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Driving Directions from Cancun Airport

to Mahahual and Casa Maria

(There is an ATM located at the Cancun airport as you leave the luggage area after passing through the (red light, green light) area. Its a good idea to get some Mexican Pesos here.
Note: the ATMs are in Spanish and English. If you want the equivalent of 200.00 usd you will need to ask for 2000.00pesos. (Approx)
approx (1000.00pesos = 100.00usd)(3000.00pesos = 300.00usd) etc.

(Please do not drive at night)

Rental Car (get their full coverage) insurance.
After you get your rental car, (same location as ATM) follow the signs out of the airport towards Cancun. As you leave the airport watch for signs that read Hwy 307 towards Tulum and Chetumal. You will exit to the right leaving the airport onto Hwy 307. (Wear your seat belts its the law)

The drive to Mahahual and Casa Maria is easy, but it will take 3 to 4 hours, depending on your speed and the number of stops you make along the way. Traveling at night is not a good idea, although the roads are good you are in a jungle and its very dark without street lights.

If your flight arrives in the afternoon its a good idea to spend the night and make the drive in the morning. We enjoy staying in Akumal at Hotel Akumal Caribe which is located about 45min to one hour from the Cancun airport. (www.hotelakumalcaribe.com) Follow the signs south to Akumal. If you mention that you are a guest at Casa Maria you should receive a 10 to 20 discount depending on the season.

After you check in, relax on the beach with some food and drinks at the outdoor palapa restaurant called Lol-Ha located directly in front of you on the beach. In the morning treat yourself to breakfast at the Turtle Bay Bakery.

Groceries:
We recommend stopping at one of the larger grocery stores in Playa del Carmen (before Akumal) or Tulum (after Akumal) along the way. They will have everything you need, including fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, bakery, liquor, clothing and more. There is also a Sams club in Playa del Carmen, located on the left side of the street just after Juarez Ave.

Other good store is Soronia located on the right hand side of Hwy 307 after you pass Juarez Ave at one of the next few signal lights. See picture:

Click on this map to ENLARGE

You can pick up a cheap ice chest and ice at any of the stores. Playa del Carmen is located before you get to Akumal, so if you want to stop at Sams do so before your drive to Akumal.

Remember you are in Mexico, pack up some cold drinks and food, then relax and enjoy the drive to Mahahual. The towns you will pass along the way are Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal, and Tulum.

A word of caution, watch out for the Topes (Better known as speed bumps) They are known to destroy a cars oil pan and ruin a nice vacation. They are usually found just before and after each town.

One Style of Topes bump (there are others)

Emergency Road Service

Make sure you have the phone number of your rental car office before you leave Cancun. You can also stop the Green Angels who are a fleet of radio dispatched trucks (like in the picture) that constantly drive along the Hwy 307. They offer road service. They do not charge for the service, only for parts, gas, oil etc. It might be a good idea to give a little tip. The Green Angles patrol the Hwy from sun up to sun down. (Another good reason to not drive at night) get your car off the road and lift up your hood. They will find you. Stay with your car.

About 15min south of Akumal, is the town of Tulum. There are two gas stations as you enter the Tulum area. If you need gas, now is a good time to fill up.

Located at the first intersection with a (traffic light) there is a grocery store to your right at the corner. Its called San Francisco. This is another place you can stop for groceries, beer, wine, ice, etc. Just after the Hertz Building.

Next door to the store there is a bank with an ATM machine. We find it much easier to pay for everything in Mexican Pesos, food, gas, etc.

Once you pass Tulum, you start to leave the coast and head inland. Hwy 307 goes inland at this point to take you around the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve which is a huge 1.3 million acre preservation park. The drive from Tulum is approx. 2 hours.

Stay on 307 towards Felipe Carillo Puerto (about 1 hr) most rental cars have cd players or you can bring your iPod.

Felipe Carillo Puerto is considered the most cosmopolitan Mayan city in this area and is rich with history. This would be a good time to fill up with gas. There is a gas station on your right, just as you enter Felipe Carillo Puerto. There is a second one in town, but its usually much busier.

Getting Gas:
(Most gas stations only take CASH) Most gas stations will take US cash, but you will only be given cash back in Pesos.

While its not true of every gas station, when buying gas, assume you will be cheated and then you will less likely be taken advantage of. Following are some tips:

a) Always get out of your car at the gas station, and stand next to the person filling the tank.

b) If they try and distract you with washing your windshield or filling your tires with air, ignore them. You can deal with that later.

c) Stay focused on the pump and make sure it is cleared to $0.00 before they start pumping your gas.

d) Dont fall for a trick where the attendant says the pump on your side is not working. If that is the case, drive around to the other side or walk around to the other side so that you can watch the pump.

e) Pay attention to how much change you should receive in return when paying for your fuel and EXACTLY the bills you give them. Gas station attendants have been known to intentionally give tourist the incorrect amount of change or tell you that you gave them a 20 instead of 200 pesos.

f) If they start and stop the meter or pump, write down the first amount. Dont trust their addition or the fact that they may change the number that they write on their hand while you are distracted.

g) Its a lot easier if you tell them to put in 300 pesos or (approx) 30.00 usd until you get the hang of it.

Entering the town of Felipe Carillo Puerto

The round-about / middle of town Felipe Carillo

As you get to the round-about, slow down and drive around it and straight out the other side. Follow the signs to Chetumal. Chetumal is a large city past Mahahual and Casa Maria.

