Zedrush Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hi all Im off to Mexico in September to Playa Car 5 star all inclusive. Im going to take some spending money for excursions and eating out, just want to know if its pricey over there? Just saw that at the mo the exchange rate is 21.999 peto to the £, so just trying to figure out how much I should take with me, going two weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sl114 Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I'll ask my parents later for you mate as they go every year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinbad Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 My mate just got back. He said he spent most of his money on tips. Which was usually about $2 a tip. He'd only spent $50 in the first week and $30 of that was a taxi! He only spent £500 in the whole two weeks he was their and some of that included a trip round the local town (Cancun) and a swimming with dolphin trip. My mates not shy when it comes to spending either. I think he went on a sea fishing trip and a scuba diving trip which was free provided by his hotel, (also 5* fully inclusive "Moon palace" i think it was called.). The swimming with dolphins cost him $137 whatever that is and took a whole afternoon. I don't think you'll need much to be honest, i remember him saying that the clubs in cancun cost the most at around $25 entrance fee which included free drinks all night. It certainly looked nice in the pics he showed me yesterday , he drove a golf buggy to get round the hotel campus. He said he didnt lift a finger all the time he was their, the hotel staff did everything for him, replacing his drinks just before he'd finished his last glass/bottle. You'll have a ball mate, i'm jelous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Only been to TJ I'm afraid. The hell that is heaven to americans for all the illegal stuff they can lay their hands on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesterfield Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Have a look how far Xel-Ha is away from your resort. Its an eco park south of cancun. It is without a doubt one of the best snorkeling days I have ever had - its normally bundled with a trip to Tulum (mayan ruins) but id give Tulum a miss and sped the whole day at Xel-Ha, especially if you plan on going to Chichen Itza (spectacular ruin of mayan city). You can do underwater walking, with weighted helmets (sadly I cant do anything like that due to part of an eardrum missing), snorkeling, swim into caves etc etc. Its a great day out. If you have an underwater camera, take it. If not you can buy disposable underwater cameras, you need to get pretty close to the fish, but trust me that wont be a problem. I swear I almost soiled myself when swimming amongst small rainbow fish, I turned a corner and some 3ft purple coloured snapper thing with a gob the size of my fist was staring me in the face. Luckily it was a veggie, and just wanted to have some of the fish food I had in my mitten which you can grab for free from the various feeding stations dotted around the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedrush Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 sweet, did you find it expensive out there chesterfield? Do they use dollars or peso? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesterfield Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 hey took the dollar for just about everything - to be honest we put most of the trips on credit card, I cant remember how much we spent in total, but trips and cash for tips etc probably came to about £500 for the both of us. If you are planning on swimming with dolphins, add a few more pennies and if you do swim with them, go for the full package that normally includes a good hours swim with them, rather than sitting in a petting pool etc. We did it some years ago on the other side of Mexico in Puerto Vallarta, so didnt do it again in Cozumel (island 30 mins from Cancun). For taxi rides into the town in Cozumel and in the shops they took the dollar. They are geared up for the cruise ships which dock almost every day. If its similar to our experience, local markets and souvenier shops have two prices - one for days when a cruise ship is in and the rich americans are wandering round, and one for when there isn't a ship in. Your aiming point for any haggling should be at least half the price on the ticket regardless of the day. The people are generally very friendly, though if they sense you are buying (a carrier bag with purchaes in), be prepared to be heckeled from every other shop in an effort for you to buy from them also. My advise would be if you are wanting to buy stuff, spend a day wandering round and deciding what you want, then go to the specific items you want on another day to conclude a deal. If you wander round with purchases from one shop, the heckling from all the others trying to get you will wind you up so much you'll want to smack someone. The generaly are polite though and will take no as an answer. Ive been to other destinations (on in particular was jamaica) where they will actually try and take you by the hand and drag you into their shop. In Cancun and surrounding areas they know that tourism is the main revenue generator for the area and have learnt not to bite the hand that feeds. So expect pleasent and friendly heckling! The tour of Chichen Itza is great. Its worth going on an organised tour instead of making your own way there as the local knowledge of the site is invaluable and the guides will explain the various buildings and their purposes. All very interesting. There is a ferry over to Cozumel from Playa Carmen, that is the island we stopped on, its about a 40 minute trip. Not a massive ammount to see on the island, but if you go over there and hire a car for the day $50 ish, you can drive round the entire island in 40 minutes, get to the other side of the island and you can have acres of beach to yourselves if you want to get away from it all. We had a great time in Mexico, both several years ago in Puerto Vallarta and more recently in Cozumel. I would have no hesitation or doubts about going back to that country again in the future, hopefully we will again one day, but there is a lot more of the planet to see - with any luck it will be as pleasant as both of our trips to Mexico. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedrush Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 cheers mate, ill take my credit card with me and about 600 cash The hotel Im staying at has 8 restaurants and its all insclusive but dont want to be a the hotel for two whole weeks ill go insane. As luck would have it one of my mates and his girlfriend are going to be out there about 10mins where we are 4days later for two weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarnie Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Surely you won't need much cash if your going all inc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedrush Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Yeh but probably want to do an excursion every otherday and am there for two weeks, or that still too much? It weird I went Sandals last year in Jamaica, and the couple that we met there said Meico is far better. The rooms at Sandals werent great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinbad Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 £600 sounds about right to me. I don't think you'll need much more from what i heard. If you hotel has 8 restaurants then the complex is gunna be pretty big. Sounds like you'll have a ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chesterfield Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Dont forget also, the area was hit by a hurricane around 24 months or so ago, which means a lot of the seafront bars and complexes with beach bars etc will have been newly renovated. The beach bar complex we had in Cozumel was all brand new, most of the resorts took the opportunity during the rebuilding of beachfront complexes to refurbish most of the resort at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beavis Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Has'nt LiamsZ just been to Mexico? