The Mexican City I Couldn’t Wait to Leave

[@memphiskong8868]

Right after the conference I was going to go to Tulum and was warned away by the concierge at the Hyatt. I went instead to Merida and loved it.

[@acajudi100]

Merida toooooo hotttttt and humid.

[@ketchyshubby]

@@acajudi100 Honest question, what did you do in Merida? I was there for a wedding and we had fun, but I can't imagine going there by myself as a tourist.

[@billmuller1469]

I'm in Merida right now. Love it but yes very hot.

[@DestinationRetirement]

I have a house in Mérida and I love it. It's an air bnb now but I'll be moving there in the near future. And yes, I have been there in the summer. :)

[@lelandsmith2320]

I visited tulum in 1972. I slept next my car next to the pyramid. There was nobody there except us and the ruin guard. No town, no nothing, just ruins. I ate a lot of bananas and canned corn beef and bread when I could get it. The ruins were pretty at sunrise.

[@ottmarmontes]

Sounds like a cool story. Crazy how much the place has changed since then based on stories from even the early 2000's.

[@RicardoMartinez-wd7tj]

I worked at one of the first hotels in Cancun, Sheraton. In 1979-82, Tulum was just the ruins and a row of huts with vendors, no houses nearby.

[@jeanpequignot80]

Nice. I would advice you to never go back cause you'll be very disappointed...

[@arteson6093]

Those were the days ….It stayed like that until 80s when I went and swam next to the ruins with no one else in sight , except for the guards.

[@pllk9316]

Pp

[@bluebadgersec]

I love how he's genuinely re-living the stories as he tells them 😂

[@mc3880]

lol 😂😂

[@xaviercopeland2789]

You should visit Oaxaca City and Guanajuato. Very old, but safe, not as touristy, still can get around while learning Spanish, and amazing food and architecture.

[@SarahPerine]

I LOVE Guanajuato 💚💚💚

[@raireva4689]

No you are not wrong. City developed for north American gringos cater to their expectations....BTW I love Mexico and I am spending at least 6 months a year there....at undisclosed location😊🇲🇽

[@TedKidd]

Oaxaca

[@jameslosangeles9067]

Mexico is only "nice" to strangers when they have 💰 to spend ... 😄🎊

[@astro.2029]

@@jameslosangeles9067 No, it's not.

[@mariamar2114]

@@jameslosangeles9067 entonces si no tienes 💰 no vengas....para que no te traten mal

[@sweetchavacano2]

@@mariamar2114 señora callese y sea un poco autocritica

[@jimmcdougal1793]

Tulum was my 'go to' for years, I've probably been there a dozen times since 2003. I live on the east coast of the US, so it's an easy destination for a quick vacation . I saw Tulum evolve from a sleepy little backpacker town to one of the most chill coolest vacation towns ever; and then to now, it's definitely hit some growing pains. It's become a destination for the party-hard crowd with lot's of speculative sloppy development, superfluous businesses and of course drugs & crime. It makes me sad, but I kinda knew that it would eventually happen. It's been 3 years since my last visit, not sure when or if I'll go back. I knew a few great restaurants and bars when I was going there regularly, hopefully they're still there if I go back...

[@jamescalifornia2964]

Sounds like Miami Florida ... 😞

[@susanmartin4092]

Yes Tulum has been destroyed very sad it was once a very nice place to go…..no more sad

[@jeanpequignot80]

Sounds like you're part of the problem, hehe.

[@thebomontellano4996]

Sounds like Venice Beach

[@jeanpequignot80]

@@thebomontellano4996 😂

[@TheBTG88]

I visited Tulum in 1987. All that was there at the time was the ruins. It was wonderful. Sounds like has ‘developed’ into a dump. What a shame.

[@darrylknight2675]

I have found the same with a lot of places I loved in the 70s and 80s, they change. A good friend of mine once said to me, "If you have lived in a place you really really loved, don't go back you will be disappointed". Most times he has proved to be correct.

[@deborahhardy4445]

I visited Tulum in early 90's and it still just the ruins- no fences, no gates, no vendors no hotels to speak of.Just simple and beautiful.A few locals on the beach and some European tourists likely staying in Playa del Carmen.5th st was only developed area and Europeans came 1st.American divers like me were in Cozumel, and Americans also at big resorts in Cancun.Merida was not visited much by Americans.Also visited Cabo and Puerto Vallarta a lot in the 80's and both pretty undeveloped.Mexican govt places no restrictions on tourism devpt and these and other areas have been ruined as a result.Its sad and also worrisome as infrastructure cannot handle it.For example, all the untreated sewage in the Yucutan goes through some of the cenotes and straight out to sea.

[@paul2d]

That was my experience in the late 80's. Was staying at a small hotel further up the coast at Akumal and enjoyed the diving. I shudder to think of what it has turned into today.

[@the_gilded_age_phoenix8717]

@@darrylknight2675 Sounds about how I feel about Williamsburg, VA. I went to university there and had fond memories of the place, so I decided to move back there and teach at the university about 11 years after graduation. The place was totally different...and, now, my good old memories of the place have been replaced by new bad ones.

[@stephanieburns4560]

I was there around then, too. We stayed at a hotel way down the one dirt road along the beach. It was so remote. it was such a sweet place; mostly nature. i went back a few years ago and i was in shock! A whole city developed in that time.

[@user-zb1ps5is5j]

Now take that, multiply it a few times, and you get Morocco.

[@aggierowe9574]

Oh no! Marakech was on my bucket list but I think I pretend its 1960

[@danielj3010]

1000% agree where I went to Tulum for the day in 2015, stayed in Cancun/Isla Mujeres.. talk about a tourist trap down there.

