Travel to Mexico During the Pandemic!

Travel to Mexico during the pandemic? Yeah we did…find out why!

 

Escaping Winter

It’s been a long year. For everyone. Exactly one year ago today the coronavirus outbreak became a pandemic. Covid has crippled our economy, our health, our social interactions, and of course travel. We’re all tired of isolating and staying at home.

At least domestic travel has been open for awhile.

Eager to get away and escape February’s dismal gray skies and snow, David suggested we travel south. I’m in! Craving nature’s Vitamin D, we compared destinations in Arizona, Texas and Florida before settling on Key West for its warmest, sunniest weather. But egads! A simple hotel room—nowhere near a beach and miles from restaurants in town—would cost $4000 for a 10 day trip in late February. And that didn’t include food, taxis to town or the beach, or airfare.

Then I heard that my niece, Ashley, a flight attendent for Delta, just returned from vacationing in Mexico.

Mexico? Really?! Is that even possible? I hadn’t considered international travel. I had to find out more…

 

Why Travel to Mexico during the Pandemic?

Based on her experience in Puerta Vallarta, Ashley told me that Mexican people were taking COVID precautions very seriously–even in public spaces and outdoor areas at the resorts. Locals always wore masks. Law authorities were quick to enforce the mask order –even on the Malecon boardwalk. Hand sanitizer was required when entering shops or restaurants, and many places took temperatures too. But when she mentioned that resorts were practically empty and up to 40% off  (they paid $70 a night per couple at an all-inclusive), heck, yeah I was intrigued!

She told me about the booking site CheapCaribbean. Enter different dates and destinations, and see all the options! Easy to compare resorts by price and features. The site helped us narrow our choice to Mexico’s Playa del Carmen, south of Cancun. We chose a beach resort near town, then secured an even better deal by booking directly with the resort.

Traveling to Mexico during the pandemic, however, I made sure that our resort offered free cancellation up to 3 days prior to our arrival. Due to the unpredictable nature of Covid, it’s important to have that safety net. Cancellation policies vary per resort/hotel. Most offer free cancellation, but some offer only partial refunds or free rebooking for an alternate date.

Also, before you book, check if they provide a free Covid test on site before departure, and what happens if you should test positive and need to stay on another 14 days. Some resorts provide a complimentary 14 day stay if you end up testing positive. (Our resort has had only 1 guest test positive in the last 4.5 months since they re-opened in October. They moved the non-symptomatic couple to a suite in an isolated section where they could still enjoy the outdoors.)

 

Flying during the Pandemic

In a nutshell… if you hate crowded planes & airports NOW is the time to fly!!

What a deal!

We booked our flight through American Airlines. Our round trip tickets to Mexico (less than Key West) were $310 in Februrary, during ‘high season.’ During the seat selection process online, we upgraded our seats on our longest leg for just $46 more–which was a steal. Flying from Dallas/Fort Worth to Cancun on a Boeing 787, our upgraded comfy extra wide seats with extra leg room felt more like business class than economy. We also purchased travel insurance thru the airline, Allianz, which cost $52 for the two of us for our 10 day trip.

Airports:

Extra measures for cleanliness and social distancing were evident in the 3 airports we traveled through. All airports appeared practically empty and oh, so clean. Masks were required unless eating/drinking. Every other seat was blocked off at the gates and hand sanitizer stood at dining entrances. Security lines were blissfully short. Passengers scanned in their own passports at the TSA kiosk and scanned in their boarding pass at the gate to eliminate potential germs from handling.

Planes:

Planes now board back to front, after seating passengers flying first/business class. Our flight was only a third full from Dallas/Fort Worth to Cancun. Coming home we were on a smaller plane, but the airline still blocked out seats to keep us socially distanced. Masks required. Attendents handed out bags with a disinfection wipe, bottled water and a snack. And passengers deboarded row by row, front to back. Something else I noticed on our flights—the absence of sneezing or coughing. With everyone washing their hands more often and covering coughs (with a mask since Covid hit) the spreading of colds and flu has decreased too.

Customs:

Going through Customs & Immigration both in Mexico and when re-entering the States was an unexpected surprise. Normally, it’s the part of international flying I most dread—standing in those long cattle prod lines moving one step every few minutes—that takes anywhere from 45 minutes to a couple hours. So imagine the shock of entering that huge Customs room– and finding it empty! NO lines!! At most we had 7 people in front of us, and breezed right through. I was so happy, I felt like skipping!

Talk about a great start to a trip!

