Traveling to Cancun? Right now.....[2021]

Hola Besties,

I just got back from 10 days of traveling to Cancun.

I had to see what it’s really like – after the press had Mexico circling the bowl for a year.

Here is my take after staying at 7 resorts in 10 days.

The Airports
- I had a few stops in the US before I got to Cancun< – I was in Spokane/Denver/Salt Lake City/Dallas Ft Worth/Hartford/Phoenix
- ALL were busy. And there were very few parking spaces.
- People are traveling. Guess they don’t have a TV.
The Flights
- - So I was on like 7 flights total. At different times of the day including a red-eye
  - The flights are PACKED.
  - The airlines don’t have lots of planes, extra flights, or open seats lying around.
  - This means that if your plane has a mechanical you are screwed. It happened to me.
Related:
[Jake’s Tips] Flight Interruptions? Don’t Be a Victim…
- They are VERY serious about wearing your approved mask. No bandanas or stretchy things you pull up.
- Bring breath mints. Being in a mask for 6 hours after Linguini a la garlic is worse than water torture.
- And download the Airline App for whichever airline you’re on. It’s a time saver and gives you free stuff like movies.
Arriving at CUN airport
- Since Canada and the EU are just starting to drop 747’s full of speedo-stretching man-buns, my arrival was a breeze.
- Short lines, happy airport staff. They want tourists.
Transferring to the Hotel
- This is where it gets sketchy.
- Be sure you choose a reputable transfer company. Think Lomas/USA/Amstar.
- There are 4 different construction projects that can cause you problemo’s Here is a link to more info on them Cancun Road Construction
- Cabs are hard to find at the airport. At least that was what I was told when my transfer company did not show up.
The Hotels
- The name of this website is ‘Best All-Inclusive’, not Cheap All-Inclusive – so your experience may vary.
- Every hotel I was at ( Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morales, Hotel Zone & Playa-Costa Mujeres) was very concerned about health and safety.
- But masks and restrictions are much more relaxed now
- BTW – get used to using QR codes. They don’t like to pass out menus or property maps because they don’t want to touch them.
- Most resorts have their own app, be sure to download it. It’s the best way to get info without looking like a Luddite.
- Also, food was good. Most all restaurants are open every day and room service took longer than usual. But things are improving day by day.
Uber, don’t Cab it between hotels
- Cabs are right at the resort and getting a ride is smooth and expensive. It cost me $15 to take a cab a bit less than a mile.
- Cabbies have this little chart with microscopic print that gives you the rates (if you can see them).
- Uber works great for about 25% of the price, but they cannot come on the property. You have to meet them outside the gates.
Return transfer to the CUN Airport
- - Make sure you reconfirm your transfers back to the airport.
  - As I said, transfers were the only sketchy part of my trip.
Related:
[Tip #5] – Airport Transfers – Don’t get taken for a ride
Leaving Cancun Airport
- Ok….this is where it gets weird
- There are 2 things they want you to do. Pay a VisitTax and fill out a ‘Questionaire of Certification of Risk Factors in Travelers’
- No, I am not day drinking….that is what they call the questionnaire.
- Here are the online forms will need to fill out:
  - - Immigration Form to fill out
    - Customs Declaration
  Related:
  [UPDATE] Total Confusion over New Quintana Roo Tourist Tax
  - So that is what I did and no one asked me for anything or bugged me about it. Your experience may vary.
  - The next is the Questionnaire of blah, blah ,blah. You can scan a QR code and fill it out online – or they give you a small piece of paper with .0001 font that no one could read
  - It asks you if you have been in contact with farm animals, and for your airline and flight number. I filled that out but no one asked me for it.
- So…..when I got to the person who checks passports/boarding passes etc before you get strip-searched, I slid right through.
- BTW…at the Cancun airport, you don’t have to take your shoes off. Just in case you are wearing any after draining your minibar before leaving.
The flight back to the US
- Uneventful this time. Having flown on American, United, Southwest, and Delta……I found the Southwest and Delta flight attendants were the happiest.
- Not that it is important since everyone wears a mask and is lubed up with GermX.
- Tip for blowing through Customs ……get the Mobile Passport app. It’s free and you have a special line at Customs. I found it to be faster than the Global Passport that costs $85.

So, that’s how it looked from the Back Seat.

I can tell you people are traveling (to Cancun and elsewhere!) like crazy.

There are some scorching deals out there.

5 star resorts going for prices that I have never seen before – and the resort staff are so happy to be working again.

Hope this info helps.

Saludos mi travelito’s

~~Jake

P.S. I have to give a shout out to Check PricesMajestic Costa Mujeres. Costa Mujeres is the new hot spot. No seaweed that I saw and the beach is the best in Quintana Roo. You can walk for miles on firm, flat, white sand. They are building a ton of new resorts out there (Riu has 3). You will begin to hear about it if you haven’t already. Way better than Akumal or Tulum IMHO.