Was playing with the idea of flying into Cancun and renting a car and driving to one of the Starwood Haciendas in the Yucatan and driving around from there to see the Mayan ruins and Merida -- more frequent flights to Cancun than Merida.

How safe is it for a newbie to Mexico who has never driven there to do this?

Thanks,

NJ

We have removed your post from the "safety in Mexico City" thread for greater exposure and member response.

JDiver, Senior Moderator/Moderator: American AAdvantage, iDine, and Talkboard Topics

Some roads are less than Sterling, with "sleeping policemen" and ruts in roads. If you kept it to a modest average, inspect the car minutely on delivery (photos from your phone or camera with dates are useful), be sure all the tools are there and the tires are good, don't try to drive too far (don't calculate at US highway speeds!) you should be OK.

I've done this - there is a route and I will pst more later as I am on my way out la puerta.

Drove all over Yucatan, some of Campeche and some of Quintana Roo a few months ago, and it was all fine. There was however, a strong military presence, and we were stopped at 1 or 2 of the checkpoints. On one occasion they asked for the driver's license, but that was about it. Road quality is better on the peninsula than in the rest of the country.

Stayed in Playa del Carmen for all of July. Drove to Cancun multiple times, Chichen Itza, Coba and Tulum. We felt very safe everywhere we went. The roads, for the most part, are in fine condition. There are police checkpoints before the city limits of most towns - we weren't stopped at all.

When renting the car, do your research on the insurance requirements. While your credit card provides some coverage, it doesn't provide all required in Mexico. If you deny the required Mexican insurance (which can cost more than the actual rental), they'll place a hold for the value of your car on your credit card.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me.

The main issues around insurance in Mexico:

1) Your insurance company is your bailor and guarantor, meaning instead of going to jail for a serious accident you get to go free whilst the insurance company goes to work on your behalf;

2) Liability is a big issue. As a visitor involved in a local accident, you want to be sure to be covered for third party damages, liability, etc. or - la carcel could be your next temporary residence and it could cost you lots of money.

Don't drive at night, keep to a lower speed limit because of the "sleeping policeman" speed bumps and sudden incidents - many in Mexico do not use flares, they use rocks to warn drivers of breakdowns and then forget to remove the rocks when they finally drive off. Animals are common in the roadways, and around celebratory times drunks may stagger down the road - or on occasion actually fall asleep on the roadway. It pays to be a bit more cautious and vigilant here, but you can generally drive safely.

Also only get gasoline at formal (Pemex) gasoline stations (preferably choose those with filtration, and keep your tank above 1/2) - stations can run out for a day or two, and occasional stands or "informal stations" selling what appears to be gasoline out of bottles or cans may be selling very adulterated gasoline.

I've driven extensively over the years in Campeche, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, Veracruz and Yucatan in southern Mexico, as well as Belize, Guatemala, etc.