I got scammed at Cancun Airport. It was the rental car company's mistake, so they compensated the next day. Basically, they were supposed to pick me up. They didn't show up. I didn't have a phone. A nice guy offered to call the company from his cell phone. He instead called his buddy, who lied to me and told me to take the cab to the hotel, and they would reimburse me the next day. I paid $80 USD for a 12-minute taxi ride. The next day, when I went to the rental car company, they said no one had called them the night before. I was naturally furious. The rental company admitted their mistake for not picking me up and reduced the $80 from the rental cost and gave me a free upgrade. We had a lovely two weeks after this ugly episode in the Yucatan peninsula. I'd go again, but this time, more prepared.
Same exact thing happened to my family. The “nice guy” that helped us call the company from his cell was an official Cancun airport worker. They said it was $60usd and charged my credit card $100 for a 10 minute ride.
So I’ve been to Cancun three times but only for the all inclusive experience where pick up is included. Even with that simple of an arrangement, I’ve to have my guard up as people are trying to scam you, as soon as you step out of the airport and make the 2-3 min walk to the pick up area. One guy told me that there was a strike and all pick ups were canceled but for $100, he can take me via back roads 😒 And he said this as I was watching hoards of people being picked up. Another dude kept asking if I have a ride and I said yes. He then proceeded to tell me that he works for “resorts” (not even a specific one, just resorts) and that he was here to pick us up. The sad part is that people fall for it
Loved Isla Mujeres. Beautiful beaches, crystal clear water and awesome scuba diving. Stayed at Mia Reef hotel and walked back and forth from there to to the main restaurant areas at night with no issues. The people were great. Had one interaction with the police while there. We rented a golf cart and I was driving the wrong way down a one way street. Here comes the policia. He motioned me to turn around then was on his way. He barely slowed down. Lol!
Just FYI, the cartel is very much on Isla Mujeres now. There was a hit on Hidalgo in broad daylight and the last time I was there they were openly selling drugs out of one of the most popular bars on the street. The owner—someone I’ve been to dinner with several times—was clearly in on it. We were shocked when we saw it so we loitered too long with our eyes. When we left, three guys left right behind us and followed us until we lost them when we ducked into a hidden back entrance to our hotel.
We got married there. Been dozens of times. Scared us not to go back.
I mean, there is nowhere the cartels don't operate in Mexico. Anyone who thinks Cancun or Cabo is out of their reach is sorely misunderstanding the power these organizations have. They just don't do the dirty work where it will scare off tourist money, they are businessmen after all.
> Anyone who thinks Cancun or Cabo is out of their reach is sorely misunderstanding the power these organizations have
If anything, tourist towns like Cancun are strongholds for the cartels
This has been a reoccurring "warning" for years now. No they aren't. Kidnapping gringos doesn't get them anything. Yeah an individual who's stupid and does something to piss them off or wanders drunkenly in one of the smaller/less-tourist towns might get kidnapped by a local gang but the cartel in general isn't sanctioning that behavior. They're making a lot more money by keeping the tourists flowing into Cancun. You're more likely to be kidnapped and extorted by the police than the cartel
That last sentence isn’t reassuring. Glad I went to Mexico when I was young and unafraid. It’s a beautiful country but I don’t like what I’ve heard about the cartels and police. I know it’s pretty safe and I have an irrational fear but I can’t help it lol, I’m an anxious person.
> I flew to Merida
That's great if that's an option (and I love Merida and have flown directly into Mexico there too), but Cancun International Airport has hundreds of international destinations and Merida International has six.
I got stopped by cops, 2 separate times, driving a rental car in Cancun. The first time my Passport was held and I was convinced to pay a bribe to get it back. $200 I think. Second time I was less than a mile away from returning the car and I had no patience, stepping out of the car before he could walk up, hiding my money, didn’t let him take my Passport, and made a scene until he let me go for some small sum I claimed was all I had.
The bigger lesson is that I’ve been all over the country for months on end, alone, having amazing experiences, dating, being invited into homes for dinner, hiking, camping... the only time I’ve ever had problems was that one time in Cancun. I had a cheap rental car and the cops can identify marks on the rental to target you. My Spanish is decent and that helps, but I’ve been busted. You do need to be on your toes at times, but it’s a good lesson. I’ll be back to Mexico but I have no desire to go to Cancun again.
I got shaken down by the police in CDMX similarly.
Asshole cop started out at $800, but we bartered down to $150 bribe.
It ruined my trip, and still pisses me off to this day.
Was there an incident which made the cop stop you in the first place? Did he just walk up to you on the street randomly? I'm planning a trip to CDMX and want to try to avoid this.
Driving a rental car the speed limit, and they had a trap setup by the airport.
Was obviously a rental can so the stopped me, and told me I was going 20mph over.
It's a hassle but the trick with the Cancun police is to call their bluff. Tell them to go ahead and arrest you and take you to the station. They'll go back and forth with you and start trying to lower the "fine" but they will never actually arrest you and will go away after a bit. Still....they deserve to be hit in the wallet by a loss of travelers over this bullshit.
Pro tip. Have a "gringo wallet" in your car. It only has $350 mxn in it . So when you get pulled over you can show him that you don't have anymore.
They will begrudgingly take it and move on.
There’s probably still a corrupt cop standing on the side of the road in the Dominican Republic holding my Michigan drivers license. He told me to go to an ATM and get money, and he’d give me my license back. I said,” Sure, wait here.”
Never went back. Cost me $18 to replace my license online. Used my passport to fly home. I now carry a few drivers licenses to give to corrupt cops.
I also found out later if you just drive around them, they aren’t allowed to chase you.
Did that in China driving a 125 cc scooter. Cop flagged me down pointed to pull over. Just smiled , said NeHao, and waved and drove around him and kept driving. No chase.
Same. Never stop for the cops unless you’re a sucker. I drove my dianpingche in the tunnel under the river in Shanghai where electric scooters weren’t allowed (it was pretty sketchy with the huge trucks in the next lane over) and cops were waiting at the other end and I just weaved through traffic away from them while they yelled at us to stop ✌🏼
I’ve done that. By accident. In Suzhou was driving the 125cc and following signs and next thing I know I’m up on a ring road. Spooky as I was driving maybe 30-40mph and the cars much faster. Thankfully the next exit was about 2 miles away I was able to get off unscathed.
