Best way to plan trip to cancun?

expedia or a travel agent...doesn't matter. IMO not using a travel agent saves money but if you don't know an area it's better to have someone help you out. If you want my opinion on resorts I prefer Playa del Carmen/Riviera Maya area better then Cancun. It's a lot less developed...In Playa del Carmen/Riviera it's more natural and more like a beach town then the metropolis that Cancun is. You'd fly to the same airport and the commute to this area is only about 45mins to an hour so it's something to consider. The best resorts that I've seen are Iberostar, Bahia Principe and Barcelo resorts. I've used a travel agent and I've used the sites and both worked great for me.