As you continue south on Hwy 307 the next small town is called Limones, about (40 min) from Felipe Carillo Puerto.
Just 3 Km. past Limones you will see the large green sign, that reads Mahahual turn (left)

Turn left and head towards the beach. You are now about 30min away from Mahahual.

There is usually an army check point located on this road, but they usually check your car when leaving Mahahual. Most of the time they will just wave you through. But be courteous slow down / stop. If they ask your destination, tell them where you are going. (Mahahual, Placer, Casa Maria)

Check points are aimed at detecting narcotics and firearms traffic. Checkpoints are located throughout Mexico. Many times they will ask you to get out of the car so they can look in it. If this happens, relax, its no big deal. We usually take our IPod, wallet or purse out of the car with us. They will usually have you open the trunk and they might even look in a few suitcases. It will only take about 5 min. Remember, these Army guys are the good guys. These check points are routine.

Now you will drive straight into the town of Mahahual. If you are heading to Casa Maria and the El Placer / Rio Indio area you will turn left just after the gas station.

(Get gas if you need it) we always try and keep out gas tank full.

After the gas station you will see this sign (turn lift here) its the first left after the gas station. Also, look for the new Casa Maria Sign on the North/East corner

You should set your odometer to zero if you can. Also, watch the roadside markers that have the Km marked on them. You will drive on this paved road

for about 5min to km 9, turn right at the Rio Indio exit. There is not much of a sign at the Rio Indio exit. Look for the wood fence that is falling down, you will also see a large bent over steel sign post a memento from Hurricane Dean. And you should see the Casa Maria Sign.

At this Rio Indio exit, turn (right) to the beach about 300 feet. At the beach road turn (Left) you will see the Casa Maria sign like this one...

Casa Maria will be about 9.4 km up this beach road. (Set your odometer to zero) This road now is a beach road made of sand and rocks.

This road winds north up the beach. Along the way you will see many small shacks and other beach homes.

Casa Maria will be on your right, about 9.4 km up the beach road. Enjoy the view!

Casa Maria !

Car Rental Agencies at Cancuns Airport

Alamo
Avis
Budget
Hertz
National
Payless
Thrifty

Vacation Rentals

Villa's El Placer / Mahahual

Casa Maria
Sleeps 10 with over 4000 sq ft

Porto Vino

Hotels Around Mahahual

Hotel Mayan Beach Garden

Hotel Los 40 Canones

Hotel Hotel Mantankaan

Hotel Luna de Plata

Hotel Pachamama

Hotel Balamku Inn

Hotel Maya Luna

Information about buying car rental Insurance in Mexico

Will my credit card company cover Collision Damage Waiver:

No one in Mexico cares if your credit card covers the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or not. In Mexico you have to pay for the damages made to the rental car, regardless of whether you made the damages or the damages were made by another person. When there is an accident and it was the other party's fault, then the other party will pay for the damages of your rented car, that is why the police stay at the accident scene until both parties have met their obligations.

The point is that the only benefit of having a damage waiver on rental cars with your credit card (credit card insurance), is being able to get the complete refund for cost of the damages, but what they don't tell you and nobody seems to understand, is that the damages at the moment of the accident or car return, must be paid by you before you leave the country, usually the same day of the accident or the car return. That is why car rental companies keep a blank voucher, in case you refuse to pay, for instance, claiming that your credit card company will cover the damages.

That is why it is always advisable to purchase the local car rental agency insurance that one WILL cover the damages done to your rented car. It usually comes in two prices and fashions: cheap with a deductible fee and higher with zero deductible fees (full cover).

That was regarding the damages done to your rented car. Now, regarding damage to other cars and it being your fault. This will not be Collision Damage Waiver; this is called Liability Insurance, and this you must purchase. All car rental agencies make it mandatory. Very few credit cards cover this one, and again, even if they do, all credit cards work on the same refund basis; no credit card company will ever come to the rescue nor send an agent, ever. That is why is ok to purchase that one with your car rental agency, plus they give the legal advice in case of an accident.

All major car rental American companies, usually at the airport, advertise their rates (without any insurance) at all, then when people arrived they find out that the liability insurance and the airport fee are mandatory charges, that's why it's known as the rate (like you see on Orbitz or Expedia), is never the real rate, it is always plus plus.

The small local companies, usually outside of the airport, usually advertise their rates a bit higher but with some or most insurance included. The liability insurance is almost always included. All companies, large or small, provide good coverage, such as 50,000 to 80,000 usd.

Mexican law does not make it mandatory that all vehicles carry liability insurance. This is important to know because in the case of being hit by another driver, that does not carry liability insurance, he must pay at the moment for the damages or medical expenses, and the worst thing that can happen to that other driver in case he doesn't have money to pay, is that the authorities will not let him go until he meets his obligations. The thing here is that the car rental companies don't care if the other party pays or not. Sure, they will help you collect the money but in case the other party never pays, the car rental agency will collect from you through your blank voucher.

Type of cars
most car rental companies now, big or small, always have automatic cars. In a market which 80% of the customers are American, most companies know this and do provide automatic cars. What is true though is that cars should be reserved in advance.... it is not a good idea to arrive in Cancun and rent the few choices left, if any. During low season you may find about anything available, but during high season you might find almost nothing available.

Are advice is to pay for the extra insurance and get full coverage.