I love traveling to places I’ve never been to before and since I’ve visited Cozumel and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in the past, I knew I had to visit a new area of Mexico and cross some things off my bucket list. I had a great time in Cozumel and Cabo, but for my third trip to Mexico, I planned to explore the Quintana Roo and Yucatan area which includes Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum. I really wanted to see the Mayan Ruins (I’ve only seen them in Belize), visit some famous cenotes, and learn more about Mexico and its history firsthand.
To start, this trip to Mexico was a little spontaneous as it was more so that I wanted to make sure take advantage of my Buddy Pass (basically buy a ticket and your friend travels at a $0 base fare and only has to pay taxes) from my TD Aeroplan Visa credit card benefit before it expired and I had to pick a place to fly to within North America. We were thinking of Alaska and Hawaii, but ultimately decided on Mexico since we only had 6 days for this trip. I also did not book an all-inclusive this time, which I didn’t mind because I intended to go on tours almost every day and don’t want to spend all my time at the resort.
As I share a list of tips below for when you make your own trip to Mexico, I will also be including very detailed information on my experience and why I thought these things might be good to be transparent about. And as usual, I like to keep everything honest to help you make the best travel decisions you can with my personal experience as sometimes I do wish some things are more widely-shared so that people are aware. Also, it may depend on which area of Mexico you’re visiting but in the Quintana Roo and Yucatan area I visited, these tips are very useful to know and it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Overall, for the most part, I was able to see what I set out to see on this trip to Mexico. Although I wasn’t able to visit the Suytun Cenote, I absolutely loved exploring the Mayan ruins and I’m glad to be able to see the unique cenotes that I was taken to and be able to explore Xcaret Park on my birthday. I loved learning about the history of the Mayans, and certain Mexican traditions, and indulging in the local food. It was amazing being able to go to the beach again and given the opportunity to travel. Mexico is a beautiful place to visit full of rich culture, traditions, and breathtaking landscapes.
But as usual, it’s always a good idea to be fully aware of visiting a new country and doing all the research you can to be prepared for your trip. Sometimes, as much as you can research, you won’t actually know how it actually is until you’re there and I hope that my experience can help you with your own trip to Mexico so that you can have the best time possible.
Things To Know Before Visiting Mexico
1 – Use The Automated Passport Machines To Speed Up The Customs Process At Cancun International Airport
This e-Gate system is available for American and Canadian travelers and it allows you to bypass the long lines at customs and go through an automated machine which takes about 30 seconds. You will scan your passport, have your photo taken, and a form will be printed for you to keep with you until you leave Mexico as officials will look at this before your departure.
2 – Book Your Transportation Prior To Arriving In Mexico And Beware Of Taxi Pirates
As you enter through the Cancun International Airport, you will go through a series of car rental places and a large area where they will be offering taxis, rides, tours, and more. I highly suggest you book your transportation prior to arriving in Mexico – whether it is a car rental, a private bus, or a shared bus. Not only will you get better prices, but you will be booking with a trustworthy company as well if you have done your research right. There are a lot of taxi pirates who will offer you rides for a great rate, but they end up taking you elsewhere to withdraw money from your bank or even kidnapping you. As my husband was conversing with our driver, we found out a lot of things we probably wouldn’t have known otherwise and things that actually don’t make it to the news even though it was a huge event in order to avoid scaring away tourists. I won’t go into the details, but the taxi pirates are a big one so stay safe!
For booking transportation, we used USA Transfers. Canada Transfers and Cancun Airport Transportation are also other options.
3 – Be Careful When Renting Your Own Vehicle
For the most part, getting a rental car might not be a problem and I know some people who had great experiences. Other times, renting your own vehicle in Mexico puts a little target on your back for an opportunist. I also know several people who had cops stop them even if they didn’t do anything wrong, basically take all their money and everything they have (including the shoes on their feet) and if they don’t allow them to take your things, they had threatened to send them to jail. And honestly, no one wants to go to jail especially abroad so you just have to give up your things for your own safety.
Just because we wanted to do our utmost to stay safe during our trip even if we have the possibility of missing out on certain freedoms of exploring on our own, we decided to book trustworthy transportation and to sign up for a couple of tours for the most part of this trip to Mexico.
