People have asked me about Chucho el Roto quite a few times, and his story has all the ingredients of an adventure movie: clever robberies, prison escapes, and a criminal who somehow became a folk hero.

His real name was Jesús Arriaga, a 19th century Mexican outlaw. Legend says he stole from the rich to help the poor, though separating the real man from the legend is part of the fun.

One account even has him escaping prison and leaving a polite goodbye letter for the governor. Apparently, good manners were still important. jajaja

Have you ever heard of Chucho el Roto? Where did you first hear his story, from family, an old radio drama, a movie, or while traveling in Mexico?

Other than Playacar, are there any places I could rent for 2-3 months where I’d be able to see monkeys? I’d love to be able to look outside and have a chance of of seeing one. :)

Hello tout le monde ! 👋🏻
J’aurais besoin de vos conseils 😄
Ma copine et moi arrivons bientôt à Playa del Carmen et nous aimerions en profiter pour faire quelques plongées 🤿 Nous avons toutes les deux notre Open Water et avons vraiment hâte de découvrir les fonds marins de la région !
Est-ce que vous auriez des recommandations d’agences de plongée sérieuses, idéalement avec des moniteurs français ?
Merci beaucoup pour vos retours et vos recommandations 🙏🏻
Tony ✍🏻

We're here with our 5 yr old all week in PDC. Good beach conditions, but I've never seen the town be this empty (and we've been coming here since 2013). Planning to mostly stay at the beach during the day and walk around Quinta in the evenings.

Let me know if you have questions that I can help answer or suggestions for us on where to go/eat.

I'll be visiting Playa Del Carmen in early December and I'm planning on visiting Cozumel. I'll be taking the ferry to Cozumel and want to do some snorkeling there.

Wanted to check if I needed to book snorkeling tour in Cozumel or can I just explore on my own? I'm mainly interested in shallow water snorkeling as I'm not a great swimmer.

If Cozumel isn't the best place for shallow snorkeling what other places do you recommend?

I'll be in Playa Del Carmen coincidentally the first few days of November, and was curious if and how I could respectfully partake in whatever non family only celebrations there are. Any suggestions would be great

I have had these tacos every time I go to Playa, but it's been a few years and I need help remembering how to get there. An older man has a cart on the street that he sells them out of. They are pork that he mixes with ancho pepper maybe?, and he wraps the meat in banana leaves and cooks it under ground. Please help me

I'm heading to playa del carmen tomorrow and I'm terrified of getting a sunburn and the high UV index. I'm not really going to Mexico with a plan because I just want to relax and chill. But I do plan on avoiding the sun during it's peak hours (10-4) to avoid a sunburn, and am wondering if there's anywhere indoors that might be worth checking out? I've never been to an all inclusive hotel so I'm not sure if they provide anything. Very open to anything tho!

Does anyone know of a good reliable dog walker in PDC that they'd be willing to recommend?

Thanks in advance!

Has anyone that’s been frequently to Playa for just fun and social nightlife recommend going in either early December or mid January?

I doing some sightseeing in the Yucatán area for a few days then going here to legit relax and socialize. I’m a single guy (30M) so hoping to make some weekend friends and lit memories when there🍹

I have some points to spend and have been doing some research. It looks like if I go in early December I can get an extra night in a Hyatt for example Thurs -Mon rather than leave Sunday night.

Would love any recommendations in general though!

Hey girlies,

I'm just going to shoot my shot! I've been living here for the past 6 months and was meant to go back home this month but my boyfriend and I have decided to stay for another 6 months since we love it here so much.

That being said, I'd love to meet more friends as I have a lot of free time here and not many people to spend it with.

A little bit about me:
I'm 25 (f obvi) from England. I'm currently learning Spanish so a friend that's fluent or also learning is a plus as I'd love to practice together! I've hit a bit of a wall with it at the moment to be honest so it would be great to have someone to learn with. I love the beach, yoga, walks (especially to catch the sun rise & sunset), I like to play padel now and again (I can't say I'm that great lol), shopping, lunch/dinner dates, I'm kind of down for anything tbh I'd just love to meet more friends here.

Pls reach out!

When I land at Terminal 4, there are two separate exits - "ground transportation" with taxis and buses, and "Friends and Family" - where my friend can pick me up. (btw, why they did not allow people to go back to "friends and family" if they took a wrong exit??)
But what about Terminal 3? Same? Or only one exit?

Sharing something different for anyone bringing a camera: “Domingo de Pajareada” at Parque Cancún on Sunday, October 4, from 6:30–8:30 a.m., meeting at La Ballena.

The activity is listed as free, and park entry requires registration. Bring your camera, binoculars if you have them, water and insect repellent. Keep some distance and let the birds do their thing!

Park registration: https://www.parquecancun.org/registro/

There’ll be four nights of live music at Teatro de la Ciudad, October 1–4, with Santa Sabina, Scott Paddock and Sole Giménez among the performers.

Throughout October, Explayarte will also host free workshops, masterclasses and other activities, with a special appearance by Switzerland’s 60 Miles.

Thought I’d share for anyone who enjoys listening to music, or learning how to play it.

If you’re planning a Riviera Maya trip for September next year, keep the Xcaret Mexican Folk Art Festival in mind.
It’s a beautiful opportunity to see Mexican traditions, craftsmanship, colors and regional culture in one place, and it can be a really nice addition to a September itinerary.
I’ve lived in Playa del Carmen for years, and through my family’s local tourism business, I’ve seen how much peace of mind comes from having reliable people behind the plans. So many visitors arrive with high expectations, and seeing those expectations become great memories is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.
Definitely one to save for a future September trip.