 

Airport Transfers

Always best to arrange your transfer between the airport and your hotel in advance. Not only do you save money, but it erases the stress of dealing with a chaotic mass of people hustling for your business. We booked a private round trip transfer online with etransfers. Their rates and reviews were excellent. The RT rate to and from our hotel in Playa del Carmen was 1710 pesos ($83.68). Etransfers calculates your return time based on your location and departing flight allowing a cushion for traffic, and confirms everything by email.

Arriving in Cancun, we collected our bags and headed to the exit passing a gauntlet of locals attempting to sway us into booking tours or taxis. (Some try to convince you that your transfer didn’t show up–use me instead!) We ignored their pleas and headed out the door where a blast of humidity hit us along with the blinding sun. This is where all the drivers congregate with their signs, near Margaritaville, a thatched stand selling… what else? Welcome to Mexico!

We quickly spotted the etransfers sign. Once the man confirmed our names, he radioed his driver who promptly picked us up in 5 minutes. Our friendly driver instructed us to leave our luggage so that he could spray disinfectant to sanitize it before loading our bags into his van. (Pack hardcase luggage–easier for them to wipe down.) Our transfers were super easy, comfy and prompt both ways. A 10% tip is appreciated (our driver was very happy with $5 US each way). Highly recommend!

 

 

Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is located roughly halfway between Cancun (45 mintues north) and Tulum (45 min south) on Mexico’s eastern coast. Known as the Riviera Maya, this tourist mecca has a string of all-inclusive resorts lining the Caribbean coast. Half the fun in planning a trip is comparing the resorts before choosing one.

Cancun caters to the young nightclub crowd. Tulum attracts nature lovers and bohemians seeking yoga retreats. While Playa draws a mixed crowd–people looking for excursions to cenotes, snorkeling, partying, or ferry access to the island of Cozumel directly across the sea. Or day passes at the growing family of adventure parks Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor, Xavage, Xenses & Xenotes.

Of Playa’s 144 hotel properties, some are within walking distance of town (shops, restaurants, cigars, ferry access) while others are a $30 taxi ride away from a coastal resort. Word of advice. When deciding on a resort don’t assume that everything on their website is actually operating as stated during the pandemic. Activities and services may be canceled, pools closed and restaurants may serve limited menus and require advance reservations. Read reviews. And call to verify what’s open if important to you.

We initially chose an all-inclusive eco-resort 15 minutes north of town as it had cenotes on the property and had rooms in an adult-only section. But, closer inspection of reviews revealed that they really catered to kids (large waterpark and petting zoo), and had so many rooms–995!— that our suite was a 20 minute walk to the beach. It was too huge. We then considered another resort, practically next door, that had only 50 rooms, one pool and one restaurant that served 2 choices each night. But, it was too small. In the end–like Goldilocks– we chose a 3rd resort with 3 pools and 195 rooms, and it was just right.

 

Tours & Activities

Snorkel with sea turtles in Akumel. See flamingoes in a pink salt lagoon. Dive in Cozumel. Tour Mayan ruins. Abseil into a cenote. Zipline. Spend the day at one of the adventure parks. There’s almost too many choices! Prices start around $69 for a 8 hour trip that visits a cenote, Tulum and Coba ruins. Many tour companies now limit the number of participants to 6-8 due to the pandemic.

In Playa, you can be as active or mellow as you like. I could’ve easily joined one of tours (they pick you up at your resort), but in the end was content to just hang out, swim or feel the soft sand between my toes. Maybe because we’ve visited many ruins and cenotes in the past when we led photo tours around the Yucatan. (Dave was shocked–it’s not like me to not explore.) But honestly, it felt great just to relax, read and write some long overdue posts on the blog in this tropical paradise.

If we’d been visiting between August and October, however, I would’ve definitely gone snorkeling with the sea turtles…

 

Mahekal Beach Resort

Located on a white sandy beach in Playa del Carmen, Mahekal Beach Resort sits amid swaying palm trees, but is a 5 minute stroll from touristy 5th Avenue. The 195 rooms vary from stand-alone palapa-roofed casitas and double bungalows to beach houses with private plunge pools, all showcasing Mayan-inspired architecture. Each room comes with 2 hammocks on the private deck or balcony. Lush greenery creates coveted privacy. The boutique rooms with treehouse, garden, or ocean views are steps away from one of the 4 swimming pools, 3 restaurants and the expansive white sandy beach lined with lounge chairs.

