Staying in Cancun or the Riviera Maya and looking for the best Isla Mujeres day trip without a tour? Well, the good news is that you absolutely don’t need a tour!

Whether you’re traveling as a family, a couple, or a budget-conscious traveler who prefers flexibility over group excursions, visiting Isla Mujeres is one of the easiest and most beautiful day trips you can take.

With CARM Tours & Transfers, you skip the tour buses, skip the strict schedules, and enjoy a smooth private transfer to and from the Gran Puerto Juarez Ultramar Ferry DockIsla Mujeres ferry terminal, on your time. Because after all, it’s your vacation!

No stress.
No waiting.
No hidden fees.
Just a perfect island day your way.

Why Isla Mujeres Is the Perfect Day Trip from Cancun

Just a short ferry ride from Cancun, Isla Mujeres feels like a different world. The island is home to Playa Norte, one of the most famous beaches in Mexico, known for it’s crystal-clear turquoise water, soft white sand, calm, shallow sea (perfect for kids) and an easy walk from the ferry.

CARM Drivers Cesar, William & Henrry!

When you vacation in Cancún, the Riviera Maya, or Isla Mujeres, you’re experiencing more than beautiful beaches and turquoise water…you’re visiting vibrant communities that make this region so special. At CARM Tours and Transfers, this is where we live and work, and giving back to these communities is an important part of who we are.

That’s why each year we proudly support Shoes For Children MX, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children in underserved areas of the Yucatán Peninsula by providing a pair of shoes to those in need. The organization was started in 2015 by Brenda & Don Gentry and is still going strong today.

Supporting Communities Beyond the Resorts

While many visitors see the coastline, just a short distance away are small villages where families face daily challenges. We donate vans, and our staff each year, ensuring Shoes with Children MX can safely transport volunteers, supplies, and hundreds of pairs of shoes to children who need them most.

Reliable transportation makes these outreach programs possible, and we’re honored to contribute with vehicles and drivers, as well as having our staff volunteer in a meaningful, hands-on way.

Our Team Volunteers Along the Way

Our involvement goes beyond providing vehicles. Members of the CARM team volunteer their time, sorting shoes, translating, and traveling  to the small rural villages to help with set up, shoe fittings and break down. Thank you to all of the volunteers who make this possible every years and to our CARM staff Sally, Cesar, William & Henrry for traveling to the small village of Tres Reyes near Coba this year to help with this special event.

We’re also proud to support the organization’s annual shoe giveaway on Isla Mujeres, where local children receive new shoes that help them walk safely to school, play comfortably, and stay healthy. Many visitors enjoy the region for a short vacation for it’s charm and beauty. This event supports the families who call the island home year-round.

Why This Matters to Travelers

For many children in the region, a simple pair of shoes can mean fewer injuries, better health, and consistent school attendance. This program addresses this need with care, respect, and long-term commitment to local communities. As a traveler, choosing companies that invest locally helps ensure tourism benefits the people who make your vacation possible.

Travel With Purpose in the Riviera Maya

When you choose CARM Tours and Transfers for your airport transfers, tours, or island transportation, you’re supporting a company that believes that responsible tourism matters.

We’re grateful to welcome you to this incredible region, and proud to give back to the communities that welcome you, too.

Get Involved!

Just $15 USD provides a pair of shoes to a child in need. Check out Shoes for Children MX website to see how to donate or volunteer:

www.shoesforchildrenmx.com

Email: shoesforchildrenmx@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoesforchildrenmx

Discover more things to do in Cancun at KAYAK!

We are celebrating our 25th year in business this year! Since 1999, we have been your on-site specialist for all of your excursions whether you are staying in Cancun, Isla Mujeres, or anywhere in the Riviera Maya!

