r/playadelcarmen

My hotel excursions are really expensive, where's do you get the best prices? Thank you.

I’m on holiday in playa del carmen and I want to find some Spanish Tonies for my son’s Toniebox. Does anyone know anywhere that sells them here? I’ve tried Walmart and had no luck!
Thanks

Hello, I'm in Playa del Carmen for a week and I was looking to get some souvenirs. I wondered a little bit in 5th avenue and I thought most of the things were overpriced. I went to mega soriana and I found the same things for half or even less fraction of the price.

Is this "normal"? Do magnets really cost 5€ each? Where do you recommend to buy souvenirs?

I already search and found that for chocalate Ah cacao is the best (and 5€ a bar I think is fair). For vanilla extract I got molina from soriana. Tequilla and mezcal I probably got get from mega as well (just need to try some brands, if you recommend a bar I would appreciate). The other things I don't know where to get (like chanclas, bags, lucha libre mask, handcraft...)

Fam is asking me to go on a trip with them next week. Is it safe?

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𝐌𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐜𝐨 𝐈𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐬.

May 16, 2026 by MxTrib Staff

Reports from travelers and immigration attorneys are raising flags for anyone planning a trip to Mexico: airport officers are increasingly granting tourist permits for far fewer than the standard 180 days, and some say U.S.-Mexico tensions are feeding into that dynamic.

Sonia Diaz, a licensed immigration attorney who practices in San Miguel de Allende, Puerto Vallarta, and Nayarit, recently posted a warning on social media that has been circulating widely among expats and travelers. She described receiving regular messages from visitors who arrive in Mexico only to find their tourist permit stamped with as few as 10 days — a number that cannot be changed once issued.

“Weekly, I receive similar emails,” Diaz wrote.

𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Under Mexico’s immigration law, specifically Article 43 of the Ley de Migración, the number of days written on a tourist permit — known as the Forma Migratoria Múltiple, or FMM — is entirely at the discretion of the officer on duty. The maximum is 180 days, but there is no floor. Officers may ask about travel plans, return flights, and accommodation, and they factor those answers into the number they stamp.

That process has always existed. What is changing, according to Diaz and travelers reporting similar experiences, is the frequency with which officers are issuing far shorter stays than normal — and the airports where this is happening. This is not limited to any single entry point. Diaz was emphatic: it is happening across all airports, including those with automated passport scanners.

Once the stamp is in your passport, the duration is final. There is no extension process available inside Mexico. If a traveler finds their return flight falls outside the allotted window, they face either paying an overstay fine or leaving Mexico early and re-entering on a new permit — assuming they can get a longer one on the next try.

𝐀 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

Diaz points to the broader bilateral friction as a contributing factor in how some officers are making decisions. With the Trump administration reviewing all 53 Mexican consulates in the United States for potential closure — a move reported this month by CBS News and the Associated Press — resentment is running in both directions. Mexicans seeking a U.S. tourist visa currently face a roughly two-year wait and a fee of around MX$4,200 (about US$230), with no guarantee of approval.

There is also the question of what happens to travelers who already hold a CANJE stamp in their passport, indicating they are in the process of obtaining Mexican residency. Diaz noted that some officers are logging those individuals as ordinary tourists rather than recording their correct immigration status — a potentially serious error that could complicate the residency process.

“Immigration staff at airports have a lot of independence,” Diaz wrote. “They also have their personal beliefs and politics.”

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰

For anyone traveling to Mexico as a tourist, immigration attorneys recommend arriving prepared. Have a printed or digital copy of your return ticket, hotel reservation, and a clear explanation of your itinerary ready before you reach the officer’s window. Be direct and polite about how long you intend to stay. Check the number in your passport stamp before leaving the immigration hall — you are entitled to know what was entered, and catching an error while still in the area gives you the best chance of resolving it.

For those in the middle of the residency process — the CANJE stage, where a consulate-approved visa is being exchanged for a resident card — the stakes are even higher. Diaz and other immigration professionals have repeatedly advised those travelers to make clear at the counter that they are entering under a canje, not as tourists, and to confirm that the officer records their status correctly.

Travelers who find themselves stranded with a very short permit and a return flight weeks away should seek legal counsel immediately. A qualified immigration attorney can sometimes find options depending on the specific circumstances, though there is no guaranteed remedy once the stamp is set.

More background on the diplomatic frictions between Washington and Mexico City — including the consulate review and drug-trafficking indictments of Mexican officials — is available from the Associated Press.

𝐅𝐌𝐌 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬

The FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) is a required entry permit, not a visa, for tourists and business visitors from the U.S., Canada, and other no-visa countries

Maximum authorized stay: 180 days — but the actual number is set by the officer at the counter

Once stamped, the number of days cannot be extended from inside Mexico

The 2026 FMM fee is MX$983 (about US$54), usually included in airfare; free for stays of 7 days or fewer

Always check your passport stamp before leaving the immigration hall

Travelers in the canje process must tell the officer they are not entering as tourists and confirm their status is recorded correctly

Those who overstay their permit face a fine before departure and possible re-entry complications

Source: Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM), Yucatan Magazine.

if anyone wanted to go see chichen itza, parking and tickets are free today !

Hello, I am travelling with my GF and young child 4. We would like to visit the island but the ferry price has gone up crazy prices for tourist. Last year I didnt pay anywhere near the crazy price asked at the ferry office. Is this the new norm or is there a cheaper way?

Hi everyone! This might be a long shot, but is anyone flying from the Chicago/Milwaukee area to Cancun in the next few days?

My green card was just approved and mailed unexpectedly after I already left for Cancun. I’m currently stuck in the Hotel Zone and am hoping someone trustworthy could help bring the envelope with them to Cancun. My family in Wisconsin/Chicago can hand it to you before your flight.

Of course, I’d be happy to verify everything and offer compensation for the help. Please DM me if you might be able to help or know someone who can. Thank you so much!

I was looking for a budget friendly cenote to take my GF and 4 year old girl to visit, anyone have any tips to do as budget friendly but fun as possible please. Thank you

Heading into Playa Del Carmen does anyone have any go to coctail spots or hidden gems please? Thank you

A bit of a random one - does anyone know where I can buy a portable fan, ideally the kind that can be clipped on a pram?

Tried to order one on Amazon, but it's asking me for a CURP, which I don't have as we're just visiting.

Thank you!

Hi! If anyone has a Discover (or I guess Capital One now) credit card, can you confirm if you have any issues using it? I feel like Discover isn’t accepted everywhere outside of the U.S.

Also if you have a favorite pharmacy location, would love to know.

I've bought different tubs of ice cream and they've always been melted and then refrozen so its like a bunch of frozen sugar at the bottom. Basically ruining the ice cream.

This is from mega soriana.

Anyone found similar situation?

Traveling to Cozumel in a week and planning a day trip to Xcaret for the night show with the lunch. Should we book online now or at the resort and try to negotiate? Alsohow do people typically get there from Cozumel? Ferry to PDC then bus? Is that part of the Xcaret Total Package?

Thinking of taking a quick 6 day trip to Cozumel and Playa del Carmen. I see rain In the forecast during the dates I want to go (may 17-23) and I also see a lot of posts about the sargassum.

Would it still be worth it? i like hanging out at the beach and walking around. 32 year old male and just trying to relax a bit.

Can anyone tell me a true review of this hotel please. We are stopping here soon and we booked it because it was five star and a TUI platinum hotel but such mixed reviews!! Some of which are awful yet it still holds this ‘platinum’ status. I’m really hoping it’s not as bad as what I’m reading!?

The catering sounds shocking but I’m confused as to why it’s not been sorted if there’s so many complaints