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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 🚗
Is this your first time in Mexico, and you’re planning to explore Cancún, the Yucatán or Quintana Roo 🤗? If you’re here, you probably want to know everything about renting a car in Mexico, whether from an airport (Cancún, Mérida, Mexico City…) or right in town. We were in the same situation as you, with dozens of questions in our heads:
- 🤔 Can you rent a car in Mexico without a credit card, or with a small deposit?
- 😡 Which scams should you absolutely avoid?
- 👀 Do you need extra insurance?
Renting a car in Mexico is the best way to explore the peninsula at your own pace: cenotes hidden in the jungle, Mayan sites at sunrise, back roads all the way to Bacalar or Calakmul… But it’s also where the country’s most common scams hide: insurance forced on you at the counter, a huge deposit, a rip-off exchange rate, a badly charged tank of gas 😬.
In October 2021, Adeline and I did a month-long road trip in Mexico, entirely in a rental car from TouraCancun. Don’t worry, we’ve been in your shoes: in this article, we share everything we learned, completely transparently. How to choose your agency, how much it costs, which insurance to get, how the deposit works, the documents you need, and all the scams to avoid. By the end, you’ll have everything you need to rent a vehicle in Mexico with total peace of mind 😉.
If you’re planning your trip, also read our 10 things to know before visiting Mexico and our article Where to withdraw money in Mexico?: they’ll save you plenty of nasty surprises 👇
THE MAP OF OUR MEXICO ROAD TRIP 🗺️
To help you plan your itinerary, we’ve gathered every place from our 30-day road trip in Mexico 🇲🇽 on an interactive map: cenotes, Mayan sites, beaches and stopover towns, from Yucatán to Quintana Roo. Click on each pin to discover the place in detail 📍. And to keep it handy during your trip, open it in Google Maps: you’ll find it easily on your phone 📱.
Our itinerary
Our trip to Mexico
1 month8 stops2 states: Yucatán & Quintana RooCar + ferry to the islands
The stops, in order
- 1
Cancún
1 night
Arrival by plane, then last night before the flight home
- 2
Holbox
3 nights
Beaches, sunsets and a timeless vibe
- 3
Valladolid
5 nights
Suytun, Oxman, Ik Kil, Chichén Itzá, Ek Balam
- 4
Mérida
3 nights
Uxmal and the 3 cenotes of Cuzamá
- 5
Bacalar
5 nights
The lagoon of seven colors and its cenotes
- 6
Tulum
4 nights
Ruins, Coba, Sian Ka'an, Cenote Azul and Calavera
- 7
Cozumel
4 nights
Scuba diving and snorkeling
- 8
Isla Mujeres
3 nights
Jet skiing, beaches and the end of the road trip
SHOULD YOU RENT A CAR IN MEXICO OR TAKE THE BUS? 🤔
Like many travelers planning a road trip in Mexico, the first question we asked ourselves was: do we really need to rent a car in Cancún? The answer depends on what you want to do, your itinerary, how much time you have and, of course, your budget 🙂.
For us, the car was a real asset. It saved us time, let us travel at our own pace and meant we didn’t depend on anyone. The ADO bus network is well developed, though, and with the arrival of the Tren Maya, the big cities are better and better connected. But it means being less rushed and working around schedules and connections.
For us, renting a car was essential: we explored isolated, off-the-beaten-path places like the Calcehtok caves and their thousands of bats 🦇, the Mayan city of Calakmul deep in the jungle, or Cenote Secreto Maya. Without a vehicle, these places are very hard to reach.
On the other hand, if you’re planning to stay in Cancún for the beach, the nightlife or an all-inclusive stay, a car is pointless: local transportation will do just fine 💪.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST RENTAL AGENCY IN MEXICO? 🚗
It’s an existential question we asked ourselves before our road trip 🇲🇽. For us, the two most important things to book are the plane ticket and the rental car. Your choice of rental company will have a real impact on your trip: we’re not talking about a €50 deposit, but more like €1,000 held on top of the rental 😭.
Choosing the right agency means comparing reviews, prices and above all the insurance included in the contract. Blogs and travelers’ Facebook groups are also a gold mine of information.
