cancun offers an exceptional pool experience, particularly at The Grand, where guests can choose from seven distinct pools. These include an adults-only Day Club for those seeking a serene escape, a family-friendly pool located at The Grill, a sports and activity pool for the active and adventurous, and a gorgeous relaxation pool.

The Sports and Activity pool featured a variety of activities organised by resort staff such as morning yoga, water spinning, and water aerobics.

This pool also has a dedicated lane for swimming. Additionally, there are ping pong tables and organized events like bingo, beach, and water volleyball, and spin bikes ensuring there’s lots of fun activities all day long.

Sunrise Pool

The Sunrise Pool stretches across the entire length of the property, offering a large, winding pool filled with unique nooks and crannies. Our favourite spot was located in front of the activity center. Here this pool becomes the centre of entertainment with music, organized games, water volleyball, and more. 

There are also quiet and intimate sections of the pool, perfect for those seeking a more peaceful experience. The Sunrise pool is a larger pool and has more organized activities than the Nizuc pool.

Nizuc Pool

The large Nizuc pool has a sloped entry at one end and several swim-up bar options. In the centre, there is an island, perfect for a DJ or band to perform their music, keeping the guests entertained.

While there are some organized activities, the Nizuc Pool is generally quieter and less crowded than Sunrise, making it an ideal spot for guests looking for a more relaxed poolside experience.

2. Moon Palace Cancun Beach

The beach stretches across all three resorts, and you can easily walk along the beach. There are pool chairs and loungers in many spots along the beach and sections in each of the three properties. Moon Palace servers also take drink and food orders from the beach.

While there are some concerns around the seaweed at the resort, Moon Palace uses tractors to clean the sargassum throughout the day. Amounts vary seasonally.

3. Moon Palace Cancun Restaurants

There are over 25 excellent Moon Palace Cancun restaurant options at all three properties and lots of variety.

Whether you are looking for a buffet, poolside snacks, or fine dining, this resort has an abundance of choices!

Restaurants at The Grand

Our absolute favourite restaurant at The Grand is Habibi. This is a Lebanese restaurant, and the food was absolutely delicious. It’s a very popular option, and so we chose to visit at lunch. This was a great decision, as it was less crowded but had the same menu as dinner.

The Grand also just opened the brand new Circus restaurant. This restaurant is geared towards children, and while we didn’t eat here, the ambiance was pretty cool. It feels as if you are entering a circus as you walk into the restaurant. There is a big top, hot air balloons, circus entertainment, and the dessert table is to die for. 

While I think the menu probably still needs some improvement quality-wise, if you are visiting with kids, this is a must-visit spot. You will want to make dinner reservations early because it does get very busy. 

Poolside, our favourite restaurant was Los Tacos. This restaurant had the best tacos on the resort. It was delicious, fun, and a perfect spot to grab lunch close to the pools and beach.

Restaurants at Sunrise and Nizuc

Our favourite restaurant out of all three properties is actually located at Sunrise. We think that Agra, the Indian restaurant, is one of the best restaurants at Moon Palace Cancun.

All of the resorts have buffet options. I personally think the buffet at Sunrise is the best one out of the buffet options. Not only does the buffet overlook the pool, I just found the layout and the food options to be more to my liking than the other two buffets.

Poolside there are also some fun restaurant options, including Texas BBQ, Pepe’s Pizza, and a food truck with simple snacks like hamburgers and hotdogs. 

4. Moon Palace Cancun Lobby Experience

The lobby is really the hub of all activity at the resort. The Grand, Sunrise, and Nizuc all have their own lobby experiences.

In addition to the check-in/check-out experience, each lobby has a large lobby bar with musical entertainment every evening. The buffet restaurants, cafes, and additional restaurants are located in the lobby, as well as a variety of stores for shopping.

Moon Palace The Grand Lobby

The lobby at The Grand is the largest of all three properties. Here you will find the bowling alley, a karaoke bar, a speakeasy bar (adults-only), and the coffee tasting experience. 

Personally, we really enjoyed the karaoke bar! It was so much fun. And even though we didn’t have the courage to get up and sing, we thoroughly enjoyed watching others who were much braver than us!

Families are welcome to participate in Karaoke early in the evening, but after 9 p.m. it becomes an adults-only bar. 

Bowling is another fun activity available at The Grand at Moon Palace and is only available to guests of the Grand. If you are a sports fan, the bar at the bowling alley was the perfect location to catch up on various sporting events while enjoying a drink at the bar. 

Moon Palace Cancun Sunrise Lobby

We found the lobby at Sunrise, particularly around the bar, to have a very lively atmosphere. We happened to be at the resort during the Super Bowl, and they played the Super Bowl game here, which was a lot of fun!