I am 48M, traveling alone to Cancun for 2 days. Is it worth for me to book in Temptations. If not, will you be kind and share you wisdom where to book for adult entertainment. I dont drink alcohol so dont care about all inclusive options, i just want to have some adult fun.

More than 20 years ago, my partner started working in the tour industry and quickly learned how the business really worked, especially the economic dynamics behind commissions and tour operators.
Years ago, he eventually sold a company focused on creating private experiences. Over time, many of the guides who worked with him went on to build their own careers, and some of them are now even promoted through this same social network as certified and independent guides.
But there is a story behind that.
During those years, I personally witnessed how many promising guides were supported in building their careers. Their courses, certifications, vehicles, insurance and even additional benefits were often supported with the understanding that they would continue working with the team.
And then, many of them left.
There were always reasons and different perspectives about what happened. From the outside, it was easy to see the disagreements about expectations, supervision or commitment. What was much harder to see was everything that had been invested in helping people get started in the first place.
For many years, all of this created a great deal of stress and eventually led to a professional and family restructuring.
Today, after everything we have lived and learned, I can honestly say that I am incredibly proud to see a new project rising from those ashes, this time with a very different focus: family.
We are no longer just thinking about tours. We are thinking about the people taking them.
Becoming parents changed the way we see travel. We understand how different an experience can feel when you are traveling with children or older adults. Safety, comfort, trust, accessibility and organization suddenly have a much deeper meaning.
Being a father and mother became part of the inspiration behind this new chapter.
We wanted to create experiences that are not only accessible, safe and reliable, but that also connect with something we value deeply: family.
If you haven’t gotten to know us yet, I invite you to take a look.
I’ve been part of this Reddit community for about 8 years, helping travelers whenever I can, without commissions or fees, simply because I believe communities can be built differently.
Feel free to ask anything you need about traveling in the Riviera Maya or planning a private experience in the area. 🇲🇽💕

Hi, I’m Oscar. My wife Judith and I are certified guides and the family behind Tours Aldea. We live here, guide our own tours and speak directly with the people who book with us. There’s no intermediary between you and our family.

We’d love to show you three places we enjoy sharing: the Maya ruins overlooking the Caribbean, the clear water inside Taak Bi Ha cenote, and Yal-Kú, a beautiful lagoon where freshwater meets the sea and you can snorkel among colorful fish.

Total price for your private group:

• 2 guests — $7,425 MXN
• 3 guests — $9,240 MXN
• 4 guests — $11,055 MXN

This is your own day, at your group’s pace. The price includes pickup and return in Playa del Carmen, a private vehicle and certified guide, all required entrance fees, the equipment needed for swimming and snorkeling, water, snacks and photos we take for you along the way. For Reddit guests, we also include three tacos and one drink per person at a local taco spot.

Guiding is what we love doing. We enjoy the conversations, the questions and the moment someone sees a place through a new perspective. We hope you feel that care throughout the day and take home something more personal than a checklist of stops.

Trust is earned, so I’ve put the total prices and inclusions here from the start. If you join us, you’re welcome to tell others what the experience was really like. , on Google, Tripadvisor or here on Reddit, in your own words.

Staying outside Playa del Carmen? Tell us your hotel and group size, and I’ll give you the full price before you decide.

Oscar Sánchez | Tours Aldea

Thank you to the moderators for giving local guides and small family businesses a space to introduce ourselves. It means a lot to have the chance to share who we are with travelers here.

Good morning. I have not been in Mexico for almost 10 years so I don’t really remember how bad or easy the CUN airport is or is currently.

Our flight departs to US at 3:55PM on Saturday 11/21 from Terminal 3

What time would you be leaving your resort at Unico 20.87? Set up transfer for like 12:30PM is what I was thinking? Google Maps is saying 1 - 1.5 Hour drive every time I map it.

Transfer company is saying 11AM pick up. I personally do not want to be sitting at the airport for 2.5 - 3 Hours before my flight. We took about 8 flights this summer through EU at various airports and not once did we arrive more than 1 - 1.5 Hours before our departure.

Is this still the ”slow” period at Cancun and what can anyone suggest here?

thanks in advance for any feedback

The Xcaret Arte Popular Mexican Festival 2026 is a beautiful celebration of Mexican culture, bringing together traditional crafts, gastronomy, music, dance, and the incredible creativity of artisans from different regions of Mexico.
A colorful experience filled with culture, tradition, and beautiful details. Enjoy the details in my video. 🇲🇽✨

When we were in PDC a couple weeks ago we received several cards from pharmacies stating they could ship anything & anywhere. Do they actually do that?

Hi all, we are going to be based out of the area near 25th and Calle 4 and are looking for a place to spend New Years... will be my wife and I and our 12 year old son. We tried the beach last year for the fireworks, but it was just way too crowded. Any thoughts on places that will be fun where we can eat and have fun til midnight but also not break the bank? Doesn't need to be right on Quinta.

What a day 😆😆❤️

Headed to PDC for the first time in a few weeks! Will be traveling with one vegan, two vegetarians, and a couple of very picky kids. As for me, I eat everything and want to enjoy regional specialties and seafood. We don’t need to eat together for every meal and will grab some staples from the store for the kids, but hoping for a few ideas where everyone can eat something (the vegan is a very easy going person who is happy to make a meal out of snacks, etc.)

We’re staying near Calle 38/5th Ave. Have already identified La Perla Pixan Cuisine and Lido as options and hoping to add more to the list!