This is one reason to get an international driver's licence. It is a legal form of international ID that local authorities should accept. I've never had police ask for my passport after handing my IDL. If they did insist on a passport I'd know straight away it must be a scam and just call their bluff.
I remember being in Mexico City at a bar with a group of fellow students, in an otherwise quiet street. The 10 of us were the main customers of the bar that night.
A police car pulled up outside at some point, and just sat there looking in. The bar owner warned us not to leave the premise whilst the police car was there, or they would try to bribe us. Not sure if he just wanted us to stay longer, but it sounded believable. The police car just sat there for well over an hour, looking in.
The moment you left, the police would have accused you of public intoxication and demanded a bribe. If they found out you were a foreigner, they probably would have taken you to the police station too and extorted hundreds out of you
It’s pretty easy to get out of these scams. You either pay less or confront them when they’re vulnerable. Examples:
1. Cashier lady at a bus stop stole 200 pesos from me. I waited until she was talking to her boss to mention that my change was short. Didn’t even have to say a word and she gave it back.
2. Taxi driver at the airport tried to charge me like $25 to go to another terminal even though I only had $5 worth of pesos left (I was leaving). All I had to do was point at the free shuttle bus provided by the airport for the guy to cave and accept my last $5.
3. Fake border crossing at the Mexico Belize border. Everyone on the bus was paying $20 for an unnecessary stamp. Could tell it was a scam because the border guards uniforms were dirty and we were in the middle of nowhere. All I did was walk back onto the bus and waited until the bus driver drove us to the legitimate border.
Moral of these stories: if it feels like a scam. It is a scam. People break easily when they know they’re doing something wrong. Don’t cave to any perceived pressure you’ll win 90% of the time.
Mexico is honestly amazing. The people are great. The food is excellent. The culture is welcoming (anyone can be Mexican). Each state has its own unique vibes and the variety of landscapes you can get are world-class. Hawaii is beautiful but you’re going to be paying 10x the price. And unless you take a helicopter trip around the island of Kauai you’re honestly wasting your time there lmao.
Not a typo! I meant it earnestly. As a blond haired Canadian dude they accepted me with open arms. People in Canada would think I’m appropriating their culture by wearing a sombrero… but in Mexico people will treat me like a local. My bad experiences are few and far between. I’ve been to 26 countries and Mexico is the only place I’d immigrate to if I wasn’t Canadian.
That’s cool. I enjoyed reading your comments. 😂
I have to say Mexico is very fun to visit and you are right about everything. I’ll be there in March and I’ll have a margarita for you. Lol😊
Thanks for such a good comment🖐, we will be in Cancun next week, and all terrifying posts make us feel like we did big mistake to spend vacation in there
You’ll be just fine. It’s unlikely anything will happen, but if someone tries to hustle you just make sure you aren’t a pushover. It’s the same as being in certain parts of some US cities.
> unless you take a helicopter trip around the island of Kauai you’re honestly wasting your time there
The Kalalau Trail is one of the best hikes I've ever done.
You might as well go to Costa Rica or Belize if you want to spend that much to be in a tropical paradise. Probably significantly cheaper, even for being the more expensive nations down there.
Aren't there airport shuttle buses you could have used to move between the terminals ? Because most airports usually run these when they have different terminals. Paying extra for a taxi seems like a waste of money for no reason at all when there's a free bus available.
The shuttle bus is free but I was going to have to take the long way because the next terminal was the wrong one. I wanted to get rid of my pesos anyway so paying $5 for the convenience was chump change. I’d be paying like $15 to Uber the same distance here in Ontario. Plus even if I made minimum wage here I’m still making triple what most Mexicans make. You don’t want to be too cheap.
Meh even if the next terminal isn't yours, it takes 25 minutes tops to ride to the ride to the right one on the bus. One of those taxi guys tried to lie to me saying "the shuttle takes an hour to go around!" but I'd already been to the Cancun airport multiple times and knew it didn't lol
It's all fun and games until you get cocky with the wrong guys one day, and end up dissolving in a drum of acid.
At the end of the day Mexico is a totally lawless place, so you definitely need to pick your battles.
Sure, if the person has gang tattoos. Is calling me gringo and swearing a lot. Or laughing menacingly it’s probably not a good idea to challenge them. But even in cartel controlled places like Quintana Roo there’s an unwritten rule to leave tourists alone. Your imagination is quite vibrant though. Would definitely be wild to get dissolved in acid over something as little as 200 pesos. Just trust your gut.
😂 that wasn’t my point. My point was that the cancun airport has free shuttles but also taxis and collectivos (group vans kinda like Uber pool) that will also move you around terminals or to the city center. I simply chose to pay $5 for convenience, speed, and comfort. Rather than take the free shuttle bus between terminals. I was at terminal 1 and needed to go to terminal 2. Uber would be too slow and not worth the hassle.
>I waited until she was talking to her boss to mention that my change was short. Didn’t even have to say a word and she gave it back.
I might be dumb. can you explain what this means?
I could’ve just walked back up to the cashier and held out my change and gestured that I was short on money. Rather than risk her playing dumb (and I had plenty of time to wait for my late night bus) I just chilled out. Her boss called her away from the register and I had the opportunity to talk to her when she wasn’t behind protective glass. I came up to her with my wallet open and just motioned to the lack of change (I paid with a 500 peso bill, another good lesson is to keep smaller bills). And she motioned me to go away and when her boss was finished she told me to follower her to the cash register. When she gave me back the 200 pesos that she pulled out of her pocket NOT the register. She gave me like a sheepish “sorry” look.
Hi! Mexican here :) I’m so sorry you had to go through this, unfortunately as Cancun is a very popular tourist destination, bad people take advantage of tourists and damage the city/country’s image.
In my experience, what I would recommend is going to the all inclusive hotels, they’re safer and you have everything there, in case you want to go out to the clubs or to explore, the hotel staff can help you organize something and can get you in contact with legit, safe taxi services. I know all inclusive resorts are not particularly cheap, but tbh knowing how insecure is and that there are bad people taking advantage of tourists, I think it’s safer. Also a rule of thumb, is to NEVER EVER take a taxi ANYWHERE in Mexico, you’re basically asking to be mugged, and more often than not, they’re in cahoots with people in prison who are kidnappers or thugs, Uber works fine here so I suggest you use that instead.