Have you ever wanted to see Mayan ruins, fly above the jungle on zip lines, explore underground cenotes, swim with sea turtles, or visit Pueblo Magicos (magical cities in Mexico)?…. Check out our private tours to Chichen Itza, Ek Balam, Coba, Tulum, cenotes and more….:

Private Tour to Chichen Itza Ruins with Cenote & Lunch: https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/tours/chichenitza-ikkil-private.asp

Private Tour to Tulum Ruins & Swim with Sea Turtles in Akumal: https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/tours/tulum-akumal.asp

Private Tour to Ek Balam ruins & Xcanche Cenote with Zipline: https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/Tours/ekbalam-private.asp

Private Tour to Coba Ruins:                        https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/tours/coba.asp

Private Tour to Chichen Itza & Ek Balam Ruins with Cenote & Lunch: https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/tours/chichenitza-ikkil-ekbalam.asp

Private Tour to Chichen Itza & Coba Ruins with Cenote & Lunch: https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/tours/chichenitza-ikkil-coba.asp

Private Tour to Tulum & Coba Ruins:          https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/Tours/tulum-coba.asp

Private Cenote Snorkel & Canopy Zipline Tour: https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/Tours/aktun-chen.asp

And you can see more options for exploring the Mayan ruins & cenotes here: https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/tours/clasification.asp?code=RUINS

Or maybe you prefer activities on the water such as snorkeling, catamaran tours or swimming with whale sharks!…:

Best Reef Snorkel Tour:                       https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/tours/snorkel.asp

Isla Mujeres Catamaran Day Trip (Public): https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/tours/Catamaran.asp

Isla Mujeres Catamaran Day Trip (Private): https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/tours/Catamaran-Private.asp

Swim with the Whale Sharks on Isla Mujeres: https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/Tours/whalesharkisla.asp

What are you waiting for? Start planning your vacation now! We love living in Cancun and Isla Mujeres, and helping visitors make the most of their vacation. Let CARM help you too!

Since we were on Isla Mujeres, we took the first ferry of the day at 6:00 AM. Our CARM driver Martin was waiting for us at 6:20 AM at the Gran Puerto Juarez Ultramar Ferry Dock, ready for the 2.5 hour drive.

Martin!

NOTE: Since the ruins are in a different state (Yucatan) than Cancun (Quintana Roo), the time there was 1 hour behind us. We arrived exactly at 8:00 AM, just as the ruins opened.

PRO TIP: Arriving early to the ruins beats some of the heat of the day but, most importantly: allows you bypass the surge of people arriving on huge public tour buses that don’t start arriving until 10:00 AM. So, the sites are not so crowded. On this day, we literally had the entire site to ourselves-there was not one other person until 8:30 AM – incredible!

You can choose to add on a certified tour guide during booking, and that guide will be with you the whole day. We opted for no tour guide. But, if we had changed our minds, there are also tour guides available in all languages at the entrance of the ruins.

When we entered, a cute mama dog came right out and led us to through the winding site. She waited as we stopped to take photos and admire the structures. Amazingly, she led us the Acropolis (the main pyramid) and started climbing up with us, all the way to the top! The site was so peaceful and the view was incredible! We were able to take amazing photos. What a bucket list item, climbing to the top of a pyramid!

Why visit Ek Balam? Ek Balam is the ONLY Mayan ruins site in the Yucatan where you can still climb to the top of the ruins.

Sites such as Chichen Itza & Coba no longer allow you to climb the ruins. Also, Ek Balam is a small site, and less crowded and hectic. Chichen Itza can get crowded with tour groups at every turn.

We really wanted a more tranquil site, with all the same magic and history. The only sounds were the birds and nature. It truly felt magical. We were NOT disappointed! (TIP: Bring lots of sunscreen and/or an umbrella if you are sun sensitive. We brought bug spray as well but, did not need to use it).

We were ready to cool off in the cenote after our adventure and Martin was waiting for us!

At this point, we could have taken bicycles to ride the 1.2 miles (2KM) to the cenote on the dirt road as it is within the archaeological zone of Ek Balam. But, it was so hot on this day (and being two redheads lol), we opted to have Martin drive us.

Our luck was extended as we were again THE ONLY TWO PEOPLE at the cenote! Cenote Xcanche is a beautiful open cenote (aboveground) and has a little ecotourism circuit of activities within the cenote: tiny zip line over the cenote, rappelling, rope swings, handle bar swings. If you don’t want to do any of the activities, just float and enjoy the tranquility!

