30/03/2026
WARNINGS and Tips traveling in MEXICO
Updated Mar 2026
Welcome to the almost jungle !
GENERAL
+Tap water not drinkable anywere in Mexico
+You can keep with you a photocopy of your passport and visa daily, and leave the original at safe place
+Forbidden drinking alcohol at street in all Mexico
+Forbidden using or transporting any drug. Army dogs around in operation
+Bus transportation intercities connects all the country.
+ Train connections in Yucatan on Jan 2024
+wash your hands before eating and skip an stomach infection. Wash and desinfect vegetables. No drinkable tap water.
+free wifi at many places as bus stations, starbucks, municipalities, kiosks, etc
+Not everyone in Mexico speak english, learn some spanish words will be useful
+if you are in a all inclusive hotel , careful with quality of free alcohol drinks .. ask for premium brands not cheap ones.
+Low cost mexican airlines sometimes cheaper than ordinary long distance buses. Try vivaaerobus, volaris, magnicharters, aeromexico, mexicana
+sim cards mobil phones, Telcel mobil company covers more cities starting at 100 pesos. You can get them at oxxos stores, and refill credit.
+Before bording a taxi, ask the price for destination and pay with small cash.
+ATMS. you are aloud to take 9000 pesos max per day in atms depending the bank . Be sure to cover your security number behind the card and sign it. Cases of clonation of cards and virtual accounts robberies in Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cancun. Use only authorized atm banks offices , not random atms.
+new blue 500 pesos bills are blue, same color as 20 pesos bill, similar face person pic at both bills
+the old trick of old mexican bills is back, check the official mexican bills you get as change
+ if you rent a car and fill gas , dont get distracted, check your change.
+Supermarkets all over.. increasing of pickpockets and taking your belongings at groceries car
+Renting an apartment, get a rental contract protected with a notary contract
It cost more but both parts are protected.
+Skinny dippy alone at the ocean high risk someone steal your belongings, most of cases security people hidden at the dark
+Pickpockets at long distance buses and colectivos, check your belongings
+Pickpockets detected in groceries stores, restaurants, bars, shoe stores, concerts, public bathrooms
+Pickpockets at long distance buses all over Mexico , dont leave stuff under your seat, or fall sleep and not watch your belongings.
+After months of tropical storms expect more mosquitos
+Around Mexico not always with good sidewalks conditions to walk, careful with the holes.
More info fb Playa del Carmen Insiders Guide
+Seaweed appeared seasonable at mayan riviera beaches
+International flights connections running normal in Mx city and Cancun.
+Health public service not as good in all the states, bring insurance.
Basic medicines do not need prescription at some pharmacies
+Mosquito seasson protect you with good organic antimosquito spray, in case of dengue drink Papaya leafs in tea.
+take a photocopy in paper or mobil pic of your passport and tourist visa
+Police normally do not speak english.
If you drive fast you can be stoped, never offer money and demand you want talk your embassy. Take upfront emergency number of your embassy.
+ At supermarkets never leave your bag at shopping car
+No smoking aloud in public places, in restaurants some areas. Forbidden leaving cigarret pots at beach
+if you rent a place or stay in a hotel room.. and feel coughing synthomps, flu, dizzy, nausea.. possibly had fumigation chemicals. Best to change or clean walls with soap and wait to dry.
CANCUN AIRPORT
+1 hour driving from Playa to Cancun, works at highway
+Cancun Terminals international arrivals, eather prebook your private transportation or public bus ado buses running from airport.
Cancun terminal 2 process:
pick up your baggage, bring a pen and fill a form of costumes declaration, can be in spanish or english.
Format paper provided there.
after passing bags scanner, show customs format, pushing the button of customs.
6 cabins with migration officers checking passports. Choose the empty one you want, all offer same service for mexicans or foreigners.
+Cancun Terminal 2 ..public transportation ADO buses have a desk there, buy destinations to Cancun, Playa, Tulum, Merida, and others.
Cards accepted.
