Safety and Health

With its massive resorts and tourist-oriented beach towns, the Caribbean Coast is free of most big-city dangers. Though increasingly urban, Playa del Carmen is safe, and extensive police patrols keep it that way. Resorts all have 24-hour security guards, and most have in-room safes. Thanks to advances in water purification, food safety has made great strides in the last decade, but Mexicans drink bottled water and you should, too. However, there's no need to worry about ice—it's made from purified water virtually everywhere. Look for the barrel-shaped industrial cubes, just to be sure.