There were changing rooms, bathrooms, and you could rent a locker. We opted to keep our valuables in the van with the driver. Before you go into the cenote, you must take a shower at the outdoor showers and only eco-safe sunscreen is permitted.

Our guide Jorge immediately showed led us down the stairs into this serene cenote and showed us the activities. Your entrance ticket includes 2 turns on each activity. We first did the handle bar swing into the cenote assisted by Jorge and it was so much fun!!

You could opt to buy additional turns for 100 pesos but, we were off to a little wooden swing bridge to the rope swing. This was  higher than the handlebars: brace for that landing hahaha! We opted not to do the rappelling into the cenote and took our time to swim and float around with the unbothered tiny fish. We had dragonflies land on our hands as we floated, and looked up into the trees to the sounds of birds and nature. There was a tiny little sprinkling waterfall over the cenote as well. Incredible!

After about 30 minutes a few other people showed up and we decided to try the zipline. Neither of us had ever ziplined before in our lives but, we felt very safe and it was a double cable zipline, where you sit in a harness-Look ma no hands! The zipline flew above the cenote, it was just a 30 second flight and was so much fun. A guide helped you take off and other was waiting at the other side to make sure you landed safely. Jorge had my phone the entire time and took tons of amazing videos and photos of our entire stay at the cenote. Please remember to tip your guides, they work hard to make sure you have a great time and the photo memories were incredible to have!! We would not have had them otherwise!

PRO TIP: We had worn long pants, sneakers, and rash guards to explore the ruins that were all sweaty. After the cenote, we changed into another set of clothes for the rest of the day, flip flops, short, tshirts. Bringing an extra set of fresh clothes is a great option!)

Martin pointed out restaurants along the way that we could stop at if we liked, or we could wait until Valladolid. Lunch is not included in the tour. We had brought sandwiches and snacks in the van so, we opted not to stop anywhere for lunch. (Your van will have a cooler stocked with bottled water and soda. Feel free to bring other drinks for the cooler.)

(We opted to go to another cenote called Hubiku first. Note, that this is NOT included in the tour. But, we decided to pay for it ourselves. It was 200 pesos to enter just the cenote or you could opt for cenote plus lunch for 350 pesos. You can opt to add on another cenote by informing CARM beforehand of the name of the cenote and that you will be paying your own entrance/parking. It must be nearby/on the way to Valladolid. And this is time permitting. Your van must be on the way back to your hotel before or by 5 PM.

After the cenote we headed to the beautiful town square of the Pueblo Magico, Valladolid!

We wandered the square for a little bit, bought some souvenirs at shops, bought popcorn and ice cream and sat in the famous Love Chairs sprinkled though out the Zocalo. By 2:00 PM we were tired, and on our way back to the ferry.

My friend looked at me in the van and said “This was so incredible, I will never forget this day, as long as I live!”

If you are on the fence…. JUST GO! You won’t regret it!!

 

 

BOOK ONLINE AT THE LINK BELOW!

USE THE PROMO CODE CARMLOVE4U FOR $5 USD OFF PER PERSON!!: https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/Tours/ekbalam-private.asp

Any questions, feel free to email us at: office@cancunandrivieramaya.com

We want to help you be aware of SCAMS at the Cancun Airport!

See below for popular scams, and valuable advice on how to avoid them:

Unauthorized taxi drivers & time shares sales people will say anything to get you to go with them. They are very organized teams and the scams are usually the same:

They tell you that even if you have pre-booked transfers, you must go with them prior to exiting to a kiosk to do an additional required check in for “Corona virus/COVID-19”. This is FALSE. They will ask for personal info/tell you your transportation has left and that you should take their taxi/van and pay an exorbitant amount & and CARM will reimburse you later FOR BOTH YOUR MISSED VAN AND THE TAXI. This is untrue. You have been scammed.

They ask if you need help FINDING your transportation company. Or they say that they ARE your transportation company. Or that your company LEFT you. They say: “I’ll call the office myself for you and have you talk to them.” They call on their own phone or your phone, actually dialing the number of a friend who is part of the scam. The person on the phone goes as far as to ask for your name, confirmation #, and tells you that your CARM driver left (or that you must wait 3 additional hours), so you should take this taxi at an outrageous price & CARM will reimburse you “later” FOR BOTH YOUR MISSED VAN AND THE TAXI. They will even write you a very official looking receipt. And you have been scammed.