[@radicalpinkys]

I’ve been to Tulum a couple of times and what I did is talk to the locals. I befriended a nice guy that introduced me to the food locals eat, told me what places and things to see and had an amazing time. When I ate at a place that he didn’t recommend to me was when I had a bad experience. Never fall for the tourist trap, go to where the locals go. He also told me one of the reasons you’re seeing the ugly side of Tulum lately is because of all the foreign interests that have their spoon in the bowl, Building on land that has been declared protected with illegal hotels. Many of those hotels were located way past the point in the jungle along the coast where it was supposed to be protected land, we had to drive more than 30 minutes into the jungle dirt road to go past the hotels. And those “sketchy” businesses and things exist only because there is a market for it, people do what needs to be done to survive, and if that’s what tourists are seeking, that’s what they will offer since the money spent in Tulum most of the time go to the corporations that set up the hotels through corruption, not to the locals who previously depended on those lands for their commerce.

[@bunghole209]

Exactly how I'm feeling about the United States right now. Gotta get out but where do I go unless I have enough funds to buy a private island in international waters.

[@richardhowe5583]

Go to Malaysia Vietnam Cambodia Thailand or the Philippines. I prefer the Philippines because most people speak English and is 98% Christian. Vietnam and Thailand have the best infrastructure and food if you can get past the language barrier. The Filipino girls are the most beautiful and friendly of any in the world and they do not care how old you are. Me and my girl live in a small Beach town on $1,000 a month and we live very well.

[@pauloshea3741]

Buy a boat!

[@mw3516405]

Mexico City is the largest city North American continent. Big cities are hard to take!

[@daveoliver3515]

what makes it great ;)

[@shoshi06]

It was about Tulum. Mexico City is one of the best cities I've ever been to and I've seen alot of places.

[@theworldandbeyond5516]

This is the first time I've heard someone tell the truth about Tulum! Everyone hypes up this place so much otherwise. We also saw the soild guy haha

[@towaritch]

I spent about a month in Tulum in 2013 and found it highly enjoyable.

[@the_gilded_age_phoenix8717]

@@towaritch Did you ever soil yourself while there? Inquiring minds want to know.

[@towaritch]

@@the_gilded_age_phoenix8717 No but my Canadian neighbors were robbed.

[@octavioandradejr.3386]

Ok don't come back here, there are many tourists with good vibe so we don't need you snobs

[@theworldandbeyond5516]

@@octavioandradejr.3386 This type of "we are the real tourists" and "we are the ones with a good vibe" kind of people is exactly was Tulum is filled with. So thanks for proving the point 🤣

[@LMDinNC]

I was fortunate to go to Tulum in 2000 before any of this development happened. The properties all had palapas and cabanas and it was just a relaxed beach getaway. Mexico did not designate Tulum as a tourism development area, and that’s why there’s no planned development infrastructure there. I wonder what kind of research you did before going there. It’s pretty well known that Tulum has a major drug scene, horrible traffic issues, and outrageous prices.

[@ns7023]

Those were the good times

[@txurbina]

Unfortunately, you're right and it's shame.

[@baronbattles4681]

This reminds me of the different experiences my brother and I had in Jerusalem. I had a great time and his was more like yours in Tulum. Yes, the people we encounter can have an enormous impact on our experiences in a place. There are wonderful people everywhere and evil people everywhere. You are very right to go where you are treated best.

[@IsraelsNighttimeVoiceAUDIOS]

WOW! Im glad I chose GUADALAJARA then! Arrived here on the Sept 11 after 4 straight years in the Philippines (couldn't wait) and I AM LOVING THIS CITY! Talum, Playa, Cancun, all in the running but I chose here and am looking forward to the next 5 and half months! Thanks. Andrew, love your storytelling. :D

[@lorenaledger6547]

Guadalajara is a narcogobierno

[@dennishassler605]

Anywhere along the Yucatan coast you'll get harassed by vendors. Moreover, in Mexico, they always WAY OVER DEVELOPED over time the houses get over crowded. In PV buyers had a front line view of the marina BUT the added another row of houses in front of them so they lost their view - it's like that in Mexico where there's no building codes and they allow this "overdevelopment". The best example is Acapulco - used to be an amazing resort, but today it's overdeveloped and the old (worker) town merged with the resort area and NOW gangs are extorting businesses everywhere. Huatulco is still very nice given they control the development there and it's spread out, but beware of "overdevelopment".

[@eduardof7322]

It´s really a shame whats happening to the Mexican Caribbean. It used to be this pristine and beautiful place of virgin beaches, incredible Mayan ruins, deep jungles and just a couple of cute little hotels aside the sea. But now it has really been devoured by mass tourism, and from Cancun to Tulum, you cannot find a single beach that is not occupied by massive and invasive resorts and residencial complexes, and that´s an area of 80 miles long. The worst part of this has been faced by the towns and cities who have evolved into a chaotic mess, where touristy parts have become full of scams, tourists traps, agressive publicity and incredibly overpriced stuff. And the less touristy areas where most people actually live, are just improvised houses surrounded by empty land and dusty streets, with nothing really interesting to see or do. Fortunately, North of Cancun and South of Tulum, this situation has not reached this point... yet. In places like Mahahual, Xcalak, and Holbox, you can still feel the vibe of how places like Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Tulum used to be 30 years ago before mass tourism destroyed them. For someone wanting to visit Tulum, I would really recommend to just visit the ruins and if its a good day the beaches. Saddly, there´s nothing more that is worth it.

[@adrianpruszkowski8450]

Tulum is far overpriced. Not developed yet. I know there is many nice places but 80% of Tulum or even 90 is just not worth it. In City center prices are higher about 30,40% than Playa Del Carmen, by the beach is over 100% more expensive. You can eat much cheaper in London, its crazy..

