Travel & Lodging
Flight
Cancun (CUN)
Cancun (CUN) is likely your best bet. It's about half an hour from the venue/ Puerto Morelos, and about an hour from Playa del Carmen. CUN has 4 separate terminals. You will likely fly into terminal 2 or 3. Make sure you check your ground transportation back to the airport is to the correct terminal. You can get between terminals curbside via a free shuttle that runs every 30 minutes. There are lots of transportation vendors outside the terminals that will try to charge you $50+ to bring you between terminals (a 2-3 minute cab ride). You can also walk about 10-15 minutes between terminal 2 and 3. Terminal 4 is a bit farther.
Flight
Tulum (TQO)
Tulum (TQO) is another option - it's brand new, and has limited flights. Tickets are likely more expensive, and it's about 2 hours drive from Puerto Morelos. However, Tulum has it's own character and sights if you choose to stay there for a few nights.
Travel Note
Recommended Transport to/from Airport - "Cancun Taxi" Company
Cancun Taxi (private company) Better prices than you'll get from a taxi or asking at the airport, still with good service and support. Best way to contact them is on whatsapp. Least amount of hassle. Price to/from airport - Playa del Carmen as of Dec: $67.
Travel Note
Shuttle Airport - Lodging
Shuttle Central. This is the option our wedding planners recommended. You can choose from different vehicles and you can reserve online. $42 from the airport to puerto morelos.
Shuttle
Transportation to/ from venue
February 8, 2025 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Though we originally planned to have a private shuttle, it will be simpler for folks to simply take taxis. From Puerto Morelos to the venue the taxi company quoted us $130 pesos for a taxi. You may even be able to get one for less if you have a nice driver. If you need to get reimbursed let us know :)
Hotel
Arrecifes suites
We'll be staying here for the wedding weekend - Feb 4-10. If you want to make a reservation you can check their website or write to this email adress: arrecifes@puertomorelos.com
Travel Note
A note on vacation rentals in Mexico
Be extremely wary of new Airbnb/ VRBO listings or those with very few reviews. Often, hosts will delete listings and create new ones if they get too many negative reviews. Stick to listings with lots of positive reviews. Those that seem like too good a deal often are. You can also use the 'guest favorite' filter on Airbnb to make sure you're getting a good place.
Travel Note
Selected Lodging Options Near Venue
***** NEXT TO VENUE - Beachfront or close to it ***** https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/34508609 Right next to venue - 10 adults https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/46243556 Right next to venue - 8 guests https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/30480109 Right next to venue - 8 guests https://www.hyattinclusivecollection.com/en/resorts-hotels/dreams/mexico/riviera-cancun-resort-spa - Right next to venue - all inclusive hotel (prices include food and drinks)($$$$) ***** WALKING DISTANCE from venue - beachfront or walk to beach ***** ~2 min from Puerto Morelos. https://www.excellenceresorts.com/riviera-maya-cancun/excellence-riviera-cancun/ Walking distance - all inclusive hotel (prices include food and drinks) https://www.hyattinclusivecollection.com/en/resorts-hotels/dreams/mexico/sapphire-resort-spa/ Walking distance - all inclusive hotel (prices include food and drinks) https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/47584265 Walking distance - 2-4 adults https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/47804020 Walking distance - 2 adults https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/579744655053529209 Walking distance - 8 adults https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19380251 Walking distance - 6 adults https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/902861260584541455 Walking distance - 4 adults https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/47537225 Walking distance - 10 adults. Beachfront. Pricey
Travel Note
Lodging - Puerto Morelos
PUERTO MORELOS: Keep it low key ***We plan on providing a shuttle from downtown Puerto Morelos to the venue and back for the wedding*** The closest town to the venue. Puerto Morelos is a tiny, quiet beach town that's best if you want to keep things low key. There are a few restaurants and shops, and some places on the beach that offer snorkeling or other beach activities, but that's about it. Groceries are limited.