This resort re-opened in October 2020 after the Covid lockdown. But not fully. Mexico’s regulation that all hotels/resorts limit occupancy to 30% recently increased to 50% in March. But it felt very empty during our stay, as it was only 15% booked. Due to the significant drop in guests, entire sections and 2 restaurants were closed, including the Treehouse, Cocina, beachfront Las Olas and sadly its beautiful infinity pool. Guests could still order lunch and drinks at the adorable Itzi pool, but only Fuego, their open-aired beachfront restaurant, remained open for all meals.

Despite these changes, we loved our time here from the moment we arrived to our emotional goodbye. The staff, all expertly trained, were genuinely friendly and passionately service oriented. They make this place truly special.

Mahekal attracts travelers from US, Canada, and Europe, especially Switzerland. Many guests return every year. During our visit, there were 4 couples and 2 female nurses from the US, a man from Switzerland (who loved it so much he extended his stay to a month), a Canadian woman, and a young guy from Poland (our friendly neighbor). The other couples & families were non-English speaking.

 

Pandemic precautions

We felt very safe and protected here. Staff disinfected our luggage while we checked in, and later a bellhop wearing gloves carried our bags to our room. Reception staff stood behind glass barriers. Hammocks, cleaned between guests, were set up upon arrival. Staff wore masks at all times (dining staff wore eye protection too), but guests weren’t required to wear masks except at reception. Our lovely hostess, Vianney, took our temperature whenever we arrived at Fuego restaurant before walking across a disinfecting mat and choosing one of the socially distanced tables in the open-air dining room.

Resort staff were always cleaning–from pool surfaces to pool chairs at dawn to menus, tables and railings all day and night. Massage tables were set up outdoors near the beach, but also offered in a private room inside the Revive Spa. Both Revive Spa and the fitness center remained locked unless guests had an appointment. Weight machines were wiped down before guests showed up at their scheduled time.

They also arrange for a doctor to come on-site to administer departing Covid tests. Yes, a doctor. (Unlike the States where I’m swabbed twice weekly by housekeeping or dietary staff at the nursing homes where I work PRN as a speech therapist.)

Perfect Pools

Fuego is the largest pool with striped lounges all around, 3 daybeds, and a jacuzzi. Nice long shape for swimming laps. Warm water. And close to our room. Loved swimming, then reading from this striped lounge with its own little palm tree. It was so peaceful…

Until two families, vacationing together, arrived with noisy little kids. They overtook the pool, using the three daybeds for lounging and napping, the water for their assorted inflatables and toys, and the jacuzzi as a miniature pool for their kids. They hung out all day from morning till dinner everyday for a week.

Thankfully there was another pool. Itzi. I adored this pool.

Framed by palms with the turquoise ocean as a backdrop, this gradually sloped pool was always inviting. Most of time I was the only one there! A couple times Dave and I brought our laptops out to work poolside, swim, read and eat fish tacos at the pool bar. The friendly attendent, Manolo, was quick to bring us drinks from the bar, ice water or fresh guacamole if we waved him over. He shared pics of his infant son, and told us the story of how the manager of the resort spotted him helping guests on the beach when he worked as a security guard and recruited him for this job.

Picture-perfect Las Olas pool was sadly closed. This spectacular infinity pool featured on their website was open the day we arrived, but partially drained the very next day when they closed this section due to low occupancy.  And the tiny Jungle pool sits empty, as the entire Treehouse section of the resort has been closed 8 months. We snuck back to take a peek, and were surprised to see so many vines overtaking the exterior of the haciendas. Jungly for sure. Nature encroaches quickly!

 

Outstanding service and food

We asked to see a variety of rooms before checking in–as some had a strong distinctive smell from being closed for many months. They were happy to oblige and showed us more rooms than we needed to see to ensure our satisfaction.

Each morning Vianney warmly greeted us by name as we entered the dining room (and waving up to us if she passed our balcony). Always attentive, she was happy, helpful and genuinely eager to bring us our coffee or juice before we asked. But more than that, she became like a daughter to us after our conversations. We both had tears in our eyes on our parting day when she gave me a beautiful present before we left.

The dining room staff goes to extreme effort to memorize your name, room number, and food preferences. Like a having personal butler! At breakfast, René, Manuel, and Angel took care of us professionally, thoughtfully and sometimes playfully.

