Trip Report US to Mexico and Back

[1242Vintage]

Going down to Cancun later this month for a week of sun and sand. Pre-pandemic we would head to Riviera Maya or Cancun hotel zone a few times a year. This trip will be the first time flying since the pandemic started.

We are taking 95 year old FIL along. Poor guy keeps booking cruises that get cancelled.

 

[kcowan]

The flights into the PV airport are definitely on the upswing. Many people are coming as soon as they complete their vaccinations.

 

[tulak]

The flights into the PV airport are definitely on the upswing. Many people are coming as soon as they complete their vaccinations.

That’s our plan. PV is an easy flight and the change of scenery will be most welcome.

Hopefully it doesn’t get too busy!

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

I just got back from flying for the third time during the pandemic. I like the way they load the planes load back to front and the more orderly deplaning.

Delta did that on our recent trip to/from Atlanta...great system and it reduced boarding times, too.

AA did NOT do that on our trip to MX and it was a free for all...gate fleas were in full effect.

 

[Surewhitey]

Ok, after a lot of business travel during my working days, I totally dislike the flying experience and try to avoid it almost at all cost. So I understand (and have some sympathy for) many airline rants very well. However, you and your wife went on this trip knowing fully well that her carry-on was oversized. Maybe not by much, but oversized nevertheless. In fact you knew it so well that you brought along an extra (smaller) bag just in case you might get called out on it. So then, the airline did call you out on it and now you are bent out of shape over this? Come on now! On behalf of your fellow passengers, please don’t try to game the system in the future. If you succeed, you take away extra space from someone else (who then might be forced to check their bag in spite of bringing a compliant piece), or at a minimum, you are holding up the lines while reshuffling your stuff. Don’t blame the airline for enforcing their well-publicized requirements.

1. Not bent out of shape. Just a story to smile at.
2. I didn't know, DW did & it was like 1" in 1 direction. Again, no biggie with a smile. DW always packs a beach bag, not for the intention of gaming them.
3. No holding up the lines... Not sure where you got this...

Slightly judgemental are we?

 

[Surewhitey]

So we're here in Puerto Morelos and it's quiet as expected for mid-April. The flight was pretty uneventful with American using a big 787 to get us down. Felt like a 70% full flight. I moved to an empty row of 3 seats...

Restaurants are all using masks, patrons not so much as they are mostly open air places & tables mostly spaced well. Grocery stores are temp checking and everyone is squirting sanitizer...

Now if I can get a negative test to return (or not)

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

So we're here in Puerto Morelos and it's quiet as expected for mid-April. The flight was pretty uneventful with American using a big 787 to get us down. Felt like a 70% full flight. I moved to an empty row of 3 seats...

Restaurants are all using masks, patrons not so much as they are mostly open air places & tables mostly spaced well. Grocery stores are temp checking and everyone is squirting sanitizer...

Now if I can get a negative test to return (or not)

Looks wonderful down there! I am already to go back and it has been less than a month. The forecasted freeze/possible winter weather here doesn't help it, either!!!

I noticed that almost all the establishments also did a "shoe wash" of sorts, you have to wipe your feet/shoes on a moistened mat. Haven't seen that anywhere but Mexico.

How was the baggage claim? My biggest complaint with the 777 was the large number of bags. While we cleared customs in less than 2 minutes, it took almost an hour to get our bags...but the flight was nearly full, too.

Enjoy your trip and GET OFF THE INTERNET!!

Edit: Guess I need to add an obligatory sunrise picture.

 

[erkevin]

I just got back from PV this morning. As Keith said, business is picking up. Definitely not crowded, but there were quite a few families and young couples from the US, out and about. Great trip- just be aware of the travel requirements traveling to and from Mexico. There were large crowds in the airport unaware of the Covid questionaire, trying to access the website on their phones to get the needed QR code.

 

[ivinsfan]

So we're here in Puerto Morelos and it's quiet as expected for mid-April. The flight was pretty uneventful with American using a big 787 to get us down. Felt like a 70% full flight. I moved to an empty row of 3 seats...