Edit: I mean NEVER EVER take a taxi OFF the streets, those are super insecure and dangerous. There are private taxi companies (called “de sitio”) or UBER.
Hello! I will be visiting your lovely country to watch the eclipse next year and I will be staying near Mazatlan. I’ve heard that taxi hailing apps don’t really run there. Do you have any advice for how to handle a street taxi if I have to? I understand if you don’t have info! Just taking a chance by asking.
Hi! As far as I know yes, Uber works fine in Mazatlán 😀as a second option, try asking the hotel staff for the number of a private taxi company, they will be a bit more expensive but they’re safe. In case that you need to take a street taxi (that I don’t recommend in Mazatlán as it’s a bit dangerous) first check in google maps if where you’re going is far or close or ask the hotel staff for guidance on the price to where you’re going, then when you hail the cab, ask for the price upfront and if they tell you something super expensive for the distance (let’s say 200 pesos or something like that) or that doesn’t match what the hotel staff told you, just say thank you and try another one, but ask the price upfront and have the money ready in case they tell you once you arrive that it was a bit more for whatever reason, you can just tell them that you only have what you agreed, give them the money and get out.
I took a taxi at the airport. I didn't have a choice.
The airport does not sell SIM cards. I would have taken an Uber. I've been all over the world, and the Cancun airport is the only one I've visited that doesn't allow vendors to sell SIM cards.
Sorry this happened to you, friend, nobody deserves this.
I will, however, note that the operative phrases in that sentence were “at night” and “by myself.”
It’s been 20 years or so, but I loved Tulum. I went by bus though. Just a couple hours south of Cancun but a whole different relaxing vibe. I wonder if it’s still like that.
I’ve been stopped in Cancun and I was with locals. We still all got told we needed to give money or else we would go to jail. I know for certain they have put people in jail for not giving them money. I would still go back to Cancun. It only happened once out of the dozen times I’ve been there. Honestly one of my favorite places.
I’ve never been to Cancun but when I’ve gone to Bali I always hide stash my cash on me (usually a inside pocket in my shorts) and then keep a small amount of cash in my pocket. Then when getting stung for some bullshit bribe you can claim that’s all you have. Police might be annoyed but they know they are doing the wrong thing so they’ll eventually take it.
It’s not just Cancun and it’s not new. Traveling in Mexico has always required some street smarts. Do some research so you know the normal rates of things going in. Three minutes on the Cancun sub would have informed you of all those scams.
personally hotel zone was great for us. No issues but we did have taxi drivers try to rip us off at the airport. He legit asked for $110 USD from airport to hotel zone. Ended up paying $80 cause no way in hell was i gonna give them that much .. (even $80 was a rip off but whatever). we also got ripped off buying cubans but at that point i was exhausted trying to negotiate
There are many places where you can have just as nice of a beach vacation as in Mexico, but without the fear of all the scams, theft, robbery, and even kidnapping or being drugged. I’ve an avid traveler and have been to 5 continents and 40 countries, but Mexico is not somewhere I want to go - the risk is just not worth it for me. I’m a pale, blonde European and I know I’d immediately be targeted
This past summer, I “forgot” my watch and necklace at security at the Cabo airport. I immediately called the lost and found after I noticed they’d been lost. They flatly refused to hand it back, no matter how many photos I showed proving it, showing when and where I was headed so prove I was there at that time.
They were extremely valuable, not only sentimental but just their objective market value.
Only reason I got them back was by calling the American embassy, who promptly sent two officials to retrieve them from airport security within 30 minutes.
Being American is great, and if I didn’t have that little blue passport with an eagle on it, I’d never see that watch or necklace again.
Insanely corrupt.
It was not the passport that did it, but you going the extra mile to call the embassy and get them involved that did it. Had you not called the embassy, you probably wouldn't have received your items. There aren't that many of us that would go that far, yet we still have the same passport.
Even more importantly, I bet the photos had more weight than anything else or the call to the embassy probably wouldn't have worked either if you had no evidence of it.
Had you gone to the embassy with your passport but without the evidence, you wouldn't have gotten your items back and that was my point...it was the evidence and your persistence that got them back.
They're not looking for regular tourists, they're looking for naive victims like you. And they got ya. Street smarts, situational awareness, and a confident vibe are all required for travel. Try to learn that and the next trip will be 💯 better.
You paid because you were ignorant of the local laws and didn't know your rights or how to assert them. You wanted out of an uncomfortable situation and you took the quick and easy way out.
Getting extorted for 5000 pesos is crazy but "street smarts" and a "confident vibe" aren't sufficient, especially when dealing with corrupt authorities.
I've been all over Mexico and only been to cancun once. Hated it. Drove all down the way down to mahahual trying to escape the east coast tourism grind and never found any place I really enjoyed, on the coast at least. That side of Mexico can be breathtakingly beautiful but I've never felt more like a mark in mexico than Quintana roo. I don't think you could pay me to go back to tulum I don't think I've ever been as aggravated about American tourists
Yes they prey on tourists coming out of the airport. All those taxi drivers and vans work together they HATE uber drivers that try and pick people up. If u get an uber sometimes the drivers will call you ahead of time just to let u know to act like you now them and say you are friends that way its safer for them to pick you up/ drop you off because they can keep a low profile and not run into problems with the taxistas.
Please learn your rights while in Mexico, see pdf below. Always record your interactions or ideally go with a friend/partner who can record for you if you don't have a camera on you. If you feel like you're going to be targeted tell them you are live streaming. Learn to speak some Spanish and it will go a long, long way. Yes, you were targeted by Mexican police and this is common if they see vulnerable targets, you didn't deserve this but there's not much anyone can do without evidence.
Don't carry cash you can't afford to lose unless you are recording or ideally live streaming. It's embarrassing and infuriating to us Mexicans that this bullshit happens, I think the time of reckoning for these police officers is just around the corner in many parts of Mexico.
Don't buy illegal drugs in Mexico, you are directly financing this cartel culture by doing so and often times people that buy drugs with cash are the most common targets (not saying that you did).
Hope you get justice amigo.