Book your private transfers today!:

Contact us!:

Hello, everyone! As a small, local, family business, we can’t express how much we appreciate your support during this difficult time. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, your safety and the safety of our staff has always been and will continue to be our #1 priority. We have used this time to learn, prepare, teach & train for the new travel regulations. Below you can find our new health & sanitary protocols for our private transfers & tours:

• All of our vehicles will be thoroughly cleaned & sanitized between each service with hospital grade cleaning products. (We have only ever offered private transfers and will continue to do so)
• All of our employees have taken courses in the prevention of Covid-19, and received official certification from the Mexican government to operate safely.
• We have received the stamp of approval of the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) for operating safely and following all of the protocol and sanitary guidelines for prevention of Covid-19
• We will have daily employee health screenings with temperature checks
• Carbon air filters for AC’s that kill all viruses have been installed in all of our vans
• Our airport greeters and drivers will be wearing face masks
• You will be provided with hand sanitizer before entering the vehicle & all vehicles will have on board
• We have an alcohol based spray for the bottom of your shoes before entering the van
• Our drivers will spay and air sanitizer in the van before you enter
• We will ask if you would like us to spray your luggage with an alcohol solution
• We kindly ask that our clients wear masks when in the vehicle. If you do not wish to wear a mask, we will ask you to please abide by social distancing regulations and ride in the middle or passenger side seats so you are not directly behind the driver
• You have the option to use AC, windows, or a combination of both

The above steps have been thoughtfully prepared with your safety & comfort in mind. They are subject to modifications as we navigate through the changing regulations of state & national government. More below!…

On another note, what has our CARM family been up to?….

Unlike other transportation & tour companies in our area, we are very proud to be able to say that during this difficult time: We kept our ENTIRE staff employed & taken care of, and did not lay anyone off. Our employees are like our family (and in some cases they are family-we have fathers, daughters and brothers working side by side). 

Our ENTIRE customer service staff also dedicated their full time work hours during this crisis to giving back to our community on Isla Mujeres. CARM supported various families privately with food donations, and headed up Isla Animal’s Pet Food Project. This project was created to provide free pet food & flea/tick medicine delivery to residents so people can use their money for food/bills for their family and avoid abandoning pets on the street (This also included a 2 day free spay/neuter clinic). We also worked with groups delivering food for residents, offered future services as prizes for raffles/auctions to raise funds for unemployed residents and for a local child in need of a kidney transplant. Giving back to our home community is very important to us!

We look forward to seeing you again soon in paradise. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!

Book your private airport transfers here: https://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/transfers/

Email: office@cancunandrivieramaya.com

US Phone: 407-284-1673

Cancun Phone: 998-273-2970

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CARMToursTransfers/

Instagram: @carmtransfers

Hours: 12 PM – 6 PM, 6 days per week (morning shifts during training period)

Requirements: Advanced general computer knowledge, Advanced level in Excel and Google Sheets, proper written and spoken English, moderate Spanish required. Friendly attitude is a must! Our customers are our #1 priority.

If you are interested in joining the CARM Team, please email us your resume to: trina@cancunandrivieramaya.com.

(UPDATED 2022)

Did you know that Whale Sharks are technically not a whale and not a shark? They are the ocean’s largest FISH. The area around Isla Mujeres, in the Mexican Caribbean, is blessed to be a migration stop for these beautiful, gentle giants for a few months every year. People travel from all over the world for the opportunity to see these magnificent creatures up close. Are you ready to check this off of your bucket list? Or are you looking for more information about what to expect? If you will be in the area from Mid-May  to Mid-September, you do NOT want to miss this opportunity. Bonus: we have seen so many whale sharks, manta rays, sea turtles and even the occasional dolphin on this tour also! Here is our guide for everything you need to know about this incredible, once in a lifetime adventure! Join us with our professional, fully licensed guides, who have over 12 years of experience!

