My husband wants to go to Mexico for vacation. This will be our first real vacation. He has a friend that has a condo in a gated community that could use. . I am not sure if I like this idea. This is not a resort so we would have to get our own food. Has anyone stayed In a situation like this and was able to find safe food? I don't want food poisoning to ruin our first vaca.
Thanks
The condo is near cancun
Do some intense research before you agree to go. So much going on down there these days. Be careful.
Go! Enjoy a new location and some time together!
I don't think you want to spend all your time cooking, so do go out to restaurants, at least for dinner. Are you a AAA member? They have a free travel agency and can make recommendations even if you book some of the arrangements yourself, but they can do the plane tickets and a rental car for you if you want.
Mexico is a modern country - they have supermarkets and while there are many local brands, you will see many American products as well. Cancun and surroundings is a touristy area.
Yes, wash fruits and veggies - I usually wash with water and vinegar here at home, so you can do that - just buy regular white vinegar when you shop. Remember that we eat produce from Mexico, Guatemala, and many other Latin American countries all the time - that honeydew melon you get from November to May wasn't grown in the US!
The water deal is worth considering. It's not that no water is purified in Mexico - it's that your digestive system is used to bacteria in your area and not to that in other areas. It's unbelievable how many people don't drink tap water in the US - the bottled water industry is ruining our environment and costing families a fortune, but only when someone is traveling do they actually say the water is unsafe! So here's another area where people aren't so consistent! I would use bottled water for drinking and for rinsing my mouth after brushing teeth, and I don't order drinks with ice in any country (Europe, Mexico, anywhere). But local Mexican beer by the bottle would be great, wine and liquor are fine as well, soda in a bottle is fine if you like it without ice. Boiling water for cooking just as you do at home? Why not? Keep your meals simple so you have a real vacation, and go out as much as you can just for fun and to sample the local scene.
The junk that's permitted in US food plants is enough to gross you out entirely (insect parts, larva, rodent droppings - there are permissible levels of all of those!) so a lot of our prejudices have more to do with perception than with reality. So I wouldn't be afraid of regular food. Get a Spanish dictionary app for your smart phone and learn the basic terms for common items in stores. You will find many people who speak English especially in a resort community but it's incredibly wise to make an effort in a country's native language. (With all the people in the US who rage and rant about how they want others to "speak English", you'd think more of them would make an effort and see how hard it is to learn Spanish but how appreciated it is when you do at least try!)
Just got back from Puerto Vallarta yesterday. It was amazing. Completely awesome.
We stayed in a condo and bought food in restaurants, grocery stores and carts/street vendors. No problems other than a bit of heartburn.
Where in Mexico are you thinking of going? Mexico is a huge country. Where you go makes a huge difference.
ETA: PV is one of the very few cities in Mexico that purify their water. We drank tap water from the condo and out at restaurants. We had no problems, but most places will offer you a choice of tap water or bottled water when you order.
Ask the locals where they like to eat. Bottled water is a good idea.
I would rec drinking bottled water and going to stores you know.
I got very sick there and will not go back again. But, a couple friends have gone there and they did fine.
My mil lives in a rural area. They buy their drinking water and it is clean. I would not drink water from the well/faucet if they have it. We bought food in the plaza often and had no problems. You may be a little sensitive due to the difference in the food preparation but you should not get sick unless the food is left out.
You want to cook veggies or peel.
Peel fruits.
We ate street side and did fine. It's the ice & water you have to watch!
Even people who live in Mexico can get sick from contaminated water.
When you dine out, order bottled water. Some places will give this to you for free, others will charge you, although usually not as much as a pop. Don't get ice in your drinks. Bottled water is usually chilled, & pop comes out cold from the dispenser.
Dine at actual restaurants, do not buy food from street vendors. Not that they are ALL bad, but if you want to take extra precautions...
In the condo, find out if the water is purified. If not, make sure you use bottled water for brushing your teeth.
If you are going to buy food to prepare your own meals, go to the regular grocery store that the locals shop at, and make sure to carefully clean off all produce before preparing the food.
If your friend has stayed @ the condo in the past, ask him for recommendations on restaurants & shops to frequent.
If you opt to not stay at the condo, but still want a Mexican vacation, without being in at a resort, consider San Miguel de Allende. This is an area that wealthy people in Mexico travel to for their vacations. Nice hotels and wonderful culture!
Hope you go & enjoy, Mexico is a wonderful country! T.
Food is safe, they have markets and stores. Much like us. They have Walmarts and Sam's Club for instance. Can either of you speak Spanish? That helps. I would recommend bottled water. My mother in law lives in a gated community, and it is so clean and safe. A gentleman who lives nearby doesn't even speak Spanish but he seems to do fine. I'd recommend Mexican insurance if you are driving.. If you can ask the friend for all details Have fun!
I've only ever been to resorts in Mexico and we are going again this summer with the kids, wahoo! But, as far as a condo…hmmm. Well you're going to have to buy bottled water so I guess maybe if you wash all the produce with the bottled water is would probably be okay. As far as other stuff, I don't think I'd be too worried, just cook things thoroughly. I'm sure that pre packaged food would be okay too. Be wary of ice as well, remember it's just frozen water! :)
I would make sure though that the condo is located in a touristy area because even eating out at restaurants could get tricky because of the water situation. If it's in a location common to tourists they are probably using precautions other places might not be using.
I wouldn't be worried about food! I would be worried about safety. There are a lot of travel warnings out for Mexico. Check out this site:
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertsw...
My husband and I planned a trip for March. My husband is military and there are many areas the gov't won't allow him to travel to in Mexico because of safety. We decided to go to the Caribbean instead.
My experience of Mexico has been all inclusive resorts. I don't think I would trust the food. Mexico can be awesome.. go to an all inclusive. it is beautiful!
Where in Mexico? Most of the major cities and resort towns have supermarkets similar to ours. Like Bridgett, my family travels to Puerto Vallarta regularly, stays in a condo and shops in a large supermarket. I have been sick in PV, but not because of anything I purchased at the store. More than 20 years ago I got sick from food that sat outside too long at a fiesta. I haven't had a problem since then and have been back several times. I would be careful of the water. I think the location is a big factor. Will you have access to restaurants? Some places in Mexico, including PV, have very well known chefs and restaurants. There are also a variety of fast food places. We've taken our kids to Subway in PV.
you'll be fine. use bottled water to drink and make ice, and keep a pot of well-boiled water on the stove for washing your produce (or bottled, but that could get expensive.)
have a wonderful time!
:) khairete
S.
We go to Cancun a lot, we have eaten at all kinds of places in Cancun. They have a Walmart there so if that makes you feel better got do your shopping there. But eat out there is plenty of places to go that are great and you won't get food poisoning for the most part maybe you tummy will be a little sensitive to the different ways things are cooked but it will pass and it won't bother you enough to ruin anything. This may be TMI but if you have an upset tummy it will hit you quick just find your nearest restroom and you will feel better after. Have fun, Cancun is one of my favorite places to vacation.