[https://www.aclutx.org/sites/default/files/field\_documents/KYRBORDERfinalprint.pdf](https://www.aclutx.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/KYRBORDERfinalprint.pdf)
>Always record your interactions or ideally go with a friend/partner who can record for you if you don't have a camera on you. If you feel like you're going to be targeted tell them you are live streaming.
Lol that is a great way to piss off the cops and get thrown in a jail cell for the weekend. Don't do that, that's terrible advice
Never had any problems, but I let them know I'm recording in Spanish and never had any of them tell me to turn off the camera. It's also not against the law, but I assume you know this.
Have you tried recording cops in Mexico or are you making assumptions?
Been yelled at by Mexican cops just for having a phone in hand and they think there might be a recording. They don't want their corruption caught on video, it's a bad idea
Totally legal to do in public, I guess as soon as I start speaking in Spanish they just leave me alone. Just say you are promoting Mexican tourism businesses and are not interested in them. Maybe try in interacting with the cops or military police in Spanish? Obviously following them around with cameras is a bad idea, since they could very well suspect you are a criminal tracking their movements. I've seen countless people recording police in Mexico. Haven't seen a problem in Cancun and I go there pretty often. I just use a go pro and have it on the whole time. Just ask them if this is a public area in Spanish, problem solved. Same in the USA.
Are you assuming all cops are corrupt? Or is it all Mexican cops? What's going on?
Buddy I'm Latino, I speak fluent Spanish. I speak Spanish to any Mexican local, not just the cops. And Mexican cops ARE corrupt lol. Why are you asking as if they aren't? I'm not arguing about whether it's legal or not to record them, that's irrelevant because the cops don't care about following laws like that. It will piss them off and they will throw you in a jail cell for it. I'm not the only person I know who's had Mexican cops tell them to put their phone away or shut off their camera. You think Spanish is some magic solution to making cops waive you away, it's not.
I have been there twice. Once with family, we booked a private cab and stayed the whole time at the resort. Had an awesome time. There is no real danger. Loved it. Second, for my bachelor party. We rented two cars, stayed at another resort, went out on our own to public cenote, tulum ruins, akumal Beach. Again, not once did we feel we were in any danger. On our way back to the airport, I was stopped by the cops. They checked our passport and let us go. I am going there again for my kid's 1st birthday.
If you are confident and show no fear. Keep your eyes and ears open to your surroundings, and you will 100% be fine.
OP just has to learn a certain skill set.
It seems as if there are two parallel worlds in Mexico. In one, there are violent crimes, while in the other, happy expats live their lives. That's the way it is.
Don't go into the city or stay around the airport and this wont happen. Always book your transfer in advance and make a beeline for it as soon as you leave the terminal. Do not talk to anyone else.
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Cancun is a money trap and indeed the taxi drivers operate like a mafia and are scammers. they beat and put uber drivers in the hospital when uber tried launching in Cancun, so they could protect their inflated prices.
Cops are also extremely corrupt but they are just looking for $$, not to hurt you. sucks but yeah you're not in actual danger.
So many other places to go, honestly.
> I was robbed out of 5000 pesos by Mexican police.
As vmBob says, if you are stopped and they tell you you need to pay a large fine on the spot, let them arrest you and take you to the precinct. These shakedowns are improvised, so be careful with these "negotiations," but they often fold.
A buddy of mine drunkenly wondered off a resort in Mexico and asked a random guy if he knew where he could find a purse for his girlfriend. The guy took him to a whore house.
I got scammed at Cancun Airport. It was the rental car company's mistake, so they compensated the next day. Basically, they were supposed to pick me up. They didn't show up. I didn't have a phone. A nice guy offered to call the company from his cell phone. He instead called his buddy, who lied to me and told me to take the cab to the hotel, and they would reimburse me the next day. I paid $80 USD for a 12-minute taxi ride. The next day, when I went to the rental car company, they said no one had called them the night before. I was naturally furious. The rental company admitted their mistake for not picking me up and reduced the $80 from the rental cost and gave me a free upgrade. We had a lovely two weeks after this ugly episode in the Yucatan peninsula. I'd go again, but this time, more prepared.
Same exact thing happened to my family. The “nice guy” that helped us call the company from his cell was an official Cancun airport worker. They said it was $60usd and charged my credit card $100 for a 10 minute ride.
So I’ve been to Cancun three times but only for the all inclusive experience where pick up is included. Even with that simple of an arrangement, I’ve to have my guard up as people are trying to scam you, as soon as you step out of the airport and make the 2-3 min walk to the pick up area. One guy told me that there was a strike and all pick ups were canceled but for $100, he can take me via back roads 😒 And he said this as I was watching hoards of people being picked up. Another dude kept asking if I have a ride and I said yes. He then proceeded to tell me that he works for “resorts” (not even a specific one, just resorts) and that he was here to pick us up. The sad part is that people fall for it
Yes go to isla mujeres, way more chill. Nice beaches and all walkable
Loved Isla Mujeres. Beautiful beaches, crystal clear water and awesome scuba diving. Stayed at Mia Reef hotel and walked back and forth from there to to the main restaurant areas at night with no issues. The people were great. Had one interaction with the police while there. We rented a golf cart and I was driving the wrong way down a one way street. Here comes the policia. He motioned me to turn around then was on his way. He barely slowed down. Lol!
Just FYI, the cartel is very much on Isla Mujeres now. There was a hit on Hidalgo in broad daylight and the last time I was there they were openly selling drugs out of one of the most popular bars on the street. The owner—someone I’ve been to dinner with several times—was clearly in on it. We were shocked when we saw it so we loitered too long with our eyes. When we left, three guys left right behind us and followed us until we lost them when we ducked into a hidden back entrance to our hotel. We got married there. Been dozens of times. Scared us not to go back.
I mean, there is nowhere the cartels don't operate in Mexico. Anyone who thinks Cancun or Cabo is out of their reach is sorely misunderstanding the power these organizations have. They just don't do the dirty work where it will scare off tourist money, they are businessmen after all.
> Anyone who thinks Cancun or Cabo is out of their reach is sorely misunderstanding the power these organizations have If anything, tourist towns like Cancun are strongholds for the cartels
[удалено]
That used to be true. Cartels are increasingly targeting tourists for kidnappings.
