ALL-INCLUSIVES SIMPLIFY THE REVELRY IN CANCUN.

Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer

CANCUN, Mexico - It was the last night of her weeklong summer vacation at Club Med, and Pat Dunlap of Del Mar felt her all-inclusive package had delivered more than just food, drinks and activities.

She'd also harvested what she hoped would be lifelong friendships, and that was the best benefit of all.

``I'm having a party at home in two weeks for all the people I've met - from San Luis Obispo, Orange County, Temple City, Redondo,'' said Dunlap as she sat by the expansive pool. ``There should be about 20 people, and I hope they all make it.''

Besides the friendships, what brings Dunlap - and more than 3 million other American tourists per year - back to Cancun is simple: Arguably no tropical destination offers more value, especially for those on all- inclusive plans.

In 1986, there were only 14 hotels in Cancun. Now there are about 200, with more on the drawing boards. Planes arrive every 10 minutes.

During a week in Cancun, as we toured various all-inclusive hotels and embarked on exotic excursions, we came to understand why this resort area nestled on the southeast tip of Mexico has become such a popular Caribbean destination.

Cancun has given Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas a run for their money because it costs about the same (and, in some cases, less) but delivers plenty of excitement.

Our group of three used a travel agent and paid $517 per person for air fare (with one stop in Mexico City) and $315 per person for six nights' all- inclusive lodging at the three-star Aquamarina Beach Hotel in the heart of Cancun's hotel zone.

The beachfront Aquamarina is among Cancun's more economical all-inclusives, but all 200 rooms have ocean views - a major plus. The rooms aren't fancy, but they were found to be clean, large and comfortable.

A resident peacock greeted us every morning, and the buffet-style food - especially the breakfasts, which included made-to-order omelets - was exceptional.

The hotel is situated on the bay side of the coast, so the water was calm. We changed into our swimsuits immediately after arriving and hit the white-sand beach. My wife found a huge starfish moments after entering the ocean.

According to general manager Ileana Paez Gonzalez, about 50 percent to 60 percent of Aquamarina guests are European; perhaps this explained the preponderance of topless sunbathers.

Gonzalez knows the resort can't offer as many facilities or extras as the more popular but pricier all-inclusives, but it makes up for its sparseness by emphasizing personal service and competitive meals.

``The international guests really like the fact that we have healthy food,'' she said. ``We have some guests who have been coming for 14 years in a row.''

A Cancun authority on discounted hotel rates and tours is Allen Magers, a friendly, transplanted Californian who operates cancunvista.com, a commercial booking site. He says he's traveled to nearly every exotic beach location in the world, and this is his favorite.

``It's beautiful, plus it's very Americanized, especially the hotel zone,'' Magers said. ``And you can make it very affordable.

``The all-inclusives are great if you have kids because you don't have to dish out money every time you want a drink or a Coke. Plus, you get all the non-motorized water activities, so the setup is a great deal. And adults, they come looking for romance, so it's nice not to be bothered paying for every little thing.''

Although Cancun can accommodate travelers who want to do nothing more than lounge around the resorts, a number of excursions await the adventurous.

One day, we headed to Xcaret, a breathtaking natural park about 40 minutes away that featured a magnificent beach, a snorkeling inlet, an underground river plus restaurants and animal attractions.

The next day, we took a short ferry ride to Garrafon Park on Isla Mujeres. The park was beautiful and the snorkeling great. Our 15-year-old daughter had a blast jumping off a 20-foot plank into the clear ocean water.

We also wandered among some of the other all-inclusives in the area.

Club Med was the region's first all-inclusive - and it perhaps is still the best. It has a considerable advantage over the others because it has a snorkeling reef on the property - sparing guests the cost of an excursion that often runs around $50. The resort also has its own lagoon and offers free water skiing.

Meals at Club Med are events. Chefs are flown in from Europe, and separate buffet tables are devoted to breads and desserts.

The rooms are purposely simple and functional, a subtle hint that Club Med vacations aren't to be spent in the rooms.

``We're not a five-star resort in the way that Sandals is, but that's not what we're about - we're also half the price,'' said general manager Gus Neale. ``We're for people who are looking to just come here and have a ball.''

Another popular all-inclusive is Cancun Palace, a grand, five-star property featuring a gigantic pool area, several classy restaurants and a sprawling beach.

The Cancun Palace is one of six Palace resorts in Cancun or the nearby Maya Riviera, all within an hour of each other. The hotel has a party atmosphere, with loud music, pool games and waitresses constantly delivering drinks.

We found the Sun Palace to be a bit smaller and not as loud. But the vibe among guests was the same: They loved the unbeatable combination of Caribbean sun, inviting pool, blue ocean - and lots of fruity mixed cocktails.

Two advantages the Palace resorts have over other all-inclusives is they allow guests to visit, eat and drink at the other Palace properties during their stay. Also, guests staying for five days or more are granted two complimentary excursions.

Although Cancun is renowned for the fun it provides in the sun, the region borders on notorious for the wildness it delivers after dark.

The clubs tend to be more rambunctious than what you'll find stateside (at least beyond New Orleans). Expect to encounter thousands of sweaty youngsters dancing, drinking and partying the night away. (The legal drinking age is 18, but Magers joked that if you're tall enough to see over the bar, you'll get served.)

At the popular Coco Bongo club, kids were dancing and cavorting as classic rock blared, confetti rained, strobe lights flashed and servers squirted tequila into thirsty mouths.

We heard that Daddy-o's, La Boom, Senor Frogs and other clubs throbbed in similar fashion, but for us one was enough.

It's not the scene for a married couple in their late 30s, we're afraid, but it was at least worth the experience of peeking in for a few minutes.

IF YOU GO

Cancun tourism:

--www.cancun.com.

--www.cancunvista.com.

--www.caribbean-on-line.com/cn.

--www.cancuntoday.com.

--www.absoluteultimate-cancun-links.com.

Aquamarina Beach Hotel: www.aquamarina-beach.com.mx.

Cancun Palace: www.palaceresorts.com.

Club Med: www.clubmed.com.

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Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Everybody into the pool for volleyball at the Cancun Sun Palace Hotel, left, one of several all-inclusive resorts in the region. There is also plenty of fun in the sun at broad, sandy Cancun Beach, below.

(3 -- 4) While the Aquamarina Beach Hotel in Cancun, above, is inexpensive, every room has an ocean view. At right, dessert is the focal point of the evening meal at Club Med Cancun.

Gerry Gittelson/Daily News

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IF YOU GO (see text)