🔥 After hours of research, we chose the agency TouraCancun, for lots of reasons 👀:
- 🇫🇷 It’s a French company that acts as a go-between with Mexican rental agencies.
- 💬 Communicating in French makes it easier to understand each other and solve problems.
- 🧾 We paid exactly the quote we got at booking, with no extra charges at the counter.
- 💳 The agency accepts debit cards, which isn’t the case for the vast majority of rental companies in Mexico.
- 👶 No young driver fees, unlike other agencies.
- 📧 Email follow-up before, during and after the trip, with every step explained.
- 👫 A second driver included in the quote.
- 🛡️ No deductible to pay.
- 🤝 The local agency gets lots of customers through TouraCancun, so it has every reason to keep you happy 👍.
For all these reasons, we chose TouraCancun for our month-long car rental in Mexico.
HOW MUCH DOES A CAR RENTAL IN MEXICO COST? 💸
OUR EXPERIENCE
To be transparent with you: we paid €950 for 30 days of rental with TouraCancun in October 2021, insurance included, or about €32 per day. A €900 deposit was held on our debit card, then released at the end of the trip.
AVERAGE PRICES
Prices vary hugely by season 😬: you won’t pay the same at Christmas as in October, in low season. On average, expect 600 to 1,100 pesos per day (€29 to €55) depending on the vehicle, the insurance and the rental location. On comparison sites, offers at Cancún airport often hover around €35 to €65 per day with full insurance, but beware of much lower teaser prices (we explain why just below).
PRICES BY CATEGORY AT TOURACANCUN
These are TouraCancun’s indicative prices. They depend on the season, the number of bookings, and the vehicle’s pick-up and drop-off locations.
BEWARE OF PRICES THAT LOOK TOO GOOD IN MEXICO 🚨
Don’t trust the too-good-to-be-true prices on comparison sites 😐. Before finding TouraCancun, we’d seen rentals at ridiculously low prices, €200 to €400 cheaper for the same month. Some rental companies are honest, but as a general rule, you end up with cars in so-so condition and, above all, quotes that don’t include the mandatory insurance 🤨.
The result: a very attractive quote on paper… then €200, €300 or €400 extra at the counter to get your vehicle. Once you’re there, worn out from the flight, all you want is to get to your hotel, so you pay. Rental agencies in Mexico know this very well 😲.
THE DEPOSIT FOR RENTING A CAR IN MEXICO 💳
A MANDATORY AND OFTEN HIGH DEPOSIT
As everywhere, a deposit is required to rent a car, but in Mexico it can be exorbitant. If all goes well, it’s released at the end of the rental. The problem is that you need to have that amount available in your account. And at the counter, always keep an eye on your card: check your account during the trip.
CREDIT CARD OR DEBIT CARD?
Most rental companies don’t accept debit cards, even though most French cards are debit cards. It’s written on the front of your card. When booking online, this condition often goes unnoticed… and at the counter, you’re told:
“Sorry, we don’t accept this card for the deposit.”
You’re then offered a bigger deposit, or a higher price than your quote. And since your trip is just getting started, you accept.
THE DEPOSIT AT TOURACANCUN
One of TouraCancun’s big advantages: debit cards are accepted, but the deposit is doubled. For us, that meant €900 held during the trip, a big sum we obviously hoped to get back at the end 😅. Hence the importance of reading your quote in full.
MINIMUM AGE TO RENT A CAR
Most rental companies in Mexico require a driver aged at least 21, often with a young driver surcharge up to age 25 (usually around €5 per day). At TouraCancun, the minimum age is 21, with no young driver surcharge, and anything is possible if you contact them directly.
WHICH INSURANCE SHOULD YOU GET TO RENT A CAR IN MEXICO? 🤯
THIRD-PARTY LIABILITY INSURANCE, MANDATORY
This is the most important point, and the No. 1 source of nasty surprises. In Mexico, third-party liability (called PLI, TPL or LIA depending on the company) is required by law. It covers damage caused to others, up to about 750,000 pesos, and no bank card covers it, not even a premium one. If it’s not in your quote, you’ll have to pay for it at the counter.
YOUR BANK CARD’S INSURANCE
You often hear “I’m covered by my credit card.” Depending on your card, that may be true, but read your contract carefully 📝. And even if you’re covered, in case of an accident, you have to pay the costs up front: pay for the repairs, then ask your bank for a refund 😒. In a country with so many scams, the agency can charge whatever it wants, and your deposit will be docked.