[@travelsquad5704]

It's true! I had the same experience. City looks gorgeous on KZbin videos but it's not look like this in real life. Prices are crazy!

[@pedrogonzales5426]

I have the same experience about Tulum. I wanted to leave it straight after arriving there..

[@drx1xym154]

@@pedrogonzales5426 -- IDK, Tulum "proper" can be somewhat pricy, though I really have not noticed. We always get the excursion packages from our resort (which is also nice). Yes the prices can be a little high - yet I feel that is money well spent for a quality experience. I find the sketchyness often comes in when people are too "frugal" - I suppose penny wise, yet pound foolish is the way? I hear Tulum is worse, and that is likely to be expected diving the events of the last 2 years or so ... I suppose it would have deteriorated slower, had we no, "enfermedad de la cerveza". I am sure certain parts are still great. I do love the Baja/Pacific side more. Also (to the OP), AFAIK, steak knives are "outlawed" in London by the psychotic mayor - so, you can keep all your chips and dips, buddy. I am sure the touristy areas in London are often of poor quality and high prices - like much of the world. I even remember a field trip Austria where we went to a castle (which was great) yet they had the crappies, watered down "beer", that I have ever had (also in Jamaica - I have seen some of the worst and best rum, you can attempt to drink). I would not really even call it beer, so much as "piss flavored, light yellow, liquid" - I am not even sure it was safe to sip (to test, though no one got sick so, there is that).

[@marcelbilbao8533]

The sad thing is that back in the day 20+ yrs ago it was absolutely gorgeous, just incredible, only one or two hotels by the beach, full of nature...last time I went couple of yrs ago it was shocking to me, so many foreigners living there not only U S hippies but a lot of people from the rest of Latin America, awful crowd... A combination of mass tourism and weak immigration policies...

[@HouseJawn]

Best thing about this channel other than the obvious, is that andrew is actually really funny 🤣

[@HueBFuture]

this is so true. very serious but also funny. very confident.

[@leswhynin913]

Andrew looks like he would wear an old-time bathing costume to the beach. Seriously though - Tulum used to be a cool quiet place, but in the last few years it's been overdeveloped like crazy.

[@michaelyork7844]

This is what fn developers so just look at all the eyesore home subdivisions everywhere in countries

[@punstress]

> Andrew looks like he would wear an old-time bathing costume to the beach. OMG yes!

[@SunsetSheen]

😂

[@albertinsinger7443]

Just flew 1 st class from Athens to Paris with Air France . One guy smelled of toilet. He bent over and had a big brown strip along the back side of his trousers . An other passenger brought his own seats. Was dressed like a school boy but was over 50 years old. A mix couple kept on going to the rest rooms together and the stewardesses said nothing. This is the state of western people now.

[@maremagnus]

People lost dignity self respect and shame that's why the many videos of Karens and their male counterparts here in KZbin 🤮

[@TimKyoutube]

A video like this is why A.H. is the man, LOL. How many overhyped Tulum vids did we have to suffer through in our YT playlists last year? I want to see a cinematic recreation of this story complete with drones, etc.

[@miker7808]

there and the Philippines. lol sorry, couldnt resist bro. 😊

[@1rjona]

For me , stay in Mexico city and just take vacation everywhere else. Touristy towns like Tulum and Playa de Carmen are not worth staying for more than a week

[@ns7023]

You can stay in Puebla, Guanajuato, Zacatecas and Guadalajara for longer. Plenty to see. But overall yeah. Solid plan

[@1rjona]

@@ns7023 I was suppose to work in Guadalajara but got reassigned to Mexico city instead. My friends love Guadalajara and miss it

[@pg618]

I have been to Mexico 16 times in total each town is different and sometimes different each time I visit. If I love a place a lot I need to go back and have a second look. If I hate a place a lot sometimes I'll go back and have a second look and it will be different. case by case. All in all over the last 40 years tourism has drastically damaged many many cultures.

[@emesegede5588]

double high five! we've been travelling with my hubby around Mexico since May and visited more local places (Querétaro, Morelia, Guanajuato, Guadalajara) which were awesome and the people were friendly, nice, helpful, and never gave us gringo prices. BUT when we arrived in Yucatàn, everything has changed and couldn't wait to get out of this part of Mexico. Nice beaches? yes. Good weather? yes. But the locals were hunting for gringos (and we are not even from the US) at every corner at all times. Services, prices were just unbelievably over the top compare to what we've experienced in the other cities. So, couldn't agree more with you, Andrew! greetings from Oaxaca

[@cobblestone977]

I can not agree more !!!! Drives me crazy when Americans visit the tourist areas in Mexico (i.e. Cancun, Cabo, Tulum) and make negative comments. So many wonderful places and wonderful people in Mexico. Also, I thought it was cute when Andrew called Merida "sleepy". Merida is anything but sleepy Tons of activities to do, places to visit, and events going on in all the zocalos every night of the week.

[@emesegede5588]

@@VibeWithVida Hi, Oaxaca is a beautiful place surrounded by gorgeous mountains, very kind and lovely people. The culture is very intense and many little villages around to visit and learn about the indigenous people. One downside though is that the internet is not very stable to work online but all in Oaxaca state is like that. The tourists seemed to be the "nicer" ones. The downtown is beautiful, recommended districts to look for rents: Jalatlaco and Barrio de la Noria. Unfortunately, we didn't have the time to visit Puebla but I would recommend Querétaro 100%. It's a very livable city with good prices, infrastructure and stable wifi. It's not touristy at all but there is a growing expat community because of the international companies settling there. I would even say a middle class, safe hidden gem city only 3 hours up north from Mexico City. Anyway, I am sure you will have a great time in Mexico! We've visited over 40 countries around the world with my hubby and Mexico has become one of our huge favourites :)

[@VibeWithVida]

@@emesegede5588 Super helpful! That's information I actually didn't know. I need internet so looks like Oaxaca might not be the best choice. That's fine though. So many choices! Thank you 💙👍🏽

[@towaritch]

My problem in Yucatan was different, as it is the easiest part of Mexico to access from Europe where I m from, there were some individuals from a minority we don't like in my country that had the displeasure to see with their usual " attitudes" ( not agressive though)

[@OutboundShane]

I went to Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca and had the opposite of the Yucatan tourist trap nightmare experience. Everyone was laid back and there were street vendors like everywhere in Mexico but they weren't rudely shoving things in your face like in Playa del Carmen where you can't even enjoy a walk.