4 – Be Aware Of The Uber War In Mexico
There is no Lyft in Mexico at this time, but there is Uber. However, there is a war between Uber and Mexican taxis there as taxis want to have full control of all the business there and they fear Uber is going to take their jobs. There has been confrontations, fights, and certain attacks on both Uber drivers and tourists. Although it has slowed down, there is still a chance of encountering difficulties when taking an Uber. My husband was doing research on this while we were on our second last day in Cancun, Mexico and we had a hard time deciding whether or not to take an Uber to the airport or pay more for a taxi. A majority of the stories he read were not good, but there were a couple that said it was fine.
In the end, we decided to take an Uber which was probably half the price of a taxi from where we were in Cancun. Luckily we had no problems and our driver explained to us more about the Uber war and confirmed our research. My husband sat up front with our driver just in case as they’re obviously both Latin and it would make it look less suspicious in case we did get stopped. Sometimes the driver may also ask you to sit up front if the Uber situation isn’t so good then.
5 – The Tours You Booked May Not Turn Out Exactly How You Thought
We had two tours in Mexico, specifically the Tulum and Yucatan area and even though I booked them through Viator, neither of them really turned out to be what I had hoped for based on the description provided.
First Tour – Tulum Ruins And Chaak Tun Cenote
Our first tour was supposed to be to visit the Tulum Ruins and Chaak Tun Cenote on the second day we arrived in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Unfortunately, as we got closer to our trip, we got a notice that the Tulum Ruins were closed for maintenance and instead, they will take us to Coba Ruins. I was really disappointed since it was what I had really wanted to see in Tulum but they promised that the cenote location will stay the same and because of that, I agreed to continue with the tour.
On the day of, they came to pick us up at our hotel as well as a couple more other tourists before we began our day. However, our minibus got a flat tire (luckily not on the highway) and my husband had to help change the tires since the driver and tour guide couldn’t figure out how to do it. But whatever – these things happen and as long as we were safe! Our tour guide was really great and full of knowledge and gave us a lot of interesting history about the Mayans and the Coba Ruins. It was amazing to see the ruins so well-restored and preserved from 50 BC and Coba Ruins at one point had more than 50,00 inhabitants. The Nohoch Mul pyramid is 137 feet in height with about 120 steps and is the tallest Mayan ruin in Mexico as well as the second tallest Mayan pyramid in the world. Note: you can no longer climb the pyramids here for safety and preservation reasons.
Food wasn’t included in this tour, but we were given the option to get local tacos from Yucatan (apparently a must try) from a place that our tour guide recommended and ordered for us ahead of time. And since there was literally nowhere else we could go to get food and we didn’t have time to get breakfast in the morning, we had to go along with this. It was 330 Pesos ($22 USD) for two people to have four tacos each. To be honest, it was just okay and I would suggest having a good hearty breakfast and bringing your own snacks. You will always expect tourist pricing and get the least bang for your buck.
Our next stop was to Chaak Tun Cenote which I was extremely excited about, but once we got there we were actually taken to the Casa Tortuga Cenote which turned out to be outdoors and not in a cave like Chaak Tun. I love the water so I really enjoyed the chance to swim, snorkel, and dive but I was severely disappointed to be taken to a different cenote. I honestly wouldn’t have booked this tour at all if I knew I wouldn’t have been able to visit either of the places I had originally planned. Unfortunately, Viator was unwilling to give any type of compensation or refund and because of my experience, I don’t feel confident enough to recommend this to you. I also ended up losing my Cressi mask and snorkel at this tour and had to repurchase a new set when I got home and didn’t have any snorkeling/diving equipment to use for the rest of my trip in Mexico.
Second Tour – Chechen Itza and Suytun Cenote
For our second tour, we had booked an excursion to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World: Chichen Itza as well as Suytun Cenote. I was specifically looking for a tour that did both of these locations so I was really excited to be able to find it since there were almost none available even though both of these locations were not that far from each other. Based on the Viator booking I made, we were supposed to be given breakfast with coffee, along with a buffet lunch, and an open bar on the bus, and be dropped off at our hotel at the end of the day.
For this tour, we were told to meet at Coco Bongo at 7 AM since it was a 10+ hour day. We then got taken to another location to walk through a large souvenir store to get to “check-in” for our bracelets and then got dispersed into different luxury tour buses after waiting for more than half an hour. However, we never received any breakfast or coffee and we didn’t get any breakfast prior because our booking said this was included. Our itinerary for the day was supposed to be Chichen Itza, Suytun Cenote, and then Valladolid which seemed reasonable to me. But the first stop we got taken to was the cenote, which I thought was a little weird because it’s probably better to get wet and cool down at the end of the day instead of at the start and be uncomfortable on the bus the rest of the time.