ITINERARY?:

The tour departs at 8:00 AM. You can expect to travel about an hour by boat to reach the area where the whale sharks like to gather. Once you have found the whale sharks, you will have the opportunity to snorkel (or just observe) with the whale sharks accompanied by a guide in the water. From this point, the captain will be looking for more whale sharks and move locations in order to find you the best spots for observation & more snorkeling. After seeing the whale sharks you will head to the famous Playa Norte to snorkel while your guide prepares a fresh ceviche on the boat. In select cases, you can skip Playa Norte and go on a reef snorkel instead. It would be either the Yunke reef by MIA hotel or the Che reef north by Contoy island (this will be your option only if you are already in the area of Contoy. See below).

HOW BIG IS THE BOAT?:

Since whale sharks are a protected species, 10 people are allowed per boat (plus your captain and tour guide). We do not want to disturb their habitat with giant boats. Remember, this is their feeding ground, so, we need to respect their space and be as unobtrusive as we can. (All boats have a cover to provide shade.) Scared of getting sea sick? See our PRO TIPS below.

WHAT IS INCLUDED/WHAT SHOULD I BRING?:

Your boat will be fully stocked with all snorkel equipment, life vests, fins, and snorkel masks. You will be provided with a brand new mouthpiece for your snorkel mask if you are using one from the boat, the mouth pieces are not shared between clients. We do recommend that if you have your own snorkel mask, bring it. The boat will also have a container of purified drinking water with re-usable cups for each client to drink from (please bring your own re-usable cup/container if you have one!), cans of soda, and sandwiches (ham and cheese). Please note: In an effort to reduce plastic, individual one use plastic bottles of water/drinks will not be on the boat and guests are discouraged from bringing them). At the conclusion of the tour, your guide will prepare you fresh ceviche on the boat while you snorkel at Playa Norte.  PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN FACEMASK. (Facemasks are required in ALL public areas of Isla Mujeres as to the date of writing this blog)

DO I HAVE TO WEAR A LIFE JACKET?

Yes, it is required by law that all providers must have everyone on the boat wear a life jacket. You may opt out of wearing a life vest ONLY IF you are a certified “free diver” or “skin diver”. You must bring your valid certification card for 2021 with you on the tour. It cannot be a certification for Scuba diving. For certified free/skin divers, wet suits can also be rented for $10 USD but, you must let us know your size 24 hours before the tour departs so we can make sure we have your size available and ready.

PLEASE NOTE: ONLY BIODEGRADABLE SUNSCREEN IS PERMITTED TO BE USED ON THIS TOUR.

SWIMMING WITH THE WHALE SHARKS:

Each person may swim with the whale sharks  2-4  times. Not to worry, we will ensure that you have all the extra time you need on each swim. And if you don’t swim well, your guide will stay and snorkel with you and even hold your hand.

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS:

Anyone providing a whale shark tour MUST have government permission to do so! There are only a limited number of licenses that are granted each year as whale sharks are a protected species. Not everyone who wants one, is granted one. Our professional tour guides have over TWELVE YEARS of experience doing whale shark tours and have not one but TWO licenses to conduct these tours. What does that mean? Many providers have one license for Blue Water. That means they can provide tours in one specified area. We have licenses for Blue Water AND Green Water. Green Water allows our guides to take you to a second area north of Contoy Island if they are not finding whale sharks in Blue Water. This doubles your odds of finding whale sharks.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO?:

This is a hard question to answer. The season is always Mid-May to Mid-Sept. Historically the most whale sharks are here during July & August. BUT, one of our first days in years past in May, over 40 whale sharks were spotted! Our guide had some interesting advice. He said the BEST days for spotting lots of whale sharks are always when it is a full moon or close to a full moon. Why? Because fish tend to lay their eggs in plankton during full moons. And the whale sharks follow the food.

ARE THERE ANY DAYS YOU DO NOT HAVE THE TOUR?:

Yes, our guides have a set day of rest on the following dates ONLY: May 30, June 30, July 30, August 30. Other than these 4 dates, the tour is available DAILY through Mid-September.