We have also seen country music bands, 80s music bands, and jazz musicians play here. We found the lobby to be a great place to socialise and meet people later in the evening. 

Moon Palace Cancun Nizuc Lobby

The lobby at Nizuc is smaller and quieter than the Sunrise and Grand lobby. Even though it’s smaller, it is not small! Everything you need is here, including the Cafe, lobby bar, the British-style Pub, and some stores.

5. The Grand Water Park

The Grand Water Park at Moon Palace Cancun is a large water playground perfect for guests of all ages. This impressive water park features a wave pool and a lazy river for those looking to relax and float the day away. 

Thrill-seekers will be delighted by the several large water slides, each with minimum height requirements to ensure safety. 

Additionally, a large water play structure stands as a focal point, complete with a bucket that periodically dumps gallons of water, providing a fun and refreshing surprise. For younger children, there is a splash pad and a smaller water climbing structure. 

The Grand Water Park also has three surf simulators that guests with any level of surfing experience can use!

6. Water Activities at Sunrise and Nizuc

At Nizuc, guests will find a fun, two-story water slide that plunges riders into the main pool. Guests of any age can test out the water slide. There is also a very small, shallow children’s pool at Nizuc. 

At Sunrise, there is a splash pad and a small water park for young children, with several small slides and climbers. This area also has a children’s heated pool. Also located at Sunrise is another one of the FlowRider Surf Simulators that guests of any age can try out.

7. Moon Palace Bars

All of the resorts have a number of different bar options throughout the resort. Of course, there are many swim bars and walk-up bars available around the pools all day. There are also incredible lobby bars with lots of evening entertainment and bands.

At the Grand, there is a unique library bar for adults only. This bar is hidden behind a large bookcase, and inside there are comfy seats and a relaxed speakeasy bar.

At Nizuc, you’ll find The Pub. The Pub emulates a British-style pub environment with that cosy British pub feeling. This one is an adult-only option!

8. Night Clubs at Moon Palace

There are two nightclub options available at Moon Palace. One is at the Grand, and the other is at Sunrise. The nightclubs open for adults later in the evening on certain days of the week. 

What I did like about the Grand Noir nightclub at the Grand is that there was one evening during the week where it was open a little bit earlier for teens aged 14 to 17. I thought this was a great feature if you’re travelling with teens and they’re looking for something fun to do with people their own age.

9. Children’s Club and Playroom

Playroom at The Grand

The children’s club and playroom at The Grand are located in the middle of the water park. 

It is huge! There are two floors, and inside there is a large climber, bumper cars, neon mini-golf, arcade games, and a ropes course. 

On the second floor, there is a kids club for younger children ages 4 to 7. Lots of children were running around, enjoying the playroom.

Sunrise & Nizuc Playroom

Both Nizuc and Sunrise have their own playrooms for children. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to see the playroom at Nizuc, but I did get to check out the kids club at Sunrise.

Overall, I was very impressed with the playroom at Sunrise. The area was bright, colourful, and clean. Inside, there was an arcade room, a climber, and an amazing movie room. And there’s even a skating rink outside the playroom! Lots of different activities for children are offered here, including crafts, games, face painting, and more

While the playroom was smaller than the one at the Grand, I felt it was a bit cozier and less chaotic than the one at the Grand. If I had younger children, I think I would choose the kids club at Sunrise over the Grand.

10. Non-Motorized Water Sports

Located at Sunrise, you will also find non-motorized water sports. Guests can try kayaking, paddleboarding, or learning to sail a catamaran.

11. The Spa at Moon Palace Cancun

There are two spa facilities at the Moon Palace Resorts. One is located in the Grand Lobby, and the other is located at the golf course. The treatments at both spas do require an additional fee, but they are well worth the cost, especially if you have some resort credits.

The Grand Awe Spa

The Awe Spa at The Grand is located in the main lobby. It is a large spa with a hydrotherapy room, a plunge pool, and a relaxation room.

Guests can use these facilities with any of their spa treatments. During our stay, we did couples massages and even tried a seaweed wrap! Everything was fantastic.

Sunrise & Nizuc Spa

There is also a spa available for guests staying at Sunrise or Nizuc. This spa is located at the golf course. It is also a fantastic facility, although it is smaller than the one at The Grand.

Another consideration is that because the spa is located at the golf course, guests will need to plan some additional time to take the transportation shuttle there. 

Also located at the golf course is an Awe Princess Spa designed for girls ages 4 to 12. As guests must be 16 and older to use the spa, this is the perfect alternative. Treatments for girls include manicures, pedicures, hair, and facials.

