Heading down to the Mayan Riviera next week. Staying at Maroma Resort How concerned should we be about getting sick on the Yucatan? Any places/things we should definitely avoid? Thanks.

IMO and after 6 trips to the Yucatan, you should not worry about getting sick. I've eaten everything including food off street carts and plenty of iced drinks. Unless you really venture FAR off the beaten track you should have no problems.

As with any destination, use whatever precautions and common sense you'd use at home.

One additional thought, I have been ill from the heat and some self inflicted causes but in that event, a daily imodium will help.

Thanks for the response! I know about the drinking bottled water thing, but I was wondering about how paranoid I should be about the other things like ordering frozen margaritas, eating salads at legitimate restaurants, eating fruit, etc.

I've never been sick from the food either but the heat got me two weeks ago and I've had a rash that's fading slowly. I just tried to do too much in one day.

Besides never drinking tap water, the absolute one thing I will never do in Latin America is eat salads. Lettuce is the food item most likely to be contaminated.

I take probiotics daily, take digestive enzymes right before or after high protein meals (bromelain from pineapples and papain from papaya) and eat cayenne capsules if I still get a bit of "turista" - knocks it right back.

Yea, my travel clinic doc was adamant about not eating salads in Central/South America/Mexico. I ignored him. Time after time.

I've eaten salads everywhere I've been, although there isn't much lettuce in Costa Rica, never had a problem. I'm guessing one day I'll be sorry, but, in the meantime, I'll keep eating what I like.

We've only gotten sick once and it was from the fresh lettuce (salad) off the buffet at our AI hotel. Alot of the food sits out on the buffet for extended periods of time without proper cooling or being covered. I personally wouldn't eat from a street vendor for the same reason. Since then, we chew 1-2 Pepto tabs prior to meals. Also eat a least one cup of yougart daily before you leave.

Do not drink alcohol excessivley and be aware of how much sun exposure you get. Stay well hydrated with bottled water. We use bottled bottle to brush our teeth and we don't open our mouth while showering. Doing the little preventative things helps.

I drink only bottled water and don't eat salads myself. Seems like an easy precaution to take. I am also wary of dairy products in the heat. This was on the west coast not the Yucatan, but twice I've had issues that I think could trace back to cream sauce, sour cream type things, as best as I can guess.

I do not recommend Imodium unless it's an emergency and you need to get on a bus or plane. It just blocks you up... and if you've picked up a bacteria you want that stuff to get out!

Oh, yes the water. I drink only the bottled also and brush/rinse with the same. We do have a built in purifier but I only use that water for my coffee maker. As far as salads, I do eat the salads at restaurants in town - recently had a couple at the Moroccan restaurant on Calle Corazon which were very good and big enough to take home for the next day. No problems with the lettuce there. I've also had sandwiches from the Subway with all the toppings.

I was just wondering this myself, as we are planning our first ever trip to Mexico for spring break 2008. Traveling with two teens. Will the AI proivde enough bottled water to drink and use for brushing of teeth or will we need to buy extra? Are salads/lettuce the only veggie to avoid? Any and all information is appreciated.

Mayan riviera is pretty safe. Most hotels and restaurants purify their water. I still wouldn't drink water form a tap, but other than that you should be fine. We rented a condo and ate in PDC restaurants, and even take out bbq chicken, local homemade popsicles, and churros from the carts and had no problem at all. We started out cautious, avoiding salads and such, but quickly resumed eating just about anything we wanted.

I always bring pepto pismal along, and if there is any hint of stomach upset, I would take them before meals.

The AI's will give you plenty of bottled water. Also, if you order water in a restaurant it will come in a bottle.

Not all AI resorts furnish unlimited bottled water as part of their AI package. Check the resort you are interested in. They will provide purfied water in glasses or cups at the bar/resturants thoug. Also be careful that the bottle water you receive from the resort that the seal is still intact. We stayed at one resort in which they were refilling large water bottles with their own purfied water. We didn't trust it.

Thanks for the replies. We're staying at the Sandos Playacar. I'll pack the Pepto Bismol and hope for the best.

I'll be running past your resort every morning!! Lots of pharmacias in town if you need anything and I believe there's also one at the mercado opposite the RIU Palace Mexico which is withing walking distance from you. Have a great time!

Some people can handle salads, some can't. Better to be safe than sorry. One friend is no longer allowed to go on vacation with us because she insists on eating salads and has landed in the hospital twice. Both times we were in highly developed areas, staying in luxury hotels, and eating in the best of restaurants.

If by a small chance you do get sick, go to one of the local pharmacies and by some Cipro (over the counter in Mexico). One pill often will do the trick.
Have a great trip, would love to hear all about Maroma. It looks wonderful!

Be careful about cipro - it can be a real life saver but wipes out all the good bacteria, too, which can set you up for recurring problems while traveling. If you are really, really, sick - vomiting, diarrhea, fever, etc., consider it. For diarrhea alone I wouldn't recommend it. Be careful about immodium, too. When we were in Honduras a year or 2 ago there was a dire public health warning urging locals and travelers not to use it with something that was going around. It jells things up (gross, I know - sorry) and doesn't allow the guilty bad bugs to leave your system leading to further and more life-threatening symptoms. The last 2 trips I've used cayenne at the 1st sign of trouble and it's taken care of it, though I have needed and used cipro twice on previous trips.

Happy, healthy trails!

One of the local guys I met on the way to Ek Balam also recommended eating raw coconut for stomach problems. They sell cups of it down by the ferry.