And once again, I was crushed when we got taken to a different cenote! One of the biggest reasons for coming to Mexico again was to the Suytun Cenote and we were taken to Saamal Cenote instead. Although it was much more beautiful than the cenote from our first tour, it wasn’t what I had wanted, but I really tried to make the most out of it. Here, it was mandatory to wear a life jacket (which you have to pay additional for) and my husband and I weren’t about that especially if we like to go underwater and you can’t with a life jacket so we decided to not go in the water. Plus, we were only given about 45 minutes and you weren’t really able to swim anywhere as half of the cenote was sectioned off with a rope and there were a lot of people in there so you were technically floating in one place the whole time.
We then were supposed to be taken to a lunch buffet, but drinks weren’t included so we had to purchase them separately on top of that which was also not disclosed in our booking. Because it was a buffet, we thought that at least water would be included but it wasn’t. Prior to lunch, we also got taken to a small Mayan shopping area next door to try to sell tourists more souvenirs and we had to wait over 45 minutes for that to happen before we were allowed to get our food.
Our next stop was Chichen Itza, but before that, our tour guide brought another guy on board our bus claiming he was practicing his English and graphic design skills to try to sell us a bottle of their Mayan liquor. Before we were allowed to enter the buffet, we were forced to take a photo and we just did it so that we can get by to get our food. Little did we know that they took everyone’s photos, printed it, and taped our faces to the bottle of liquor that this new guy started passing around the entire bus to get us to try to buy it. Also, there was no open bar on board. We got maybe 1/8th of a shot of this Mayan liquor to let us try before deciding to buy the bottle. A majority of the people on board did not purchase this and it had to be passed back to the guy who made them, who then will likely just stick the next tourist’s face on them to see if they’ll buy it next.
Once we got to Chichen Itza, it really was breathtaking and such a privilege to see. I felt transported in time and it was just incredible to be able to take in the views and learn of the history. (And yes we went home and watched Apocolypto!). You can see in the photos how detailed the Mayans were and that some of their engravings even portrayed Roman soldiers and people who looked like they were some kind of pilot. I think this stop made the entire trip to Mexico worth it (as you can tell with the many angles of photos I took, and it was surprising there weren’t many tourists in front of the pyramid!), I just wish we had a bit more time and that it wasn’t so hot! It was 40° C with no wind or shade so it was really difficult with the blaring sun, I really don’t know how the Mayans did it with no rain for decades at a time. Also, it is such a tourist attraction that everywhere you walk there you will be inundated with shops and people telling you to buy stuff. Our tour guide told us to not buy anything there because all the money goes to funding the government and it’s better to purchase from locals in smaller towns – hence why they took us to the mini shopping center prior to lunch.
Our last stop was to Valladolid but we were only given half an hour to walk around. I really wish we had more time there since I love exploring small towns and it really looked historical which I like. There was also a beautiful church, San Servacio, which really stands out in the main square. Apparently, the first step of the church is false and will make you trip because they wanted to make sure you bow down to God as you entered the church.
I have to say that our tour guide was really funny, spoke both English and Spanish the entire time, and provided really incredible information I can’t find anywhere else on the history of the Mayans, their traditions, and how they are today. However, after every piece of information would be a selling point every single time and they were trying to sell us different things while on the bus and as soon as we got to each location. My husband ended up buying a Mayan birth certificate for me as it was my birthday during this Mexico trip and thought it would be something cool to have (but we’re still trying to decipher what it means). They apparently also sell this at the MET in New York for $100 USD and get the Mayans to make them but only gives them 25% of the profits – as told to us by our tour guide. I got an obsidian stone which is formed by naturally occurring volcanic glass and is also very important to the Mayans. I just thought it would be a good stone to use for massages at home (or maybe it’s an excuse I’m giving myself) because I really had no other reason to buy it. Oh, and they gave me an extra discount on top of a discount because it was my birthday – so I guess that was okay.
I also want to note that you will be charged for every little thing on these tours – extra taxes, life jackets, food, lockers, drinks, etc. So always have a little extra cash on you or you can just learn to say no!
