Cancun Mexico Vacation Questions

[Matt5266]

I am working on planning a trip to Cancun with my wife. We have never been to Mexico. We're in our late 30s. I am set on going to a RIU palace all inclusive. There are 3. Im leaning toward Las Americas due to rexommendations from my boss. We enjoy a mix of laidbackness and partying while on vacation.

My wife , parents, and in laws are not super stoked about the idea. They are worried about safety in Mexico. Im not too worried about it. But is there really anything to worry about or it is overblown by the media? I realize there's always a chance of something crazy happening especially if your not being smart and cautious.

Overall looking for ideas on the safety factor. Any tips/tricks or good things to know? Any experience with the RIU palace reports down there? What time of year is best to go? Its looking like the end of may will be the best month for us but we might be able to move that a little bit.

Thanks everyone!

 

[voltage]

Assuming you do not plan on buying cocaine from a cartel member and then shorting him $, you should be fine.

 

[KurtR]

I have been to Cozumel twice its the island right across from cancun. No worries about saftey there walked all over. Drove the whole island checking stuff out. Found some little out of the way dinners with great food. Talking to people theres less to worry about saftey wise vs cancun. I think were going back again in a year

 

[hunt1up]

I've been to Cancun and the surrounding area a few times, as well as Puerto Villarta a few times. I've never felt unsafe. Most of their economy is driven by Americans and Canadians coming to visit so it's not bad at all. I'm sure you could go find some trouble if you were looking for it but that's anywhere. I've felt more unsafe in several American cities.

I think we stayed at a Riu maybe 10 years ago. They're a reliable choice if you want an all-inclusive. Some all-inclusives are cheap and cheesy and some are fancy. I'd say a Riu is a solid middle choice that you'd be happy with. I'm not as big on all-inclusives as I once was, but they certainly take the planning out of a trip. You can do just go there and eat and drink all day, or they'll help you plan things if you want to go fishing, do a tour, or whatever else.

 

[307]

Have been to Mexico 3x in the last year, Baja, Holbox, and Playa del Carmen. Took my 2 teen daughters on the last trip to PDC, so I had the safety question on my mind front and center. We had no problems, nor did we ever feel unsafe.

My oldest (18) stopped to buy some souvenir gifts from a vendor on a very busy street in PDC, got her stuff and we walked the 1.5 miles back to the motel at which time she discovered she was missing her air pods. That girl set a word record walking back to the vendor, with me close behind, where we could track the air pods on the "find my" app. A lady there had them and was more than happy to give them back to my girl. It was heartwarming and honestly probably better than I would expect on a similar street in the USA.

I've really enjoyed the people of Mexico on all 3 trips.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Go to an all inclusive and pay the extra money to stay in a building that docent allow kids. People take their kids to all inclusive and let them do whatever the F they want.

Id personally just go to Tulum and fly fish ascension bay since you can fly tight into Tulum. When I went to Cancun, we only left the Resor two go surfing and diving, everything else was right there, gym, pools, bars, restaurants. it was pretty cool except people poorly behaved kids.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Assuming you do not plan on buying cocaine from a cartel member and then shorting him $, you should be fine.

Literally this. Just don't creep around the slums looking for drugs and you'll be fine. In fact, the people I met in Cancun said it was safe and many had moved there because it wasn't a cartel hotspot like some other parts of the country.

Also, if you can make friends with a local, there's places to catch tarpon in the city by the canals, they might show you.

 

[Jason Snyder]

We went to Cancun last year for our 30th and it was great. No safety concerns. We stayed at an all inclusive.

 

[Reburn]

I go to mexico once or twice a year. Cabo, PV and cancun within the last 18 months. Dont be roaming the streets at 3am drunk and you will be fine. We have felt safe everywhere including walking and driving on our own.

 

[UpNorth89]

We go to Mexico every year. Usually Coz but venture PDC occasionally. Never ran into any trouble. Just use common sense like any city in the states and you'll be fine. Find some small off the path restaurants for great authentic food and cheap drinks.

 

[Poser]

Been to Mexico a number of times, never to the bigger vacation destinations such as Cancun, never been anywhere there all inclusives. I even did a solo trip to Mexico City where I used the subway system and public transit extensively to get around. Never had a safety issue. Annoying street hustlers? Sure. but, that's about it. The vacation resort areas you are looking at have a lot invested in the security of their guests.

 

[wyogoat]

We go to Cozumel yearly and I know it’s not Cancun, but I’m sure similar. We walk everywhere even after dark and never once felt worried about safety. We’ve done the all inclusive thing and hotel and figure it out on your own thing and both experiences were great.
I really like to snorkel and seems like the Cozumel side is more calm, water wise, for that is mainly why we go there.

 

[Matt5266]

Assuming you do not plan on buying cocaine from a cartel member and then shorting him $, you should be fine.

Haha no booger sugar for me

 

[Matt5266]

Go to an all inclusive and pay the extra money to stay in a building that docent allow kids. People take their kids to all inclusive and let them do whatever the F they want.

Id personally just go to Tulum and fly fish ascension bay since you can fly tight into Tulum. When I went to Cancun, we only left the Resor two go surfing and diving, everything else was right there, gym, pools, bars, restaurants. it was pretty cool except people poorly behaved kids.

Ya this was my plan. The RIO last Americas is all inclusive and adults only. I don't mind kids but we're not taking ours so I don't wanna deal with other people's either lol.

This resort also seems like a good middle ground on quality vs price. Ill take a look at Tulum. Thanks

 

[Matt5266]

We go to Mexico every year. Usually Coz but venture PDC occasionally. Never ran into any trouble. Just use common sense like any city in the states and you'll be fine. Find some small off the path restaurants for great authentic food and cheap drinks.

This is my plan . Thanks!

 

[Matt5266]

We went to Cancun last year for our 30th and it was great. No safety concerns. We stayed at an all inclusive.

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Nice! This is what I'm hoping for!

 

[I Am Gunz]

Just got back 2 weeks ago from Riu Latino. It was awesome. Adults only and all inclusive. They take you to the other resorts via bus for some of the parties if you want to go. Plenty of fun and activities at the resort. Good atmosphere. Was only about 40 minutes from the airport. Wasn’t sketchy at all. 10/10 would go again

 

[ReddingArcher]

Like others said, don’t be doing dumb things and you’ll be fine. One thing I’d say is look up and see if the sargassum will be bad, it’s a sea weed and washes up on shore and was THICK from the beach out probably 50 yards. I didn’t enjoy swimming in it and only got in the water once because of that. This was in Playa Del Carmen anyway, but it’s not terribly far from Cancun. We went in June a couple years ago.

 

[307]

Like others said, don’t be doing dumb things and you’ll be fine. One thing I’d say is look up and see if the sargassum will be bad, it’s a sea weed and washes up on shore and was THICK from the beach out probably 50 yards. I didn’t enjoy swimming in it and only got in the water once because of that. This was in Playa Del Carmen anyway, but it’s not terribly far from Cancun. We went in June a couple years ago.

This is good advice. This has been a record bad year for sargassum. Something around double the previous record levels and that stuff is pretty miserable. We were super lucky that it cleared out of PDC about a week before we got there after being incredibly bad for most of the year up to that point. I haven't looked lately but I'm hoping that it's continued a positive trend since our trip at end of July.

 

[LCguy]

I felt completely safe in Mexico City and Puebla, wouldn't worry about a resort town at all.