Restaurants are all using masks, patrons not so much as they are mostly open air places & tables mostly spaced well. Grocery stores are temp checking and everyone is squirting sanitizer...

Now if I can get a negative test to return (or not)

Looks peaceful, would you mind telling me where you are staying..

 

[NYEXPAT]

I noticed that almost all the establishments also did a "shoe wash" of sorts, you have to wipe your feet/shoes on a moistened mat. Haven't seen that anywhere but Mexico.

They have been doing this for over a year in Peru, also required to enter your apartment building and we had a secondary outside our front door!

 

[kcowan]

They have been doing this for over a year in Peru, also required to enter your apartment building and we had a secondary outside our front door!

Yes our condo is the same. And last March 2020, all the grocery stores and Home Depot/Costco had shoe wash, masking, hand wash and temp testing in place and still do.

Now that we are fully vaccinated, we consider it overkill, especially the shoes. But we are loving it! We will return to Canada only when it becomes reasonable to do so. Right now, it is worse than the US. Major political shortcomings in acquiring vaccines.

 

[audreyh1]

How about that fresh grilled fish on the beach?

Eating outdoors under a palapa.

Memories of Acapulco around 1980......

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

How about that fresh grilled fish on the beach?

Memories of Acapulco around 1980......

Yep. Nothing like watching it come in on the boat and knowing you'll be eating it soon. Although, I don't think too many people are visiting Acapulco these days.

 

[audreyh1]

Yep. Nothing like watching it come in on the boat and knowing you'll be eating it soon. Although, I don't think too many people are visiting Acapulco these days.

No. Not Acapulco. But Mexico has so much coast.

 

[Surewhitey]

Looks peaceful, would you mind telling me where you are staying..

Hole in the wall 12 room hotel. We have stayed here a dozen times. Basically a suite with kitchen. Not many in PM with good trees and palapas, this sold us. Consistently basic. A/C in bedroom only & great cross breezes in the living room.

Hotel Arricefes... After taxes, about $100/nt. We just bring breakfast foods, guac & limes/tequila & walk a half mile to lunches and dinners. Decent restaurants in town.

Our last 3 days are at an all inclusive that includes a rapid test for our return trip.

Our friends here said mostly positive things about the handling of the pandemic by the locals and businesses. One couple got the available Chinese vaccine & 1 couple is going back home for the Pfizer doses.

 

[ivinsfan]

Hole in the wall 12 room hotel. We have stayed here a dozen times. Basically a suite with kitchen. Not many in PM with good trees and palapas, this sold us. Consistently basic. A/C in bedroom only & great cross breezes in the living room.

Hotel Arricefes... After taxes, about $100/nt. We just bring breakfast foods, guac & limes/tequila & walk a half mile to lunches and dinners. Decent restaurants in town.

Our last 3 days are at an all inclusive that includes a rapid test for our return trip.

Our friends here said mostly positive things about the handling of the pandemic by the locals and businesses. One couple got the available Chinese vaccine & 1 couple is going back home for the Pfizer doses.

I know that property, nice to have a good review of the place.

 

[Surewhitey]

I know that property, nice to have a good review of the place.

Take my review with a grain of salt. After living in Mexico, your perspective changes on expectations. Important to us is the beach experience and not roasting in the sun. Sleeping soundly in a/c is a close 2nd with good quality margaritas...

 

[ivinsfan]

Take my review with a grain of salt. After living in Mexico, your perspective changes on expectations. Important to us is the beach experience and not roasting in the sun. Sleeping soundly in a/c is a close 2nd with good quality margaritas...

We have a fave oceanfront place outside of PDC that is family run and small, and basic would describe that too.

 

[Surewhitey]

We have a fave oceanfront place outside of PDC that is family run and small, and basic would describe that too.

