Puerto Adventuras questions

[mje113]

I spoke with the place I'm staying, which is arranging my private transfer from Cancun. She said that the driver would stop at Chedraui on the way, for $20. I think that's reasonable and logistically I think it makes the most sense.

I know this is probably not something anyone can really answer for me but I am curious of opinions. Should I be concerned leaving my bags in the van with the driver while I go in and shop? I think it should be fine since the transport was arranged by my rental people (which Emoke thinks very highly of).

Also--I should pick up a case of bottled water right? I mean I know not to drink the water but is it typical for rentals to provide bottled or is that on the guest?

 

[VikingDives]

Also--I should pick up a case of bottled water right? I mean I know not to drink the water but is it typical for rentals to provide bottled or is that on the guest?

It's hit and miss with water. I will email the hosts when I haven't stayed in a place before. I can't remember where you ended up. Cheaper usually means no water, more expensive and there's usually potable water supplied in my experience.

 

[mje113]

Staying at Villas Picalu Lodge. Seemed cheap to me, but not sure. I'll email them.

 

[VikingDives]

Staying at Villas Picalu Lodge. Seemed cheap to me, but not sure. I'll email them.

Buy water. Unless things have changed, there won't be any...

 

[mje113]

Just another follow up question on the water-front. Should I plan to try to estimate consumption and buy water for the week when I make my one trip to Chendraui on arrival? Or will bottled water be available and convenient to buy inside PA?

 

[VikingDives]

I'm sure you could find bottled water inside the gate, but I can't say I've noticed any.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

For the Chedraui card... First visit ask the cashier for a card. They set mine up using my phone number. I show the cashier my phone number and then I dont need a "card". Gets a discount on some purchases but not all. If there is someone there to bag your groceries - you should tip that person. My understanding they dont get paid. It's tips they get. 200 pesos is the minimum wage per day in that area of Mexico. About 15.00 CDN per day. Easy for us to tip like normal and make a huge difference to them.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

I put 2 bottles of water in the freezer to use as ice in a soft folding cooler bag. I bring one bag in my checked luggage from home. For lunch I make peanut butter wraps with a few waters and snacks.

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

Our Canadian cell phones stay at the house/condo we rent running off WIFi. We bring our old phones with us. We wipe them clean at home, do all of the updates and put only basic contacts in them. No apps with banking info. No credit card info on them. A Sim card at say a TelCel store is about 20.00 (don't remember the real amount - been a few years since we purchased one) and get a Mexico cell plan. Cell plans are SUPER cheap there. All include calling to USA and Canada. This price list is a few years old but you will get a great idea how much it will cost for a plan. I believe the OP is staying for 7 days. A 7 day plan is 50 pesos for All 7 days. Then when we are at home and will be flying back to Mexico we sign up on an app called DING. This allows us to add a plan before arriving in Mexico. We have Apple phones and have the AirPods installed to work off of our Mexico phones. We put the AirTags in our checked luggage so when we land and turn the mexico phones on we can check to see if our checked luggage made it to Mexico and approximately where it is.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Just another follow up question on the water-front. Should I plan to try to estimate consumption and buy water for the week when I make my one trip to Chendraui on arrival? Or will bottled water be available and convenient to buy inside PA?

If you’re stopping at Chedraui, buy a couple of 5L jugs. As Villas Picalu is inside the PA gated community/ghetto, just buy additional water as needed from the Oxxo convenience store there. If you eat dinner out (that is, inside) you can stop at the Oxxo on your way back to Villas Picalu. You can often spot agoutis on your walk.