DISCLAIMER: The information you are about to read is not in any order. These are areas of interest that may help you plan and have a more successful vacation.
SMART TRAVELER ENROLLMENT PROGRAM (STEP): I would recommend any United States citizens or permanent residents of the United States sign up for this free service from the nearest embassy or consulate. This service provides you with safety information and conditions in your destination country, will contact you with any emergencies (natural, family, or civil unrest), and assist family members get in contact with you in an emergency. We never leave home without completing the short form and reading through any information they may send us.
TRAVEL DATES: High season is typically between December to Easter. If you select this time-frame, expect to pay more for hotel, activities, and anything else. The weather is usually cooler during this time, so many travelers flock to the western Caribbean during high season. Expect the opposite during low/rainy season, which is from Easter to November. Prices are much lower, and discounts are aplenty. However, the weather is much hotter and humid, so that is your tradeoff.
TRANSLATION APP: Make sure you download a Spanish-English translation app for your smart phone; it will come in very handy while you are in Mexico. We use a translation app pretty much every day.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Puerto Aventuras, Mexico has several excellent options, all within the heart of the resort with shops, restaurants, and the farmer’s market.
1. Aventuras Club – We had guests come last May and they stayed at this resort…they loved it! It is a condo hotel, so all the units have full kitchens with dishes and appliances, 2 bedrooms, 2-3 bathrooms, patio/balcony, sleeps up to 8, and has on-site laundry facilities on each floor. It is basically a home away from home and is very spacious. They have Marina and Lagoon locations…you would want to be in the Marina location (it is much closer to everything, in a central location).
2. Catalonia Riviera Maya and Catalonia Yucatán - they are sisters resorts next to each other
3. Dreams Aventuras Riviera Maya
5. Inmense Hotels-Chez Waffle Hotel
6. And don’t forget to check out Airbnb in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. There are plenty of owners that are snowbirds, and my list their homes/owners on Airbnb.
We don’t have any personal experience with the last five (Catalonia, Dreams, PA Beach Club and Hotel, Inmense Hotel/Chez Waffle Hotel or Airbnb), so we encourage you to read the reviews on TripAdvisor before making any decisions.
TRANSPORTATION: Because of public transportation, we have elected to not have a car in Mexico…we use public transportation for everything. If we need car service, we hire a taxi for a few hours or the day. Most of them have basic English skills, so you will have not problems getting around if you need this type of transportation.
FROM AND TO THE AIRPORT: There are several private van shuttle services to select from. We have used Canada Transfers and USA Transfers with great success. We usually tip the greeter 20 pesos and the driver 50-100 pesos per bag. But feel free to give more if you prefer.
BUDGET: In addition to airline tickets, transportation, hotel, you will need to set a budget based on what you want to do. This includes items such as: tips, food, shopping, excursions, etc. In researching the hotels, make sure to find out if they have all-inclusive options where some/all onsite food and entertainment are included.
MONEY/PESOS: It is always best to use the local currency (pesos) to get the best deals when out and about. Most places do accept the U.S. dollar, but they will often give change in pesos. You can get pesos from your U.S. bank before leaving, or if you are comfortable with it, get pesos out of a bank ATM here in Mexico (you usually get a better rate from ATM in Mexico than from your bank at home). If you plan to use the ATM in Mexico, you may need to alert your bank so they will allow international use of your debit/credit card. Most places also accept U.S. credit cards, but then you need to be very careful to make sure your data is not stolen. It really is a personal choice based on your comfort level. We suggest you download a currency translation app to show exchange rates, so when you see prices in pesos, you can covert to U.S. dollars for reference. So, unless you know the exchange rate and how to convert your USD change to pesos, it may be a challenge trying to determine if you are receiving the correct change back.
ATMs: I have created a checklist below that may be helpful when obtaining and using pesos. This list is by no means the be-all, end-all list on pesos. After all, depending on what country you are from, the processes described below may be different. What I hope to achieve with this list is provide a place to start…something to think about while you are making your travel plans for your well-earned trip. Let’s get started!
CHECK LIST
1) Check with your financial institution to determine whether you need to provide any travel alerts with dates of departure, how long you plan on staying and what countries you will be visiting (some banks want this, others don’t).
2) Determine if you can obtain your pesos from your bank at home before your Mexico arrival and inquire into the cost (my experience has been that if you obtain your pesos from your local bank in the USA, they may cost more due to exchange rates and service fees). In addition, ask your bank if you buy your pesos from them before you leave, can you exchange your unspent pesos for USD upon your return.
3) Ask your bank if there are daily ATM withdrawal limits (if you have a large expenditure, you may have to visit the Mexican ATM over multiple days to ensure you have enough money for whatever expense you are dealing with). In addition, depending on your current daily limit (if there is one), you may be able to increase your daily limit, so you don’t have to visit an ATM as much. Check with your bank at home about this.
4) If you decide to acquire pesos from the local ATM in Mexico, find out how much your USA bank will charge for ATM fees and/or international transaction fees. Depending on the type of account(s) you have with your USA bank, you may not be charged any international transaction fees.
5) Exchange rates may change minute-by-minute. I encourage you NOT to obsess about the fluctuations in exchange rate (you could drive yourself crazy trying to wait for the best rate), just withdraw money as you need it.
6) If you are traveling with a smart phone, make sure you download a currency exchange app like XE Currency and OANDA Currency Converter before you travel. Having this quick reference app will help you manage your pesos.
7) Make sure to check your withdrawn pesos (bills) for any rips or tears before leaving. If you notice any and it’s still business hours for the bank, go into the bank and exchange the ripped pesos for healthy ones. Stores, markets, restaurants, etc., will not accept any damaged pesos.
