Cancun Travel Tips

Banks: 08:00 to 19:00, Monday to Friday, some open Saturday mornings
Post Offices: 08:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday
Department Stores and Shops: 10:00 to 22:00, daily
Museums: 09:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday
Business Offices: 09:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday

There are significant safety concerns for visitors to Cancun. Although crime levels here are lower than in some other major Mexican cities, crime and safety should still be a high concern to all visitors.

It is essential that you leave your valuables at home or in your hotel safe. Don’t go out wearing jewellery or designer clothes, and only carry a sufficient amount of cash for one day. It is advisable to leave credit cards at the hotel unless you will be using them. Pick-pocketing incidents, purse snatchings and hotel-room theft is common. Visitors are frequently caught out on public transportation and in the street at night.

Never walk back to your hotel at night, take a taxi. It is also important to only withdraw cash from ATMs in the day from protected facilities.

While most establishments accept American dollars, the official currency is the Mexican Peso. The peso is divided into 100 centavos. Banknotes come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 pesos, while coins come in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 centavos as well as 1, 2, 10 and 20 pesos.

ATMs are widespread in tourist areas, at supermarkets, shopping centres and in business and commercial zones. Some of the larger hotels have ATMs in their lobbies. Banks and moneychangers can exchange currency and travellers cheques for you, with US dollars being the easiest currency to exchange.

If you are bringing gifts for friends and relatives in Mexico, come prepared to show Mexican customs officials the origin and value of the gifts. Visitors arriving by land can bring in gifts worth a value of up to US$50.00 duty-free, with the exception of alcohol and tobacco products, while those entering Mexico by air or sea can bring in gifts with a total value of US$300.00 duty-free.

Electricity: 127v, two flat pins

Tipping is customary in Mexico, with porters, taxi drivers, maids, waiters and waitresses appreciating a small token. As wages are typically very low here, your tour guides and others rely on visitors tips to cover their expenses. Tips make a significant difference to their income.

Visitors to Cancun will find the residents here to be relaxed and laid back, with no strict rules of etiquette being likely to effect your holiday. Time is more flexible that in most European countries, with people typically arriving 30 minutes late for a meeting, so have patience if things seem to get off to a slow start.

When meeting a Mexican for the first time, a hand shake is an appropriate greeting, while hugging and a light kiss on the cheek is common between friends of both sexes. Physical contact is very important here, so don’t shy away if someone touches you, it is most likely a sign they like you and want to get to know you.

The most noticeable difference in dining for most tourists to Mexico is the different times that meals are taken. Breakfast is typically eaten from 08:00 to 11:00; lunch from 14:00 to 16:00; and dinner doesn’t normally start until 21:00.

If you invite someone for a meal, it is customary that you pay the bill. Sharing the bill is not common in Mexico. It is also customary to include a tip when paying the bill as a sign of appreciation for the good service you received.

If you are invited to someone’s home to dine, it is important not to arrive early; arriving 30 minutes after the stated time is standard. Hands should be visible when dining at a table; do not begin until your host has started. When you have finished, place you knife and fork parallel, tilted to the right of your plate to indicate you are done. It is also considered polite to leave a small amount of food on your plate to indicate you are full.

Medical healthcare in Cancun is good and you will find facilities in line with American standards; however, should you travel out of the city, do not expect hospital facilities to meet international norms.

Medical facilities vary and visitors should ask their hotel or embassy to advise them on where to seek medical attention.

Visitors are recommended to drink bottled water, as tap water here is not always safe. Likewise, it is important to avoid ice which may have been made from contaminated tap water. You should make sure you are up-to-date with all standard inoculations prior to leaving home and that you carry and effective insect repellent.

AMAT Emergency Hospital; Phone: +52 998 887 4422

The primary language in Cancun is Spanish, which is also Mexico’s official language; however, English is widely spoken in the tourist areas.

US, Canadian, British and Australian passport holders among others do not need a visa to enter Mexico.

Tourist visas for other nationals can be obtained at Mexican embassies and consulates or at the port of entry from Mexican Immigration Officials. Visitors must have a passport that is valid for at least six months and the appropriate fee. US citizens do not require a visa for tourist stays of 72 hours or less within ‘the border zone’. Further details can be obtained from Mexican embassies and consulates in your home country.

Cancun’s tourist information office is located on Avenida Tulum 26, Ciudad Cancun and can be contacted by calling: +52 9 884 80 73. Alternatively, the office can be visited for free advice, maps and information.