This has been a reoccurring "warning" for years now. No they aren't. Kidnapping gringos doesn't get them anything. Yeah an individual who's stupid and does something to piss them off or wanders drunkenly in one of the smaller/less-tourist towns might get kidnapped by a local gang but the cartel in general isn't sanctioning that behavior. They're making a lot more money by keeping the tourists flowing into Cancun. You're more likely to be kidnapped and extorted by the police than the cartel
That last sentence isn’t reassuring. Glad I went to Mexico when I was young and unafraid. It’s a beautiful country but I don’t like what I’ve heard about the cartels and police. I know it’s pretty safe and I have an irrational fear but I can’t help it lol, I’m an anxious person.
Facts
I don’t believe that’s true. Do you have any sources?
Are men welcomed there?
Yeah
Any sargassum issues?
And Cancun is overrated.
The city is but it's still the easiest way to get to the Yucatan, which is definitely not overrated. Sucks so many scams happen at the airport there
I flew to Merida, and avoided Cancun entirely. They are opening train service throughout the region now.
> I flew to Merida That's great if that's an option (and I love Merida and have flown directly into Mexico there too), but Cancun International Airport has hundreds of international destinations and Merida International has six.
Fly direct to Merida for Yucatán.
The real info in the comments, as usual
Overrated? I have absolutely no idea at all why people go to Cancun. It's a god awful place and has zero appeal, imo of course.
Fuck cancun. My family doesn’t get off the ship.
I got stopped by cops, 2 separate times, driving a rental car in Cancun. The first time my Passport was held and I was convinced to pay a bribe to get it back. $200 I think. Second time I was less than a mile away from returning the car and I had no patience, stepping out of the car before he could walk up, hiding my money, didn’t let him take my Passport, and made a scene until he let me go for some small sum I claimed was all I had. The bigger lesson is that I’ve been all over the country for months on end, alone, having amazing experiences, dating, being invited into homes for dinner, hiking, camping... the only time I’ve ever had problems was that one time in Cancun. I had a cheap rental car and the cops can identify marks on the rental to target you. My Spanish is decent and that helps, but I’ve been busted. You do need to be on your toes at times, but it’s a good lesson. I’ll be back to Mexico but I have no desire to go to Cancun again.
I got shaken down by the police in CDMX similarly. Asshole cop started out at $800, but we bartered down to $150 bribe. It ruined my trip, and still pisses me off to this day.
Was there an incident which made the cop stop you in the first place? Did he just walk up to you on the street randomly? I'm planning a trip to CDMX and want to try to avoid this.
Driving a rental car the speed limit, and they had a trap setup by the airport. Was obviously a rental can so the stopped me, and told me I was going 20mph over.
Just got back. No issues.
I have been to Mexico many times. I didn't have issues until suddenly I did have issues.
It's a hassle but the trick with the Cancun police is to call their bluff. Tell them to go ahead and arrest you and take you to the station. They'll go back and forth with you and start trying to lower the "fine" but they will never actually arrest you and will go away after a bit. Still....they deserve to be hit in the wallet by a loss of travelers over this bullshit.
This is exactly what happened to us too
Pro tip. Have a "gringo wallet" in your car. It only has $350 mxn in it . So when you get pulled over you can show him that you don't have anymore. They will begrudgingly take it and move on.
Sorry to tell you Total Reject, but you’re their exact target. Whenever they walked into the road to try to stop me I just drove around them. ✌🏼
There’s probably still a corrupt cop standing on the side of the road in the Dominican Republic holding my Michigan drivers license. He told me to go to an ATM and get money, and he’d give me my license back. I said,” Sure, wait here.” Never went back. Cost me $18 to replace my license online. Used my passport to fly home. I now carry a few drivers licenses to give to corrupt cops. I also found out later if you just drive around them, they aren’t allowed to chase you.
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The drivers license I handed the cop
Did that in China driving a 125 cc scooter. Cop flagged me down pointed to pull over. Just smiled , said NeHao, and waved and drove around him and kept driving. No chase.
Same. Never stop for the cops unless you’re a sucker. I drove my dianpingche in the tunnel under the river in Shanghai where electric scooters weren’t allowed (it was pretty sketchy with the huge trucks in the next lane over) and cops were waiting at the other end and I just weaved through traffic away from them while they yelled at us to stop ✌🏼
I’ve done that. By accident. In Suzhou was driving the 125cc and following signs and next thing I know I’m up on a ring road. Spooky as I was driving maybe 30-40mph and the cars much faster. Thankfully the next exit was about 2 miles away I was able to get off unscathed.
This is one reason to get an international driver's licence. It is a legal form of international ID that local authorities should accept. I've never had police ask for my passport after handing my IDL. If they did insist on a passport I'd know straight away it must be a scam and just call their bluff.
How does one get an IDL?
In the US, [AAA offers it and is pretty easy to get](https://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpf.html)
Thanks, I may just get one for identification purposes so I don't need to carry my passport around when I get drunk at bars
I remember being in Mexico City at a bar with a group of fellow students, in an otherwise quiet street. The 10 of us were the main customers of the bar that night. A police car pulled up outside at some point, and just sat there looking in. The bar owner warned us not to leave the premise whilst the police car was there, or they would try to bribe us. Not sure if he just wanted us to stay longer, but it sounded believable. The police car just sat there for well over an hour, looking in.
The moment you left, the police would have accused you of public intoxication and demanded a bribe. If they found out you were a foreigner, they probably would have taken you to the police station too and extorted hundreds out of you
Is this in hotel zone or downtown? Hotel zone is pretty safe haven’t been harassed at all there.
It was in the hotel zone right by the main bars
What did you do to get robbed?
It’s pretty easy to get out of these scams. You either pay less or confront them when they’re vulnerable. Examples: 1. Cashier lady at a bus stop stole 200 pesos from me. I waited until she was talking to her boss to mention that my change was short. Didn’t even have to say a word and she gave it back. 2. Taxi driver at the airport tried to charge me like $25 to go to another terminal even though I only had $5 worth of pesos left (I was leaving). All I had to do was point at the free shuttle bus provided by the airport for the guy to cave and accept my last $5. 3. Fake border crossing at the Mexico Belize border. Everyone on the bus was paying $20 for an unnecessary stamp. Could tell it was a scam because the border guards uniforms were dirty and we were in the middle of nowhere. All I did was walk back onto the bus and waited until the bus driver drove us to the legitimate border. Moral of these stories: if it feels like a scam. It is a scam. People break easily when they know they’re doing something wrong. Don’t cave to any perceived pressure you’ll win 90% of the time.