Smiles were hidden by masks but you could see the twinkle in their eyes! Order it once and they remembered what you liked. Even down to bringing us each a cream-cheese filled pistachio pastry (instead of the entire bread plate), bringing Dave his jugo verde (green juice) sin naranja (without orange juice), remembering we liked almond milk with our coffee, and adding avocados and roesti to our plate of scrambled eggs when we forgot to order it. René encouraged us to try his favorite verde habarano sauce on our eggs– an amazing taste combination! Vianney brought us a pitcher of hot water to the table before we left (without asking), so we could make green tea in our room. Breakfast was so filling that we rarely ate lunch. Nice too that breakfast had extended hours from 7am – 11am.

Fuego restaurant is known for their fine dining gourmet fare, and it was delicious. Dinner included 3 courses–appetizer or salad, choice between 3 main entrees and 2 desserts. Drinks were extra. The food was delicious–especially the beef dishes and whole grilled fish. And garnished beautifully. Artful touches using herbs, radishes or dollops of assorted sauces were arranged around the plate, and stacked chocolate straws balanced on top of desserts like poblano cheesecake.

Our attentive waiter, Ismael, spoiled us with his fire-making talents. He balanced wine glasses upside down on my plate and turned my lava cake into a dramatic flaming masterpiece with flavored liquor. Sometimes we were the only guests in the rustic dining room when it opened at 7pm. It was easy to relax and really unwind listening to the ocean waves, inhaling that salty sea air and enjoying good food, drinks and friendly service.

 

Beach

In Mexico, all beaches are open to the public. Locals sell everything from cotton candy to fresh pineapples, coconuts, bracelets, hats, umbrellas, beer, and even nutella crepes. Fun to guess what you’ll see for sale next…

Mahekal resort sits on Playa Mamitas beach, one of the most popular in Playa del Carmen. Favored by the locals, it’s often crowded by late morning with families and tourists alike. Young people head to Mamita’s Beach Club next door which rents out chaise lounges by the day and hosts events like Riviera Maya Jazz Festival, Winter Beach, DJFest, and Corona Sunsets.

But, even their chairs were empty. Just one chair claimed…

Public access to the beach is on both sides of the resort. (Calle 38 between Las Olas and the main part of Mahekal resort and also Calle 28 to the south between Mamita’s beach club and Kool beach club.) Weekends were noisy (music) and busy. But families or groups generally stayed separated from one another using blankets or umbrellas.

Private beach

Mahekal, like other resorts, has chaise lounges with thatched tables along a narrow strip close to the property. Security guards watch over the private beach to protect guests and prevent stragglers from using the resort chairs lining the front of the property. No problem finding a chair!

 

Ocean     

The beautiful turquoise sea beckoned…and the water was warm and clear.

White sand extends out to sea. Easy to walk out without risk of stepping on rocks or sharp shells. Big waves can churn the water and reduce visibility. We brought our masks and snorkels from home and saw a few fish and coral when we swam a ways out. Going for a morning swim after breakfast became my favorite ritual. Floating on my back was so relaxing afterward…Mahekal has a dive shop onsite (although I never saw it open). Guests can use paddleboards and kayaks and snorkel gear.

 

Tai Chi 

By chance we stumbled into a Canadian man who teaches tai chi on the beach, and took a couple classes with him. Norman trained in Japan, and his technique differs from traditional tai chi. He taught us breathing exercises that balance yin/yang principles in harmony with the natural movements of the sun, moon and waves to activate Chi energy in the body. His active meditation provided a calming stress-free start to the day!

 

Spa

Revive Spa offers various massage services. They also organize yoga classes on the beach with a minimum of 3 guests. We took one class and loved it. The yoga instructor was so fabulous that I wanted to take her class daily, but the resort didn’t hire her back due to a lack of guests.

When I saw this spa set up, I couldn’t resist getting a beachfront massage. Could you?

Revive Spa’s massage tables sit in the sand near the ocean by Itzi pool. The daily promotion that day was an 80 minute deep tissue massage for 30% off. My sore muscles melted under Jessica’s expert hands. Ahhh…is there anything more relaxing than a massage to ocean waves?

 

Our room

We booked a Garden View palapa room. Located beyond Fuego pool, next to the Fitness Center and across from Revive Spa, our surroundings were quiet and peaceful. The spacious air-conditioned room had 2 queen beds, a closet (we actually unpacked) and table.