2021 BOOKING & PRICING:

Public tour: $150 USD per person (includes dock fee & reef tax)

PRIVATE GROUPS, pricing is as follows for your own private boat:
Up to 4 people – $900 USD total (includes dock fee & reef tax)

5-7 people – $1,050 USD total (includes dock fee & reef tax)

8-10 people – $1,200 USD total (includes dock fee & reef tax)

CAN I BRING SMALL CHILDREN?:

For our public tours, the minimum age is 10 years old. In our experience, smaller children are more prone to sea sickness & the effects of long hours in the sun. So, as a public tour, for the comfort of other passengers, we kindly ask that only children ages 10 and above come along. We recommend booking a private tour for your family if you have younger children! See above.

WHAT DO YOU TIP FOR A WHALE SHARK TOUR?:

Tipping is always a tricky subject. It’s personal. Mexico is an incredibly tip heavy country. Salaries are based on the expectation of employees receiving tips. So, for those wondering what is a good way to tip: We recommend tipping as you would in a restaurant, about 20% of the price of the tour, or more based on service. You will have a Captain and 1 guide on your boat. They share all tips received. As always, tipping can be done in pesos or USD. All is deeply appreciated by the staff.

CAN YOU GUARANTEE I WILL SEE WHALE SHARKS?

We wish we could! One thing to remember is that these are wild creature in a vast body of water. Our guides have a great relationship with other providers and have communication with other whale shark captains so, they report to each other in real time when and where they have found whale sharks. They are not competing against each other. The goal is common amongst providers: Create the best experience possible for you. Keep in mind that the whale shark season also coincides with sea turtle mating season and there are also more schools of manta rays in the area. So, you have the ability to swim with sea turtles, manta rays and even pods of dolphins if you are lucky! Last year, we had 12 occasions where guests were able to swim with dolphins in the wild! (Please note that by law, if there are less than 5 whale sharks in the area, we are only allowed to observe from the boat, not snorkel.)

WHAT IF I DON’T WANT TO SNORKEL AND JUST WANT TO OBSERVE?:

This is totally fine. Some people are not comfortable getting in the water with these giant creatures. There is no price difference if you simply observe or snorkel.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE TOUR IS CANCELED DUE TO RAIN?:

When it is windy and rains hard, the whale sharks dive deeper and the tour will be canceled if the conditions are too bad. You may reschedule for a later date. If your tour was canceled due to weather, and you are unable to re-schedule, your deposit will be refunded. See PRO TIPS below.

*********************     P R O       T I P S    **********************

• Do NOT wait to book your tour for one of your LAST days here. Book it for your FIRST few days here. Since it is the rainy season, be aware that tours can be canceled for rain. If you wait until your last day or 2 and it rains, you will not leave yourself any room to re-schedule.
• If you are at ALL prone to sea sickness, take Dramamine or Sturgeon Forte (this can be purchased at local pharmacies) the NIGHT BEFORE your tour AND the MORNING OF your tour. The key is to not just take it right before you go.
• Don’t drink heavily the night before your tour & eat a balanced breakfast.
• Bring BIODEGRADABLE sunscreen or purchase locally. (It is more expensive when you purchase locally.) Regular sunscreens create a film on the water that is not conducive to the whale shark’s feeding. It also damaging to the reefs and marine life. Rash Guard swim shirts are also recommended. The sun is very strong during these months and being on the water, it reflects even more onto you.

Book online to swim with the whale sharks on Isla Mujeres here! :

http://www.cancunandrivieramaya.com/tours/whalesharkisla.asp

To book a PRIVATE tour, you can email us here!:

office@cancunandrivieramaya.com

Or call us!: US Phone: 407-284-1673
Cancun Phone: +52 998-273-2970

The new terminal 4 at Cancun Airport is having a HUGE problem with the unauthorized taxi drivers scamming people as they arrive. This is the problem:

The design of the building leads people to think they should exit at “Friends & Family” exit (this goes into the DEPARTURES AREA ) instead of the correct exit at “Ground Transportation” (ARRIVALS AREA).

Antonio, your friendly CARM representative. Always look for the CARM logo when you exit!

