Many travelers who visit Cancun take a taxi upon arriving at the airport or book private transportation in advance, but some opt to rent a car.
Some rent a vehicle before leaving the airport, while others rent from offsite companies.
They are either picked up at the airport and taken to the offsite rental company or rent a car later during their trip by visiting a car rental company on their own.
Renting a car in Cancun is a great way to see more of the region, but not all car rental companies are legal, and Cancun tourists are being warned to be on alert for this growing rental scam.
Illegal Car Rental Companies
According to recent reports, there are as many as 20 illegal car rental “companies” operating in Cancun.
Illegal car rental companies are unregistered fake companies that provide rental cars to tourists.
The problem with this is that since they are not registered, there’s no way to know if certain conditions are being met to protect tourists.
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The Dangers Of Renting From These Companies
Since these car rental services are not legitimate, it’s not unlikely that their cars are illegal as well.
Cars may not have insurance to cover you if you get in an accident, and the condition of the vehicles may not be up to par, as they would be when renting from a real car rental company.
In a recent case involving a tourist renting from one of these companies, there was damage done to the vehicle, and the “company” wanted to charge the renter almost $5,000 because the vehicle didn’t have insurance.
@permanentvacationers Tips for renting a car in Mexico #rentalcars #mexico #cancun #traveltips ♬ original sound – Carolyn
Why Renting From An Airport Rental Company Is Safer
Car rental companies that operate out of the airport are registered legal businesses.
They have certain conditions that have to be met to be able to operate at the airport.
While you may hear about lower rental rates offsite, if you’re new to renting a car in Cancun, you may want to stick with renting one from one of the on-site rental companies at the airport.
@izathindwaofficial The best and affordable car rental in Cancun / tulum. #tulum #cancun #traveltips ♬ Sunroof – Nicky Youre & dazy
What You Can Expect To Pay For A Legitimate Car Rental
Several legitimate car rental companies operate out of Cancun Airport.
Rates vary from company to company, and day to day, and also depending on how long you rent the vehicle for.
A good estimate, though, is to expect to pay at least between $35 – $40 a day, which, compared to transportation costs, isn’t that bad.
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Alternatives To Renting A Car
If you don’t think you need a rental car during your Cancun vacation, you can always use one of several transportation options.
Taxis are available from the airport, the ADO bus service has an airport kiosk, and many private transportation companies operate at the airport.
Other than taking the ADO bus, though, transportation doesn’t come cheap.
A taxi from the airport to the Hotel Zone will easily run you $65 or more, and private transportation, although more comfortable and more convenient, will cost even more.
@thetraveltauruss ADO BUS in Mexico Travel Tips! [More details below ⬇️] If you are traveling to central Cancun or somewhere else in Quintana Roo Mexico like Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, Island Mujeres or Holbox take the ADO bus! It’s super affordable and the best way to get around Mexico. All the Mexico travel insiders and locals know about it, and now you do too! ⛴️ You can also purchase ferry tickets as well! 💰 Here are the current Airport Prices CUN Airport – Cancun $130 pesos ($7 usd) CUN Airport- PDC $250 pesos ($14 usd) CUN Airport – Tulum $420 pesos ($24 usd) CUN Airport – Merida $996/$1058 pesos ($57/$61 usd) *I have noticed the prices rise every time I fly back through so don’t be surprised if it’s a bit more by the next time you go * Personally, I’ve probably taken the ADO bus like 20-30 times and I will be taking it plenty of more times as well! Did you know about this bus or used this service before? ⬇️Comment below ⬇️ #thetraveltaurus #cancunairport #adobus #cancunairporttips #cancuntraveltips #mexicotraveltips #adobusmexico ♬ original sound – Alea S | Travel Tips & Advice
Driving In Cancun
Since car rentals in Cancun are affordable, it is a great option if you’re comfortable driving in Cancun.
Driving in Mexico isn’t that much different than driving in the U.S., other than the speed signs being in kilometers per hour rather than miles per hour and other signs being in Spanish.
Still, the speed is easy to figure out, and most signs are pretty self-explanatory.
@tequilatofu Replying to @ABAT #cancun#playadelcarmen #movingtomexicowithkids#cancun2023#cancunmexico ♬ Paradise – Bazzi
Why Rent A Car In Cancun
Renting a car in Cancun means not having to pay the high taxi prices or wait around for rides.
Even more importantly, though, is that having a car during your vacation means that you can explore more of the region.
With a car, you can get to Cenotes, Mayan ruins, and more without paying the high transportation costs, which will make your Cancun vacation even more memorable.
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