Getting back from Wal-Mart

Hello everyone - I have learned a lot by visiting this board. Invaluable information to help insure our trip will be a great time. Thank you all very much. Now to my question (the 1st of many probably).

I am making dinner resv for La Habichuela our 1st night. We will take the bus downtown. After dinner I want to go to the Wal-Mart for our groceries. I plan on taking a taxi there from the restaurant but I am wondering if getting a taxi from Wal-Mart after we are done shopping will be difficult?

Thanks,
Alice

 

You'll find lots of taxi's right outside Wal-Mart so you won't have any problems finding one to take you back to your resort.

And remember that even though the tip is built in to the fare, it is appropriate to give them an additional tip if they do things like help you carry your groceries etc.

 

Thank you Karen.

 

One other thing to remember about the taxis is that downtown is one of the few places where it is not needed to agree with the drive on the price up front (before you get in - to aviod getting 'taken for a ride' on the price) becuase there is a 'standard fare' from any one point within downtown to any other point downtown.

 

But what about from Wal-Mart to the Royal Sands is that a 'standard fare' also?

Thanks,
Alice

 

Yes...when you come out nd approach the taxi stand you'll see a fare chart that will list fares to various places in the hotel zone.

Your driver will quote you the fare (have him do it before you get in the taxi) and you can check that it's what you should be charged.

Expect it to be 130 pesos from dowtown to Zone 10 in the hotel zone where rhe Royal Sands is located.

 

To be clear, when I used the term "standard fare" I was referring to a flat rate which applies to all trips that start and end within the downtown area - and which I have yet to have any taxi driver try and misquote.

For taxi trips outside of the downtown area you'll need to be careful if you're going to be economical (at all) in taking taxis in Cancun... The rates you're supposed to pay may be posted somewhere, but my experience is that the cab driver will ask for whatever he thinks he might get away with - particularly if there was no agreement before you reach your destination.

As a back up (and for locations where there may not be any signs) the way I've always arrived at the top rate I'll be willing to pay to go back to the hotel from any particular location would be to find out from the consierge (however that's spelled) at the Sands (in your instance) BEFORE you embark on your excursion what a cab ride from (or to) that location should cost and then be certain to get that number (or less) agreed to with your cab driver before you get in.

This is another area where it pays to plan when vacationing in Cancun, so you should be able to do as well or better than most.

 

The bus stop is right on the side as well. 6 peso.. I think it is the #2

 

You're right Mike, on both counts.
But taking the bus with your arms full of snacks and purified water to last for a week can be a trying experience.

(Then again, she has 5 people along to help carry the packages - and the bus DOES stop right there...)