Renting a Car in Cancun / Riviera Maya

After enjoying our car rental experience in Cabo, we opted to go thru National Rental Car again and rent a car in Cancun.

We got the cheapest car possible (still spending $230 for four nights) and decided against the GPS. We definitely didn't need the GPS and were glad we saved that $30 USD! It was extremely easy to follow the signs and get from Cancun to Riviera Maya.

But, getting the cheapest car was comical as it was SUPER small and had zero upgrades! I set the alarm off a few times when unlocking the doors (no power locks and no windows). With our stroller, car seat and bags, we completely filled the trunk and backseat. I kept looking for the clock that doesn't exist!

For awhile, we weren't sure if reverse on the car worked. It was in a different spot than my husband was used to and apparently you have to push down on the gearshift - which he also wasn't used to! So, after strategically parking on a hill (where we could roll down) and parking where we wouldn't need reverse, my husband and Dad finally figured out how to get the car in reverse!

In the end, we would DEFINITELY rent a car in Riviera Maya / Cancun again, as it was so nice to be able to leave the resort (to go to Xpu Ha Beach, the beach at the Mayan Ruins, and to go get bottled water, milk and energy drinks). It was also super nice not to have to take a shuttle bus to and from the resort, making stops at the various other resorts along the way.

Some people just like to have the option of freedom, ie. leaving the resort on a whim, and that seems to be us!

Xpu Ha Beach in Playa del Carmen

This past Wednesday we flew to Cancun via Interjet, From Cancun, we rented a car and drove down highway 307 to Riviera Maya.

On the way, we stopped at Xpu Ha Beach in Playa del Carmen. We were a bit unprepared for the beach, having come straight from the airport.

But, Xpu Ha was great. There's a restaurant and shop, where you can rent beach towels. The towels were $60 pesos or $5 USD, plus another $60 pesos deposit per towel, which you get back upon towel return. We gave the worker $400 pesos. She said she didn't have change, but would get change and give it back to us...upon towel return. Needless to say, I think she says that regularly...and short changes people, as she did not "remember" when we returned our towels...nor did she give Mike the correct change after he brought it up. But, Mike said the change he received was "close enough", so we let it go.

But, while we had our towels, we took full advantage of them at the beach! There are plenty of lounge chairs and tables on the beach. If you eat at the restaurant, there is no charge for using the lounge chairs. So, that worked out fine. The food was alright - what you would expect from a beach restaurant. Tacos, quesadillas, burgers, etc.

The sand was GREAT, as was the water. There were some boats around, picking up and dropping off scuba divers. But, that didn't interfere with our swimming.

In Cabo, Annabelle was TERRIFIED of the ocean. She clung to me whenever she got within 15 feet of the water. At Xpu Ha, she quickly warmed up to the water and ended up having a great time splashing, swimming and giggling in the waves! She also enjoyed throwing sand on the beach!

In total, we spent about 90 minutes at Xpu Ha. We could have stayed longer, but it was just meant to be a quick spot on the way to Riviera Maya.

We would definitely go back again...but would bring our own towels...or exact change!