# Best way to Wal-Mart from GM Riviera Maya



## wheaties (Nov 1, 2015)

Hope to offset some restaurant meals with groceries and understand Wal-Mart is not too far from the Grand Mayan.  There will be four adults.  Any suggestions on how to get there and back and cost associated?  I've heard hotel shuttle, bus, taxi, etc.


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## T-Dot-Traveller (Nov 1, 2015)

*transportation - investigate Collectivo option*

We have not yet visited that Vidanta location . Some trip adv. reviews list cost of taxis so one option that a Tugger posted last year was using the Collectivo  "system" - which is how many / most of the staff get to their jobs.
B2Bailey was the posting Tugger and I thought it was a great idea - both for cost and to have a more " local" experience while in Mexico .
In Cancun, PV and Maz we used the bus system extensively but since GM-RM  is not urban it sounded like the collectivos stop somewhere outside the main entrance to the property more often then " full size " buses .


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## jlp879 (Nov 1, 2015)

I guess my answer would depend on how adventurous you feel and how many groceries you are planning to buy.

The Vidanta location is pretty isolated in that it isn't walking distance to anywhere.  If you're not renting a car, it's quite fun to experience the collectivo system.  It's dirt cheap and is priced on how far you are traveling.  

You walk out to the main highway and flag down the first passenger van you see going in the direction you want to travel.  Ask them "Do you go near the Walmart in xx?"  There is one in Cancun and one in Playa del Carmen.  

If your Spanish is passable, so much easier for you, but even without any, people are very willing to help you get to where you want to go.  

I actually prefer shopping at the Chedraui grocery store.  

If you find yourself with too many grocery bags to walk back with, there are always cabs hanging around outside the stores.  The cabs there are always cheaper than what the hotels will arrange for you.

Once you get used to the collectivo buses, you'll have a lot of fun with them.  You can take them to Tulum or to any of the cenotes that lie along the highway.  

The only thing to recognize in using them, that at around 5 pm all the hotel workers are trying to get home on them.  Often times several will pass you by because there are no empty seats available.


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## bobpark56 (Nov 1, 2015)

*Take the shuttle*

When we were there not long ago, the Grand Mayan resort complex ran a shuttle a few times a day into town, stopping near Walmart and Mega and returning from there. You must make a reservation for this in advance if you want to insure a ride. They do add an extra vehicle if one overflows. You may find that you prefer Mega to Walmart.


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## riu girl (Nov 5, 2015)

Last visit to GM we were told that the shuttle would drop us off at/near Walmart, when in fact it dropped us off several blocks away, just behind 5th avenue and 30th street. It was odd and then the only exit through the locked/gated parking lot was through the drivers friends store.    I am quite familiar with the area and simply walked (about 25 minutes) to wal-mart and then took a taxi back.  There are two Wal-mart's in the Playa del Carmen area.  One is in the tourist district and one in the residential area.  We have taken taxi's three times in the last few trips to the Grand Mayan/Mayan Palace to Wal-mart and once we were taken to the residential one.  The employees are great there but it is not set up like the one in downtown Playa that caters to the tourists.  In this I mean that the one in the tourist areas offers so many more options like already made up fresh meals and amazing sandwiches and even large tubs with already cut up fruit and veggies that you put into a plastic container and then they weigh it at check out.  Also the bakery section at the Walmart in the tourist area is amazing (HUGE and fresh) when compared to the walmart in the residential area.  Also, the wal-mart in the tourist area offers a lot of inexpensive souvenirs. You could take the collectivo from just outside the resort (Hwy 307).  A taxi at the lobby will take you to the highway for 3 US. But the collectivo will then cost you just under half of what a taxi would since there are four of you and the taxi charges a flat rate whereas the collectivo charges you per person.  At the touristy walmart, there is someone there to assist you to get a taxi back.  The residential wal-mart does not have a taxi service and they would have to call for you from inside the store to get one. Just tell the driver to take you to the one downtown in the tourist area.  I'm pretty sure it is located around the intersection of 2nd street (calle) and 20th avenue. I could be off by a block or two but I'm pretty sure that is close.  There is also Mega to consider but I dont recognize a lot of the brands there and have to feed a large family on each trip so I stick to wal-mart. Also, keep in mind that on Sunday afternoons, you usually cant buy alcohol at either walmart (in our case anyway) so plan your wal-mart trip around that since the prices for alcohol are incredibly inexpensive vs. the store at the resort.  Coolers were often on sale for around $1 at walmart so that was awesome. Have fun.


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## rpennisi (Nov 5, 2015)

Last time we were four adults, we took a taxi to a PDC Walmart.  The driver said he would wait an hour for us, no extra charge. We shopped and drove back with the groceries fitting in the trunk.

We have also taken the van service, but as mentioned a lot of walking involved.

Never took the collectivo on the main road.  Doesn't seem worth it to me.  Lot more walking and carrying that way.


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