Cancun Trip 2016

[FCamp]

Hi Group,
My spouse and I are using our RCI points to stay a week at the Hard Rock Hotel, Cancun next month. This is the first time either of us has been out of the US in quite a while and I had a couple of questions.
First off, should we bring any Mexican currency? Or will US Dollars be OK?
Next, we would like to go on a couple of excursions. On one of them we would like to visit some Mayan ruins. Thu the Hard Rock, there a a couple of different sites listed. Chichen Itza, Tankah, and Tulum. Does anyone have an opinion on which one to visit? And my last question: does anyone have any tips/recommendations for us? Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks for listening,

Victor

 

[Carta]

Hi Group,
My spouse and I are using our RCI points to stay a week at the Hard Rock Hotel, Cancun next month. This is the first time either of us has been out of the US in quite a while and I had a couple of questions.
First off, should we bring any Mexican currency? Or will US Dollars be OK?
Next, we would like to go on a couple of excursions. On one of them we would like to visit some Mayan ruins. Thu the Hard Rock, there a a couple of different sites listed. Chichen Itza, Tankah, and Tulum. Does anyone have an opinion on which one to visit? And my last question: does anyone have any tips/recommendations for us? Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks for listening,

Victor

Hello Victor,,,TUG is really a great site...But ur gonna need much more info quickly...go to www.tripadvisor.com .....When u get to site; find Cancun forum...There are hundreds of folks looking for and giving info.......

 

[Passepartout]

Hi Group,
My spouse and I are using our RCI points to stay a week at the Hard Rock Hotel, Cancun next month. This is the first time either of us has been out of the US in quite a while and I had a couple of questions.
First off, should we bring any Mexican currency? Or will US Dollars be OK?
Next, we would like to go on a couple of excursions. On one of them we would like to visit some Mayan ruins. Thu the Hard Rock, there a a couple of different sites listed. Chichen Itza, Tankah, and Tulum. Does anyone have an opinion on which one to visit? And my last question: does anyone have any tips/recommendations for us? Any insight would be helpful.

Thanks for listening,

Victor

First, just use your ATM card in a BANK ATM at the airport. There will be several after customs/immigration when you get into the main airport arrivals area. Locals will be happy to take USDollars, but at an abysmal rate. Pay with pesos. Use credit cards for purchase protection.

Next. my favorite is Chichen Itza. All pre-Columbian sites are interesting though. If you can swing it, stay overnight at Mayaland Hotel adjacent to the ruins. There is a light show at night after the buses of tourists leave.

Jim

 

[timesharejunkie4]

First, just use your ATM card in a BANK ATM at the airport. There will be several after customs/immigration when you get into the main airport arrivals area. Locals will be happy to take USDollars, but at an abysmal rate. Pay with pesos. Use credit cards for purchase protection.

Jim

I agree with using your ATM card to get pesos but make sure you tell your bank where you will be traveling. Banks and credit cards must always be informed otherwise the transactions will be denied.

 

[FCamp]

Carta, Thank you. Read some Threads, very helpful. Didn't know about the credit card conversion rate.

 

[buceo]

A lot depends on your energy level. Get your fill of the Caribbean, the beach and sunsets over the lagoon. Chichin Itza is great, a full day about 120 miles away. Tulum is closer, 75 miles and Tankah (I have not been) is an Eco theme park. The tours to Tulum can be 1/2 day there and 1/2 day at an eco theme park. We did that, very nice day, we went to a different one. There are three other big ones down there. Also down south are the cenotes, nice to see and snorkel in. The ferry over to Isla Mujeres is a nice day. I like Isla Contoy, that's a natural park island further away than Isla Mujeres. Have a great trip.

 

[FCamp]

Passepartout, thank you for your reply. Never having been in this part of Mexico before, and not really knowing anything about, there is a outing w/ the Hard Rock titled: Combo Tulum & Coba: This combines the jungle and Mayan tour. Any thoughts?

 

[FCamp]

Thanks Glen,

On the combo tours have you heard about Tulum & Coba? Thinking we'll do Tulum, but would a day be better spent there and a day in the "Jungle" or a combo. As always, I'm just asking for your opinion- Not expecting a tour guide!

 

[dioxide45]

Keep in mind that I think the Hard Rock Hotel is mandatory AI. So, the costs could be pretty high if you used RCI points to exchange in.

We liked both Tulum and Chichen Itza. The former is probably a little closer, but not by much. It is also cooler since it is on the coast. The latter is much more grand and considered one of the wonders of the world. If you don't think you will ever get back to Cancun or the Yucatan, I would opt for Chichen Itza.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Credit Card with no foreign transaction fees - save 3%

First, just use your ATM card in a BANK ATM at the airport. There will be several after customs/immigration when you get into the main airport arrivals area. Locals will be happy to take USDollars, but at an abysmal rate. Pay with pesos. Use credit cards for purchase protection.

Jim

Many credit cards charge 3 % foreign transaction fee - some card promote the fact that they do not .

- Chase( Canada) Marriott Rewards is one I use when outside Canada - for this reason
I think their is a TUG thread about USA cards that feature " best " benefits and points .

There is also a recent thread about Cancun area " no name " ATM's that are programmed to loot your info .
which is why Jim suggested using the airport/ bank brand ones

Try Isla Murjeres for a do it yourself day trip .( tours available but not necessary]
20 minute ferry ride.

If you are looking to exchange dollars to pesos (it looked to me- Feb 2015) that the casa cambios as you were heading from the hotel zone to Centro Cancun had the best rates since this is were the resort workers change buses from the 1 or 2 bus. There were about 5 in a two block stretch and they had daily/ hourly outdoor sign updates on the rate . I think it was similar to gas stations on the same block competing via daily price changes .