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinbad Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Oh yeah, i heard its pretty difficult to crack the Yanks too! well it will be for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedrush Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Oh yeah, i heard its pretty difficult to crack the Yanks too! well it will be for you! what do you mean by crack the yanks dude? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinbad Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 its hard to pull the American girls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacko Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 its hard to pull the American girls Not in my experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedrush Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 ahh lol gotcha yeh I think I will have problem my girlfriend will knock me out lol. But on the whole American girls do love British men, I remember the year before last I got stuck at the airport and plane was delayed 24hours. All hotels in the area was fully booked. I got chatting to an Asian girl (very ) in a lingerie store at the airport, and that night whilst every other passenger was sleeping on the floors at the airport I had a shower at her house a comfortable bed to sleep in, breakfast and a lift back to the airport the next morning I promised Id stay in touch but somehow lost her number Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinbad Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 its hard to pull the American girls Not in my experience! I was on about the fit ones. Not the fats ones!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinbad Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 ahh lol gotcha yeh I think I will have problem my girlfriend will knock me out lol. But on the whole American girls do love British men, I remember the year before last I got stuck at the airport and plane was delayed 24hours. All hotels in the area was fully booked. I got chatting to an Asian girl (very ) in a lingerie store at the airport, and that night whilst every other passenger was sleeping on the floors at the airport I had a shower at her house a comfortable bed to sleep in, breakfast and a lift back to the airport the next morning I promised Id stay in touch but somehow lost her number mexico's a BIG place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedrush Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Zedrush, is it the Riu you're staying in? If so its awesome, stayed there a couple of years ago. If Henry still works in the bar near the pool (the one that's open late, near the stage), slip him a tip on the first night and he'll well look after you. He also makes a mean Mojito! Definately also recommend Chichen Itza and the swimming with dolphins - plus the missus will love that The scuba diving in Mexico is incredible, with great reefs and top fish. iirc we spent about £400 in 10days which was mostly on trips, all in dollars though. My Sis is out there all the time as she is works on the airlines and she always says to use the dollar - it's worth more to the locals. Cancun isn't really a visit, just looks like an American city tbh. Had a couple of nights out there and not too bad but not great. Couldn't go to Xel-Ha last time I was out there as had a broken wrist but my mates that went said it was stunning. Last time I went I stayed at the Moon Palace which was incredible but nearer to Cancun than Playa Car, I reckoned that the sea was much clearer and the beach nicer at Playa Car. Sure you'll have a wicked time mate I absolutely love the place!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam's Z Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Most has been said by these guy's Jay... I didn't venture as far as Playa Car as I stayed in Cancun. Cancun is very commercial imo, allot like Ibiza! 7 decent clubs in Cancun, Coco Bongo's, Senior Frogs, Daddyo's, Basic, to name a few... These all have there own dedicated nights to visit. Your talking $40 to access any of these places with free drinks all night... The waiters get paid 'peanuts' so they rely heavily on tips, tip at least $10 dollars a round. This may sound allot but not when there's 14 of you doing the tipping!!! No way can you spend more than £30 a night, it's impossible. If your staying in a Riu branch like I did (Riu Cancun) then you'll be well an truly looked after... No branded spirits but unlimited supplies of Corona on tap. Oh an the food is fantastic - so much so, I'm now on the Crunchy Nut diet. $140 sounds about right for swimming with the dolphins and Jet ski's can be haggled down to $30 for 20 minutes... £500 spends p/p is a good estimate for 2 weeks and that's going mad!!! Yanks you either love em or hate em, I love em... Tell them you’re on vacation for 2 weeks and wait for the replies haha... Overall I'll give Mexico 8/10 for my experience although some of my friends would probably rate it higher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarnie Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Most has been said by these guy's Jay... I didn't venture as far as Playa Car as I stayed in Cancun. Cancun is very commercial imo, allot like Ibiza! 7 decent clubs in Cancun, Coco Bongo's, Senior Frogs, Daddyo's, Basic, to name a few... These all have there own dedicated nights to visit. Your talking $40 to access any of these places with free drinks all night... The waiters get paid 'peanuts' so they rely heavily on tips, tip at least $10 dollars a round. This may sound allot but not when there's 14 of you doing the tipping!!! No way can you spend more than £30 a night, it's impossible. If your staying in a Riu branch like I did (Riu Cancun) then you'll be well an truly looked after... No branded spirits but unlimited supplies of Corona on tap. Oh an the food is fantastic - so much so, I'm now on the Crunchy Nut diet. $140 sounds about right for swimming with the dolphins and Jet ski's can be haggled down to $30 for 20 minutes... £500 spends p/p is a good estimate for 2 weeks and that's going mad!!! Yanks you either love em or hate em, I love em... Tell them you’re on vacation for 2 weeks and wait for the replies haha... Overall I'll give Mexico 8/10 for my experience although some of my friends would probably rate it higher Thats the longest post you've ever posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam's Z Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Actions speak louder than words Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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