Newbie needs help with late arrival

[wanderman]

Hello all,

First of all thank you all for the help you have already given me on the forums - you have all really helped my plans.

My girlfriend and I are going to Tulum in July. Our biggest question is:

Our flight lands at 9.10pm in Cancun - what should we do to get to Tulum? We are very keen to get straight to the beach and wake up in Tulum. We are staying at Tita Tulum and they say that a late arrival is okay. However, are transfers available at that hour? I see that car rental is possible at that time and would happily drive... but I also see that people say driving at night is unsafe.

For interest, our plan is to spend 6 nights at Tita's, stay at Chichen Itza for a couple of days and then over to Cozumel for a few days.

Many thanks for any advice!

[PhyllisB]

Welcome, wanderman!

I think you'll want a car if you're going all the way to Chichen after your stay in Tulum, unless you were just planning to get a car after your Tulum visit. There are certainly differences of opinion on the forum, but I've always rented a car. We've driven down 307 at night twice and haven't had a problem--just need to be alert, as you would be anywhere. The hardest thing for me was watching for people standing on the side of the road waiting for a collectivo (cheap sorta "public transit" up and down 307), and at that time of night you might not have that. And the topes--big, huge speed bumps. Just be alert. It's really just a straight road all the way to Tulum so it's not so bad. Stay to the right and let the speedsters zoom by. If stopped by police, they'll say they need you to go to the police station, and if you just tell them you're willing to do that (and stick to it), they'll let you go because they are really looking for an easy payoff. I know it sounds intimidating but it isn't that bad.

But that certainly is a late arrival! Are you sure you don't want to spend an evening in Puerto Morelos (very close to the airport) for a night? Do a quick search on it and check it out. It might be worthwhile. You can stay right on the beach there, too. If you go straight to Tulum, you'll probably be getting there around 11:30ish.

[AdGuy]

Phyllis is absolutely correct in the recommend on Puerto Morelos. You really don't want to tackle that drive after spending the day getting to CUN and going through immigration/baggage claim/rental car. You most likely won't hit the road till 11:00pm CUN time. :eek: I've stayed at Tita Tulum and would really be surprised if anyone was around to let you into your cabana at 1:00am in the morning!!

[Helly]

My opinion is that if you want to wake up at the beach in Tulum (and who doesn't?! :)), that you should get an airport transfer who will drive you down. BUT don't forget that passport control takes time...if you land after 9 pm, you might not be in Tulum until 1ish. If your accommodations are SURE that that is ok, I would land, get a car to drive you down (airport transfer -- I don't remember who we used because our accommodation arranged it) and pick up your rental in Tulum. 307 is pretty straightforward, but if you haven't been in another country driving ever, doing it at night would be challenging. Do yourself a favor and RELAX when you arrive by getting someone else to drive you to your bed...you can drive later! ;) Or stay in Puerto Morelos (I didn't do this, but everyone says it's really nice and you can wake up with BEACH there too!).

[minniemex]

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k83/Minniemex/Avitars/welcome.gif to the board Wanderman!!

You could get the transfer one way and then have arrangements to pick up a car in Tulum and drop it at the Cancun airport on your return. I have found if you email these car rental places with your needs they are more than happy to accomodate you. They may even rent you the car in Cancun and have a driver drive you down for less than a transfer if that is what you would like.

I wouldn't say the drive down at night is unsafe, it is just with all the topes and speed limit changes, it may be just a bit stressful. If you have driven in Mexico before I think you would be just fine.

[wanderman]

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for your helpful responses.

I now figure that arriving at 1am somewhere I have never been (and where the staff will probably be asleep...) is not my finest idea.

As we have to allow for a fair bit of time to get through the airport , and take into consideration jetlag (flying from UK), we are now thinking of getting a cab from the airport to a nearby hotel (probably Marriot Courtyard) and crashing out there for the night before picking up rental car in the morning and getting down to Tulum. (Thanks for the car advice everyone - we're going to get one)

A tacky Marriot is not in keeping with the holiday we had in mind but it all just seems so, well, SIMPLE after such a flight at such a time!

Any thoughts on that gratefully received!

Thanks again for your help.

[beachreader]

One advantage of the Marriott Courtyard in Cancun, if there's only one, is that it's just about right next door to the Continental/Caribbean/American/etc. car rental place. It's not as far as going into downtown Cancun, too, probably the closest bed to the airport that I can think of.

So while I wouldn't ordinarily support you spending your precious first night there, it would give you an advantage the next morning. They're right on 307, so you pull out of the parking lot and head south.

Trying to put myself in your shoes, I think I'd push on to Tulum, but I'm familiar with how things work and wouldn't mind so much pulling into a new place in the middle of the night.

Sorry, I guess I'm not being real helpful, just was trying to say that the Courtyard that I know of is in a very convenient location if you're renting from Continental/et al.

[beachreader]

Oh, and they don't have regular taxis at the airport, but maybe the Courtyard will have a shuttle or something the way they would here in the States? Be worth asking about, anyway.

Or else I'd ask the Continental/etc. rental car guys if they can maybe come pick you up the way they would if you were renting from them right away. I think they'd do that, especially since the Courtyard is right next door.

[wanderman]

Thanks for that.

I'm having second thoughts about car rental. It seems that, on the board, the majority of people advocate renting a car to get around but the whole thing just sounds really complicated! I know that may seem lame but on holiday I want it to be straightforward and stress-free so the idea of someone else driving me in a taxi sounds pretty nice at times!

My key questions is this: if we don't have a car how do taxis work? How do we get one at the beach (Tita Tulum)? Will they call us one? Can we do so easily?Are cabs just going by to hail? Are they reliable and plentiful?

Basically, if there are plenty cabs and they only cost a few dollars each, that sounds fine by me...

[AdGuy]

Basically, if there are plenty cabs and they only cost a few dollars each, that sounds fine by me...

Well...they aren't and they don't. :) I've stayed at Tita Tulum in the past but had a car. Just liked the freedom of not having to wait for something to happen. Depending on the time of day, you may see a cab looking for a fare down in that "neck of the woods" but then again, you may not. No telling but Murphy's Law tends to say if you need a ride there will be absolutely no taxis in the area. You might be able to have someone at Tita Tulum (go to the restaurant as that's where TT's few staff members tend to congregate) call you a cab (depending on who's there and their level of English/your level of Spanish). If they call you a cab, my guess is you'll likely be paying $8-10 to town as you won't be able to negotiate any deals and they may tack on a few bucks since they had to get to TT in the first place. Coming back from town should be easier/cheaper.

[minniemex]

I can understand your concerns. It took my husband forever to drive in Mexico and we have been traveling there for over 10 years. If you feel you don't want to rent a car then don't rent one. Arrange for a transfer down, see how catching cabs works for you and if it does work, fine. If not, rent the car in Tulum or Playa for the rest of your trip.

When do you leave?? I hope you have a great trip!! It is July isn't it??

[beachreader]

That's definitely fair. Get the transfer (non-stop, private) down to the beach that first night. You can sleep in the car and wake up just enough to get into your room and then the morning will be amazing.

You can call in for taxis that first day, or just go out and start walking up the road and hope one passes by. You can hitchhike with safety, I've picked up many hitchhikers, and eventually you'll meet other people at Tita and maybe hitch a ride with them into town.

I just like the rental car so I don't have to ever worry about how I'm going to get from point A to point B. That's a big part of "stress-free" for me, but I know other people are different.

Oh, and I just realized you're coming in from the UK. Driving on the "wrong" side of the street would definitely add to my stress levels, so I'd revert to the taxi thing too!