Coz first-timer...questions

[jlyle]

You can also fly to Chichen Itza from Cozumel. They offer one-day excursions at reasonable prices. Just ask at the desk of your hotel.

[After posting the above, I realized that my information may not be current! Anyone know if they are still flying?]

 

[mamanan]

I am an owner at Wyndham and have been there 3 times in 3 years.

The ice is OK as it is purified. The water while they say it is purified it does taste different, and the hotel gives you a 2 liter on check in. there are coolers you can refill from that are bottled water just make sure you screw the bottel top on tight to prevent baccteria growth. I brush teeth with tap and also half glass to down pills and never had a problem.

Most get Montizumas revenge due to a different diet than normal, rather than a bug. So take new things in moderation. Also at Wyndham fruits and veggy are rinsed in purified water.
I tend to stay away from the cream style salads at the buffet. They don't seem to be to cold, and will have a tendency to spoil faster as no AC in the buffet area. Heck I don't eat creamy stuff at home that has been sitting around for a couple hours. When you see them restock something or if you get there as the buffet opens you should be OK.

Safety on the island and the Yucatan is no different than in any area in the US. Just don't act stupid, and don't flash $ around. There are pic pockets everywhere in the world.

You probably saw news reports of dangerous travel in Mexico, well, Mexico is a big place. There is a province in south central Mexico where the government does not have complete control. This area is no where near the Yucatan and the government keeps a watchfull eye on anyone comming out of that area of the county.

Again, you are as safe as going to any area of the US. I'm sure you know which neighbor hoods to stay out of in Miami --- anywhere in the Yucatan or Cozumel especialy the tourist area's are safer than your local shopping mall.

 

[sharky60]

Since it's your first time on Coz., maybe forgoing the Yucatan trip completely and spending time getting to know the island may be a better use of time.

Rent a car/jeep/trekker and spend a day exploring the Cozumel, spend time on a secluded beach, visit the original town of El Cedral, Punt Sur Park, the many beach restaurant/bars along the Caribbean side of the island, the ruins of San Gervesio are a larger site than most people think and although not nearly as impressive as Chichen Itza, or even Tulum, they are a great place to kick off mayan studies, some very interesting history there.

There's also the much overlooked museum & the mexican market is cool to visit, just a few blocks inland from the town square (plaza). Not sure how much Chankanaab Park has been rebuilt, but they used to have a nice botanical garden.

If your still interested in going to the Yucatan, see the post Shepman refered to, I've been to all 3 major sites that most people go to and have put my 2 pesos in on the peninsula ruins.

ALL good options there, Tulum the most accessible, Chichen Itza the most impressive and Coba, not as excavated, but, if your are into it, just plane cool.

I'm branching out this April and going to Ek Balam!!! whoo hoo!!

 

[mstevens]

Mexico's crime is more focused on the bigger cities and not Cancun, and especially not Cozumel.

Cancun is really not very safe. There are quite a lot of rapes of tourists, quite a lot of violent robberies, and several murders of tourists per year. Cozumel is vastly safer.

Precautions are taken, water is purified, you have nothing to worry about with ice or water.

Tap water is NOT safe unless specified otherwise. Ice is always made with purified water and I would have no worry about it.

Vaccinations are absolutely NOT needed. You will be absolutely fine and you have literally nothing to worry about.

Dengue is endemic in the entire area and malaria is endemic in much of the mainland yucatan peninsula so I'm not sure I agree with "literally nothing to worry about." Depending on a traveller's plans, some vaccinations may be indicated. While I'm sure you are qualified to make this recommendation, my medical specialty is not travel medicine so I defer to a colleague who does specialize in that area. He did recommend some "boosters" of some old vaccinations (my wife and I are both military brats so we've been immunized against practically everything at some point) for our first trip to the area a few years ago. He was certainly being conservative, but practically any travel entails some risks that can be minimized.

 

[mstevens]

ust make sure you screw the bottel top on tight to prevent baccteria growth.

I can't think of any possibility that screwing a bottle's cap on tightly would prevent bacterial growth. Any opened bottle that's been refilled is going to start some degree of bacterial growth unless you re-sterilize it, which you aren't going to do without specialized equipment. At home this isn't a problem since you can (and should) wash out bottles between uses which never allows that growth to become a problem. On vacation this simply isn't practical.

Given the price of bottled water in Cozumel (cheap for good quality), just buy a really big jug at Chedraui and use it for in-room drinking, tooth-brushing, etc. When out on the town, drink jamaica, tamarindo, horchata, aguas frescas, etc. to quench thirst - they're all made with purified water - or if water's what you want, just buy a smaller bottle when you need it.

 

[ggunn]

Cancun is really not very safe. There are quite a lot of rapes of tourists, quite a lot of violent robberies, and several murders of tourists per year.

Really? Can you document that?

Don't get me wrong; I have no desire to spend any time at all in Cancun, but with the worldwide publicity a single murder on Aruba got a couple of years ago, I'm surprised that "several murders of tourists per year" in Cancun would not be covered at length in the media.

Cozumel is very safe, IMO. A couple of years ago when I was there there was a murder on the island, a result of a domestic dispute between locals (no visitors to the island involved), and it got quite a lot of attention because (I was told) it was the first murder on the island in several years.

 

[scubanatic]

Hola from a Isla de Cozumel veteran. Of all the dive locations I have been, it is numero uno. The local Mayan's are some of the greatest people you will come in contact with at a Dive Resort. I have been there just under 10 times in the last 6 years and never get tired of the diving, culture and hospitality. We were just there for Carnival and had a blast and diving was not bad either. Make sure you find some time to explore the island. They have some ruins (San Gervasio) on the Island, if you do not care to take the ferry back across to Playa De Carmen. Have a great time!

 

[OSUcowboyinSPFD]

If you like to play golf while on vacation, don't forget the Cozumel Country Club. It is very nice, although a bit steep in price. My wife and I decided to play it again on our trip in April, as she enjoys hunting for crocodiles. It is the only round of golf we play where she takes a camera.

Sharky is right, one of the best things to do is rent a jeep and do a self guided tour for the day. We always plan out what where we are going on that day, and it amazes us how we go to one or two things and run out of time. I think the cerveza has something to do with that, as well.

 

[vel525]

Only been to Cozumel once and also made one trip to Chichen Itza while I was on spring break in Cancun (many years ago )

I felt very comfortable in Cozumel walking around at night and trying to find a good place to eat dinner. My wife and I love to try new places while we travel and we never felt unsafe. As for Chichen Itza, it was pretty cool to do once, but I prefer to dive so the only reason I would venture over to the mainland while at Cozumel would be to dive the cenotes, but that's just me.

Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[mstevens]

Really? Can you document that?

Don't get me wrong; I have no desire to spend any time at all in Cancun, but with the worldwide publicity a single murder on Aruba got a couple of years ago, I'm surprised that "several murders of tourists per year" in Cancun would not be covered at length in the media.

Yes. Just check the US State Department's travel advisories about the area. Please keep in mind that "tourists" covers lots more than US citizens. I very strongly believe that if a Belgian, Egyptian, or Thai had gone missing in Aruba most Americans would be unlikely ever to have heard of it. The State Department advisories clearly show that Cancun is considerably more dangerous than Cozumel. I could find no warnings about Cozumel.