6 – Your Best Bet To Avoid Headaches It To Use Cash
I did research prior to my trip where prior travelers had suggested exchanging for some Pesos before your trip and using your debit card to withdraw money at Scotiabank or HSBC ATMs in Mexico for a better rate, but credit cards are widely accepted and can be used for a majority of your transactions. However, I will say that after my own experience, I think it’s better to exchange a majority of your cash prior to arriving in Mexico and stick with cash if possible. The reason is because it helps avoid certain scams and if you visit smaller cities like in Yucatan or Tulum, sometimes they only accept cash.
In terms of the credit card scam I faced, we were at a restaurant and I decided to pay with my credit card. However, the waiter entered his own tip without asking me and tried to bypass my pin number that my bank requires for security reasons (actually most international countries I’ve visited have all tried to do this including the USA). Then he told us that the service charge wasn’t added and that we had to tip in cash. However, I noticed the word propina on my bill and asked my husband what it meant since he’s Cuban and speaks Spanish and he told me it meant tip. So basically the waiter had already tipped himself without letting me choose what I wanted to tip him, tried to bypass my pin to get the amount approved, and asked me to tip cash on top of that.
7 – Always Double Check Your Bills
It should be common sense or a regular activity you do but remember to always check your bills and make sure that you’re only paying for the product or services you asked for and received.
We visited a restaurant where we saw one price on the menu, but our final bill was double the price of what was on the menu. They gave us a “reason”, but honestly there’s no way you can dispute this type of thing and you just have to pay it to avoid problems. I’ve also read other traveler stories where this happened to them even at 5-star restaurants and when they tried to dispute it with the restaurant, they got the cops called on them. There’s really only so much you can do in situations like this, you just have to either try to work it out or accept that this is a possibility. I’ve also had someone tell me that when gassing up their rental car, the cashier added extra charges on their credit card when paying – so just stay alert!
8 – Bring A Water Bottle Or LifeStraw And Use Filtered Water
I have a collection of water bottles and I just like bringing one with me when I travel for a few reasons. I save money on constantly purchasing water and drinks, it allows me to refill my bottle when I can and have it easily accessible to me, I can bring it with me when I’m out and about, it can keep my water hot or cold for a whole day, and it’s better for the environment. For this particular trip to Mexico, I wasn’t sure if I’d have access to filtered water so I brought my LifeStraw in case, which I luckily didn’t have to end up using. I also recommend brushing your teeth with filtered water as well just to make sure you don’t get sick from the water when you’re there.
9 – Bring Sunscreen And Aloe In Case You Get Sunburnt
We visited in May and the sun was hot! There was barely any shade or wind and it really helped to wear sunscreen and reapply throughout the day. The worst thing is to get burnt and everything just ends up hurting for days after and when the peeling stops, there’s no stopping! Aloe vera comes in handy to use as a general moisturizer, but it sure is even better that you have it in the case you do get sunburnt and need that relief on your skin! Here’s also A Guide To Sunscreen Use And Choosing The Safest One For You.
10 – Food In The Tourist Areas Are About US/Canadian Pricing
Because there are so many Americans visiting the Quintana Roo area in Mexico, the locals have really gotten used to American pricing as well. Expect to pay about the same as you would if you were in Canada or the USA. But if you can get a meal for two people at about 500-600 Pesos in the tourist area, it’s actually pretty good.
11 – Go To Grocery Stores Or Oxxo Convenience Stores For Cheaper Prices
I love visiting grocery stores or convenience stores in different countries to try out their local drinks and snacks and my favorite drink in Mexico has been the Manzanita Sol. Plus, we fell in love with the Valentina hot sauce after our first night of trying it so we knew we had to get a couple of bottles to bring home.
I found that 7-Eleven prices were almost double that of the local Oxxo convenience stores and Oxxo convenience stores were a bit higher than obviously, grocery stores. To make a direct comparison, the Valentina hot sauce was $10 USD at the airport, 45 Pesos ($2.50 USD) at the novelty stores on Quinta Avenida (or 5th Avenue) in Playa Del Carmen, 25 Pesos ($1.40 USD) at Oxxo convenience stores, and 15 Pesos ($0.85 USD) at local grocery stores. Do with this information what you may!
12 – Expect Tourist Vibes And Prices At Quinta Avenida In Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Quinta Avenida is a very entertaining and busy street to explore and it truly is kind of fun. But along with that comes tourist prices and hustle. To be expected in some sense, but I didn’t realize it was a majorly amped-up South Beach, Florida kind of vibe. Every vendor will be shouting at you to buy something from them and to eat at their restaurant but as soon as my husband replied to them in Spanish in his usual charming and friendly way, they left us alone every single time. We joked that the theme of our trip was “no gracias”.