12. Wired Lounge

Both resorts have a wired lounge, which is essentially an arcade available for children and teens. There are all sorts of video game activities perfect for teenagers looking for something to do on the odd rainy day.

13. Mini-Golf and Bicycles 

There are three mini-golf course facilities at Moon Palace. At The Grand, there is one located inside the playroom, and the other is found beside the water park. The third mini-golf course is located between Sunrise and Nizuc. All three look to be a lot of fun and a perfect family-friendly activity to do at Moon Palace Cancun. 

You can also borrow bicycles to ride around and explore the Palace Resorts. Bicycles can be borrowed beside the mini-golf course at the waterpark at the Grand. Bicycles are also available to borrow beside the mini golf course at Sunrise.

14. Tennis, Pickleball and Basketball Courts

For those who love to play tennis or basketball, there are courts available at both Sunrise and Nizuc. Pickleball courts can be found at Sunrise. There are no tennis or basketball courts located on The Grand property, but as grand guests, you can go to the courts at Sunrise and Nizuc. 

I found the tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts at Sunrise to be the nicer of the two facilities. They appeared to be new, and they are located right beside the Sunrise playroom. There was a little bit more shade and seating at the Sunrise courts.

15. Golf at Moon Palace

Guests staying at any of the Moon Palace Cancun properties can play the impressive 27-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course located at Moon Palace. There is an additional fee to play golf, but resort credits can also be used towards playing if you have them. There are three courses, each with 9 holes. Golfers can combine any two courses to play a full 18 holes. 

If you do choose to play golf, I recommend bringing your own golf balls with you, as they are expensive to purchase at the resort.

Also located at the golf course are the Awe Spa, a pool with a bar and snacks, Golf Course Villas, and a fantastic French restaurant.

16. Nightly Entertainment and Shows

All of the resorts have incredible nightly entertainment and shows. Often, the evening entertainment rotates on a schedule between the three properties. Whether you are staying at the Grand or at the Sunrise and Nizuc properties, you will get a chance to see many of the same entertainment options.

During our stay, we thoroughly enjoyed the Michael Jackson show, magic shows, fire throwing on the beach, and even some really entertaining Mexican wrestling!

17. Excursions and Day Trips

Moon Palace also offers a huge variety of excursions and day trips from the resort. Some of these excursions can be paid for with some of your resort credits, while others may be excluded.

I can’t speak to these excursions authentically because we were so busy on the resort with all the other activities and amenities that we chose not to go on any trips off of the resort during either of our last two visits. 

18. Special Activities and Experiences 

Moon Palace Cancun also offers some specialty events. For example, we could have participated in bird watching at the golf course, bike tours, and free coffee tastings. We did visit one time during the Super Bowl, and the food and activities they prepared for this day were fantastic!

Again, we didn’t even have the time to take advantage of these opportunities, but I really wish we had because they looked like a lot of fun! I guess we’ll save this for our next trip.

There are also some additional experiences, such as wine tasting, romantic dinners, tequila tasting, dolphin swim, and a coffee and chocolate tasting experience, that can be reserved for an additional fee. 

19. Concerts and Music Festivals at Moon Palace

During our last stay at Moon Palace in February, there were two music festivals taking place at Sunrise. Tickets are purchased through a concert vendor. These did look like incredibly fun events, and I really wish we could have gone to see the concerts. 

That being said, if I were not there to attend the concert, I likely would have been overwhelmed with the number of people staying at the resort and the related activities. The pools and restaurants were much busier at Sunrise and Nizuc because of the festivals. I was very glad to have been staying at The Grand at this time. 

The concerts and festivals are definitely adult-oriented, and we found that some of the evening entertainment options were not scheduled during the music festival. I think this would have been quite disappointing to experience if we were travelling with our families at this time and staying at Nizuc or Sunrise.

The Palace Resorts App – A Hidden Gem!

So how do you find out about all of these incredible Moon Palace Cancun activities and events? Well, the Palace Resorts app is your best friend.

If I have one tip for visitors to this resort, it would be to start exploring what’s available and the activity schedule through the app even before you arrive at the resort. I honestly did not understand the value of this app until part way through my first visit.

In addition to being able to use the app to make reservations, the app gives restaurant times, an activity schedule, and entertainment options. It is here that you can plan out some of the activities that you will choose to participate in during your stay.

Should I visit The Grand or Sunrise and Nizuc?

This answer really depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re still undecided, I would suggest reading my article where I review Moon Palace The Grand Cancun, or my article comparing Moon Palace Cancun Sunrise vs Nizuc.

Essentially, the main differences between these properties include the overall size as well as the number of amenities and restaurants you have access to. Because The Grand also allows access to all three properties, this will be reflected in the price difference.