Back home, your bank will ask you for lots of paperwork, and the answer may be no:
- 🧾 You’re missing a quote or an invoice.
- 📄 You don’t have the requested documents, and the agency has already moved on to another customer.
- ⏳ The claim drags on for months, until you give up.
- 🛣️ The accident happened on a dirt road or on the beach, which the contract excludes.
- 🚙 Your vehicle (SUV, 4×4, Jeep…) isn’t in the categories your card covers.
EXTRA INSURANCE
The best protection is still “zero deductible” insurance (also called EPC) 💪: if anything happens, you don’t pay a cent out of pocket, the agency handles everything. It comes at a cost, so it’s up to you to weigh the risk against the benefit. The other types of insurance you’ll come across:
- 🛡️ SLI: it tops up third-party liability, up to about 3 million pesos in damage to others.
- 🏥 PAI: medical expenses for authorized passengers in case of an accident.
- 🪟 TGI (glass and tires): recommended in Mexico, because of gravel, potholes and topes.
- 🚨 TP: protection against total or partial theft of the vehicle.
WHERE TO RENT YOUR CAR IN MEXICO? 🏙️
We recommend renting your car at Cancún airport (or Mexico City) as soon as you land. It’s often the cheapest option, because that’s where most agencies are, and many offer a shuttle from the terminal, so you don’t have to pay for a taxi.
You can also pick up your vehicle in Playa del Carmen or Tulum. But be careful: if you’re starting with Holbox, it’s hard to find an agency in Chiquilá, and prices there are higher. Personally, I recommend renting directly in Cancún.
WHERE YOU WON’T NEED A CAR 🏝️
Even on a road trip, the car sometimes stays in the parking lot:
- 🛺 Holbox: cars are banned for tourists. You leave yours in a guarded parking lot in Chiquilá before taking the ferry.
- ⛴️ Isla Mujeres: we left the car in the Cancún port parking lot, for 100 pesos (€5) a day in 2021. On the island, you get around on foot, by taxi or by golf cart, all the way to the south of the island.
- 🚗 Cozumel: this is the exception, we brought our car over on the car ferry from Calica. Handy for driving around the island between snorkeling and scuba diving.
OUR DRIVING ITINERARIES IN MEXICO 🛣️
Here are the main stops on our road trip, and the visits they make possible:
- 🌿 From Valladolid (5 nights): Chichén Itzá and Cenote Ik Kil (about 45 minutes), Ek Balam and Cenote X’Canché (30 minutes), and the Suytun, Oxman and Hubiku cenotes.
- 🏛️ From Mérida (3 nights): Uxmal (1 hour), the 3 cenotes of Cuzamá and the Calcehtok caves.
- 🌊 From Bacalar (5 nights): the lagoon and its cenotes, Los Rápidos, and the long drive to Calakmul (3.5 hours).
- 🏝️ From Tulum (4 nights): the Tulum ruins, Cobá, Muyil and Sian Ka’an, and the Calavera and Azul cenotes.
HOW TO PICK UP YOUR RENTAL CAR THE RIGHT WAY (CHECK-IN) ⏳
THE DOCUMENTS YOU NEED TO RENT A CAR IN MEXICO
- 🪪 Your French driver’s license, the physical card (one per driver).
- 🌍 The international driving permit: it’s not mandatory in Mexico, but recommended in case you’re stopped. It’s free in France; apply a few weeks before you leave.
- 🛂 Your passport, to verify your identity. No agency should keep it.
- 💳 A credit card, accepted everywhere. If, like us, you only have a debit card, check that the agency accepts it.
- 🧾 Payment for the rental, if you didn’t pay in advance (with TouraCancun, we paid on the day we arrived).
- 🔒 A card imprint for the deposit: the amount is held, not charged.
OUR CHECKLIST WHEN PICKING UP THE CAR
- 💳 No one should ask for your security code or hold on to your card.
- 📝 Reread the final contract and compare it with your quote.
- 📸 Take photos and video of the car from every angle, windows included.
- 🛞 Check the spare tire, the jack and the tools.
