U.S. $$ a problem??

We are going to be travelling primarily in the western part of the Yucatan mid Feb to mid March. When mentioning this in conversation, we have been warned not to take American $$ because of cartel problems, etc. I've never heard this before. Can someone fill me in. We are Canadian but have always found that U.S. currency has been more readily accepted.

Non-residents have problems exchanging USD at banks, but using casas de cambios shouldn´t be a problem. Why not take a debit card and withdraw MXN from ATM?

The casas de cambios have their rates clearly displayed for all currencies, USD were readily exchanged everywhere.
I personally never carry alot of cash, plastic in the form of debit and credit cards are what I use for ATMs and hotels.

AFAIK, there are no cartel problems in and around Merida (if that's what you mean by western Yucatan). Regardless, locals here appreciate when you use local currency. It's kind of the same as if an American were visiting Canada; you'd wonder why they weren't using Canadian dollars. Unless you have some extra US dollars lying around I fail to see the logic in exchanging Canadian dollars to US dollars and then to Mexican pesos or, worse, paying in US dollars at very poor exchange rates. Any exchange house I've seen in Merida readily takes Canadian dollars. However, common consensus is that you get better rates by withdrawing money (pesos) from an ATM.

Elektra stores most often have a Banco Azteca in them that exchange US dollars (need to show passport, etc). The rates are not too bad, but usually a bit worse than what can be found at say the CDMX airport for cash. I dont know if other currencies can be exchanged at Elektra stores, Ive never looked into it (maybe someone on this thread will know). Elektra stores are found in many, many places, and can be a good thing for those running really low on pesos and not carrying a card for ATM use. Note that you can get a better rate at an ATM, but depending on the card you have (and different fee structures associated with the card, your bank, the ATM, etc.) it is possible to end up with a worse ´real exchange rate´ than you get with a cash exchange.

Cartel problems!?

Don't listen to whoever told you that, but do use ATM's as everyone has said.

Why would you pay an exchange rate to buy US dollars at a cost to you. Then exchange to Mexican pesos and lose again.
As has been said before use a debit card at a "Bank" ATM, not a no name ATM, to get your needed pesos.
That gives you the best rate.

A couple of years ago, a young woman from the US tried to get money from an ATM in Lagunas Crossing, Mexico. She was out of money and so was the ATM. She subsequently disappeared while hitchiking from this location and has not been seen since. Maybe she would have caught a second class bus there, had the ATM worked. There are so many reports of ATM and card failures online that a backup seems to be a must (for me it would be). Changing 200 dollars worth of Canadian to US, to carry just incase, wont cost much at all.

"Cartel problems" in Yucatan and Campeche are purely imaginary, as far as impacting travelers is concerned. These are very safe places to travel.

When I travel I usually have about $40 USD on me, and I withdraw local currency from an ATM immediately upon arrival. I tuck some of that cash away for an emergency, and continue to rely on ATMs wherever I go. In cities a lot of businesses accept credit cards these days with no issues.

I met a guy in India who said he always left for trips with $10k in cash in his money belt (not me). Didnt bother him at all. However, he was afraid of going with only a card for ATM and bank use. He claimed to have traveled like that for decades without any problems.

It used to be quite common for those visiting Cuba to take all their cash needs with them.

By the way, where is Lagunas Crossing, Mexico? Google Maps can´t find it.

https://www.google.com.mx/maps/place/Juchit%C3%A1n+de+Zaragoza,+Oax./@16.795525,-95.0658093,13.21z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x859554e3320028d9:0xb4abcd9df463ce35!8m2!3d16.4406909!4d-95.0221197

I dont know if the above link will work like I intended. If you look up Juchitan on Google Maps and then ´follow´ the highway 185 north you will soon see (to the left of the 185) a town called Lagunas. See the road that heads from Lagunas to the 185...where these meet is Lagunas Crossing. This is where Jenny Chen was picked up.

Wait, you mean you actually MET this woman!?

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/missing-jenny-chen-tracked-juchitan/

Wait, you mean you actually MET this woman!?

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/missing-jenny-chen-tracked-juchitan/

No, I never met here and never claimed I met her. If you thought this was a possibility because I wrote of her ATM experience at Laguna Crossing, I will say that this was reported during the search for Jenny, made by both private investigators and LE. It is a known certainty that she tried to use the only ATM at this location and that it was out of money.

Ah sorry, I misread it and confused her with the India guy (where I am now myself and it's... late). That would've been quite a plot twist.

Hoping to get back there someday...

Jenny stayed with a family at Lagunas Crossing the night before getting picked up and told them she was completely out of money.

Thank you all for your responses. ATM it is!

Maybe she would have caught a second class bus there, had the ATM worked.

Jenny had been hitch-hiking on this trip even when she did have money. It was what she liked to do. It was bad planning on her part to get so low on money. She left Oaxaca City the previous day, and there are all kinds of ATMs and banks there to get money. Still, had the ATM at Lagunas Crossing had money for her, she might have decided to change her ways and take a bus.

In cities a lot of businesses accept credit cards these days with no issues.

I went to a long running travel agency today in CDMX to enquire about flights; just doing some research. Was told payment could be in cash or by card, but if by card it is 2 percent more. This is not unusual, more merchants these days are passing the cost of card payments on to the purchaser.

I´ve seen restaurants say they charge 12% more if the customer wants a receipt. i thought that was a bit rich, until I figured it out: the business wasn´t paying value added tax on their income, but if they issued a recipt, they would have to pay the VAT, so added it on to the bill.

Posting this link for consideration...

Mexico: ATMS and Credit Cards
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g150768-c5116/Mexico:Atms.And.Credit.Cards.html

Cards have always been the backup for me, but I know for many (or most) it is the other way around (cash being the backup to the card). Though it is abit dated now (2016) there is likely still some pertinent info.

Cards have always been the backup for me...

In Mexico, the difference between the cash exchange rate and the card exchage rate is greater than I recall seeing elsewhere.

In India, I was getting the mid-market rate (aka inter-bank rate) for cash...the best that could be had with any card.

Same in Thailand...where I changed there (Super Rich), the spread between buy and sell was often only 5 hundredths. The spread today is only 7 hundredths: buy 32.75, sell 32.82.....and this while the mid-market rate is 32.86 ! How do they make any money? Volume.
Here is a link to Super Rich with todays rates:
https://www.superrichthailand.com/#!/en

Order a few pesos from your local bank to get you through your first day or 2 then use ATMs while you're down there. It makes no sense to bring USD, especially when you aren't from the USA.

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