Transportation in Cancun

Riviera Maya: Once known as the Cancun-Tulum corridor the Riviera Maya is a tourism and resort district south of Cancun, Mexico. It straddles the coastal Federal Highway 307, along the Caribbean coastline of the state of Quintana Roo, located in the eastern portion of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Concerning transportation, there are many options. Having frequently to the area I can opine on the best options depending on type of travel from my experience.

Rental Car: One of our visits was for a week in a private residence in the town of Akumal. Or villa was booked through Akumal-Villas a well-respected vacation rental and management company based in Akumal. Upon suggestion of the management co. we rented a car at the Cancun Airport.

While Akumal has a small selection of restaurants; being in the area for a week we knew we wanted to explore as well as have groceries for the private residence. A few tips concerning renting a car in Mexico:

Book prior to arrival as you will secure the best selection and lowest prices.

Consider the suppliers full insurance option. Yes, I know many credit cards offer insurancewhen cars are rented through them HOWEVER in a foreign country the coverage may not be as comprehensive and if an incident happens you may be forced to pay at the destination andthen fight your credit card company for reimbursement. Of note concerning Liability Insurance: Mexico does not accept liability coverage from U.S. auto policies or credit card insurance. You simply cannot rent a car without buying Mexican liability insurance. But here’s what most renters don’t know: By law, the mandatory liability insurance is already included in the rental price. Cost: Included in rental rate. You may be advised to purchase additional supplemental liability insurance. Thus when comparing rates compare apples to apples i.e. full insurance coverage.

Avoid Being a Tourist: Yes, the Jeep Wrangler and Mustang would be a blast with their rag tops and also a target for nefarious activity from simple break-in to carjacking. Best to rent a non-descript economy car or similar and fit in with the locals. When you visit the Wal-Mart or Costco you will see the majority of cars are small, economy oriented.

 

Review& Photograph before Leaving the Lot: My rule is to A) take pictures of the interior and exterior, B) review with rental agents any prior damage and C) check to make sure there is a spare tire, jack and tools in the truck as AAA is not going to be of assistance if you have a flat. Of note Mexico has the Green Angels roadside assistance operating on toll roads throughout the country.

Taxi: When leaving the Cancun airport, you may be literally accosted by vendors offering transportation services. At Cancun there is no official taxi service, yet you will see cars with taxi service lights on the roof. If considering this option best to negotiate fare concerning your destination.

Resort Transportation: Many resorts offer their own transportation options either branded though the resort or booked through a 3^rd party vendor. This can be an excellent option as you will have a meet and greet at the airport and private or semi-private transport. While usually involving a cost-premium the time-savings and convenience can be worth the cost.

Independent Transfer: On a recent visit to Mayakoba we secured the services of an independent transfer company. A taxi would have been expensive, the resort’s in-housetransportation, a Cadillac Escalade ($300 USD/RT) seemed to us as overkill for the 2 of us for 3 nights. We booked Canada Transfers which is just one of multiple transfer companies. We were provided with a private van and driver. The roundtrip between CUN and Viceroy was $100 USD + gratuity. We felt this was the most-cost-effective option as 1) short-stay, 2) meet & greet provided, 3) return to airport pre-booked, 4) Canada Transfers has a strong reputation with inbound destination management companies.

Of note we knew we planned to stay within the confines of The Viceroy however if we wished to visit Playa Del Carmen for dinner, we would have had the resort secure a taxi. If we planned on heading to Tulum, we would have secure tour operator over the road service and guides.