Sue

Going to Cozumel on a cruise. I would like to eat some of the food from the restuarants but I have had friends who have gone on land based vacations who have gotten very sick from eating in Cancun and Cozumel. What is safe in terms of drinks with ice, fruits, vegetables, etc. I just read a magazine article that says watch the bottled salsas on the table - they are often not refrigerated and have bacteria. <BR><BR>Please advise

gail

Recommendations on safe eating - not specific to Cozumel: Drink bottled water, avoid ice cubes and juices that might be reconsituted with local water, including lemonades. Fruits and veggies should be peeled by you (like bananas, oranges) or eaten cooked. Buffets can be a problem if you are not certain food has been kept hot or cold. Dairy products may not be pasteurized, so could be a source of bacteria.<BR><BR>This is the way we have eaten when traveling to destinations with questionable food safety practices. It does make for some boring eating, and the downside is that you miss some of the local delicacies. <BR><BR>We base our decision on - how awful would it be to become intestinally ill on THIS trip. For example, in Egypt with scarce bathroom facilities and long walks and trips on buses, diarrhea would have been awful. On a cruise or a land-based vacation with fewer stops, a few hours or a day would not be as inconvenient, and we would take a few more "risks"<BR><BR>Some people take 1/4 - 1/2 dose Pepto Bismol with each meal and have Immodium on hand. A good idea to pack these for travel anyway, but should be reserved for emergencies since if a bacteria your body is unfamiliar with gets into your system, it really does need to get out and this just delays its departure. However, for travels with scarce bathrooms or when you are sick enough to risk dehydration, I would use it.

M.Topoleski

My wife and I have spent many weeks (6 over the last 4 years besides cruise stops) on the beautiful island of Cozumel and have never had a problem with the food at the resturants in San Miguel. Try some of the local Mayan dishes which are very tasty and not typically found in the States. All restaurants have bottled water and we have never been ill from any of the iced drinks.

xxx

We were just in Cozumel in August on a cruise and had lunch at I think it was called Palmeros on the main street. Had fruity margaritas with crushed ice (and little chunks of fruit), salsa and chips they put on the table, ordered homemade guac and ate lunch all with no problems.

Bob

To be safe, DONT eat in Cozumel. I have lived in and visited all over Mexico and their total lack of sanitation standards and modern sewer systems make it impossible to avoid problems. On most cruise lines for little or no additional cost they will pack you a lunch to take to the beach, etc. Even buying bottle water, etc. is not always safe. The people are so poor that they will commonly re-fill and re-sell what you think is safe bottles of water, etc. I even have stayed in nice hotels that had bottled water in your room, but on close inspection I could see the bottles did not have the plastic seals intact and when I asked I found out that they routinely re-fill used bottles with their tap water.

shark

We have eaten at several places in Cozmel. Stick to the larger, city based ones. Stay away from street vendors or real out of the way places. <BR>Always drink bottled water, and pack some Imodium just incase.<BR><BR>