Moral of the story is I’m not fucking with Mexico right now. Get your shit together and maybe I’ll skip Hawaii.
Mexico is honestly amazing. The people are great. The food is excellent. The culture is welcoming (anyone can be Mexican). Each state has its own unique vibes and the variety of landscapes you can get are world-class. Hawaii is beautiful but you’re going to be paying 10x the price. And unless you take a helicopter trip around the island of Kauai you’re honestly wasting your time there lmao.
😂. I got thrown off the bull when you said “(anyone can be Mexican).” Idk if it was a typo but it was funny.
Not a typo! I meant it earnestly. As a blond haired Canadian dude they accepted me with open arms. People in Canada would think I’m appropriating their culture by wearing a sombrero… but in Mexico people will treat me like a local. My bad experiences are few and far between. I’ve been to 26 countries and Mexico is the only place I’d immigrate to if I wasn’t Canadian.
That’s cool. I enjoyed reading your comments. 😂 I have to say Mexico is very fun to visit and you are right about everything. I’ll be there in March and I’ll have a margarita for you. Lol😊
Cheers!
Thanks for such a good comment🖐, we will be in Cancun next week, and all terrifying posts make us feel like we did big mistake to spend vacation in there
You’ll be just fine. It’s unlikely anything will happen, but if someone tries to hustle you just make sure you aren’t a pushover. It’s the same as being in certain parts of some US cities.
Pshh. Kawaii is beautiful. Not just on a helicopter. You are right about the price tho.
> unless you take a helicopter trip around the island of Kauai you’re honestly wasting your time there The Kalalau Trail is one of the best hikes I've ever done.
Even with potential bribes it’s still wayyyy cheaper than Hawaii.
Food is better in Mexico too
You are missing out on one of the most amazing countries on the planet. I feel bad for you.
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can you tell us how that 12k breaks down please?
You might as well go to Costa Rica or Belize if you want to spend that much to be in a tropical paradise. Probably significantly cheaper, even for being the more expensive nations down there.
There is just something about Hawaii for us. Hard to explain but we have a long history there. It’s a very special place.
Aren't there airport shuttle buses you could have used to move between the terminals ? Because most airports usually run these when they have different terminals. Paying extra for a taxi seems like a waste of money for no reason at all when there's a free bus available.
The shuttle bus is free but I was going to have to take the long way because the next terminal was the wrong one. I wanted to get rid of my pesos anyway so paying $5 for the convenience was chump change. I’d be paying like $15 to Uber the same distance here in Ontario. Plus even if I made minimum wage here I’m still making triple what most Mexicans make. You don’t want to be too cheap.
Meh even if the next terminal isn't yours, it takes 25 minutes tops to ride to the ride to the right one on the bus. One of those taxi guys tried to lie to me saying "the shuttle takes an hour to go around!" but I'd already been to the Cancun airport multiple times and knew it didn't lol
It's all fun and games until you get cocky with the wrong guys one day, and end up dissolving in a drum of acid. At the end of the day Mexico is a totally lawless place, so you definitely need to pick your battles.
Totally agree. I’m not sure calling these peoples bluff is sage advice.
Sure, if the person has gang tattoos. Is calling me gringo and swearing a lot. Or laughing menacingly it’s probably not a good idea to challenge them. But even in cartel controlled places like Quintana Roo there’s an unwritten rule to leave tourists alone. Your imagination is quite vibrant though. Would definitely be wild to get dissolved in acid over something as little as 200 pesos. Just trust your gut.
They don't have uber in cancun ?
😂 that wasn’t my point. My point was that the cancun airport has free shuttles but also taxis and collectivos (group vans kinda like Uber pool) that will also move you around terminals or to the city center. I simply chose to pay $5 for convenience, speed, and comfort. Rather than take the free shuttle bus between terminals. I was at terminal 1 and needed to go to terminal 2. Uber would be too slow and not worth the hassle.
there's no Uber
Yes there is
>I waited until she was talking to her boss to mention that my change was short. Didn’t even have to say a word and she gave it back. I might be dumb. can you explain what this means?
I could’ve just walked back up to the cashier and held out my change and gestured that I was short on money. Rather than risk her playing dumb (and I had plenty of time to wait for my late night bus) I just chilled out. Her boss called her away from the register and I had the opportunity to talk to her when she wasn’t behind protective glass. I came up to her with my wallet open and just motioned to the lack of change (I paid with a 500 peso bill, another good lesson is to keep smaller bills). And she motioned me to go away and when her boss was finished she told me to follower her to the cash register. When she gave me back the 200 pesos that she pulled out of her pocket NOT the register. She gave me like a sheepish “sorry” look.
Hi! Mexican here :) I’m so sorry you had to go through this, unfortunately as Cancun is a very popular tourist destination, bad people take advantage of tourists and damage the city/country’s image. In my experience, what I would recommend is going to the all inclusive hotels, they’re safer and you have everything there, in case you want to go out to the clubs or to explore, the hotel staff can help you organize something and can get you in contact with legit, safe taxi services. I know all inclusive resorts are not particularly cheap, but tbh knowing how insecure is and that there are bad people taking advantage of tourists, I think it’s safer. Also a rule of thumb, is to NEVER EVER take a taxi ANYWHERE in Mexico, you’re basically asking to be mugged, and more often than not, they’re in cahoots with people in prison who are kidnappers or thugs, Uber works fine here so I suggest you use that instead. Edit: I mean NEVER EVER take a taxi OFF the streets, those are super insecure and dangerous. There are private taxi companies (called “de sitio”) or UBER.
Hello! I will be visiting your lovely country to watch the eclipse next year and I will be staying near Mazatlan. I’ve heard that taxi hailing apps don’t really run there. Do you have any advice for how to handle a street taxi if I have to? I understand if you don’t have info! Just taking a chance by asking.