The bus was 9 or 9.5 pesos and plenty of tourist gave the driver a buck when the exhange was 14.8 pesos to the USA dollar Feb 2015 . At 17 pesos the drivers must be really happy in 2016 when that happens .

 

[buceo]

Thanks Glen,
On the combo tours have you heard about Tulum & Coba? Thinking we'll do Tulum, but would a day be better spent there and a day in the "Jungle" or a combo. As always, I'm just asking for your opinion- Not expecting a tour guide!

I have not been to Coba, but it is pretty close to Tulum, so both in a day would be a nice tour day of two Mayan sites. "Jungle" tours are often Xel Ha, Xcaret, Xplor and many other smaller tourist theme parks. The huge true nature preserve is further south, a long day trip, at Sian Ka'an. I want to get back there, a day was too short. Isla Mujeres has Garrafon Park. You can hardly go wrong, imo as long as you don't try and squeeze in too much, unless that is how you roll. We go soon ourselves, can't wait.

 

[Carol C]

Coba is in the jungle and the tallest structure in all the Mayan sites in Mexico...and I've been to all the major and most of the minor sites. I know that the Tulum site has had wear and tear from so many tourists visiting and much is roped off there. Not sure about Coba...but when I went there years ago it was not roped off at all and one could climb to the top using a long chain thing that ran down the pyramid (use it like a handrail sorta-kinda). If you have big feet you want to climb kind of sideways with your feet...it is really steep and a very high pyramid. It can be very hot midday so get yourself hydrated. We saw lots of blue morpho butterflies in that jungle...lovely site. Tulum is on the sea...overly-touristy so try to get there first thing in AM or toward evening time. I'd do the combo for sure...enjoy!

 

[dioxide45]

Coba is in the jungle and the tallest structure in all the Mayan sites in Mexico...and I've been to all the major and most of the minor sites. I know that the Tulum site has had wear and tear from so many tourists visiting and much is roped off there.

Ropes mean nothing to Justin Bieber. Singer Justin Bieber Asked to Leave Mexico's Tulum Ruin Site

 

[ilene13]

We loved Coba--it has not yet been overrun with tourists so the Tulum, Coba combo sounds like a good idea. Chichin Itza is beautiful, although you are no longer allowed to climb the pyramid. For a fun day XPLOR is fun--zip lining, atvs, swimming in cenotes. Xcaret is a fabulous day trip too.
We own at the Royal Resorts and I change my money there--their rates are usually very good. There are money exchange kiosks in the Kulkukan Plaza that usually have good rates too. Our AMEX Gold and Platinum cards, Capital One and our Marriott Visa do not have foreign exchange fees--so those are the cards we use. I do not use an ATM in Cancun. There have been issues with them.

 

[dioxide45]

We loved Coba--it has not yet been overrun with tourists so the Tulum, Coba combo sounds like a good idea. Chichin Itza is beautiful, although you are no longer allowed to climb the pyramid. For a fun day XPLOR is fun--zip lining, atvs, swimming in cenotes. Xcaret is a fabulous day trip too.
We own at the Royal Resorts and I change my money there--their rates are usually very good. There are money exchange kiosks in the Kulkukan Plaza that usually have good rates too. Our AMEX Gold and Platinum cards, Capital One and our Marriott Visa do not have foreign exchange fees--so those are the cards we use. I do not use an ATM in Cancun. There have been issues with them.

There are just as many if not more problems with using a credit card. As long as one is using an ATM at a bank, there shouldn't be any problems. Don't use the ones in convenience stores or outside at the mall.

 

[John Cummings]

We have been to both Tulum and Chichen Itza. We did tours for both. Chichen Itza is a long way and a very long day. It was interesting as we visited other attractions along the way and went swimming in a cenote.

Tulum is much closer and our tour included Xel-Ha park as well.

http://www.xelha.com/xelha-all-incl...a&utm_content=USA%20S%20-%20Xel-Há%20Official

Our favorite attraction is Xcaret which we have visited 3 times on tours.

http://www.xcaret.com/

 

[PGtime]

I would also vote for Chichen Itza. The guided tour there was very good and interesting. We've been to Tulum and liked it too but is a smaller ruin and less to see. But, if you want to do a few things in one day, it is probably easier to do that with Tulum than Chichen Itza.

Xcaret was awesome and you really need all day to do that too.

Enjoy!

 

[dioxide45]

Tulum is a great day trip where you can go early and then spend the afternoon at a Tulum beach club. The beach clubs in Tulum are truely fantastic. You do have to do this on your own instad of with a guided tour. See post #28 in my Caribbean Trip Log thread in the carribbean forum. We did this back in 2013 and had a great time. A trip to Chichen Itza is a day trip in itself. Most if not all of the guided tours also include lunch someplace as well as a cenote stop.

 

[John Cummings]

.

Xcaret was awesome and you really need all day to do that too.

Enjoy!

It is definitely an all day tour. Our tour picked us up at the Grand Mayan in the morning and brought us back at 10:00 pm. The evening show is awesome and is definitely a must see.

 

[FCamp]

To Group

I would like to thank everyone for their replies. I'm getting close to the point(I think) of having to make a decision. So while the thread may go on, as I don't know how to end it... I would like to thank everyone for their insights! As I have been member of this web site for less than a year; the information provided has been great! But more important to me, the information has been given freely, by you good people on this site. Always willing to help.

Thank you!

And some day I hope to be able to give back!

Victor

PS: Chiohen Itza, Jungle Tour, Boca Del Puma Zip Line is what we decided on.