Those are hard to find around PDC. The big companies are gobbling up the ocean front down there. PA-Amul & Akumal are a couple of holdouts of the expansion. PDC is where we were from 2011-14. Got too busy for our liking. We hit Isla Mujeres and PM mostly now. Unless we have 2+ weeks to blow in Mahahual.

 

[brett]

So we're here in Puerto Morelos and it's quiet as expected for mid-April. The flight was pretty uneventful with American using a big 787 to get us down. Felt like a 70% full flight. I moved to an empty row of 3 seats...

Restaurants are all using masks, patrons not so much as they are mostly open air places & tables mostly spaced well. Grocery stores are temp checking and everyone is squirting sanitizer...

Now if I can get a negative test to return (or not)

Puerto Morelos is a favorite of ours. Last time we were there, just before covid hit, there was new grocery store opened that had everything. Saved us going up to the store on the highway.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Those are hard to find around PDC. The big companies are gobbling up the ocean front down there. PA-Amul & Akumal are a couple of holdouts of the expansion. PDC is where we were from 2011-14. Got too busy for our liking. We hit Isla Mujeres and PM mostly now. Unless we have 2+ weeks to blow in Mahahual.

I fell in love with Akumal on our last trip. We used to do Isla Mujeres but it has (at least pre-COVID) been overrun the last few years with the day trip folks from Cancun and that has turned us off.

I have told the DW that with R/E as freaking nuts as it is, we could sell our US home and live in a very, VERY nice home in Akumal yet she still holds out.

I am pretty interested in Paamul as well and might stay at the little hotel next time we visit. The homes of Paamul are pretty interesting as well, but I am a little old to live in an RV that is parked in a palapa.

 

[audreyh1]

Looked like a pretty nice beach at Tulum. I’ve wondered if that is a good base in the area.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Looked like a pretty nice beach at Tulum. I’ve wondered if that is a good base in the area.

Tulum beach is nice, but there has been quite the uptick in cartel activity down there in the last year. A lot of folks moved there and started to party (raves/drugs/etc) and the cartels have taken note. Also the municipal police in Tulum was recently "taken over" but the Q.Roo State Police. Oh, and it is PACKED with folks who are "alternative healers" and involved with other questionable practices. Might be great for some folks, but it's not really for me.

There are some pretty good expat pages on Facebook that go in depth with some of the issues that Tulum has been dealing with.

 

[Surewhitey]

Tulum beach is nice, but there has been quite the uptick in cartel activity down there in the last year. A lot of folks moved there and started to party (raves/drugs/etc) and the cartels have taken note. Also the municipal police in Tulum was recently "taken over" but the Q.Roo State Police. Oh, and it is PACKED with folks who are "alternative healers" and involved with other questionable practices. Might be great for some folks, but it's not really for me.

There are some pretty good expat pages on Facebook that go in depth with some of the issues that Tulum has been dealing with.

+1. We have friends who have lived there for 7 years or more and they said it's definitely experiencing growing pains. They mentioned the state police taking over the local police job. They live on the jungle side of the highway and said the newer construction was not engineered properly for drainage on the beach side... Tulum is nice, but has gotten too busy for our taste.

 

[Surewhitey]

I fell in love with Akumal on our last trip. We used to do Isla Mujeres but it has (at least pre-COVID) been overrun the last few years with the day trip folks from Cancun and that has turned us off.

I have told the DW that with R/E as freaking nuts as it is, we could sell our US home and live in a very, VERY nice home in Akumal yet she still holds out.

I am pretty interested in Paamul as well and might stay at the little hotel next time we visit. The homes of Paamul are pretty interesting as well, but I am a little old to live in an RV that is parked in a palapa.

I liked Akumal before the giant resort built there. This brought in the element of "taxes" to enter the water to see the wildlife. Just a bunch of thugs extorting from the tourists.

Yeah, Paamul is interesting idea for sure. We usually went for the day & they'd let us in if we were going to eat at the restaurant (good food)... Great place to snorkel and spend the day. There's also a dive shop there...