A great place to work–which is what David wanted. His goal on the trip was to devote uninterrupted time to finish projects somewhere warm and sunny near the ocean with good food. Check, check, check. But the best part was our large thatched balcony with hammocks…swaying in gentle breezes, listening to rustling palms and bird song…

 

Cost

Travel to Mexico during the pandemic has some serious advantages. Reduced costs for one! We booked the breakfast dinner package, as the price was LESS than booking a room by itself.  They’re offering reduced rates for the rest of the year under the promotion “Stay 2 nights, 3rd nite on us.” You can book a downstairs Garden View room for $226 night, which includes breakfast and dinner, until May 31st. Ocean View rooms begin at $292 night on this BD plan. Plus a $30 daily resort fee. What a deal! We stayed and ate 10 days in this tropical paradise for under $3000.

 

Room tips:

Noise: If you’re bothered by noise, avoid rooms closest to Fuego restaurant. An outdoor fitness center located just down the beach starts playing techno music with a thumping beat at 4am each morning. We stayed in room 173 across from Revive Spa in the Garden area and could barely hear it, especially with the windows closed and air on.

Smells: Rain hitting the thatch can create a sour mildewy smell that intensifies when the room stays closed up for months. The upper floors of these palpaya rooms are more prone to the smells since the lower rooms have regular ceilings. I still liked our palpaya room best! The smell dissipates when aired out. (This is common problem in all of the Yucatan.)

Privacy: The ground floor of the two-story oceanfront haciendas have far less privacy than the upper rooms. Locals and visiting beachgoers wander past on the public beach steps away. And despite having security staff along the beachfront, there’s increased opportunity for theft. (Someone stole my favorite sandals from the sand near an oceanfront hacienda when I joined a tai chi class on the beach.) There’s public access to the beach between the main resort and the Las Olas section of the resort. You may want to avoid oceanfront rooms near the public walkway.

Also, be aware that locals favor the area in front of Las Olas. They tend to hang out all day, talking, drinking and playing music. One afternoon, a 3 person band arrived dressed in glitzzy red shirts. They sang into microphones playing guitar and a bright red tuba! (Was impossible to concentrate on my book, but was rather entertaining…only in Mexico!)

Space: The Garden View rooms are more spacious (230 sq ft) than the Ocean View rooms (130 sq ft). Balconies are bigger too.

5 Reasons Why Now is a Perfect time to travel to Mexico during the Pandemic

1:) Resorts are 30-40% off…save $$

2) Resorts are empty, at 15% – 50% occupancy…have the pool to yourself!

3) Hassle free travel through airports…no lines going through Customs, really!

4) Flights are cheap…and planes aren’t crowded.

5) Mexicans take Covid precautions seriously… so you can escape safely!  And, they’ll make you feel loved and appreciated for visiting!

When travel is this easy and affordable, it’s easy to truly relax and recharge your inner batteries!

 

Travel Restrictions

The US government wants to keep you home…

On January 21, Biden signed an executive order requiring all travelers flying into the United States from any country to show a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hrs of entering. The new rule went into effect January 26.

Despite falling Covid cases, the CDC (USA’s Center for Disease Control) strongly advises travelers to stay home. They use four levels to identify Corona risk for each country. Mexico is one of 160 countries on CDC’s Level 4 list urging tourists to “avoid all travel” to that destination.

Obviously, if you’re at increased risk for Covid-19 due to a compromised immune system, have respiratory, cardiac or kidney disease then you should stay home. But if you’re healthy and take sensible precautions, then you decide! (We are, after all, still currently in the Land of the Free.)

Mexico is waiting to welcome you with open arms.

Dependent on tourism, and severely hurting for business, Mexican resorts are taking extra safety precautions and enticing tourists with many perks.

Entry to Mexico is easy. They don’t require proof of a negative Covid test. Tourists pass through thermographic areas in the airport to screen for fevers and complete a health questionnaire. But for your own peace of mind, it’s wise to get a free rapid test at your local CVS before you leave home.

Exiting Mexico is easy. Most resorts offer free Covid testing on site. Airports intend to provide testing soon too. Rapid tests allow tourists to see their results quickly–similar to a pregnancy stick. They email negative results to you to show airline officials at check in.

And if you test positive…many resorts provide an extended complimentary 14 day stay! All you have to pay is your food, which they bring to you. (They don’t advertise this as they don’t want guests going around town licking doorknobs. But, imagine! Room service, listening to ocean waves, soaking up sun rays from a hammock on your deck–I can think of worse ways to recuperate in quarantine. And bring a tube of $3 Ivermectin from home–buy at your local Rural King–to have your own remedy ready. Just in case.)

Don’t be afraid to travel to Mexico during the pandemic!

This trip was beyond relaxing! What a pleasant surprise–travel to Mexico during the pandemic was the most stressfree vacation we’ve taken in fifteen years.