Playa Del Carmen

[Marat]

Mexico has its issues, so I wouldn't blame anyone for not going. But you scared me a bit with your link. I clicked on the article and looked at the "resort" where it happened. Using that as a reason not to go to Riviera Maya is like saying you won't go to the Four Seasons Scottsdale because there was a shooting at an hourly motel in Chicago.

That's just a very recent example. There have been others. You can search online to find them.

It's just that given choices there are other places to go visit. Mexico is not near my top choices for a Carribean getaway these days.

 

[husky429]

My first Carribean vacation was to Cancun. I have been to Cancun multiple times since and also Riviera Maya once. That was a while ago.

Now I wont return .... terrible things happening even at resorts, see below.

Gunmen kill 7, including child, at resort swimming pool in Mexico

At least seven people were killed, including a 7-year-old child, when a group of gunmen stormed a resort teeming with vacationers in central Mexico on Saturday.

nypost.com

That isn't anywhere near Playa del Carmen dude. It's a small interior city with gang problems. Are you surprised if you stay at a 30$ motel in Baltimore and hear gunfire? How is that link even relevant? At least find an article of one of those people who gets abducted in Cancun.

30 million Americans visit Mexico every year. 75 homicides in 2020. Most of which are related to drugs.

Basic safety precautions make any Mexico trip perfectly safe. Stay in tourist areas, stay off drugs.

 

[husky429]

I did go through a toll with no pesos and had to give the police a $20 USD.

The big road out of Cancun is 300 pesos (16 or 17$ ish) anyways, so I don't think you were fined as much as you think.

 

[superjohn]

Mexico has its issues, so I wouldn't blame anyone for not going. But you scared me a bit with your link. I clicked on the article and looked at the "resort" where it happened. Using that as a reason not to go to Riviera Maya is like saying you won't go to the Four Seasons Scottsdale because there was a shooting at an hourly motel in Chicago.

Sadly you can get it all right now on the Mag Mile in Chicago.

Absolutely crazy what's happening.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

So I have no idea - other than I've been going to Cabo for nearly 20 years and have never seen any BS down there.

Love Cabo but haven’t been in several years due to kids. Was a member of Raintree Vacation Club @ the Westin until I forfeited my points because they kept upping my annual maintenance fee at an absurd rate while making zero upgrades. Would love to get back there at some point though.

 

[upstater]

Love Cabo but haven’t been in several years due to kids. Was a member of Raintree Vacation Club @ the Westin until I forfeited my points because they kept upping my annual maintenance fee at an absurd rate while making zero upgrades. Would love to get back there at some point though.

I've been there a couple times. Had diverging experiences. One time they set us up in the townhomes to the left if facing the ocean. That was great. Another time inside the hotel--that wasn't so hot.

The first time Art Donovan was there with his family. Talked to him a while.

 

[August_West]

What was I thinking from that Ohio thread? That's in the dumps.

Found a great deal for the Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen for $650 for three nights. Not all-inclusive, but my wife doesn't drink and I'm not much of a drinker myself, so lately I've been more privy to non-all-inclusive deals.

The plan is to fly into Cancun and rent a car for the time we're there.

First time in Mexico, can't wait. What's your experiences at Playa del Carmen? Worth driving down to Tulum for a night or two? How's crime in both cities/highways (safe to drive highways at daytime?), etc?

Gracias.

Worth doing Tulum for entire stay. Seriously. Forget Playa.

 

[J187Money]

I’m in Cabo 4-5 weeks a year. I always rent a car and drive everywhere and basically feel like it is as safe as home. I have two timeshares in a great resort and I don’t see a reason to go anywhere else.

But the key thing with Cabo is it only rains like 6 days a year. So you are pretty much guaranteed perfect weather.

Cabo was the first place I went to in Mexico. Other parts may also be great, but I have everything I want and feel very safe there so no interest in going anywhere else.

 

[August_West]

Basic safety precautions make any Mexico trip perfectly safe. Stay in tourist areas, stay off drugs.

What's the point of going to Mexico then?

 

[husky429]

What's the point of going to Mexico then?

Listen man, I went to a full moon party in Thailand on Koh Phangan. The last thing I remember is doing flaming jump rope double-dutch after getting my ass kicked by a professional Muay Thai fighter for 2$ on a bar table. I'm all for a good time. But I think we can reasonably say nowhere is safe if you're making stupid choices.

 

[August_West]

What was I thinking from that Ohio thread? That's in the dumps.

Found a great deal for the Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen for $650 for three nights. Not all-inclusive, but my wife doesn't drink and I'm not much of a drinker myself, so lately I've been more privy to non-all-inclusive deals.

The plan is to fly into Cancun and rent a car for the time we're there.

First time in Mexico, can't wait. What's your experiences at Playa del Carmen? Worth driving down to Tulum for a night or two? How's crime in both cities/highways (safe to drive highways at daytime?), etc?

Gracias.

Seriously though, the manner of which you describe your wife and yourself and don't need all-inclusive, and don't drink much, if you visit Tulum for a couple of the days when in Playa, you will wish you just did the whole trip in Tulum. There are less all inclusives there. And a ton to do for people your age that doesnt include resort stuff. I wouldnt even rent a car. I would fly into Cozumel, take a shuttle to whatever hotel you decide to stay at provides, and then rent a couple bicycles. I promise you will thank me later.

 

[Mots010]

Four people were murdered right outside of Fiesta Americana in Cancun 2 weeks ago, which is a popular all inclusive resort that I see in my Costco Travel brochures. I'm still looking at Mexico trips for my family, but this incident caught my eye.

 

[husky429]

Four people were murdered right outside of Fiesta Americana in Cancun 2 weeks ago, which is a popular all inclusive resort that I see in my Costco Travel brochures. I'm still looking at Mexico trips for my family, but this incident caught my eye.

