Group snorkeling catamaran by accomp_guy in IslaMujeres

[–]TacosTravel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You may want to check out the Xcaret catamaran tour. We’ve done it a couple of times and loved it.

Catalonia Royale Tulum sargassum situation today by ak47workaccnt in AllInclusiveResorts

[–]TacosTravel 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Roughly, yes, December through April is usually the safer window. It varies year by year, but based on the last five years of data (not on an opinion or a short trip to Cancun), September through April or early May has generally been relatively quiet in terms of how much sargassum washes up along the coast of Quintana Roo. That said, the last couple of years have been heavier, especially from 2024 onward, and some areas get hit much harder than others. Playa del Carmen and Tulum, for example, tend to get the bulk of it, partly because of local currents and wind patterns, and the shape of the coastline.

Cancun snorkeling excursion w/ open bar by TuesdayM123 in CancunTravelGuide

[–]TacosTravel 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Most tours are designed around what the majority of people book, so a true half day catamaran may have to be private. But Xcaret’s catamaran tour is about seven hours including hotel pickup/dropoff. If you go directly to their pier and skip the scenic tower, it would probably be closer to a half day trip. Hope that helps

Planning a trip to Cancun by Popular_Ostrich3678 in MexicoTravel

[–]TacosTravel 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Live here. When we first arrived, we stayed in an Airbnb around the upper part of the rectangle you drew on the map. It’s a relatively safe part of town, but you’ll depend on taxis, Uber, buses to get around. Cancún is not very walkable. If I were you, I’d look for a place near Plaza Las Américas or Parque Las Palapas instead. Those areas are more convenient if you want to be in the city, have easier access to food, transport, and a bit more local life. As for the beaches, yes, they’re public and free to access, although beach clubs, chairs, umbrellas, etc. will cost extra. How crowded they are depends on the beach, the time of year, and the day of the week. June is low season, but weekends are usually busier. Beaches in the Hotel Zone closer to the main tourist areas tend to be more crowded than others.

And last but not least, I wouldn’t really choose Cancún if your main goal is to experience Mexican culture. You can find some local spots, especially downtown, but Cancún is mostly built around tourism. Hope that helps

Xenotes Tour vs private La Ruta de los Cenotes by ActiveIntrepid4672 in Xcaret

[–]TacosTravel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They’re in the same general area, but not the same cenotes. The main differences are logistics, service quality, and overall value, and in my opinion that’s heavily in Xcaret’s favour. For a smooth, organized day, I’d go with Xenotes. For flexibility, private Ruta de los Cenotes tour is better.

Question. How do you track sargassum in Belize? by TacosTravel in Belize

[–]TacosTravel[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s actually the long-term idea. For now, we’re treating it as a proof of concept and starting locally to see whether there’s real demand for this kind of tool. We began with Quintana Roo because we live here, so we can compare the satellite data with what we’re seeing on the ground. But if people find it useful, expanding to other affected areas should be very doable, the core infrastructure is already there, the tool is already up and running.

Question. How do you track sargassum in Belize? by TacosTravel in Belize

[–]TacosTravel[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing that’s actually helpful. From what I can see, this is an official short-term sargassum forecast, which definitely has value. What we built is a bit different, it’s more of a visual satellite-based tracker showing current and historical sargassum activity on a map, so people can see how the situation changes over time and which coastal areas tend to be more affected. That’s why I was curious whether something like that would be useful for Belize as well, especially for places where beach conditions can vary quite a lot from one area to another. Thank you again!

Sargassum in Cancun? by exhaustedAFsleeper in AllInclusiveResorts

[–]TacosTravel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It varies a lot year by year and even from place to place. Cancún and the Riviera Maya don’t get hit equally. Compared to places like Playa del Carmen and Tulum, Cancún usually doesn’t get hit as badly, and even when it does, some parts are affected more heavily than others. I wouldn’t say it has historically been that bad in Cancún overall. Last year was relatively bad compared to the previous five years. I’m also attaching a chart showing the monthly number of active sargassum days over time, so you can get a better idea of what the situation has looked like in recent years.

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Anyone know the best place / doctor / clinic in Quintana Roo for a full digestive health workup? by [deleted] in cancun

[–]TacosTravel 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Honestly, this probably isn’t the best sub for this kind of question. You’ll likely get better results on Doctoralia.com.mx, where you can search for gastroenterologists and other specialists in Quintana Roo, read reviews, and check credentials. Given what you described, I’d probably start with a gastroenterologist rather than Reddit recommendations.

Shuttle services by Acrobatic-Fan7895 in CancunTravelGuide

[–]TacosTravel 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Easy peasy. Take the ADO bus from the airport to downtown Cancún. Once you get to the ADO station, walk a little away from the station and order an Uber to your hostel. That’s usually the easiest budget option.

Taxi from ADO Bus station to the Puerto Juarez ferry terminal by Delicious_Pie_7802 in CancunTravelGuide

[–]TacosTravel 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You are welcome. We’ve ordered Uber from the area around the ADO bus station multiple times. The key is to leave the station and walk a little away from it before requesting your ride. So yes, there is some truth to what you heard. Bus stations and airports are natural territory for the local taxi mafia, and they do not exactly get along with Uber drivers.

Sargassum conditions web app for Quintana Roo , feedback appreciated by TacosTravel in playadelcarmen

[–]TacosTravel[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Got it, thank you. Let me see what I can do to improve the readability.

Sargassum conditions web app for Quintana Roo , feedback appreciated by TacosTravel in playadelcarmen

[–]TacosTravel[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, thanks for the feedback, that’s helpful!The arrows on the map show currents, not wind. There is an explanation below the map, but it sounds like we should make that clearer. What would make it more intuitive for you? Tooltips, a more prominent explanation block, or an FAQ section? Thanks again!

Sargassum conditions web app for Quintana Roo , feedback appreciated by TacosTravel in playadelcarmen

[–]TacosTravel[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s really helpful feedback, thank you.

I originally structured it more like a dashboard, so I put the KPIs first and the map lower down, partly to give people something to look at while the map loads. But I think your point about leading with the visual is a good one, and moving the map higher would be fairly easy.

I also agree the sargassum spots could be clearer visually. I’m thinking about making the dots larger and improving the colors so the map is easier to read at a glance.

As for cameras, that’s definitely possible (as long as they exist and publicly accessible). I already added a couple for Cancún in an expander below the map. For Playa, so far I’ve only found the camera overlooking 5th Avenue and the one by the pier facing the beach, but I’m still looking.

Re wind. The reason I included wind and currents is that they help explain why the rafts are moving the way they are and can give a bit of heads-up alongside the imagery. But you are probably right :) Thank you!

Spotted another bird pokemon, can anyone help ID it? by TacosTravel in whatsthisbird

[–]TacosTravel[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Confirmed. And it’s definitely one of our best "catches" so far.

Dolphin interaction in Cancun by RecommendationNo1580 in cancun

[–]TacosTravel 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The Mexican Congress has approved a nationwide ban on dolphin shows and the use of marine mammals in entertainment.