- 🪟 No chips on the windshield, outside or inside.
- ❄️ Check the air conditioning, the wipers and the washer fluid.
- 🛞 Tires too bald? Ask for another car, it’s your safety 😇.
- 📄 The contract serves as the vehicle registration: keep it in the car.
- 🔩 Check that the license plate is securely attached.
- ⛽ Write the fuel level on the contract: the car rarely comes with a full tank.
- 💵 The check-in employee will probably ask you for a tip.
Don’t rush: checking everything properly means leaving with peace of mind. That’s what we did, and everything went really well 👉.
THE PHOTOS WE TOOK AT CHECK-IN
RETURNING THE VEHICLE (CHECK-OUT) 💣
If there’s the slightest problem during the rental, tell the agency right away. At the end of your stay, a few tips so you don’t lose part of your deposit:
- 🧼 Stop at a car wash if needed: about €4 inside and out, and they’re everywhere.
- ⛽ Return it with the same fuel level as when you left.
- 🔍 Take your time and check the condition of the vehicle with the agent.
- ✍️ Get the signed return document; it’s mandatory.
CAR RENTAL SCAMS IN MEXICO ⚠️
On Mexican roads, there are some practices you should know about before you go 🚗. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way, so get a head start 🌟!
MANDATORY PAYMENT IN PESOS
Your quote is in euros or dollars, but at the counter, the agency insists on payment in pesos at an outrageous exchange rate. The result: tens or even hundreds of euros extra.
THE TANK OF GAS
You almost never get the car with a full tank. Since you don’t know the vehicle, you often end up returning it with more gas than when you left…
INSURANCE FORCED ON YOU AT THE COUNTER
The agent “strongly” warns you about the costs in case of an accident. You can turn down the insurance they offer… but then some companies will make you leave a deposit of €6,000 to €9,000. On an excursion, we met French travelers who’d had to add €400 to their quote because of this practice. Check your online quotes carefully so you’re not caught off guard on the day 😨.
DOUBLE BILLING
Some agencies will do anything to keep the deposit: a scratch, a rocker panel, a dent… Hence the importance of the photos and videos at pick-up, and the signed return document at the end.
THE VEHICLE THAT’S “NO LONGER AVAILABLE”
When you arrive, the vehicle you booked is supposedly no longer available, and you’re offered a higher, more expensive category 😕. Agencies take advantage of how tired you are after the flight.
THE TAXI FARE AFTER RETURNING THE CAR
If you’re not flying out right away, you’ll often need a taxi to get to your hotel. The prices quoted to tourists are sky-high (€20 to €25 for 6 km). We started at 850 pesos and, after 20 minutes of haggling, got it down to 550 pesos.
POLICE CHECKS
There are a lot of police officers in Mexico, and you can get pulled over for no reason. Corruption exists, even if it’s on the decline. If you’re asked for money, you can offer to call the French embassy or explain that you don’t understand. During our month-long road trip, we were stopped several times, and it always went perfectly fine.
THE GAS PUMP SCAM
In Mexico, an attendant fills up your tank. Check that the meter is properly reset to zero, and stay next to the attendant. The other classic scam: the bill swap. The 500 and 50 peso bills are almost the same color, and the attendant may claim you gave him 50 instead of 500. It happened to us in Bacalar; we tell you everything in our article on the Bacalar lagoon 😡. Count your bills one by one, out loud.
CAR BREAK-INS
Car break-ins, especially in supermarket parking lots, are common ⚠️. In Tulum, in front of our Airbnb, someone tried to force our door to steal a backpack, during the two minutes we’d gone back inside to grab something. We tell you everything in our 10 things to know before visiting Mexico. Never leave anything in sight.
HIGHWAY TOLLS
It’s not exactly a scam, but close 😂: with or without the highway, the travel time is often the same, and tolls are expensive. On the first day, we took the highway by mistake, and the Cancún – Chiquilá drive (for Holbox) cost us €8. And toll booths don’t always take cards: keep some pesos on you.
Keep in mind that in Mexico, the minimum wage is about 315 pesos a day (€16): a few euros is a lot for some people, which explains these little schemes.
WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT DRIVING IN MEXICO 🛣️
During our road trip through the Yucatán and Quintana Roo, we quickly realized that Mexican driving was a bit different from what we’re used to in France 😂. In general, the roads are in good condition, especially the main routes, with clear signage. Here’s what you need to know.
TOPES AND POTHOLES
Topes are Mexican speed bumps. Taken at more than 30-40 km/h, they can seriously damage your car 🤣. They’re everywhere: in town, at the entrance to villages, on highways, and not always marked, especially at night. On back roads, also watch out for potholes: on the road to the Calcehtok caves, a nice road suddenly turns into huge holes 😡.
POLICE AT THE ENTRANCE TO TOWNS
At the entrance and exit of many towns, police officers check traffic behind a tope. In Mérida, it’s almost like going through a mini customs post, with heavily armed officers. It’s surprising at first, but completely normal.
ANIMALS ON THE ROAD
Lots of stray dogs and cats live along the roads, and sadly many get hit. In the jungle, other animals cross too, like on the road to Calakmul. Stay very alert.
HIGHWAYS
There are more and more highways in Mexico, but in general, regular roads get you there within a few minutes, for much less.
ROAD SAFETY
- 🚧 Vehicles stopped right in the middle of the road, even on 90 km/h roads.
- ↔️ Passing on the right is fairly common.
- 📦 Badly loaded trucks that lose their cargo.
- 🚲 Bikes riding against traffic on 90 km/h roads.
- 👶 Children often not buckled up in cars.
- 🛵 Scooters and motorcycles with no protection at all.
- 🚐 Colectivos driving pretty much any which way, and vans with ten people in the back.
- 🌧️ Roads that often flood after the rain.
- 🌽 Vendors selling corn, hats or chips by the roadside.
To find your way, Google Maps or Waze are more than enough: download offline maps before you go.
TOURACANCUN REVIEW: OUR EXPERIENCE 💭
OUR FEEDBACK
This is a personal review: other travelers may have had different experiences. TouraCancun is an intermediary for the agency America Car Rental. We’d read lots of positive reviews and didn’t want to get scammed on arrival, so we agreed to pay a bit more than the competition. The team really listens: 1 to 2 weeks before departure, we got emails asking if we had any questions, what to check, what to photograph and which boxes not to tick.
When we arrived, the car matched the quote exactly. For a whole month, no problems, and we regularly got messages checking that everything was going well.
At drop-off, the America Car Rental agency still tried to pin a scratch on the right rear light on us. Thanks to the photos we took at pick-up, we were able to prove it was already there. Avoiding losing €300 to €400, or even much more, suited us just fine 😅. If we’d booked directly with the rental company, we’re convinced there would have been attempts to take money.
THE ADVANTAGES OF TOURACANCUN
Going through an intermediary like TouraCancun is far more reassuring. The big plus is how responsive the French team is, available 24/7. And since the America Car Rental agency handles lots of bookings with TouraCancun, it has every reason to make sure things go well to keep that partnership. Keep in mind that, for many rental companies, you’re just a tourist who will probably never come back 🙁.
TouraCancun also offers anti-corruption assistance, available 24/7, to help you if you have a problem with the police.
A FREE SIM CARD
With every vehicle rental through TouraCancun, you get a free 7.5 GB SIM card 😍. Finding a carrier when you land always wastes time (we had Free, and Mexico wasn’t included in our plan). Picking up your car and your SIM card in the same place saves real time and money 📱.
OUR TAKE ON RENTING A CAR IN MEXICO
We’re very happy with TouraCancun, who were there for us even though we had no problems with the car. Our advice: look closely at the quotes, the insurance on offer, the authorized areas and unlimited mileage. Renting a car in Mexico isn’t something to take lightly: chasing the lowest price can cost you a lot more money 😐.
👉 This car came with us for our entire month-long road trip in Mexico. Itinerary, real budget, places to stay, cenotes and Mayan sites: we’ve gathered it all on our Mexico travel blog.
👉 What about you? Have you ever rented a car in Mexico? Share your experience in the comments; it’ll help the next travelers!