After you pass the exit to street, you will find your ADO bus at HALL number 8.. this is walking all the sidewalk to the RIGHT SIDE 1 minute walking.
Dont get confused with the private transports, private buses for groups, private taxis.
During your walking heading to ADO bus stop.. you will listen wrong info of street people, pirate taxi drivers. Be careful with that.
atms at airport can be broke, bring cash.
The entry to ADO buses bus stop, its at security point just in front Tren Maya bus stop. And show your bus ticket to go in.
+Cancun airport terminal 2, low quality of wifi, few plugs for electric devices. Fishy people asking private travel information. More info fb Cancun Insiders Guide
+northamerican citizens must travel with passport, Not only with drive licence or US id card. You can be deported if they get you.
+New Migration officers at airport can be strict days tourist visa. Always notify you come for vacations and show your return ticket.
Migration officers can deny entrance if you dont have an exit ticket
+Be clear with migration officers at airport how many days you want and why. Few spanish help and knowledge of country and reservations.
+Tourist visas that are expired, you need to pay a penalty when you leave the country. That is a bad background for re entry or next visit.
+if you board a Ado bus from/ to airport from/to Playa, Cancun, Tulum, Bacalar... dont leave bags in the floor with valuables, robberies happened before.
When you fall sleep they act. Pickpockets operating same passengers.
atms at airport can be broke, bring cash.
+++ if you want a taxi and pay with card be sure to pay exact amount at ticket boot
Taxis at street can accept cards but they will charge you in a wrong way, two times.
"Right next to the free airport shuttle in Terminal 3" the scam taxis got an offer to people.
+ New robberies at ado bus station cancun, can be the person working unpacking the suitcases.
+taxis with no official cabin boot at airport they like to clonate bank cards, or use terminals to charge you high amounts
More info fb Cancun Insiders Guide
TULUM
+ new cost per person, entry at the beach near piramids 300 pesos, 100 pesos piramids
no plastic bottles aloud
+ If you drive at night from cancun to playa / playa to tulum. No electricity at some parts at highway. Beware
Public transportation and big trucks stoping all over all day. Drive slow when its rainning, slipery road.
+ Tulum gas stations beware stations do not charge correctly gas or give exact money change.
+Tulum never leave things inside the car in Tulum downtown
+Tulum check your apartment or house locks always closed, cases of robberies broken into properties day and night
Cases detected in Veleta, Riviera Tulum.
+ Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cancun try to pay your tours in cash ,clonation bank cards cases
+Tulum army and police checkpoints anytime
+Tulum dont bring your very best shoes.. roads can be mudy, rocky, dusty.
+Tulum pueblo main street center at night , take your warnings if you are walking
+Tulum batey bar street , center busy area, trouble street at night, beware.
+Tulum forbidden to park car at street all along the coast hotel zone and near pyramids. Tow truck with police picking up cars. In case of a problem, your car will be taken infront zamna cenote out ot town 20 min. 3500 pesos penalty
Police station near red cross, cost aprox of car liberation 500 pesos. Taxis 400 pesos
Tulum beach hotel area has very few parking places
+Tulum consider taxis at night at hotel zone can charge you starting 25 usd to 50 usd depending seasson
+Tulum traffic at hotel zone expect long lines of cars, and bad road conditions
+ Tulum , dont wear expensive jewerly at Tulum pueblo, possible robberies
+ Robberies inside cars parked around palma central meanwhile parked
+More traffic in Tulum Nov, Dec, Jan since will be works in the new road all over hotel beach road
+ At night risky dark highway from Playa del Carmen to Tulum
+Tulum archeological site, charge extra for national protected area.
+Tulum, if you attend big concerts of events, be cautious and be safe
+Tulum , take your warnings at Veleta during day and night time at streets. Also Aldea Zama
+Playa del Carmen Sams club pick pockets and bags stealing at parking, dont get distracted.
+Risky to jump in cenotes : you can injure your back, injure your ears, break a bone.
