Leaving Merida to live in Playa or Cancun ?

I would not live here with my family if it was dangerous.

 

Definitely more dangerous than Merida but nothing like Monterrey. No narcomantas, no false retenes, no narcobloques but yeah, nothing like Merida.

Sipse won't have as much as Blog del Narco - recent article there about teens in Cancun.

Here is a playa message board if you want to see what the locals have to say Locals Talk - Playa del Carmen & Riviera Maya Forum by In The Roo

I personally would not be moving to Cancun with young teens as an expat. If I had a Mexican family based in Cancun that would be different, also if I were moving to Cancun with young children that would be different and I wouldn't be as concerned.

 

Cancun is basically a benign environment, regardless of news reports, which sensationalize everything.

One of my neighbors was arrested on a charge of importation of 55kg of cocaine to the U.S.; another was assassinated, 32 bullet wounds, ostensibly for failing to repay one million USD in personal loans from private individuals: does this affect me? You gotta be kidding!

Keep your nose clean, here, and you live as comfortably as Mother Teresa.
__________________

 

V.
really intellingent comment. Cancer doesn"t spread either. But you know it all.

4 years college in mexico, 20 plus years in cancun. got out this year.

 

Karl
Thats quite an ambiguous comment ?
Could you make your reasons a little bit clearer because I dont know what you are referring to.
Thanks

 

Karl, perhaps you objected to my reference to Mother Teresa, but living here is much like living anywhere in the U.S.: you associate with the wrong crowd, and you can have trouble of all kinds. Don't, and you can live as peacefully as anyone, anywhere.

 

Kathy - Yes, I had chemo & radiation in Merida and would make the same decision again as opposed to going to the states or doing it here in Cancun. Thank God I don't have to make it though. Life Rocks - GOD IS GREAT.

Gonzo - I too wonder why Scorpio moved away, yet continues to bash Cancun.

V - We are on the same page. Don't mess with the drug biz, prostitution biz, make/sell bootleg DVDs, don't smuggle aliens, etc and life is good and without incidents. I have never felt unsafe here, day or night. Life goes on.

gbchayctca - I think that it is fair to say that you interact with the Mayan culture far more than most ex-pats. Personally, I love Valladolid; it is my go to weekend getaway place from time to time. But you are far more knowledgable than I will ever be about how folks "really" live in Yucatan. Orphans in Bonfil though, that I can speak to. And I try to let my actions do my talking on that subject.

Without trying to answer for Karl, and I have been friends with him and his lovely wife for years, I think it was just time for a change for them. We all get worn out from time to time with the idiosyncrosies of this culture and lifestyle, but it is largely tolerable at the worst. Still fun to bitch and vent about it though, and I do my share of that. But, if we get fed up, we can leave. Maybe Karl & Dee Dee got to that point. Or they got tired of me beating them in pool.

 

I you ar looking for a nice and quiet house with good schools to rent, I have one for you to rent. I can send you pictures if you like. The house is in Cancun on the water with a pool. You look right across from Isla Mujeres. Contact me if you need any more information
gokmgrove@aol.com

 

Only two months in, so take it for what it's worth, we are enjoying Cancun. Certainly some issues (namely power/water outages), but nothing major.

It is me, my husband, and our 7-year-old triplets (along with two cats). They will go to Diuni in the fall (our son is autistic and they already have hired a bilingual teacher just for him).

We live in the Malecon Americas towers, which makes it very convenient to just about anything we would want. We can take the grocery cart from Chedraui through the mall and right to our door--cannot say how nice this is. The view from our terrace is to die for, looking out at the lagoon and the hotel zone.

If we need something, it is within walking distance or a short bus/taxi ride away. Speaking of transportation, we just now got a car (mainly for trips to school and back), but didn't miss/need one much at all. We rented a car to head over Chitzen Itza, Tulum, Merida and some other sites. Also headed over to Isla Mujeres for a couple of day trips as well.

For the beach, we hop on the R27 and head over to the Hotel Zone and go to either Playa Chac Mool or Playa Caracol. Very nice, not so many tourists, and safer swimming conditions (especially Caracol).

Restaurants are everywhere and if you move away from the tourist traps, there are some real gems. Both inexpensive and excellent.

For us, and we are lucky to be in a good financial position--Cancun is great. We can live better here for half the price compared to where we lived in the states. Electronics and toys are about the only things that cost more than what we could get in Florida (clothing is priced about the same).

Internet is not quite as good as what we had before and getting it installed was a bit of a nightmare. One thing is that we take it all in stride, sure there are hiccups. But you get that just about everywhere in some form.

The weather is better than Merida as long as there is a seabreeze. The last three weeks have been hot, but not as much as what we went through in Florida every summer.

Another great thing about Cancun is the airport. Extremely convenient to get in/out of and offers so many destinations. This was one of the key decisions in making our move here. I'm a financial consultant and make trips occasionally to the States and Europe, so having a good airport is critical for me. There are cultural aspects lacking in Cancun, but we can jump on a plane and head out for quick fix if needed!

My biggest complaint I have thus far about living in Cancun is the lack of crosswalks. Reminds us of Rome in regard to the way people drive and tempt fate crossing the roads.

We've lived in Germany, Norway, France, and Spain. Also have been fortunate to travel extensively around the globe. So we knew (fairly well) what to expect when we moved here. Still learning the ropes and making new discoveries, but loving it all the way.

Hope this helps!

 

@KGUNN, thanks for that info, it would be nice if you could update us all every now and then to let us know how things proceed, thank you