Looks like it was drug dealers having a turf war, according to local reports. No tourists involved.

 

[Drumguy]

Seriously though, the manner of which you describe your wife and yourself and don't need all-inclusive, and don't drink much, if you visit Tulum for a couple of the days when in Playa, you will wish you just did the whole trip in Tulum. There are less all inclusives there. And a ton to do for people your age that doesnt include resort stuff. I wouldnt even rent a car. I would fly into Cozumel, take a shuttle to whatever hotel you decide to stay at provides, and then rent a couple bicycles. I promise you will thank me later.

Um, Cozumel is an island across the strait from Playa, hard to take a shuttle to Tulum!

 

[Travelman6]

I didn't much care for Playa Del Carmen, liked Tulum a lot more. Chichen Itza and the cenotes are an absolute must. Merida is pretty cool but bloody hot and humid. Valladolid is worth a stop, at least for a quick stroll. I personally did not like Cozumel all that much, perhaps I am in the minority.

 

[husky429]

I didn't much care for Playa Del Carmen, liked Tulum a lot more. Chichen Itza and the cenotes are an absolute must. Merida is pretty cool but bloody hot and humid. Valladolid is worth a stop, at least for a quick stroll. I personally did not like Cozumel all that much, perhaps I am in the minority.

Tulum has changed a lot in the last 10 years. Not sure when you last went. First time I went was probably in 2014, and then I went last summer with my in-laws and wife. I thoroughly enjoyed the place the first time and couldn't have left fast enough last summer.

 

[Travelman6]

i remember having to pass through a gauntlet of vendors selling souvenir junk on the walkway in to Chinchen Itza Confession.

They are simply trying to make a living. It is easy and effortless to walk past with a simple "No thanks" or "No Gracias". There are vendors at Petra too, and as I remember Angkor Wat and other places of significance around the world.

 

[Umami Zen]

Listen man, I went to a full moon party in Thailand on Koh Phangan. The last thing I remember is doing flaming jump rope double-dutch after getting my ass kicked by a professional Muay Thai fighter for 2$ on a bar table. I'm all for a good time. But I think we can reasonably say nowhere is safe if you're making stupid choices.

Talk about taking a walk on the wild side.. What were you thinking?? Or better yet.. What were you drinking?? LOL

 

[Travelman6]

Tulum has changed a lot in the last 10 years. Not sure when you last went. First time I went was probably in 2014, and then I went last summer with my in-laws and wife. I thoroughly enjoyed the place the first time and couldn't have left fast enough last summer.

It must have been late 2014 (December) or early 2015 when I went. Sad to hear it has changed. Really loved the ruins overlooking the sea and walking around the town. I had also rented a bike for the day and biked around there, no issue, except for my (now ex) gf dropping her iPod while biking (ya, good luck retracing your tracks to find that, lol). BUT, a guy did find it and got in touch with her and told her that he could return it back to her (cool!)

 

[husky429]

Talk about taking a walk on the wild side.. What were you thinking?? Or better yet.. What were you drinking?? LOL

I was there at a gym run by a Muay Thai legend named Namsaknoi (my personal #2 in the GOAT race). My friend trained there from 2015-2017 there when he started his professional career. I was visiting for a couple weeks of training because I was thinking of making the leap to pro too. I did technically fight twice over there "professionally" but it isn't the same as here where you need a license and all that.

The jump rope is just fun and not particularly dangerous if you're halfway coordinated. And there's Muay Thai pros who will fight you in bars for money all over the country. It's all in good fun, though I can't say I wouldn've done either without a number of cheap margaritas.

 

[August_West]

Um, Cozumel is an island across the strait from Playa, hard to take a shuttle to Tulum!

meant cancun

 

[husky429]

It must have been late 2014 (December) or early 2015 when I went. Sad to hear it has changed. Really loved the ruins overlooking the sea and walking around the town. I had also rented a bike for the day and biked around there, no issue, except for my (now ex) gf dropping her iPod while biking (ya, good luck retracing your tracks to find that, lol). BUT, a guy did find it and got in touch with her and told her that he could return it back to her (cool!)

It got a reputation as a spot where influencers and wannabe influencers go. There were lines 35 people deep to take a picture sitting on the beach swing. I was flabbergasted. Personally... I'd rather go somewhere where I can actually use the swing.

I really don't love the trend of being more concerned with getting a picture of your travels than actually enjoying the place. I've seen people take pictures of their food for 10 minutes while it gets cold!

Cenotes, Chichen Itza and the Tulum ruins are awesome though. I went earlier in the day and it was quieter and mostly just older tourists.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

And there's Muay Thai pros who will fight you in bars for money all over the country. It's all in good fun, though I can't say I wouldn've done either without a number of cheap margaritas.

I think you and I have vastly different beliefs in what qualifies as fun.

 

[August_West]

I think you and I have vastly different beliefs in what qualifies as fun.

I mean hell, he doesnt have to travel to Mexico to get kicked, he can come to Old Lyme and I'll give him a roundhouse free of charge.

 

[Peacefrog]

You can certainly run into serious problems just about anywhere in the world but I think things might be a little different in Mexico at the moment. My colleagues there have been clear that they would not recommend a vacation there right now especially with so many other wonderful places throughout the Caribbean and Central America to visit. On my most recent business trip to Mexico City they were emphatic that I should not leave the hotel to walk around or go get anything but rather to call them and they will come collect me. I'm sure the odds of anything dramatic happening are still low but you're on vacation, why risk it considering the many alternatives?

Having said that, I've stayed at beautiful beaches in Yucatan and the ruins are very cool, but again Belize is right there too and probably safer.