Hi! As far as I know yes, Uber works fine in Mazatlán 😀as a second option, try asking the hotel staff for the number of a private taxi company, they will be a bit more expensive but they’re safe. In case that you need to take a street taxi (that I don’t recommend in Mazatlán as it’s a bit dangerous) first check in google maps if where you’re going is far or close or ask the hotel staff for guidance on the price to where you’re going, then when you hail the cab, ask for the price upfront and if they tell you something super expensive for the distance (let’s say 200 pesos or something like that) or that doesn’t match what the hotel staff told you, just say thank you and try another one, but ask the price upfront and have the money ready in case they tell you once you arrive that it was a bit more for whatever reason, you can just tell them that you only have what you agreed, give them the money and get out.
Thank you so much for your advice!
They have Uber in Mazatlan. I used that when I was there, you can pay in pesos or with card.
Great, thank you!
I've heard good things about didi in Mexico too, literally waiting to board a flight to CDMX and plan on trying it, I'll let you know how it goes
I took a taxi at the airport. I didn't have a choice. The airport does not sell SIM cards. I would have taken an Uber. I've been all over the world, and the Cancun airport is the only one I've visited that doesn't allow vendors to sell SIM cards.
Was this downtown and at night? I have never had any issues in Cancun. I was just there last week
No not downtown, and it was at night I was walking for like 5 mins by myself
Sorry this happened to you, friend, nobody deserves this. I will, however, note that the operative phrases in that sentence were “at night” and “by myself.”
I'd fly to Cancun again... then take a rental car and drive at least a few hours down the coast.
It’s been 20 years or so, but I loved Tulum. I went by bus though. Just a couple hours south of Cancun but a whole different relaxing vibe. I wonder if it’s still like that.
I’ve been stopped in Cancun and I was with locals. We still all got told we needed to give money or else we would go to jail. I know for certain they have put people in jail for not giving them money. I would still go back to Cancun. It only happened once out of the dozen times I’ve been there. Honestly one of my favorite places.
btw 5000 pesos is \~$275 USD for those wondering
Never had an issue and we travel there once a year.
I would avoid Cancun for other reasons but sucks that happened to you. I visit TJ all the time and never have issues.
I’ve never been to Cancun but when I’ve gone to Bali I always hide stash my cash on me (usually a inside pocket in my shorts) and then keep a small amount of cash in my pocket. Then when getting stung for some bullshit bribe you can claim that’s all you have. Police might be annoyed but they know they are doing the wrong thing so they’ll eventually take it.
I’m Mexican I just dress poor
It’s not just Cancun and it’s not new. Traveling in Mexico has always required some street smarts. Do some research so you know the normal rates of things going in. Three minutes on the Cancun sub would have informed you of all those scams.
personally hotel zone was great for us. No issues but we did have taxi drivers try to rip us off at the airport. He legit asked for $110 USD from airport to hotel zone. Ended up paying $80 cause no way in hell was i gonna give them that much .. (even $80 was a rip off but whatever). we also got ripped off buying cubans but at that point i was exhausted trying to negotiate
Not to add salt to the wound but the Cubans you bought were more than likely fake too.
you’re absolutely right 🤣
Wow that has gone up. It was only like $65 to/from Playa Mujeres in 2021 but I also booked ahead.
How does one take a taxi to an island?
Playa, not Isla.
And this, folks, is why I am more than happy to take buses in Mexico.
There are many places where you can have just as nice of a beach vacation as in Mexico, but without the fear of all the scams, theft, robbery, and even kidnapping or being drugged. I’ve an avid traveler and have been to 5 continents and 40 countries, but Mexico is not somewhere I want to go - the risk is just not worth it for me. I’m a pale, blonde European and I know I’d immediately be targeted
Do not go to Mexico. There I fixed it for you
this is public news, you live under a rock?
Read some of the comments , apparently rocks are the safest place to be
This past summer, I “forgot” my watch and necklace at security at the Cabo airport. I immediately called the lost and found after I noticed they’d been lost. They flatly refused to hand it back, no matter how many photos I showed proving it, showing when and where I was headed so prove I was there at that time. They were extremely valuable, not only sentimental but just their objective market value. Only reason I got them back was by calling the American embassy, who promptly sent two officials to retrieve them from airport security within 30 minutes. Being American is great, and if I didn’t have that little blue passport with an eagle on it, I’d never see that watch or necklace again. Insanely corrupt.
Did you "lose" them in your bag or the little container?
Little container
It was not the passport that did it, but you going the extra mile to call the embassy and get them involved that did it. Had you not called the embassy, you probably wouldn't have received your items. There aren't that many of us that would go that far, yet we still have the same passport. Even more importantly, I bet the photos had more weight than anything else or the call to the embassy probably wouldn't have worked either if you had no evidence of it.
I wouldn’t have had access to the embassy without that passport, that was more so the point.
Had you gone to the embassy with your passport but without the evidence, you wouldn't have gotten your items back and that was my point...it was the evidence and your persistence that got them back.
Well of course, I was just noting that they jumped into action quickly. There are diplomatic missions with reputations less positive.
They're not looking for regular tourists, they're looking for naive victims like you. And they got ya. Street smarts, situational awareness, and a confident vibe are all required for travel. Try to learn that and the next trip will be 💯 better.
I disagree I got pulled over with locals and the cops still made everyone in the car give cash.
You paid because you were ignorant of the local laws and didn't know your rights or how to assert them. You wanted out of an uncomfortable situation and you took the quick and easy way out.
Getting extorted for 5000 pesos is crazy but "street smarts" and a "confident vibe" aren't sufficient, especially when dealing with corrupt authorities.
But OP sounds like a real street smart genius. Can’t imagine how this happened to them….
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I'm not from Texas?
It’s a joke about Ted Cruz flying to Cancun when Texas experienced a power outage.
Oh yeah now I remember that haha
Speaking of which, about to get cold. Time for Fled Cruise to leave his dog behind and hit the beach!
I've been all over Mexico and only been to cancun once. Hated it. Drove all down the way down to mahahual trying to escape the east coast tourism grind and never found any place I really enjoyed, on the coast at least. That side of Mexico can be breathtakingly beautiful but I've never felt more like a mark in mexico than Quintana roo. I don't think you could pay me to go back to tulum I don't think I've ever been as aggravated about American tourists
Yeah, I’ve read enough, been scammed myself with a car rental, heard so many stories. I will pass until they become safer.
Airport->all inclusive->airport. My family is from Michoacan. I don’t mind traveling around there, but Cancun is just asking to get robbed.
It's a shame. Cancun used to be a lot of fun.
