Hola again!
The Riviera Maya is probably Mexico’s most touristic destination, and the amount of tourists that arrive on these shores every year is increasing.
Very often on our tours, our foodies ask me “How do local people feel about tourists?” and I always answer by explaining that most locals work for the touristic industry and we all love tourism. How we feel about tourists, depends on the type of tourist they are, so in order to give our readers an idea of how to be “good tourists”, I’ve compiled this short list of “do’s and don’ts” when traveling to the Mayan Riviera.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO LEAVE THE RESORT
Over my years in the Riviera, I’ve worked at many resorts and met and talked with a lot of tourists within these beautiful all-inclusive wonderlands. And although it has happened more than once, I kind of get shocked every time people tell me the horror stories they believe about leaving the resort into Wild Mexico. The Mayan Riviera is all for tourism, most of it is perfectly safe for everyone, I always say, every place in the world has dangerous areas, and they’re usually easy to spot if you’re just mindful of the surroundings.
Go out and explore, this land is full of wonders!
DO CONSUME LOCAL PRODUCTS IN LOCAL STORES AND RESTAURANTS
This one kind of adds to the first one. Think about all the money you’re planning to invest on your vacation. Where do you think that money will help make the place you visit a better place? In a big international resort corporation, or in the local shops and restaurants, owned and operated by local people? And besides, this is the REAL MEXICO, not the prefab version they give you at some resorts. The people of The Riviera have so much to offer if you let us.
This is our Company’s first and most important mission, to bring the tourists closer to local Mexico.
DON’T WEAR SUNSCREEN OR ANY OTHER PRODUCTS ON YOUR SKIN BEFORE SWIMMING
I’ve said this before and will say it as many times as necessary. If you don’t want a sunburn, using wetsuits or the likes is way more effective as sun protection for your swimming activities and it’s 100% eco-friendly.
The thing is that our precious coral reef is so close to being completely dead and gone, we have to understand that this ecosystem, while beautiful, is so frail, and tourists keep introducing a massive amount of foreign chemical agents every time they take a dip after putting so much stuff on their skins. And besides, after you get out and dry, you need to apply sunscreen again so… you get my point?
Credit: https://i.pinimg.com
DO TRY USING SOME SPANISH WORDS
We love it, we don’t get offended if it sounds horrible, please keep on trying. Don’t worry much because in The Riviera you’ll find plenty of folks that speak at least basic English.
However, some words are a most, so here’s a list of the most basic and expected words or phrases:
- “Gracias” (Thank you)
- “No gracias” (No, thank you)
- “Por favor” (Please)
- “Lo siento” (I’m sorry)
- “Disculpe” (Excuse me/forgive me)
- “Hola” … I refuse to translate this one
- “Adios” (Goodbye)
Credit: https://www.animalpolitico.com
DON’T STAY IN JUST ONE PLACE
There are just too many things to see and do in a short vacation, but try to see as much as possible. The main cities of the Riviera are Playa del Carmen and Tulum, and I believe the way to get the most out of your Mayan Vacation is by splitting your stay between these two cities. That way you’ll have easier logistics to get to more of all the cool spots you MUST see. Trust me.
DO REMEMBER TO TIP
Once I was on a tour with people from Spain (it was actually my first tour in Spanish ha), and they asked me about tipping because it is not customary in Spain. Who to tip? How much? Tippin is about showing appreciation for service and hospitality.
If during your vacation you feel someone was making an effort in making your trip special, even if “that effort was part of their job”, tip as much as your heart tells you and your budget allows you to. Just bare in mind that most workers of the tourism industry rely on tips to make ends meet. I might write a more detailed “Tipping guide” later for another blog entry…
Credit: https://elcomercio.pe
DON’T TRUST MEXICANS WHEN WE SAY IT’S NOT SPICY
We’re not trying to fool you or make fun of you. We have a higher tolerance for chile so we mean it’s not spicy but it might. Also, don’t assume that Red and Green salsas are color-coded for HOT and MILD. Sometimes green is hotter than red, some are the other way around, and sometimes they’re equally hot. My advice is to try a little bit on the side and if they ask “Salsa?” answer “A parte por favor” (To the side please)
DO CARRY MEXICAN CHANGE
It can be awfully inconvenient to go about your Mexican adventure carrying big foreign bills. If you can’t take pesos out of your ATM, there are a lot of options to compare and get the best exchange rate. A lot of places won’t accept any other type of currency, or if they do take American Dollars they might do it at a very low rate, so it is mostly best to pay in pesos.
Credit: https://spanishandgo.com
DON’T BE LATE FOR YOUR TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
Mexicans have a reputation for tardiness, and it might be well deserved. However, in the Mayan Riviera, we all work with world class standards because we cater to travelers from all over the world. When you show up late for a tour or activity you’re not only wasting the time of the workers who now won’t be as happy to provide their services to you but also on other tourists that did show up on time.
My advice is to plan to be 15 minutes early so if there’s any inconvenience, you end up on time. Take into account airplane delays and check-in times while planning activities for your first day.
Credit: https://i.blogs.es/
DO CHECK THE WEATHER FORECAST AND PLAN ACCORDINGLY
The Mayan Jungle is a Rainforest, although we have a “dry” season from December to May, there might be some straggling storms or just random and short showers. So I find it best to take rain into account while planning your vacation no matter what time of the year you visit us. But also, don’t let a little rain ruin the fun. You’ll find that Caribbean rain is refreshing and most welcomed.
Remember that the weather here is humid all the time so during the day you want light clothes that allow a lot of airflow, and maybe at nights, during the colder months having something to stop the air, like a light jacket, will allow you to better enjoy the night breeze.
Credit: https://i.pinimg.com/
DON’T TOUCH THE CORALS AND/OR MARINE LIFE WHEN SNORKELING OR SCUBA DIVING
I know they’re pretty and very interesting, but when humans touch corals we may pass on diseases we don’t know about so enjoy them with your eyes so more generations of humans can enjoy with theirs. I’ve already said it but, over 80% of the reef is dead and the rest is dying, we have to make conscience of this now.
For more information on the coral problem and what’s being done to stop it please visit: https://www.beyondcoral.com/
Credit: https://www.tripsavvy.com
DO LOOK FOR ECO-FRIENDLY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATIONS
Fortunately, there’s some environmental consciousness in the Riviera and Eco-Tourism is a trend that is growing more and more.
There are a lot of activities, beaches, and eco-parks that have gone all the way to getting the right certifications to protect the environment and create more sustainable and conscious tourism.
Credit: https://www.entornoturistico.com
So there you have it, my 12 suggestions on how to become a better, more conscious traveler. In the end, do whatever you want, we will welcome you anyways, but if you can follow these simple guidelines the Mayan Riviera will be a better place because of your visit.
Thank you so much for reading me and sharing.
Until next time my foodies!
- The Juan and Only