If you decide you prefer to use USD while in Mexico, please be beware that although you will be paying with USD, most stores, markets, restaurants, etc., will make change in pesos. Now the challenge comes in by making sure you receive the correct change back since they are giving your change in pesos and not USD. The way I do this is by taking the amount of the bill (in USD), subtract that from the amount of USD you gave them, then multiple that by the current exchange rate, and that should be the correct amount of pesos you should receive for your change.
For example: If you go into Chedraui shopping center and purchase a pair of swim trunks and give the cashier $50 USD, but the trunks are only $380 pesos (which is $20 USD with a 19-1 exchange rate that Chedraui was using at the time), your change would be $30 USD x 19 = $570 pesos in change. You can go through this process every time by using your USD or, not worry about receiving the correct change back (which is a HUGE mistake), or you can just use PESOS!!!
Now that I have convinced you to use pesos, the BIG question is “where do I get my pesos in Mexico?” There are ATMs all over the place, every street corner, grocery store, shopping center, etc. However, and here is my two pesos worth of advice, I strongly encourage you to only get your pesos from an ATM that is physically within or attached to a physical bank location and during the banks normal business hours (if at all possible). These ATMs have cameras (think skimmer machines) and are much more secure than a free-standing ATM. The additional bonus is that most of the machines in banks are in both English and Spanish. But don’t just stop there. It’s important to know that each bank ATM has different fees for exchange rates, service fees, and international transactions fees. Most of these banks are near each other, so you won’t have to go far to find one. You may have to try different ones to determine which one has the lowest fees for you.
Here are the names of a few bank ATMs I use:
INTERCAM
CI BANCO
CITI BANAMEX
HSBC
BBVA
Do your due diligence when using ATMs while traveling, use the local currency (it will make your life easier); shop, eat, enjoy the local culture, and have fun!
EXERCISE AWAY FROM HOME: Puerto Aventuras, Mexico is a beautiful place to take long walks, explore your home away from home, and enjoy the lovely greenery. However, depending on the dates of your travel plans, keep in mind that early in the morning may be a better time for walking, jogging, riding bikes, etc. So do a little research about the weather before you go. Here’s an excellent weather resource.
COVID-19: In all likelihood there will still be COVID-19 restrictions in place when you are in Mexico. As of now (November 2021), there are no restrictions for entering Mexico. However, to fly back to the U.S., you will need to show a negative COVID-19 antigen test from within three days of your return flight. This test can be obtained at the airport when leaving (just make sure your shuttle service picks you up earlier than they normally would). Your hotel may also provide the test. As of now, masks and social distancing are being enforced in all public areas.
Here is the link for that: can only be completed within 3 days of your flight to Mexico).
The immigration (INM) form (FMM) has 2 parts. They will give you a portion back that you need to keep with your passport; the airline will ask for this part of the form when you check in for your flight back to the U.S. If you lose this form, you will have to go to the INM office at the airport before checking in for your flight and pay (in pesos) for a replacement. As of November 2021, INM is requiring all visitors to Mexico to have their passport and FMM form with the at all times.
WEATHER AND DRESS CODE: November through May is dry season in Puerto Aventuras, so only a few days with rain per month. It is a bit cooler (high temperatures in the upper 70s and 80s, low temperatures mostly in the 60s) then, LOTS of sun so bring your sunglasses, sunblock, and a hat! For clothes, casual is the rule. I recommend shorts, t-shirts/tank tops, sun dresses, and a sweater for cool mornings/evenings. And don’t forget your swimsuit if you plan to go to the beach or get in the hotel pool/spa! And remember to bring your mosquito repellent.
PHONE SERVICE WHILE IN MEXICO: I would recommend you check with your cell phone provider to see if your plan includes calls and texts in Mexico/from Mexico. In addition, check to see if there is an additional fee. You don’t want any surprises when you get back home.
CHURCH SERVICES: There is a Catholic church on 5th avenue in Playa del Carmen called Our Lady of Camen. As of this post, their Sunday services is at 10:00 a.m. for English. However, I would recommend you contact the church directly to confirm the schedule.
1. You will be directed towards the immigration section where they will stamp your passport, FMM, and give you a portion of the FMM back (don’t lose it!!!)
2. Then you will be directed to baggage claim to pick up your luggage. FYI – there is usually a restroom in the baggage claim area, we recommend using the restroom there since it is about an hour drive from the airport to Puerto Aventuras (depending on traffic and construction).
3. After getting your luggage you head through customs, where your luggage may or may not be searched.
4. After customs, you head outside to catch your transfer shuttle. You WILL encounter many salespeople/scam artists trying to get your attention…IGNORE THEM ALL!!! Don’t tell anyone which shuttle service you are looking for or what hotel you are going to. If you mention the shuttle service you are taking, they may be dishonest and say they are that company. If you tell them what hotel you are going to, they may contact you directly at your hotel and attempt to convince you to attend a timeshare presentation. And unfortunately, they may continue to contact you throughout your vacation. We usually put our sunglasses on as we leave the customs area to help in avoiding eye contact with the scammers.
5. Once you book your shuttle service the company will email you photos of their van and logo, so you will know what to look for. Once you get outside, there are many shuttles and taxi service greeters/attendants holding up signs. Look for the one with the name of your shuttle service and let them know your name. Check their clipboard yourself, to make sure you see your name on their list. There are several scammers that will try to get you to use their service. I would hate for you to end up miles away and at a time-share presentation!
6. The greeter will walk you and your luggage to the van and introduce you to the driver and then you are on your way.
CONGRATULATIONS...YOUR VACATION STARTS NOW!!!
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