fred5555

Hi, my wife an I are planning a trip to one of the AI in the Riviera Maya in early December. We would like to spend the 2nd half of our trip stopping at various locations south along the coast, staying at smaller non-AI hotels/inns, seeing some of the cities/towns and soaking up some local culture. Ideally we would to rent a car, rather than using a bus or other transportation. How safe is this (the overall trip, as well as driving ourselves)? I don't mean to sound like a naive gringo, but reading the US State Dept website can be a bit intimidating and off-putting...Is there anywhere we shouldn't go? Or a certain distance south at which we should stop before heading back north towards Cancun?

Continental_Drifter

We began with exactly the same thoughts 16 years ago, when there was little if anything south of Cancun.

We've been there many times since and never done more than land in Cancun.

We take normal precautions, don't leave anything in the car, and have never felt threatened anywhere in the Yucatan.

We've been all the way south through the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve to Punta Allen. This drive requires 4 wheel drive, as it has potholes wider and deeper than your car is tall in some places. As long as it's not the rainy season, which it's not in December, that won't be a problem. You just drive down into them.

Try the Hemingway Resort near Tulum for an overnight and if I can find the hotel in which we stayed in Punta Allen, I'll post it here.

There are cushier resorts down there. A few internet searches will help you find them.

Enjoy!

zootsi

We have driven from Cancun to Playa del Carmen, Akumal, Tulum, Coba, Chechen Itza, etc, etc, many times in the past 5 years and have never felt unsafe. The Yucatan people are for the most part, hard working, friendly and helpful.

Suru11

We've been to the area twice and both times rented a car which I think is the way to go. We always stayed in the Playa Del Carmen, Akumal, Tulum area, not Cancun.

Driving was easy, but different. The locals love to use their horns and when they come up honking behind you, I don't believe they want to be mean, they just want to pass. Just move over, let them pass, and wave as they go by. If you come up behind a slow moving vehicle and they flash their lights, they are telling you to pass. Also, if someone is passing coming the other way straight at you, just move to the right and let them by. No one means any offense, that is just their driving customs.

One last thing is watch out for the topes (speedbumps) they will really tear your car up if you go over them fast. I loved driving in the Yucatan as you can find so many off the beaten path places. However, I had to drive because it was nerve-racking sometimes for my husband.

FrankS

If you are staying in an AI in the Riviera Maya, Apple(or any of the others) can arrange tours for you. They have Jungle tours, inland town tours, river tours etc. We have driven ALL over Mexico and with very few exceptions found it too much of a hassle and risk now.
We found some neat places like Taxco, Hermosillo, Guayamas etc...but now with the drug wars, it isnt worth it especially considering a tout company can take you there.