+Tulum , dont wear expensive watches at small street restaurants , gunpointing robberies showing up in town
+Tulum pueblo take your warnings at street where Batey bar is
+People living between Tulum and Coba, doublecheck security. Violent robberies happened at Gran Cenote area
+Reported robberies in region 15 Tulum, daylight gunpointing, lonely area.
+Tulum and Playa del Carmen cases of robberies meanwhile you drive at bycicle if you leave your bag at bycicle front basket, motorcycle approach.
+ATMs in high seasson can run out of cash, keep enough for you
+Ask taxis in Tulum the price before go inside the car, sometimes they can charge you a lot at the end the trip
+Atms Tulum at supermarkets, users are distracted at atms and changing the cards
+Tulum, chedraui supermarket parking, constant cases of cars opened during shopping, dont take your suitcases in the car. Even the trunk, possible scanning
+high incidense of pick pocketing inside chedraui store, dont get distracted. Always keep closed your bag. And look for your belongings.
PLAYA DEL CARMEN
+legendary robberies of bycicles in Playa and Tulum... best to buy a thick chain and good lock, cable locks doesnt work easy to open. Buy lock and chain at ferreterias stores
+Playa del Carmen center has parkimeters working all days 8 am to 11 pm
+ATM CI banco center playa del carmen january 2021, giving no cash and charging to accounts.
+Playa del Carmen 5 av resellers try to invite you buy something with the leyend " hello Im the waiter of your hotel at breakfast, visit my store "
+ Be patient, you will be offered drugs at many public places, ignore.
+Police, army, GN Guardia Nacional walk with guns and machine guns, normal rutine walkings or driving.
+Playa del Carmen Walmart downtown robberies at parking place around 6 pm, scanning truncks and opening. Most of cases rented cars
+Playa del Carmen situations of glass breaking robbery at Sams store parking and Centro Maya parking
+Colosio naighborhood area famous for robberies at nights, specially at the beach at nights around 88 st
After sunset watch out your belongings at the beach
Reported robberies at early mornings at 5 av at Colosio side, target drunk men.
+Walmart centro pick pockets working
+ Free blood check ups donating blood bank at Hospital General de Playa del Carmen
+Atm Scotiabank in Playa del Carmen charge 40 usd comission to international cards
+Colectivo bus terminal from Playa to Tulum/cancun... located... at street besides Avenida Juarez and highway.
ATMs compromised inside Mega in Playa and Chedraui in Tulum... double check if you get your card not someone else. Organised crime operating.
Long bus distances; two ado bus stations , Turistica at 5 av and Alterna at 20 av
+Pickpockets at public colectivos vans transportation intercities.
+Costamed hospital has lot of clients complains for expensive service and bad atention to people, since they ask a deposit upfront even you have insurance or not. They wont do anything until they see money deposited. Example a band aid in the toe 4500 usd.
Best to go direct to Hospital General of Playa del Carmen, cheaper prices.
+Robberies phone pickpockets 6 pm, 30 av and av juarez outside BBVA bank
+Chedraui selecto 34 st new case discovered throwing gps tags to bags of women, we ignore wich propouse.
OTHERS TOWNS QROO STATE
+Puerto Morelos check your belongings inside and outside oxxo
+Puerto Morelos, old trick of catsup in your cloth inside supermarket
+Holbox robberies cases in Punta cocos at night
+Holbox streets are sandy and sometimes flooded depending seasson
OTHERS STATES
+Ococingo Chiapas at highway reported problems with tourists
+Chiapas near agua azul waterfals reported gun pointed robberies at highway
+Chiapas San Cristobal de las Casas, lot of salmonella cases, careful with water and food
+Demostrations and highway blockings in Chiapas. Experience stress at each stop people asking money blocking highway.
+Migration and army officers stoping buses all around Mexico to detect ilegal people or not updated visa.
Info by: linktr.ee/Tulumeventscalendar
Tulum Insiders Guide
Playa del Carmen Insiders Guide
Cancun Insiders Guide
https://wa.me/529841386530
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