EXPLORE THE YUCATÁN AND QUINTANA ROO ON A TOUR
Many of you aren’t sure whether to book ahead or on the day. For 90% of our outings, we didn’t book online because we had the rental car, which let us be 100% independent. For many activities, it’s not necessary to book in advance, but depending on what you’d like to do, you also have the option to book a tour. If you’d rather not have to think about it (there’s plenty of choice) 👇
FAQ: RENTING A CAR IN MEXICO ❓
Here are the questions we get asked most often about renting a car in Mexico. Feel free to ask yours in the comments; I keep adding to this FAQ with your experiences 👏.
Expect 600 to 1,100 pesos per day on average (€29 to €55) depending on the season, the vehicle and the insurance. We paid €950 for 30 days with TouraCancun in 2021, insurance included.
No, your French license is enough to rent a car. The international permit is still recommended in case you’re stopped, and it’s free in France.
Third-party liability (PLI, TPL or LIA depending on the company) is mandatory and isn’t covered by any bank card. Make sure it’s included in your quote, or you’ll pay for it at the counter.
It’s rarely accepted. TouraCancun accepts debit cards, with a doubled deposit: €900 in our case.
It varies by agency and the insurance you choose: from a few hundred euros to several thousand if you turn down the insurance on offer. We had €900 held on our debit card.
No, renting a car in the Yucatán and Quintana Roo isn’t dangerous. Stay alert: nothing visible in the car, no night driving if possible, and watch out for topes. Thousands of travelers do it every year, just like we did.
At Cancún airport, as soon as you land: it’s often the cheapest and most convenient option for heading straight to your first stop.
Usually 21 and up, often with a young driver surcharge until 25. At TouraCancun, there’s no young driver surcharge.
Not necessarily: regular roads often get you there just as fast, for much less. Turn on “avoid tolls” on your GPS.
Better to avoid it: topes, potholes and animals are hard to see in the dark. In town, it’s doable, as we did in Tulum.
Yes, it exists, but it’s fairly rare for tourists. Stay calm, and offer to call the French embassy if you’re asked for money. Our police checks always went fine.
Don’t move the vehicle, take photos, wait for the insurers and notify your agency right away. Write down the emergency numbers before you go.
Yes, but unused days are generally not refunded.
Google Maps or Waze are more than enough. Download offline maps so you can drive even without a signal.
For us, yes: the quote was honored, debit card accepted, no deductible, support in French and a dispute avoided at drop-off thanks to our photos. That’s our personal take after a month of renting.
WHERE TO STAY IN MEXICO 🏨
During our one-month road trip in Mexico 🇲🇽, we stayed in 8 different towns, alternating between Airbnbs and hotels. And we were always very happy with where we stayed 😇.
We deliberately avoided “All Inclusive” packages. It’s not our idea of travel: we’d rather be in the heart of towns and villages, eat local and discover the country at our own pace 🌮.
OUR TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLACE TO STAY
- 📅 Book ahead in high season: the best places go fast and prices climb.
- 🚗 Private or secure parking if you’re traveling with a rental car. You’ll see, it’s not always available, but depending on the town it can be really worth having.
- ❄️ Air conditioning: essential in Yucatán and Quintana Roo, where it’s hot all year round.
- 🏊 A pool: up to you whether you want one at some of your stays, because it can quickly push the price up.
- 📍 A place close to the center: so you can do everything on foot in the evening. That said, if you like places outside town and you have the car, nothing forces you to stay near the center
- ✅ Free cancellation, to keep your itinerary flexible.
AIRBNB OR HOTEL IN MEXICO?
Both have their advantages. An Airbnb is ideal for more space, a kitchen and living like a local. A hotel is more convenient for one or two nights passing through, with a reception desk and often breakfast included. As for us, we liked both. It all depends on what you want, whether you’re with family, solo or as a couple, and how you like to travel.
HOW MUCH DOES ACCOMMODATION COST IN MEXICO?
There’s something for every taste and every budget. We paid between €40 and €100 a night for two. To be completely transparent with you: €1,800 for 29 nights, or about €62 a night on average (that was in 2021, prices may have changed since).
👇 Here are the 8 places where we slept during our road trip, with our review of each one.
Tested during our road trip
Our 8 places to stay in Mexico
AirbnbHotel
-
AirbnbHolbox
An incredible room, with the pool right next door to cool off. Just perfect!
- Room
- Pool right next door
- Incredible room
- Hotel
Valladolid
A stunning setting and a super spacious room, ideal for catching your breath between two cenotes.