[@theshermano3000]

I lived in Cancun for almost a year. Got to Playa and Tulum often. Playa was okay but Tulum's desire to become the "hippie" capital of Mexico has brought so many hippies that they've become just the opposite. Too much demand, too quickly and the prices skyrocketed and the people in charge of investing in infrastructure dropped the ball. It's become a complete cluster.

[@elplata7224]

Agreed. I last visited Playa 2005 or so. It was 100% a ‘developing country’. Most emblematic memory was the 1.5 lane road to and from Cancun, with people running across to get to the bus. Every-time we drove it there was a dead body in the road…

[@quest4facts]

I went to Tulum in 2018 from a cruise we went on so I got 100% tourist trap locations and hagglers looking to sell me on everything under the sun. The people were nice, and I did a few double takes on strange sights I'd seen there, but nothing too crazy. We bought a few keepsakes that didn't last long afterwards, that was disappointing. The food, the drinks, the tours were great and had a good experience (luckily). I can see how the novelty would wear off quickly if you lived there or if you stayed longer than a day. Other parts of Mexico are very vibrant and have an authentic charm to them, but that was not to be found in Tulum.

[@punstress]

There's a pair of American ex-pats who also left Tulum when they saw things going downhill, and that's the only city they don't recommend. I only went there decades ago when my sister and I took the bus down from Cancun. I told my sister the guidebook said only take the first-class bus; she thought I was being elitist. Then we saw the other bus being loaded and I kid you not, people were bringing chickens and it was so full that parents were holding their kids out the window. So glad that my sister listened to me for once! The ruins were amazing though. Back then they still let you climb it. No more, guess it was climb-it change (ba-dum-bum). Anyway, I also remember a lady selling squares of toilet paper in front of the poorly stocked public bathrooms and a sort of campground of palapas on the beach where people slept on hammocks, not even a door to lock. Met a Canadian girl and learned that, with airfare, she paid as much to rent a palapa as we did to stay in a nice hotel. I'll never forget the sadness in her eyes. I'm sure there are many other cities to avoid in Mexico - Tijuana, anyone? - but they are typically not exactly vacation destinations in the first place.

[@elcaudillojauregui481]

U ever been at Oakland CA u have garbage every where u go

[@elcaudillojauregui481]

You can go to highland hospital and talk to doctors and nurse they have people gunshot everyday

[@elcaudillojauregui481]

San Francisco store are getting broke everyday

[@elcaudillojauregui481]

At Mexico only one shooting at the hole history at USA every month

[@elcaudillojauregui481]

If I keep going u will cry

[@AlicjaChojecka]

Tulum is hardly a "city" ;-) Ilove Mexico!

[@gaius_marius]

Agree!

[@BrianBaileyedtech]

Yep - had a similar-ish experience in Tulum 18 months ago on my way to Belize. Chetumal is a much nicer city. I got an airbnb in Tulum, advertised as a villa but it was far from the center - like almost 25 minute walk. I know the grocery store you are talking about - they were all like that plus overpriced. I ended up eating out all the time because I could find a decent place to buy groceries. Lots of security too - constant procession of riot police as a couple of tourists (well, they had connections with the drug trade so no surprise) were shot before I arrived. Finally, the beach is so far from the centre and also very expensive - not worth it. Better places run the gamut from Mazatlan (loved it, dangerous rep not deserved IMHO), Acapulco (likewise), Puerto Vallarta, La Paz, Merida (great call), etc. Two standouts for me are Puebla and Oaxcaca which I visited a few months ago.

[@TNSCorp]

My father bought a place there not too long ago, it is fairly swanky but next to very underdeveloped houses, I tagged along to sign the property papers and those 4 days were miserable, so expensive without reason and so overdeveloped and under administered, felt really unwelcomed, didn't even went to the beach cause the taxis and places that charge to sit on the beach seemed like a racket. When I first went to Tulum about 20 yrs ago, it was just a beautiful strip of beach with a hippie vibe, now it is just an overpriced tourist trap.

[@kritanyadominique5332]

I was in Tulum in 2012 is was a sleepy little charming town. However, I was there just 6 months ago "they" completely ruined the city. Looked like a bad city in India. So sad 😞

[@ajayreddy8732]

India is so beautiful

[@drx1xym154]

@@ajayreddy8732 -- well yes, I am sure India has its gems and the Taj. Mexico does as well... though it appears they ruined one of them... I think the aggressive level of "street merchants, drug addicts and dirty hippy hustlers" can put a damper on almost any place. I have only ever been to the Tulum ruins - which are nice and it also has a small and tropical (Caribbean style) beach a few times. Also the water parks can be nice - they do a good job in certain places, though the hustlers and criminals and vagrants can be a little sketchy!

[@kritanyadominique5332]

And no pun to India as a country, nevertheless, cats, dogs, random motorcycle driving every direction, India was used a a descriptive name/word. And just as important would be the greedy hotel chains that won't stop building even if they have multiple hotels with empty over priced rooms that are empty!

