Top 10 Tips for safe Travel in Mexico
1 Pay in Pesos! Whatever currency you have, when you’re in Mexico you’re best off paying in pesos. Dollars are widely accepted but if you pay in dollars you’re leaving the decision of the exchange rate up to the person you’re paying, the restaurant, taxi driver or shop owner, the exchange rate will always be much worse than the rate you can get at a bank or money exchange. You’ll find the best exchange rate in the banks. You’ll need your passport to exchange money at the bank or most money exchanges.
2 Paying with a card. Paying via your credit or debit card when possible is a good option. If it’s an international card, sometimes you’ll be asked if you want the shop or the card issuer to handle the exchange rate. You will always be better off choosing your card issuer or your bank. Your bank will give you the best exchange rate on each transaction. You may be asked for proof of ID when using your bank card.
3 ATM’s. If you need to get out cash, the best Atm or cash machines are the Mexican bank Atm’s. They will give you pesos!! Some stand-alone ATM”S offer dollars but quite often the fees for using these atm’s are $50 dollars and up so don’t get caught out! These stand alone dollar atm’s tend to be found in the tourist areas and in the larger hotels. They are there to make money off of you. If you are asked if you want to take the ATMs exchange rate, always decline that option too.
4 Gas Station Switcheroo! In Mexico there is always an attendant who puts the gas in your car. You pull up to the pump and tell him/her how much gas to put in. On some occasions you might experience the gas station Scam Switcheroo. To give you an example; you fill your tank up with gas and it comes to $1000 pesos. You hand over 2x $500 pesos bills and the attendant shows that you only gave him a $500 bill and a $50 bill, telling you that you handed over the wrong amount of money. In receiving your two bills, the attendant whips out a $50 from his stash and shows them to you. This quite often works because unsuspecting tourists who are not familiar with the currency or language get confused. You hand over another $500 pesos bill, believing that you handed over the wrong amount but actually it’s the attendant taking advantage. The same scam can be done if you’re paying in dollars. If this does happen, stay put and call for the manager. Quite often that’s enough for the attendant to hand you back what is owed. Being aware that this can happen keeps you on your toes when entering to buy gas. It’s best to say a fixed amount, then you know how much money you need to hand over and you can have it prepared. The salary for gas attendants is very very low so you should always leave a tip (around $15 pesos or $1 dollar) if you’ve had a normal experience.
5 Tipping in Mexico. It’s hard to know who to tip and how much. If you come from Europe you are quite often not used to tipping at all. In Mexico a lot of the jobs are very low paid and the employees rely heavily on their tips. Examples of this are Waiters and Bar staff. For a 6 to 8 hour shift their salary may be as low as $20 dollars per shift. The tips, what they take home at the end of the night, are actually what they live off. It’s important to know this. You are expected to leave at least 10% tip. If you’d enjoyed your service you can leave as much as you want, a good tip being 20% or more. They’ll appreciate the appreciation!! It’s rare but in a few places they might add a tip on to the bill, so just check with the waiter to make sure it’s not included.
6 Don’t drink the tap water! In Mexico it’s not safe to drink tap water. It will give you an upset stomach. Brushing your teeth and showering is normally fine just as long as you’re not swallowing the water. Always drink bottled water. The Ice in Mexico is safe! The bottled water companies also make Ice so the icecubes in your drink are made from purified water.
7 Different Country, Different Culture! You are not in your home country so don’t expect everything to be the same as where you come from. This may sound obvious to some, but quite often tourists assume that things should be exactly the same as where they come from. They forget that they’ve crossed a border (or two)! Travelling to Mexico you will experience different foods, a different language, a different currency, different types of people and different rules. Maybe you do not speak Spanish, normally in Quintana Roo, no problem! The Mexican people are kind hearted and always keen to help you out. The majority of people you will encounter in the tourist areas speak English and you’ll be able to communicate without a problem. But just remember there are many differences that you’ll come across. It’s a great opportunity to embrace these differences and learn about the beautiful country you’ve travelled to, be patient and kind.
8 Mexican Bathrooms. Firstly It’s usually quite clear which bathroom to enter but occasionally you might come across an M which actually means Mujer (Woman). So do a double check for which bathroom if you’re not clear. Secondly, at the side of the toilet you might find a basket or trash can. This is for the paper or any other waste products. You do not flush these!! Each establishment has its own small sewage system and flushing these products will clog up the system and it gets messy! Please help them by cooperating with this system. Gas stations have a small service fee (5 or 10 pesos depending where you are) This covers the service attendant who cleans the bathroom, and the use of soaps/paper products.
9 Mexico is Safe! Be Streetwise! The peaceful gated community Puerto Aventuras Marina is very safe with private security working around the clock. However, once outside the safe haven of the gates, please be very aware of yourself and your surroundings. There are a fair few stories out there about cartels and other not so pleasant experiences which give Mexico a bad reputation. It’s important to keep yourself safe and not put yourself in harm’s way. A few safety tips to put your concerns at ease, the majority are based on common sense and are things that you certainly would not do in your own country; Stay away from drugs and parties where you know drugs are being sold. Don’t walk on your own at night, don’t get in a taxi on your own in the middle of the night. Go with your gut, if something feels off to you, leave the situation. Beware of your purse at all times. In crowds, as in any City anywhere in the World there are pickpockets in operation. There have been more noticeable in Supermarkets, movie theatres and restaurant chains in the past years. Always take small amounts of cash, just for what you need, maybe just one card and one ID (Or copy of ID) Mexico is not exempt to professional thieves.
10 Arrival and Departure at Cancun Airport. When you arrive you will have your passport stamped with your tourist visa. Check out VISITAX The new payment to foreign tourists for $ 224 Mexican pesos (12 USD) can be made before or after entering the destination or during their stay, since the payment verification will be made when the tourist leaves the state.
First of all, you need to enter the official website of Visitax and fill out the form with the following information:
- The date you will be departing Cancun
- How many people are in your group
- First and last name of each person in your group
- Birthdate of each person in your group
- Passport number
Once visitors have filled out the form, they will be redirected to a secure payment page to complete the online payment which can be made by credit card.
As soon as the payment is completed, travellers will be provided with a QR Code that will need to be presented to airport security before boarding their departure flight.
New electronic terminals are also being set up at the Airport where travellers will be able to make a cash payment for the new visitor fee.
It’s important to pre book your airport transfer. It’s about a one hour journey from Cancun Airport to Puerto Aventuras but sometimes you can experience delays on the road, leave your lodgings with plenty of time for your return journey. When you arrive at the airport there are many people trying to lure you to go with them to take you to your villa or condo. It can be very confusing and they can be very convincing. If you pre book you will be looking for a sign with your name on it in the official airport transfers area. When you find your driver they will take you to their van. If you don’t pre book you can find yourself overpaying or in a van with many other people that will stop at every hotel before Puerto Aventuras. We can help you pre book your private van, contact us.
