Riviera Maya: Tips

Currency U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere. In restaurants and shops your change will come in pesos, but many hotels can also give you change in dollars. You’ll find ATMs in Cancun and Playa del Carmen, but not at hotels.

Driving When renting a car, don’t rely on your credit card for insurance protection in Mexico. Buy the accident insurance and save yourself potential nightmares. The main routes you’ll travel follow relatively good roads, including freeways, and driving is a good option if you intend to visit the Mayan ruins independently.

Departure Tax A departure tax is usually included in the airfare, but be sure to check. If it’s not, you’ll need to pay $38 (in cash; credit cards not accepted) at the airport.

What to pack Temperature and humidity levels soar during much of the year. Pack light cotton clothing, a hat, sunscreen, and mosquito repellent. For visits to the ruins, comfortable shoes are a must. “Montezuma’s Revenge” is quite rare these days, but it’s a good idea to pack stomach aids just in case.

Hydration Because of the heat and intense sun, it’s very important to keep hydrated while visiting the ruins or engaging in sports. Carry bottled water with you.

Restrooms There are good, surprisingly clean restrooms at all the ruins, but the wise traveler carries a pack of tissues.

Connecting to resorts Transportation from the airport can be arranged through your resort, usually for a nominal fee. Major car rental agencies (Budget, Hertz) are located at the Cancun airport.

Electricity Mexican electrical currency is the same as in the United States: 110 volts.

Shopping Arts and crafts in the Yucatan are not as rich as in other parts of the country, but colorful hammocks are a great buy, as are huipiles (traditional Mayan embroidered dress). Inventive and whimsical clay figurines are another. Shops in Playa del Carmen sell items from all over Mexico.

Mayan culture Mayan culture appeared around 3,000 years ago. Scientists, road-builders, traders, and architects of ornate, monumental pyramids were among the members of this advanced society. By the time of the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, most of the great cities were already in decline — if not abandoned — but the rich culture lives on in country villages throughout the Yucatàn Peninsula, where Mayan beliefs have been melded into Catholicism, and people still sleep in hammocks and prepare traditional food.

Haciendas In the Yucatàn, huge fortunes were made on sisal (stiff fiber from an agave plant), from which rope was made, but the advent of synthetics put an end to the riches. Many haciendas were like self-sufficient small towns, with their own chapels, workers’ quarters, and general stores.

Cuisine Yucatecan cuisine is a wonderful mix of Mayan, Spanish and — in Merida — Lebanese influences. Achiote paste, a mix of annato seeds and bitter Seville orange juice, is rubbed on poultry and meat. Popular poc chuc is a thin slice of pork marinated in tart citrus served with pickled onions. Try Sopa de lima, chicken soup spiced with key lime juice and served with toasted tortilla bits.

Temazcal This ancient ritual is akin to the North American sweat lodge, but practiced in a small, fixed adobe structure. Participants sit in the dark around a pit filled with progressively more fire-heated volcanic rocks. Chanting is led by a shaman (a temazclero) and the aim is spiritual and physical cleansing.