[@BlowmeRoger]

Beautiful?? Are u from chernobyl? Crazy

[@tdgdbs1]

@@ajayreddy8732 India is stunning, I just hope the Indians realize that and take good care of their country. The pollution is topping the scale, my nose started to bleed and black sooth come out when I sneeze....only been in Bulandshahr one week.

[@DD-gz9ut]

These stories are why a lot of Mexicans do not travel to this part of Mexico. It is even cheaper and more convenient to go all the way to Cuba for Mexicans wanting a beach holiday…

[@SmithsnMoz]

Cuba? .😆 🤣 😂 ... One of my Best friends almost died over there... THE FOOD WAS HORRIBLE and Him and his girlfriend ended up in the E.R. as soon as they made it back to the USA 🇺🇸... NO THANKS! 👎

[@oscardelapena7376]

yeap Cuba is the best! Tulum so overrtaed ....only spoiled rich "whitexicans" brag about Tulum

[@DD-gz9ut]

@@SmithsnMoz I do not know what your friend was doing but Cuba has no weapons, so a mass shooting is extremely unlikely to happen. I have a friend who had his rental car window shot near downtown Miami, luckily he was not in the car when this happened. I had really bad food poisoning from a restaurant in NYC once. As you can see danger, terrible service, horrible experiences and scams follow tourists anywhere we go. Yes, even in the 🇺🇸…

[@SmithsnMoz]

@@DD-gz9ut.. I DONT KNOW.. But he said he will NEVER Go back ..😆 🤣 😂

[@lorenaledger6547]

Why will mexicans go to Cuba for a beach holidays when up and down of the country there are beautiful beaches

[@veronicaleyva4986]

My daughter (Mexican) spent time there in a school trip on the 2007 and loved it and had her best memories from it. She went there last month for work, stayed 3 days, and she told me it just has bad vibe, super expensive, abusive customer service, and she thought to herself that the next time she would visit it would be whenever the Tren Maya makes a stop there and bye, she cannot see herself spending her time or money in that place. It has been developed under the point of view to attract snob people either Whitexicans, or foreign spring breakers.

[@sr9253]

Are you sure you weren’t in downtown LA :)?

[@ellena858]

I love this kind of video from you, sharing what a place is like. I hope to see more where you give us your impressions of locations in these other countries. Thx!

[@pablovi77]

Tulum is not a city. It’s an archaeological site, and tourist destination. That got so popular that they needed to build a town for the people serving and providing service. Same as Playa del Carmen, and the entire Riviera Maya.

[@markmaracatu6811]

I came to Playa and Tulum in 1995. It was AMAZING then. Now - I try avoiding them. I prefer Cancun, honestly, no pretentious people there, just regular tourists and normal Mexican people living there

[@edjouvladimirovich4920]

VIVA MEXICO! Love-Love Mexico and Mexicans...Mexico City amazing! That said, Mexico can sometimes be a mixed bag of shocking and unexpected surprises. There are definitely places in the country to investigate before visiting and places to definitely stay far away from.

[@lorenaledger6547]

Can of the same anywhere on the world

[@jamescalifornia2964]

@@lorenaledger6547 -- Not Wyoming 😉👌

[@CarCal0216]

Wyoming? Why?? Do you have the same weather? Beaches? Precolombian ruins?? Please stay in Wyoming 👋

[@jamescalifornia2964]

@@CarCal0216 - Can you flush the toilet and drink the tap water ... ? Colorado is nice too ! ☺

[@CarCal0216]

@@jamescalifornia2964 please don’t comparé Mexico City with Wyoming. It’s insulting 😤

[@loukramer152]

Andrew, thanks for the heads-up on Tulum - I've had similar experiences with the annoying street hawkers in Playa del Carmen and I totally agree with your take on Mexico City being a great place!

[@dogtooth12]

I try to explain to friends and family what it is about Mexico City... they all seem skeptical. I *love* that city. Maybe how it is sophisticated, humble & authentic. I think under-appreciated, tho lots of people on this channel seem to recognize it as the awesome city it is.

[@holodeckdragon8876]

I'm not surprised at your experience. We have a house in Pt. Morelos north of Playa del Carmen where we winter. Tulum used to b a magical little town but grew with tourism really fast. it's full of scams and rip-offs now but rides on an old reputation. i had a friend who was followed in her car in Tulum for quite awhile about 8 months ago. the old part is better. the tourist part is terrible and really expensive. i don't recommend it to anyone. The ruins are small and filled with bus loads of people lining up. skip it. just down the coast is Pt. Morelos, a small, beautifully safe, ecologically protected town with numerous restaurants, live music, sunsets and no hustle. another magical experience 2 hours inland half way to Merida is Valladolid. A small Spanish town with art Galleries, hand made natural perfume shop, top notch affordable restaurants, no crime, local markets, cenotes, really affordable boutique hotels, chocolate shops, ancient buildings and cathedrals. It has a beautiful town square and incredible night life. One of my favorite destinations!!. There is incredible art everywhere including a private Mexican art collection of over 3000 pieces open daily for public tours in a huge, private house! It is also surrounded by numerous other small towns worth exploring.

[@keithhagen1541]

I have had a house in Tulum since 2018 and the downturn happened with the Pandemic lockdowns. The Europeans and Canadians stopped coming and the Hotels adapted (to survive) to catering to Americans looking to party. Within a few months the music, attitude and vibe shifted. Hopefully as travel resumes, the visitors return to being more diverse.

[@tedcolman8675]

I laughed out loud a few times hearing your story. That did sound awful. Hopefully that kind of thing happens rarely and then you can look back and laugh later. It does highlight one thing though and that is there truly are some places to be avoided at all costs. Sounds like you stumbled on to one. Thanks for sharing!