- Very spacious room
- Pool
- On-site massages
- Airbnb
Mérida
A whole house just for us, with a small pool to relax.
- Whole house
- Small pool
- A bit out of the way
- Hotel
Bacalar
A gorgeous place right in the town center, with a superb pool.
- Hotel
- Superb pool
- Town center, far from the lagoon
- Airbnb
Tulum
A whole place with a pool, but very far out: you'll need the car.
- Whole place
- Pool
- Far out, car essential
- Airbnb
Cozumel
A clean, well-located studio, so you can do everything on foot from the town center.
- Studio
- Clean and well designed
- Close to the center
- Hotel
Isla Mujeres
A beautiful seafront hotel with a magnificent pool.
- Hotel
- Magnificent pool
- Seafront, a bit out of the way
- Hotel
Cancún
Right next to the airport: perfect for the first or last night of the trip.
- Hotel
- Close to the airport
- Ideal for the 1st or last night
MY MUST-HAVE TRAVEL GEAR 🧳
It’s a question that comes up a lot when preparing a trip “What should I bring?” That’s why you’ll find below some essential travel accessories to set off on vacation with peace of mind (your documents kept safe) 🛡️ . Planning ahead and getting these items in advance helps you save money and avoid paying for some of them on the spot, where they’ll cost you much more 💸 These are the accessories we took to Mexico and still use for every destination we travel to 👇.
Our road trip checklist
What to pack for Mexico?
Most of these items came with us throughout our 30-day road trip.
0 / 12 in my suitcase · check what you already have
- Essential
ElectronicsUniversal travel adapter
In Mexico, outlets are the American type: French chargers won't fit.
- Essential
ElectronicsPower bank
Long days between ruins and cenotes: your phone lasts until evening.
- Essential
Health & protectionBiodegradable sunscreen
Mineral and biodegradable, kinder to cenotes and reefs.
- Essential
Health & protectionMosquito repellent
Mosquitoes are everywhere, especially in the evening and near the jungle.
- Essential
Cenotes & beachWaterproof phone pouch
To film in cenotes and at the beach without any risk.
- Recommended
Health & protectionFilter water bottle
Tap water isn't drinkable in Mexico: filter it and avoid plastic.
- Recommended
Health & protectionTravel first-aid kit
Band-aids, painkillers, anti-diarrhea meds: enough to handle small issues.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachWaterproof bag
Papers and keys kept dry on boats, at the beach or by the cenotes.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachWater shoes
For slippery cenote steps and rocky seabeds.
- Recommended
Cenotes & beachMicrofiber towel
Light and quick-drying: perfect for swim after swim.
- Bonus
Travel & securityTSA lock
To lock your suitcase on the plane, with no risk of it being broken at security.
- Bonus
Travel & securityAirTag
To track your suitcase if your luggage is delayed or lost.
OUR YOUTUBE VIDEOS IN MEXICO 
During our 30-day road trip in Mexico 
, we filmed everything! From Holbox to Cancún, by way of Valladolid, Mérida, Bacalar, Tulum, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres, we take you along with us step by step in our vlogs.
You’ll discover the cenotes we swam in, the Mayan sites we explored, the beaches that made us dream, our places to stay, our favorite spots to eat… and above all our honest take on each place: what amazed us, and what disappointed us a little 
.
If you’re planning your trip, or simply dreaming of getting away, these videos will give you a real glimpse of Mexico, far from the tourist brochures.
Our road trip on video
Our YouTube videos in Mexico
Now watching: Episode 1 · Discovering Mexico & Holbox
21 minEpisode 1Discovering Mexico & Holbox- 17 minEpisode 2Cenotes & Mayan cities
- 9 minEpisode 3Mérida, Uxmal, Cuzamá & the bats
- 13 minEpisode 4Bacalar, a hidden paradise
- 12 minEpisode 5Tulum, Coba, Sian Ka'an & Cenote Azul
- 12 minEpisode 6Cozumel, diving & snorkeling
- 17 minEpisode 7Isla Mujeres, jet skiing & the end of the road trip
21 min
17 min
9 min
13 min
12 min
12 min
17 minTHANKS FOR YOUR FEEDBACK
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