The Truth about Traveling to Mexico
It seems like just about everyone is traveling to Mexico – whether it’s for Spring Break in Cancun or an all-inclusive resort as an adult. We’ve heard stories of beautiful beaches and wild nights, but we’d also heard to be cautious. The news is full of stories of the cartel, tourist scams, and plenty of warnings to not drink the water or eat the wrong kind of food. So here’s a few things to know if you’re traveling to Mexico for the first time.
Safety:
This was probably our biggest misconception when going to Mexico – danger was around every corner. We’d gotten warnings from our parents about not wandering off the resort property, not going on tours alone, etc. It’s easy to conjure images of the cartel when thinking about Mexico, but the reality is that Mexico is a very large place. There are certainly areas of Mexico (primarily near the U.S. border) where you do need to worry about some different safety issues. During our group tour, our local guide was telling us that he often hears about tourist concerns for safety, but the reality is that Cancun relies mainly on tourism to sustain its economy. This means there are added incentives to keep tourists safe.
Much like traveling to any other country, it’s always important to be smart and listen to your gut. A little pre-planning goes a longgg way, especially when it comes to avoiding scams. For example, book your transport to/from the airport ahead of time. That will prevent you from hopping in a cab with someone who’s going to charge you soaring rates. Be extra cautious and book your tour with a group. This allows you to make new friends and also helps ensure you’re not caught in any uncomfortable situations by being on your own.
Important Documents:
Although it may not seem as complicated as a trip to Europe or somewhere else in the world since Mexico is just south of the border, there are a few important documents you’ll need to keep track of during your trip.
When you arrive in Mexico, the airline will hand you an immigration card to complete. This is what you will take with you to passport control where they ask you a few questions about your time in Mexico and check your passport. They will tear off half of the completed form, and they will give you the other half back. DO NOT throw this away when you get to your hotel! You will need to show this to the gate agent when you head home, so tuck it in your passport for safe keeping.
Food:
We were probably most nervous about the food and drink situation after hearing horror stories of food poisoning and weekends spent in the bathroom. The reality is, it’s easy to overindulge on vacation no matter where you are. Use the same kind of logic you would at home and limit rich foods and sweet drinks if those leave you with an upset stomach. We’d also recommend taking it easy the first day or so. You might try easing yourself in with some safer foods and give your stomach time to adjust.
We also recommend using bottled water – our resort supplied it at every dinner, every bar and there were always bottles in our room. Try your best to stick to bottled water, but if you happen to get a bit of tap water in your mouth from the shower or on your toothbrush, don’t sweat it too hard.
Tidbits to know before you go:
- When traveling to Mexico, know your destination and its distance to other attractions. For example, our resort was an hour ride from the Cancun airport. We also had to be mindful when planning excursions how long our transportation would be. No one wants to spend 3+ hours in a van when you could be sipping drinks on the beach!
- Going to “Cancun” can mean a lot of things. If you end up further South towards Riviera Maya, it’s more of a rural jungle than a city vibe. You won’t be popping out to join the locals for a night of clubbing. Depending on what you’re hoping to get out of your trip, do some extra research to make sure your area has the experiences you’re looking for.