[@clubtutti1]

Loved your story. Laughed out loud a few times 👍

[@lt6873]

Is this Portland's sister city?

[@aipacsucks]

If you try to set fire to businesses, loot, tear down statues, block traffic and shoot police in the head in Mexico, there are consequences. So, no - they're not the same. 😑

[@lt6873]

@@aipacsucks San Francisco??

[@augustoeducation]

Try Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo in Guerrero state .. very small .. ixtapa is the modern "turistic" part... and zihuatanejo is the classic mexican fishing little town... but has many restaurants (from the tipical tamales or pozole to good italian pasta ones, and you have that mexican flavor but can go and sleep in a modern place in ixtapa. is just for relaxing and having a good time.. the pacific beach is great, it has like 7 different beaches and each has its own special thing.. I'm developing my real estate company there

[@bellebb8673]

Tulum has grown too fast and there just isnt enough infrastructure to support it. I dont think I'd stay overnight there, but the ruins in Tulum and nearby Coba are well worth the trip. BTW, there are still many wonderful places in Quintana Roo. Check out Cozumel sometime.

[@mars54mars54]

That Caribe coast has been destroyed by all the resort development on so many levels, locals forced to try and fit in, shaky property deals, grifters, pollution, mangrove/reef destruction… best days are long gone.

[@drx1xym154]

IDK. There are a few quality resorts, where people are more focused on quality time and even "fun", though maybe not in the "loud-crazy drunk Cancun way". I tend to love Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. I have only been the the ruins/beach in Tulum as an excursion... we also take to the water parks, which, yes are toursity, though they also have some good culture (and bad) - not so surprisingly. The enfermedad de la cerveza has caused a lot of havoc, world wide, so I am sure that is causing more havoc in certain areas, leading to a steeper decline. I mean, one could always vacation in Belize. I hear it is more expensive, yet maybe more friendly to US/Canadian and even UK peoples - since they are officially a bi-lingual country.

[@alexzabala2154]

Tulum was awesome before the Spaniards came in the 1500s, if you didn't mind an occasional human sacrifice..lol..

[@gregorior5207]

By far, this is my favorite of all your videos so far. Hilarious! Keep up the great work!

[@rickc.3552]

In all fairness, everyone knows that Tulum is very bohemian with a ton of House music DJ’s and a bunch of brits crammed into 1 sh*tty room. Lots of people on molly. Andrew is also the oldest 38 year old on the planet. Not a good combination.

[@_DD_15]

What a comment 🤣🤣 I'm younger than Andrew and I'd feel the same by going in such places. All that pseudo " here it's cool, enjoy the vibe " sickens me. But each to their own 👍🏻

[@cmgzfiveonezero]

This guy is 38? Really? No way he’s at least in his late 40s

[@wtf_usa5597]

I was in Tulum in the early 90's too. It was quaint and amazing. This is so sad to hear. Even PV was great back then. Now it's unrecognizable.

[@deeleerambles]

I went to Tulum (from the U.K.) expecting to love it! I’m a bit of a free spirit creative etc… it seemed like it would be my cup of tea, but like you, I wasn’t keen! I’m sure there are some beautiful resorts and hotels there, but I just booked an air bnb in the town area, and found it all a bit manic and grotty, and similar to you, I didn’t like the vibe, or lack of? I loved everywhere else I went in Mexico though, so it was definitely a Tulum thing! Im sure some people have a great time there though, so to each their own I guess!

[@jeffarcher400]

I haven't been there but I just read an article about the rapid unsupervised growth. It seems tourist hotels spring up without being hooked up to the sewer line. Instead septic tanks are leaching into the incredible underground Cenote systems. In addition huge gringo raves are held out in the jungle without restrooms. Now street drugs are also being detected in the waters that were until recently some of the purest in the world. Always amazed that they let you even swim in it but now it's in danger of becoming a cesspool. I think it's the main source of water for the area. If there's a good thing about covid it's that it slowed down the swarms of tourists and the industry. Can't believe it's coming back already. All aboard the cruise ships.

[@Dragon-kf5sb]

You're absolutely correct; breaks one's heart to see such horrible destruction of nature... Using the cenotes as sewer dumping ( there's an underwater film showing it to bring it to an end) as well as swimming and "potable" water system for the entire population is horrifying... Not forgetting that the beautiful jungle IS their dumping land field... Absolute shame to our once beautiful place.

[@jeffarcher400]

@@Dragon-kf5sb Most damage is likely due to Spring break college kids. Used to be a few surfers and free spirits in VW vans. Then word got out. Now there's airports and cruise ship docks. I blame the tourist industry. Industry sounds so detached from the dream. We're going to manufacture your memories and sell them to you at unbeatable prices. Don't worry if we destroy this paradise we are constantly searching for more and more remote places to consume.

[@Dragon-kf5sb]

@@jeffarcher400 indeed, what a shame! That's the problem with small paradise found here and there... We humans seems to be excellent on turning ourselves into a plague of destruction bugs that don't stop till all gone and turn into a nasty and expensive slumps.

[@clavi1276]

I'm extremely excited for Andrew's Tulum perspective and it affects my travel planning. We agree about numerous places including Bangkok (not interested), South Korea, general eastern Europe , and Taiwan.

[@andrewfreeman88]

Love Taiwan so much I married one and created another ; ) We want to see South Korea and more of Japan too. Can't wait til these quarantines are lifted.

[@thedalillama]

Mexico ruined Tulum like they ruined Isla Mujeres. These used to be good options to Cancun, which is Las Vegas at the beach. You could really enjoy the beaches and natural surroundings. They are tourist traps now. It's also Porlandia Sur, where young people go to retire.

[@ns7023]

Sadly.

