Getting to Puerto Morelos from the Airport:

Even though it is less than a half hour drive, a taxi at the airport will cost about $65-$70. The cabs are not big, so if you have a lot of luggage you might be holding some on your lap. There are vans for larger groups too. The cab drivers should know Villas Playasol, or they will ask somebody if they don't. It might be handy to have the directions below, just in case.

A less expensive option is to take the ADO bus. The cost is about $5 per person. This is a luxury bus with A\C and a movie dubbed in Spanish. They leave every hour and run until at least 8:45 PM.  It picks you up straight ahead out of the new terminal 3. (on the far right if you come out of Terminal 2) You buy tickets in the airport terminal, after you pass customs and just before you leave the building. It is a booth on the left.  The bus will drop you on the highway at the turn off. Puerto Morelos is the first stop after leaving the airport. You can catch a cab ($2 USD or 20 pesos) or a local bus (collectivo) to PlayaSol. There should be cabs at the 7-11 and Pemex gas station.

Car Rental:

We don't often rent a car because the local bus transportation is so good, especially if it is just the two of us. If you want a car for a day or two you can rent one through our manager or at Executive Car rental on the highway next to the gas station. It will be about $50 per day with liability insurance and taxes.

We have been getting such good deals lately on car rentals that we couldn’t refuse. In July I got a rental through Advantage for a month for $200 US including third party liability insurance. We always decline the collision and extra liability insurance, but that is a personal choice. If you use the usual search engines, be absolutely sure the liability insurance is included in the price. Some of the low-ball companies don’t include it and that could easily double the rate once you arrive. In the past I have had good luck with Hertz too. They are handy if you only want the car for a short time. You can pick the car up at the airport and drop it at the Walmart in Cancun. They will give you a ride to the downtown bus station. I once got a good rate with www.mexexperience.com . Which company will give a good rate changes all the time, so check lots of sources. Try well before your trip and last minute too.

Driving directions to Villas Playasol:

There is an overpass now at highway interchange. The road splits just as you approach PM from both the north and south. Two lanes are a frontage road for access to local business. As you approach PM from the airport, (going south) stay in the right lane. You can make a left turn under the overpass. PM is 2 KM along the newly paved road. Turn left at the only stop sign (at the town square). Playasol is on the right a few blocks down. There is a large open block of land on the left and we are right across the street. Turn right at the Playasol sign and enter through the large gate.

If you are driving from Playa del Carmen, stay in the right lanes and turn right at the intersection right after the ADO bus station.

Taxis

Puerto Morelos may be a small town, but we have more than 100 taxis. The taxi stand is in the square. Rates are set, not metered. Agree on a price before you get in. It’s usually 20 pesos to get out to the highway, 250 pesos to get TO the airport. You are not expected to tip.

Collectivos

These are vans or small buses that drive a route around Puerto Morelos and out to the highway. It costs 4 pesos per person. The easiest way to get one is to walk their route back toward town. They come down the road from town and turn west at the corner of Playasol and head back on avenue Ninos Heros. Walk that road back to town and often one will come by. If not you can get one across from the church in the square.

The luxury "ADO" bus system on the highway:

The bus to Cancun is on the same schedule and goes to the downtown bus station on the main street in Cancun - Tulum Ave. Buy your ticket on the beach side of the highway under the canvas tent on the corner where the road meets the highway.

Finding the ticket booth for return from Cancun or Playa is a little tricky. There is a separate ticket booth just for the Playa -Cancun route. It is a walk-through booth. It is at the south end of the terminal in Playa and the north end in Cancun.  Busses load constantly and leave about every 10 minutes.

Driving in Cancun:

Downtown Cancun can get confusing, but it is not overly difficult. (a good co-pilot helps!) There are lots of Glorietta's (round-abouts), and the streets aren't parallel. Traffic can get congested along the main street- Tulum. Street names can change on each side of a glorietta even though they appear to be the same street.  I haven't found a really good map yet. If you want to avoid traffic and get to the bus station- Commercial Mexicana area of Tulum, try taking Bonampak street. It veers off toward the Hotel Zone, (watch for the tall wooden lookout tower) but parallels Tulum. Then cut back to Tulum at Uxmal or where ever you are trying to get to.

Local busses in Cancun:

I am not clear on the bus routes, but the busses and vans (collectivos) are fun and inexpensive. They are numbered with the route (R-1 or R-16 for example) and the destination is marked on the window. Cost is six pesos per person. Everything seems to go to Wal-Mart. Cabs are pretty inexpensive as well, but try to bus just for fun. 

Cancun taxis

Cancun taxis are more expensive if they are cued up. This goes for the airport, bus terminal Wal-Mart or other large stores. The price is always lower to flag down a taxi driving around on the street.