Travel Note
Lodging - Playa del Carmen
PLAYA DEL CARMEN: Explore, dine, shop, party. ***We plan on providing a shuttle from downtown Playa del Carmen to the venue and back for the wedding*** Our recommendation if you want to stay somewhere with more going on. About 40 minutes south of Puerto Morelos, Playa is a city of about ~300,000 that has all the city amenities you'd need. There are plenty of hotels, Airbnbs, restaurants, bars, clubs, shops, tour companies, and more. Playa del Carmen's economy centers around tourism, but has a slightly more authentic feel than Cancun. > Note 1: Playa del Carmen has both upscale and budget friendly lodging options. Generally, the farther you are from the beach, the more affordable things get, and the more local the neighborhood becomes. There's plenty of cost-friendly places that are a short taxi ride from downtown. If you want to be within walking distance of the downtown tourist areas, expect to pay a bit more. (Playa's main tourist strip is La Quinta Avenida [5th Ave] between Av Benito Juarez and Av Constituyentes) >> Note 2: The neighborhood 'Playacar' is one of Playa's most upscale neighborhoods. You'll find plenty of higher end hotels and Airbnbs, and a quieter night than if you were staying downtown. However, plan on longer walks to the center of town, and cabs charge extra for going in and out of this gated community.
Travel Note
Lodging - Joaquín Zetina Gasca
Joaquín Zetina Gasca: Budget friendly, quieter, close to Puerto Morelos. This is kind of an inland suburb from Puerto Morelos. Some areas are newer developments with more airbnbs, and others are more local communities. It's about a 5-10 minute drive to Puerto Morelos, depending on what area you stay at. If you stay within walking distance of the supermarket Súper Chedraui (https://maps.app.goo.gl/TQ4yie6BkV4HA8sj6), there's a collectivo stop (see our section on collectivos in transport) across the street where you can get to the beach for <$1, as well as to other areas like playa del carmen. Luisa and I have stayed in one of the neighborhoods here before (either Residencial Puntavista or Regatta Residencial), which had some very nice houses. They are a bit secluded, so you'd be taking taxis or rental cars everywhere.
Travel Note
Lodging - Cancun
CANCUN: Big resorts. About 40 minutes north of Puerto Morelos, Cancun is the largest and most well known tourist city in Mexico. The population is close to 1M, all centered around resort-style hotels on the beach. Cancun is best if you're looking for the resort hotel experience and want to go to the 'big' city for nightlife, though there are hotels along most of the Quintana Roo Caribbean coastline with less bustle.
Travel Note
ADO - Bus from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen
ADO is a bus company that has charter style busses that go from the terminals in CUN airport to different cities throughout the region. Busses leave every half hour for Playa del Carmen and drop you off in the center of the city (https://maps.app.goo.gl/EETk88HMtjqTvtXf7). Tickets are about $12. This is our recommended transportation if you're staying in Playa del Carmen. Tickets can be bought beforehand (make sure you select the correct terminal), or at the airport once you clear customs.
Travel Note
Taxis
Taxis (and ubers/ ride share) are affordable and generally widely available in and around Playa del Carmen and Puerto Morelos. Unless you end up staying somewhere secluded, or you're planning on doing a lot of excursions to other towns and tourist spots, our recommendation would be to use taxis for your primary means of transportation. Use caution, as many taxi drivers will over-charge Americans. The link has some tips and a fare chart you can reference for more information. https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/playa-del-carmen-taxis/
Travel Note
Colectivos
Colectivos are the closest thing Rivera Maya (the greater Cancun/ Playa/ Tulum area) has to a public transit system. Think of them as mini busses. They are the cheapest way to get around, but don't be surprised to be squished between a couple locals going to/from work or the grocery store. Time schedules can vary depending on where you are and what route you're looking to ride on, and they're not adhered to very strictly - but if you're willing to wait a bit and don't mind getting a 'local experience', they can be a significant cost savings, particularly if you're going between towns. Often, the routes are written on the windshield, and if you're not sure, you can just tell the driver where you're trying to get to and they'll let you know if they're headed that way or not. Be prepared to pay with cash/ coins. A 30-40 minute ride from Puerto Morelos to Playa del Carmen is about 30 pesos, or $1.50. Taxis for the same route are around $30, though you get your own vehicle without stops.