[@lacalcetaderayas4505]

in all case, gringos, askin for a line in the moment the get out of the plain, its what has ruin Tulum an every other turistic paradaise in mexic, the grewup to fit the demands

[@GranFinale]

Tulum is for tourists only, where good food is found at the resorts, not locally. Everyone there wants a little extra $, from the minute you step off the plane, to the taxi to the hotel and everything in between.

[@chenteprimo]

Looks like you met all of the Tuluminati, Andrew

[@lbs7774]

Hola Vicente! Tu fuiste mi huésped de Airbnb en Guadalajara. Gusto encontrarte por aquí. Soy Miguel. Saludos!

[@chenteprimo]

@@lbs7774 Hola, Miguel. Sí, me acuerdo bien, la pasé muy agusto. Espero que estés bien. Te mando un abrazo

[@lbs7774]

@@chenteprimo Igualmente mi hermano! Un abrazo!

[@RedSpiralHandTV]

Tulum is a disgusting tourist-driven cesspool and I would never go there... Now it's actually quite unsafe.

[@IslandHopperTV]

The hotel zone in Tulum is why you go to Tulum. The town of Tulum is nothing special. The hotel zone is what makes Tulum special…. If you missed the hotel zone then you missed Tulum…

[@motobro3870]

*you should check out Puerto Escondido* Developing like crazy. International Presence. Variety of zones from luxury condos to humble bungalows. Tons of space (unlike Tulum, where they dump trash into into jungle).

[@maryrobinson3836]

Just like everywhere, there are crazy people walking around half dressed, I've seen it in Santa Barbara, NYC, Portugal and in Thailand. We built a beautiful home on the Riveria Maya just north of Tulum in Tankah, with security at the entrance. It is quiet and beautiful there. Tulum town is definitely a bit shabby for such a popular high end place, but it's typical of many places in Mexico that they don't put the foundation/infrastructure in first and shoestring things together and then have to go in and fix the issues. Tulum has become very expensive even for an average margarita or ceviche, which is making people say they never need to go back. I do think this area is shooting themselves in the foot with overpricing themselves out. We don't spend much time in Tulum but when we venture down there, we enjoy it for what it is. Not every city is supposed to be Zurich either.

[@mw3516405]

That's a good assessment accurate!

[@ckmaui]

what place in portugal ? curious :)

[@Althea1111]

I’m from San Francisco, the capital of the crazies, so I’d like to go somewhere where I can get a break from seeing people walking around soiled and half undressed!

[@Denver_____]

I had about the same experience in Mexico. Was looking for a new country to live and decided to go there 2 times around that area 6 months apart. The vegan trendy restaurants, $60 dollar tacos (lol what!?) and drugs being offered in the open was not for me

[@NekoBoyOfficial]

Thankfully my first time in Mexico wasn't touristy. Baja sur was a pleasant and chill experience.

[@OutboundShane]

The Pacific side is much better. Even the top destination of Puerto Vallarta was laid back and not overwhelming when I went.

[@EV-un9gv]

Love Mexico. Same experience with Tulum. Gave it 3 tries, nope…never need to go back!

[@c00lmanable]

Love this channel. If you have the time can you please make more videos on places to live under $1000? 🙏

[@cashstore1]

I was in a city like that that gave me the same creepy feeling. Detroit. I never went to Tulum but near it. I saw a lot of poverty.

[@nicolasoleazazueta2927]

Playa&Tulum are crowded, turn south of Quintana Roo State, to -not yet- spoiled places like Bacalar (Magic Town) and Mahahual/Xcalac in the Costa Maya (with Turquoise beaches equivalent to the Maya Riviera), near the Belize border..

[@grantlikes2sing]

Hahaha i totally get where you are coming from Andrew! I was in Mexico recently getting my permanent residency in Cabo San Lucas. After I got that done, I flew to Cancun then visited Playa Del Carmen, Cozumel and then Tulum. I stayed in the hotel zone in Tulum on the beach which frankly is the nicest part of Tulum. Beyond that is an area of vacant land which would make a pleasant area to be in. The best bikinis of all Mexico that i saw were in Tulum in the hotel zone. You definitely missed that part. ;-) The regular city of Tulum is grunge-ville in my view, and i think i went to the same grocery store you went to. Most of Mexico that i have seen including Cancun is a mixture of high end places and dumps. It's really hard to get excited about being in or living in Mexico, and yes proprietors constantly harass you to come into their store whatever it might be to spend money there. In Cabo you have to dodge the massage girls. I guess the good ones wear the medical uniforms. The other ones wear provocative clothing. I had been thinking of buying in Tulum before i visited it too, but now no longer want to do so. Not sure i want to buy anywhere in Mexico but maybe renting somewhere would be ok for a little while.

[@capacitacionyconsultoriaes6319]

Dude, you need to see more of the country, not everyting is high end - dumps. Go to Guadalajara, Monterrey, San Luis, Queretaro, those cities you can find better quality of life to US cities

[@mariamar2114]

Por Dios lo que dice este video, ya es la verdad absoluta. Cada quien vive lo que quiere ver.

[@guillersl9510]

I went to Mexico City and I was amazed I could not believe how massive and vibrant that place is. Tulum not in my bucket list.

[@mattanderson6672]

Yeah I hated Tulum as well, tourist spots always suck

[@tinglestingles]

I was expecting a story about San Miguel De Allende.

[@M64936]

I lived there for 3 years ending 2017 - it was a fun experience but would never move back.

[@marlajacques6947]

Had a casa near Tulum about 9 yrs ago, thot I’d be keeping it but after a few trips down, I flipped it instead for the same reasons AH mentioned! I grew up around real hippies thanks 😆

[@allenhammer7923]

Thanks but no thanks?