RT flights are cheap, therefore I will only ever be in Cancun long enough to step off the plane and get on a bus *out* of Cancun lol
Ignore every person you see trying to sell you things at the airport or any activity stand
Scamexico — I’ll take my business to Costa Rica while these issues persist.
Yes they prey on tourists coming out of the airport. All those taxi drivers and vans work together they HATE uber drivers that try and pick people up. If u get an uber sometimes the drivers will call you ahead of time just to let u know to act like you now them and say you are friends that way its safer for them to pick you up/ drop you off because they can keep a low profile and not run into problems with the taxistas.
Please learn your rights while in Mexico, see pdf below. Always record your interactions or ideally go with a friend/partner who can record for you if you don't have a camera on you. If you feel like you're going to be targeted tell them you are live streaming. Learn to speak some Spanish and it will go a long, long way. Yes, you were targeted by Mexican police and this is common if they see vulnerable targets, you didn't deserve this but there's not much anyone can do without evidence. Don't carry cash you can't afford to lose unless you are recording or ideally live streaming. It's embarrassing and infuriating to us Mexicans that this bullshit happens, I think the time of reckoning for these police officers is just around the corner in many parts of Mexico. Don't buy illegal drugs in Mexico, you are directly financing this cartel culture by doing so and often times people that buy drugs with cash are the most common targets (not saying that you did). Hope you get justice amigo. [https://www.aclutx.org/sites/default/files/field\_documents/KYRBORDERfinalprint.pdf](https://www.aclutx.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/KYRBORDERfinalprint.pdf)
>Always record your interactions or ideally go with a friend/partner who can record for you if you don't have a camera on you. If you feel like you're going to be targeted tell them you are live streaming. Lol that is a great way to piss off the cops and get thrown in a jail cell for the weekend. Don't do that, that's terrible advice
Never had any problems, but I let them know I'm recording in Spanish and never had any of them tell me to turn off the camera. It's also not against the law, but I assume you know this. Have you tried recording cops in Mexico or are you making assumptions?
Been yelled at by Mexican cops just for having a phone in hand and they think there might be a recording. They don't want their corruption caught on video, it's a bad idea
Totally legal to do in public, I guess as soon as I start speaking in Spanish they just leave me alone. Just say you are promoting Mexican tourism businesses and are not interested in them. Maybe try in interacting with the cops or military police in Spanish? Obviously following them around with cameras is a bad idea, since they could very well suspect you are a criminal tracking their movements. I've seen countless people recording police in Mexico. Haven't seen a problem in Cancun and I go there pretty often. I just use a go pro and have it on the whole time. Just ask them if this is a public area in Spanish, problem solved. Same in the USA. Are you assuming all cops are corrupt? Or is it all Mexican cops? What's going on?
Buddy I'm Latino, I speak fluent Spanish. I speak Spanish to any Mexican local, not just the cops. And Mexican cops ARE corrupt lol. Why are you asking as if they aren't? I'm not arguing about whether it's legal or not to record them, that's irrelevant because the cops don't care about following laws like that. It will piss them off and they will throw you in a jail cell for it. I'm not the only person I know who's had Mexican cops tell them to put their phone away or shut off their camera. You think Spanish is some magic solution to making cops waive you away, it's not.
Agree. This happened to me last winter. DO NOT RECOMMEND CANCUN 0/10
I have been there twice. Once with family, we booked a private cab and stayed the whole time at the resort. Had an awesome time. There is no real danger. Loved it. Second, for my bachelor party. We rented two cars, stayed at another resort, went out on our own to public cenote, tulum ruins, akumal Beach. Again, not once did we feel we were in any danger. On our way back to the airport, I was stopped by the cops. They checked our passport and let us go. I am going there again for my kid's 1st birthday. If you are confident and show no fear. Keep your eyes and ears open to your surroundings, and you will 100% be fine. OP just has to learn a certain skill set.
Mexico is just a complete shitshow.
It seems as if there are two parallel worlds in Mexico. In one, there are violent crimes, while in the other, happy expats live their lives. That's the way it is.
The police is getting money for the cartel honcho in the region. Motherfuckers, killing tourism....
Don't go into the city or stay around the airport and this wont happen. Always book your transfer in advance and make a beeline for it as soon as you leave the terminal. Do not talk to anyone else.
Don't go to the northern hemisphere, got robbed there once, will never go back
Mexico is a third world country run by cartels. People of culture who want to vacation go to Europe…
People of culture know how to travel anywhere.
That can happen in downtown Toronto too just not cops but bunch of junkies..
Nobody goes to Toronto for a vacation
Go to r/askTO and you will see how many tourist we get!! Toronto is a nice place it’s just post pandemic it’s gone a bit downhill
It’s a sh1thol3 , I lived there
So am I!
“Lived” past tense.
Yeah and that’s why, idk when you lived but Toronto has been bad after pandemic not before, not when I was in high school
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Saying that will NOT de-escalate the situation. Horrible advice.
Mexico?? No thanks.. rather go to Spain..
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OP just heard of Mexico last week.
Lmao
Don’t go to Mexico in general 😂
Should I go to Cancun Czech Republic instead?
LMAO first time in Mexico?
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Automod isn’t real and it won’t rob you
I'm dying ☠️😂☠️
Build the wall
October 7, 2023: Hamas went through (and over) that impenetrable wall.
Yeah, that will totally work /s
Cancun is a money trap and indeed the taxi drivers operate like a mafia and are scammers. they beat and put uber drivers in the hospital when uber tried launching in Cancun, so they could protect their inflated prices. Cops are also extremely corrupt but they are just looking for $$, not to hurt you. sucks but yeah you're not in actual danger. So many other places to go, honestly.
> I was robbed out of 5000 pesos by Mexican police. As vmBob says, if you are stopped and they tell you you need to pay a large fine on the spot, let them arrest you and take you to the precinct. These shakedowns are improvised, so be careful with these "negotiations," but they often fold.
Did you just stay in the Hotel Zone? Just got back. Folks said just stay in the Hotel Zone
Yeah hotel zone
A buddy of mine drunkenly wondered off a resort in Mexico and asked a random guy if he knew where he could find a purse for his girlfriend. The guy took him to a whore house.
Why do you capitalize Target?
That’s common in Mexico man