r/MexicoTravel

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I’m planning a road trip from Texas into Mexico likely Monterrey and possibly further south, and I’m trying to get clear information before I go.

I keep finding conflicting answers online. Some people say US insurance is fine for short trips near the border, while others say Mexican liability insurance is required the moment you cross.

I just want to understand what actually happens in real situations like at checkpoints or if there’s an accident. Is Mexican insurance actually checked, or is it more of a technical requirement?

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I keep seeing mixed info about the FMM tourist card. Some sources say it’s still required. Others say it’s not needed for short border trips.

Has anyone crossed recently and knows how it actually works now?

My best friend and I 34M and 35F want to go on holiday to Mexico. We are single and extremely good friends we both want to have "fun" and be safe and confident outside of the resort... where would you go? Any and all recommendations welcome!

i’m wanting to travel to central america (guatemala, nicaragua, costa rica etc) in september but i’m hesitating because of it being off peak and rainy season.

i don’t mind some rainy afternoons but i worry it will crazy affect what i can do / where i can travel

in terms of it being off peak season, im young and will be solo travelling so want to meet people to travel and go out with. i worry that because it is off peak hostels may be empty or difficult to do so.

if anyone has been around this time or is going in september i would appreciate some advice :)

Hey guys, I’ve spent the last couple days researching all inclusive resorts in Mexico, specifically Cancun, and I’ve narrowed my search down to these two properties. I’ve been to Riu Palace Costa Mujeres before but it was over 6 years ago and I honestly cannot recall how good or bad the experience was. I remember the food being very good but now I’m reading reviews that have me thinking maybe it’s gone downhill since my last visit.

I’m planning on going in a couple days to either property with 3 adults and one teen (myself, my mother, my fiancé and my sister who is 16 years old). Both my mother and sister have never been on an all inclusive vacation (actually any vacation ever for that matter) and so I’m really trying to ensure they truly enjoy themselves without breaking the bank.

If you have better recommendations in the price range of these hotels (currently about $1600/$1700 Canadian per person for 7 days), please feel free to let me know.

Thank you!

I’m planning a road trip from Texas into Mexico likely Monterrey and possibly further south, and I’m trying to get clear information before I go.
I keep finding conflicting answers online. Some people say US insurance is fine for short trips near the border, while others say Mexican liability insurance is required the moment you cross.
I just want to understand what actually happens in real situations like at checkpoints or if there’s an accident. Is Mexican insurance actually checked, or is it more of a technical requirement?

I'm headed to Oaxaca City, and I can't find anything that looks like a thrift shop with a rack of old t-shirts. A Tajin shirt, an old los bukis shirt or something like that. I was in Hermosillo a couple of months ago and the tianguis didn't really have anything other than American clothes. Anywhere like that in Oaxaca?

Hello! I am going to be in Mexico around mid July. Planning to visit Monterrey, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido, and maybe Isla Mujeres or Playa del Carmen. Can anyone give me some recommendations on activities/museums/neighbourhoods that I absolutely cannot miss out on? I was hoping to see some cultural sites, museums and maybe even do a beginner hike. Thank you!

Like gas buddy of anyone uses it, where users can update when they see changes

This is the travel debate I have with myself every single time I plan a trip.

All-inclusive sounds like the obvious budget move but you’re paying for meals you might skip, drinks you might not finish, and a resort you’ll feel pressure to stay on because you already paid for everything there. I am all about getting my money’s worth. If I bought a ticket to an amusement park for $80 and only stayed three hours, that's almost $27 an hour when you look at the full picture. All-inclusive works the same way. If you’re not using everything included you’re just paying for the idea of it.

Booking separately requires a bit more thought. If you’re eating out every meal without a plan you’ll spend more. But you’re also eating at genuinely good restaurants instead of resort buffets. And when it comes to food, I like to do heavy research into what’s truly a hidden gem and has great reviews.

I think it depends on how much brain power you’re wanting to use and your pickiness level. If you’re open to any experience and looking for an easy, laid back trip without a lot of thought since everything is there for you, go all-inclusive. If you’re a bit more particular (like myself) booking separately is the way to go. It takes more thought but you know every single detail is something you’ll enjoy and you don’t feel like you’ve wasted your money.

🚨 Review of Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Golf & Spa Resort

Rating: 1/5 – Unsafe, Unsanitary, and a Complete Violation of Guest Trust

I rarely write reviews, but after a five-day stay here, I feel a responsibility to warn others. This was, without question, the worst hotel experience I’ve ever had—and at times, it felt genuinely unsafe.