The unauthorized taxi drivers (called ‘pirate taxis’) cannot enter the Ground Transportation where all of the authorized transportation companies are waiting for their pre-booked arrivals. They must wait for people to take the WRONG exit and then try to get you to go with them. Their spiel is usually the same. They ask if you need help finding your transportation company. Or they say they ARE your transportation company or even say,“I’ll call the office for you and have you talk to them. (they make a call on their own phone, actually dialing the number of  a friend who is part of the scam). The person on the phone goes as far as to ask for your confirmation number, and tells you that your CARM driver left, and it will be 2 hours before they can come back for you. But, you should take this taxi and CARM will reimburse you later FOR BOTH YOUR MISSED VAN AND THE TAXI”. They then charge you an exorbitant rate.  And you have been scammed.

It is important for you to know:

• DO NOT exit the “Friends and Family” exit. If you have gone through the sliding glass doors and passed the Coconut Bar on your right, you are going the WRONG WAY. If you are here, turn around AND GO BACK INSIDE-The correct exit will now be on your right:

Friends & Family Exit: If you are here TURN AROUND AND GO BACK INSIDE

• The “Ground Transportation” exit has a long, long walkway once you are outside (300 meters) with a green wall to your left. At the end of this walkway are bathrooms and all of the transportation company representatives holding signs. This is what the CORRECT GROUND TRANSPORTATION EXIT will look like once outside:

This is what the CORRECT GROUND TRANSPORTATION EXIT will look like once outside

• Your CARM will NEVER leave without you, even if your flight was delayed 8 hours. If you have a confirmed reservation with CARM, we will be there. We track ALL arriving flights. We never send Arrivals with taxis, EVER
• You must dial our phone numbers yourself if it is necessary to call. DO NOT ever allow people to make calls on your behalf
• If you call CARM, you will ONLY be speaking to women. There are ONLY THREE women who answer the CARM phone: Trina, Norma, or Sally
• Heads up, one of the taxi pirates has been using the name “Robert Garcia”. There is no such person at CARM. The best rule is do not speak to strangers

Below is photo of a “ticket” that one of the pirate taxi drivers gave to a client, telling them, this was their ticket for reimbursement. You will see that it has NO INFORMATION ABOUT CARM OR ANY OTHER COMPANY on it. It is fake. This scam is very organized:

Please don’t fall for this! Here are the Terminal 4 exit instructions you will find on your confirmation voucher:
After customs, EXIT LEFT out the doors BEFORE the Welcome bar. DO NOT go to the Friends & Family exit. Walk along the sidewalk with the green wall on your left. At the end look for the CARM sign with your name it, close to the bathrooms.

WARNING: if you decide to go with the pirate taxis, we cannot offer a refund or reimbursement for taxi.

Please share this information with all of your friends and family who will be visiting Cancun. The more people that spread the word, the less people will be taken advantage of!

PHOTO CREDIT: CLOVR https://www.clovr.com/

We get this question a lot: “Can I use US dollars in Mexico?” The short answer is: Yes, almost everywhere.

While we always recommend using the currency of the country you are in, if you absolutely must use US dollars, here are some tips to know before you come and during:

*The banks (and shops and restaurants, etc) will not accept any denomination of dollar bills if they have tears, writing, tape, or if they are too worn. Therefore, we always recommend you check any dollars you plan to use or exchange in Mexico, as anything listed above will be un-usable.
*Do not leave US coins (or coins from any country) as tips. They have zero value in Mexico. Coins cannot be exchanged at any bank/cambio.
*Expect your change in pesos
*Bring small denominations of bills
*Be aware that if you are using denominations of dollars that are too high (ex: a $20.00 USD bill for a pack of gum, the store may not be able to accept the transaction due to lack of change). Some shops have limits of how much change they can give for a purchase
*Almost every store and restaurant will accept dollars. But, be aware that when doing so, the exchange rate is at their discretion and is usually not competitive with bank exchange rates. All shops and restaurants make their own exchange rate. Just remember that they are doing you a favor by accepting dollars. They have to take their time to go to the bank and stand in line to exchange or deposit your US dollars (perhaps at a loss as the exchange rate changes daily.) And businesses also have a set limit to the amount of US dollars they can deposit each month into Mexican bank accounts.
*Don’t forget, you must bring your passport when exchanging dollars at any bank/cambio. Always ask for small bills in pesos too!

PHOTO CREDIT: CLOVR https://www.clovr.com/