[@pedrozatravel]

Couldn't agree with you more, all of Northern Quintana Roo is a place I would rather avoid in Mexico and Tulum is the worst. The only thing that I found redeemable in Tulum was the archeological zone but even there you have to go through this gauntlet of a tourist trap to get to them. In general the whole of Norther Quintana Roo is not my scene. You have to understand that Quintana Roo was a state in Mexico that was literally developed to get more money out of tourism, once you realize that it all makes sense. It gets better once you get to Akumal and south, then it turns into a jungle and you can explore untouched archeological ruins, but that is totally different. Anyhow, been to Quintana Roo once, it is a beautiful area, but yeah the vibe, the hassling, and the bloated prices on everything is not for me.

[@ns7023]

Yucatán Is better

[@pedrozatravel]

@@ns7023 yes, I love Merida.

[@jmlnc]

Really funny!! Husband and I almost moved there in 2018 after 3 visits. Initially such a beautiful place. Too much development and pricess soaring, no thanks. Very hot there as well. We chose Lake Chapala and love it.

[@gaius_marius]

I love Ajijic on Lake Chapala. I hope I can retire there one day.

[@towaritch]

But if you can't swim in that lake because it is polluted and there are no beaches what's the use?

[@Hawxxfan]

I just went to tulum this summer! I would agree that it is a little hollow, of course I went during the pandemic during the tourist low season. So it was not as obnoxious

[@thebomontellano4996]

Great video. Thanks for the heads up.

[@hugokatz]

I spent a lot of time in Mexico. I drove there by car and traveled the country extensively back in the 80s and 90s. Mexico was and still is very diverse. I know of towns where it is as neat as a pin with great food, clean streets, and everyone bathed once or twice a day. Then the next town over was dirty with awful food and high crime. Come to think about it, I also know of places in the US that I don't feel safe as well. The biggest problem with Mexico was official corruption and by extension of the American drug war narco gangs. Avoid places where the gangs have power and avoid the avocado war zone. As for the muscle relaxers...well some things don't change...try the pink ones if you must.

[@Tamar-sz8ox]

Nice Larry David impersonation 😂😂😂

[@annap8328]

I’ve been going to a Tulum for years but in the past few years the place just went down the hill. It used to be spiritual, sleepy town where rastas and yogis hang out. Frankly Tulum got ruined by bunch of pretentious yuppie gringos who started going there. The time I found 100 pounds of cocaine on the beach, I said I’m done with Tulum.

[@lluviagonzalez2225]

Completely agree, I am Mexican and as I stepped into Tulum in 2019, I felt embarrassed to see what was supposed to be a great vacation getaway in Mexico. Very shameful experience, I was there for maybe 3 hours.

[@nomadcapitalist]

Thanks for sharing that!

[@annemorris505]

We visited Tulum in the late 90's when it was just a sleepy little stop on the road. (We were staying in Playa del Carmen in the pre-timeshare, no big hotels era.) What a shame, greed rules and foreign developers are the worst.

[@scoutsout_aroundtheworld1015]

I have a property in Tulum and my experiences are quite different, but we’ve have gotten to know a lot of the locals! I can do without the hype it’s created but other then that we love Tulum. Plus you have to go to other near by cities to truly experience the culture. Then again I also like the grittiness! I like to hangout with ‘salt of the earth’ type of people. You’ll get that in Tulum…..minus the dude who soiled his pants lol

[@ccobbwalker]

One of your more amusing videos. I had planned going to Tulum last summer but was warned away by several Mexican friends who said that Playa del Carmen was a much better option. I ended up going to Cancun and although I found it ok, it wasn't as nice as what I had expected. You're right, the vibe is important.

[@jorgegarciayala7420]

I think Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun are all sadly tourist traps. Not to mention the horrible problem with "sargazo". Water is not nearly as crystal clear as it was in the past.

[@motodxb]

Nice that u r honest and keeping it real, I’ve been to many places where I couldn’t wait to leave the minute I got there

[@tentimetex]

Great story, well told! :-) i think you should do more of these!

[@daveoatway6126]

I have lived in Oaxaca for 4 years and love it! Mexico City is fine if you can stay in Polanco.

[@cr8zystar282]

Tulum sounds like another San Francisco overprice and grimy!

[@lorenaledger6547]

Something I hate is foreigners if the place is undeveloped that is the real Mexico but if the place is modern is not México

[@dcbc21]

Tulum is a hippie and backpackers more of a place. Chill-out town. Not all cities are the same.

[@kevins9120]

A guy on quaaludes running around with soiled briefs. Too funny...lol

[@aggierowe9574]

Tulum sounds so sad now...I think I'll remember my happy memories of a once beautiful place in the early 2000s. It was once a sleepy touristy area, but this sounds like the extension of the crappy highway road from Cancun

[@vivalavida5646]

I am from Mexico City, and when I was little we went every hollidays on vacation yo riviera maya. We stopped when I was almost 11 years old. This year I wanted to go to Tulum and Puerto Morelos. I hate what Tulum has become. Lots of resortes, cero mayan culture, and locals having to pay for food twice irse price.

[@ukjw2]

Sounds like my experience living in playa.

[@cmg8574]

You are right, Tulum is quite overrated, it's expensive hipsterland

[@janejeffery2615]

I love your comments very insightful and yes lol great one thanks

[@ScottPaton]

I spent a month or so in Playa and Cancun. I took a trip down to Tulum and I felt the same way you did without all your experiences. Went once, was enough. Yet I have friends who are rushing to buy down there.

[@ardordeleon]

I visited Tulum in 1994. It wasn't so well preserved that you weren't even allowed to wear sunscreen when you were there. Then greed came and destroyed the place. If you don't want to support ecocide you should never go visit Tulum.

[@memetakesahikememe]

I saw the Mayan ruins in Tulum. I thought they were beautiful, over looking the Caribbean.