⸻

❌ Check-In Failure & Reservation Not Honored

We reserved a king suite, but upon arrival were told it was unavailable. Instead, we were placed in a room with two single beds and told to “check back later.”

No apology. No urgency. No solution.

We never received the room we paid for during our entire stay.

⸻

🦠 First Room – Filthy and Uninhabitable

The first room was beyond unacceptable:

• Black mold on the walls
• Filthy fingerprints and grime throughout
• Boot and foot marks on the walls
• Heavy dirt and neglect everywhere

Most disturbing:

🚨 What appeared to be human feces smeared on the wall next to the toilet

On top of that:

❌ No air conditioning
❌ No hot water

We were forced to stay in this room for two full days.

⸻

🧊 Bare Rooms & Poor Experience

The rooms are extremely underwhelming:

• Empty refrigerator
• Minimal amenities for a “luxury” resort
• Overall worn-down condition

Room service took two hours, and when it arrived, the food was ice cold and inedible.

⸻

🍽️ Food – Shockingly Bad

The food across the resort was consistently terrible:

• 9 out of 10 meals were inedible
• Steak was like chewing shoe leather
• Chicken was dry like cardboard
• Multiple people in our group refused to eat after one or two bites

If you stay here, do not rely on the resort for food. Eat in town or buy groceries.

Unfortunately, the experience became even worse on the final day of our trip.

My wife Kate and I both became violently ill with what we strongly suspect was norovirus or severe food poisoning after eating sushi at the resort on our last day. Within hours, both of us were extremely sick.

We spent the next 48 hours vomiting continuously and experiencing severe gastrointestinal illness, followed by another three full days bedridden recovering after returning home.

It completely ruined the end of our vacation and turned the entire trip into an absolute nightmare.

⸻

🔧 Second Room – Still Broken

After two days, we were moved, but the problems continued:

• Shower handle broken and unusable
• AC locked at 17°C (62°F) with no way to turn it off

⸻

⚠️ Serious Safety Hazards

We encountered multiple dangerous conditions:

🚨 Glass shower door hanging off hinges
⚡ Exposed electrical wiring under the kitchen counter
⚡ Broken outlets in the bathroom

We documented all of this with video and reported it repeatedly. Nothing was fixed.

⸻

🚪 MAJOR PRIVACY VIOLATIONS

The most disturbing part of our stay:

On four separate occasions, hotel staff entered our room without permission or warning.

• One incident occurred at 10:15 PM while my wife and I were in bed
• Three maintenance staff unlocked and entered despite a Do Not Disturb sign
• This happened three additional times after we reported it

This is not just poor service—this is a serious violation of guest privacy and safety.

⸻

⛰️ Frustrating Resort Design

The resort is built into a steep mountainside:

• Walking is impractical
• You are completely dependent on golf carts
• Wait times can reach 20–25 minutes

Even basic movement around the property becomes frustrating.

⸻

⚖️ Attempt to Silence Our Experience

After we provided extensive photo and video evidence of the unsafe and unsanitary conditions, the hotel manager expressed concern and apologized, even providing a personal phone number for follow-up.

We were told our stay would be compensated.

However, at checkout:

• We were offered only a partial refund (1 out of 5 nights)
• This refund was conditional on signing a document agreeing not to post our photos or videos online

They had these forms ready at the counter, which suggests this is a standard practice.

In other words, they attempted to buy our silence to protect their online reputation.

We declined.

No refund is worth allowing other families to unknowingly walk into these conditions.

⸻

🧠 Final Verdict

This resort markets itself as luxury, but the reality is:

• Unsanitary and poorly maintained rooms
• Extremely poor food quality
• Broken systems and long delays
• Failure to honor reservations
• Ignored safety hazards
• Repeated invasions of guest privacy
• Serious illness following resort food consumption
• Attempts to suppress honest reviews

At best, your stay will be frustrating.

At worst, it could be unsafe.

I strongly recommend staying elsewhere!!

Doing a multi stop trip in Mexico (cdmx, Oaxaca and some beach towns) and trying to figure out data before I go.

Is it better to set up an esim in advance or just grab a local sim when you land? There are multiple providers. Which works best and how well do they hold up once you leave the main cities? Also, how's the coverage on the islands and coastal areas?

Keen to know what's worked well for others.

TYIA