We loved everything about Cancun, Mexico and it’s neighboring cities and people. Even though we only had a few days there, we made the most of each day. (Check out our adventures here!) I had done a good amount of research prior to the trip, all of which helped tremendously. However, there were many things I learned during the trip as well. I have compiled a list of things I wish I knew before going to Cancun. I am going to divide this list into two parts; one specifically for Chichen Itza, the world wonder and one generally for Mexico.
Mexico
1 Get your Mexican pesos before you land in Mexico or even before you fly out from your country. I made the mistake of thinking my local bank would have the pesos on hand since it’s a common currency and ended up not getting pesos prior to leaving the US. If you choose to pay in USD, which is what we did for majority of the trip, you loose so much value for the dollar. Instead of getting 17-20 pesos for 1 USD, you only get about 12. Along with having pesos, it’s important to have smaller USD bills. You will need small bills all throughout the trip, for tips, concession stands and small purchases.
2 The customs line in Mexico is ridiculously LONG! If you thought it was hard to get from Mexico to America, you should try traveling to Mexico from America. There are people from not only all over the US, but all over the world. So, how can you be prepared for this?
- Always move to your left. Most people go to their right, which means less people on the left lanes.
- Have a pen on you so that you can fill out the customs form before you get to the front (which is the only place they have pens and stations available)
- Get in line ASAP and then go use the restroom one at a time. If you think the line will get any shorter if you wait, it won’t.
3 Don’t loose those custom forms you get when you enter the country. If you do, you will have to pay a fee and go through a longer process. You need that form to leave the country.
4 Book your transfer from the airport to your hotel and back with a transfer company. This will save you lots of time, money and worry in the long run. We booked our pick up with a company called USA transfers the day before we arrived. Right after exiting the airport, we were directed to them and they took care of us very professionally. They didn’t look at the payment or talk about it until we were settled and relaxed in the car. Would definitely recommend them to anyone!
5 When booking trips, confirm the timing of the pick up with your tour company. It’s much earlier than the actual tour time and if you are not aware of it, they may leave you! Also, this will give you a time frame to fit in your resort breakfast, which you wouldn’t want to miss! I communicated through wattsapp and found out the timings for our trips the day before.
6 Book your stay within the Hotel Zone of Cancun. Although areas outside the hotel zone didn’t appear to be too unsafe, you don’t want to be in the downtown or non touristy areas late into the night. If you are staying in a local area for a few days, it’s likely that your departure and arrival times will be noticed by others.
We ventured out to the mercado 28 area during the evening once and felt a little uncomfortable. We walked over to the market 28 and talked to the guides there and asked for directions to the bus that goes to Hotel Zone.
7 IF you decide to take the local bus within Hotel Zone (which I think you should!), you can always ask your bus driver to let you know where your stop is. The drivers know enough English to understand and are very helpful to tourists. Sit towards the front of the bus if you can and keep your belongings close to you. The bus costs only 12 pesos per person (or 1 dollar if you use USD), which is considerably less than a taxi and much more fun!
8 Only drink bottled water. Although both my husband and I both have strong stomachs and try all kinds of different food, we both don’t play when it comes to plain water. We only drink bottled water wherever we go and from unopened bottles. Depending on which package you choose, you might have free water bottles that come with the tour. If not, avoid paying ridiculous prices for water and get some earlier from the local supermarket!
Or hey, you can always sip on their vitamin C drink (see picture for reference).
Chichen Itza
1 Book your trip EARLY in the morning. It gets pretty hot during the day time in Chichen Itza since the sun is bearing down on you. The earlier you go, the better. If you book an early morning tour (see where to book in my Cancun blog post), you will get to visit before opening hours and beat the crowd.
2 The state of Yucatan, in which Chichen Itza is located, is one hour behind Cancun. Make sure you are aware of the time difference especially if you are planning to go by yourself.
3 Drones, tripods and any fancy photography equipment are NOT allowed. You can bring DSLRs, but anything more than that and you won’t be allowed to take it in. You also cannot take in big backpacks or luggage.
4 Once you enter the gates, you cannot buy water or drinks. Even though there hundreds of souvenir stations inside, there is not a single one that has water, drinks or snacks. Make sure you get what you need prior to going inside. You will need at least a bottle of water because it can get pretty hot, especially during the peak hours.
5 If you go with a group tour, you don’t have to stick to the group. We left our group to explore the place on our own and to take lots of pictures. We were able to get to the side where there were less people and get some great shots of the monument without anyone in the background. Also, there is more to Chichen Itza than the one monument. Take the time to go around and see all the other monuments, statues and ruins.
Have you visited Chichen Itza yet? It’s a world wonder that is so easily accessible to us in America. Especially if you live in Texas, like me! Do you have any tips or recommendations after visiting this wonderful site? If so, let me know below!
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