There will be street performances everywhere and you will be asked for tips even if you glance at them for a second. If you decide to eat at a restaurant on this touristic street, you will be seated right at the edge (since restaurants spill over onto the street) so street performers have easier access to you to get tips. They will even go as far as to enter the restaurant if it’s more open concept to ask you for tips even if your back is to the street and you didn’t even look at their performance. I suggest trying to sit at the second floors if that’s an option that’s available.
This is how many people make their living, but it’s good to be aware in case you take photos or videos you will absolutely be asked for some kind of payment. I personally don’t like being in such touristy places, but since our hotel was right by this strip and we had to come here to get food we came across it often.
13 – Don’t Forget To Haggle
Almost every store and street vendor there will negotiate with you in order to sell something. Either way, they are making a killing as prices are very high in the tourist areas. But you can absolutely haggle and should do so if you want to avoid these kinds of prices.
For example, I’ve been wanting to get my entire head braided for years now and on this Mexico trip, I finally gave in and was like “why not”? I spoke to a few different vendors as we were walking through the streets since I didn’t want to get them done until my second last day as I had a lot of photos I needed to take with my regular hair and once I had braids done, I’d want to leave it in for a while. The prices vary depending on the style of braids you want, but for the ones I was interested in, they started at about 750 Pesos ($42 USD). As soon as you’re iffy and want to walk away, they’ll immediately drop the price and even ask you how much you’re willing to pay. I got mine down to 350 Pesos ($19 USD) and from my research, this was a very reasonable price.
The lady was also kind enough to come to my hotel at The Reef 28 (beautiful hotel by the way – highly recommend!) on her day off as I wasn’t able to go to her stall on the day she was working. And as usual, when I’m in less fortunate countries, I like to bring tons of things to donate and this gave me an opportunity to give her quite a bit to bring back to her kids and to enjoy some for herself. She was extremely happy and excited and that makes me just as happy that I can help others and also have my once-treasured possessions go to good use.
14 – The Food Is Absolutely Delicious
Food is a huge part of the Mexican culture and it’s something they’re very proud of and is close to their hearts. At the restaurants we visited, the food was absolutely delicious so it was worth the US-style pricing. I even had one of the best shrimp dishes I ever had in my life at La Parilla, but unfortunately, that’s where the tipping/credit card incident happened as I mentioned above. The food, service, and even entertainment were top-notch so I really do advocate for this place but I recommend paying with cash just to be safe. We also really enjoyed eating at Tropical as it’s one of the best restaurants on Quinta Avenida which we happened to just walk into without doing prior research. Another amazing restaurant you have to visit if you’re in the Playa Del Carmen area is La Rubia Y La Morena. They have the best music, amazing service, and great prices, and it had more of a local vibe than the rest of Quinta Avenida. It was also right across from our hotel which made it very convenient. Not to mention their drinks are ginormous and they make the best Cheladas.
15 – You Have To Visit Xcaret Park – The Best Park in The World, Multiple Time Winner
Even bypassing Disneyworld, Xcaret Park has been voted the best park in the world multiple times. I wanted to visit Xcaret for almost 10 years now and I love that this park has a mix of entertainment, Mayan history, beaches to relax at, an aquarium, wildlife, a lazy river that takes you around the park, authentic ruins, and a real educational experience. There is so much to do here you can spend a full day at Xcaret and even visit one of their other seven parks. Xcaret is good for all ages and is perfect for relaxation, entertainment, and learning. Mexico has done an amazing job preserving its history while incorporating modernity to this park. Here you can also find a replica of a Mayan cemetery with 365 tombs, one for every day of the year on 7 levels, one for each day of the week, with 52 steps to represent the weeks of the year. The only real tomb is the one of the owner’s wife. Also, they have really amazing live performances here that you won’t want to miss!
16 – Don’t Forget To Read Travel Advisories
The travel advisory from the Government of Canada got updated in the middle of our trip as new events were happening and it really helped us make certain decisions. I would say these are pretty accurate and to not take these warnings lightly. Obviously, take your own precautions and make your own decisions but the warnings are there for a reason. I am just very grateful that we were safe on this trip to Mexico and most of the warnings were not for where I was visiting.
For more information, tips, and my travels through Mexico follow me on Instagram. I also saved a 2023 Mexico Pt 1 and Pt 2 story highlights if you want to see my entire vacation.
For more travel information, here are Travel Tips and Destination Itineraries.