Drinking water in Mexico

[SadieN]

Not to have to eat or drink anything from Mexico or Belize I planned ahead of time.

 

In my suit case I pack some sandwich and gallon size zip lock bags and a small collapsible soft sided cooler (holds about 8 cans). On the mornings we were going into port I would order sandwiches from room service (usually just cold cut type or p&b), the sandwiches would come with chips also. I would place the sandwich and chips in the smaller zip lock bags. I would fill the gallon bag with ice and double bag it to prevent leakage. Place ice in bottom of small cooler, place bottled/canned beverage on top of ice, then place sandwiches on top of beverages. All would stay nice and cool until ready to eat. The soft sided cooler I am talking about is small 8 x 10 inches and has a shoulder strap. It's no bigger that a tote bag.

 

I did this even if lunch was included with a tour. And if you are wondering we always book our tours through the ship, it's just the way we prefer to do things.

 

We once did the cave tubing tour in Belize that included in the price a stop by a local spot for a buffet lunch. We loved cave tubing but I was so glad we packed our own lunch. The standards for serving food were just not what we are use to. The food was outside with flies landing on it and dogs and other animals just roaming around under the table where the food was being served. The spot was scenic, the people there were very welcoming and happy to have us there but I was just glad I didn't have to eat the food.

 

We shared picnic tables with the rest of the group on the bus but we just ate the food be brought with us. I worry more about the sanitary conditions than taste.

 

If you are wondering...... I don't normally pack a lunch when we leave the ship, it just depends on what port we are in.

 

Please don't bring non commercially packaged food off the ship. Anything can be contaminated. Ports on the West Coast actually look thru and throw out any nonpackaged foods.

From home we bring some cereal bars and hard candy. From the ship we bring off cereal.

 

San Diego has an Agriculture Dog. I've seen many people having to rip apart their suitcase on the asphalt because the dog smelt something.

 

A few years back the Avocado crop was in danger because of some imported pest.

The Carribbean has problems with the Red Palm Mite.

http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/palms/red_palm_mite.htm

 

Right now California has a problem with a new bug, a Psyllid. It even has it's own website!

http://www.californiacitrusthreat.org/

 

Don't even try to bring food into New Zealand. Hefty fines.

 

In the '90s we had the Mediterreanen Fruit Fly. We were aerial sprayed with Malathion multiple times. Windows and vents closed, air conditioning turned off. All animals had to be brought in. Everything outside had to be covered up. After the third time I got real good covering up the play equipment. Never want to scrub another swingset in my life again!

 

A few years back, waiting to board the Paradise in Long Beach, a couple decided to leave the ship on a sea day.:eek: We were stuck in the Dome without food (at least we had water and bathrooms) for many hours while they searched for this couple. Even though food was just loaded onto the ship no food could be brought back onshore.

 

With imported pest invading our food crops the price of food goes up and makes the landscape ugly.

[elcuchio24]

Same here..except for going to Mexico for 45 years (im 37). I try to eat with the locals where I can, and yes, I buy tacos from street carts.

 

I wonder if I've built an immunity or something after living in Panama for many years. Ive gotten sick once...from a dish on the Pride but nothing from food in port.

 

I agree to taking precautions if you arent comfortable and ask questions. Ive seen some scary stuff here too in the states.

 

Haha, I love street food, my favorite part of traveling! It's funny, a few years back I was WAY out in the bush in Guatemala for about a month, ate with the locals, drank the shady local water. Felt like a million bucks, not problems. I got back to the states, had a burger at McDonalds and immediated puked my guts out:) Once you get used to no preservatives for a time, they don't agree with you.

[rudechuck]

I've been to PV, Cabo, Ensenada, Coz, Progresso. Spent a couple of weeks in PV and the only time I got sick was on the last day. My wife was dying for a taste of home and made me take her to Carl's Jr just off the Malecon. Apparently they have an ice maker on their drink machine which is fed from the tap. I wasn't horribly sick. Lasted two days tops and at least it was at the end of the vacation.

 

Actually, I take it back. Had an oyster cocktail in Ensenada that made me sick for about half a day. Just laid out by the pool the rest of the day and felt better by (late) dinner time. It did not ruin my trip.

[halos]

Haha, I love street food, my favorite part of traveling! .

 

Me too!! I have never have gotten sick from steet food in Mexico :)

My daughter lived in Merida for three months and ate quite a lot of street food and never had a problem.

 

I really love Mexico :D

[blondietink]

I wonder if I've built an immunity or something after living in Panama for many years. Ive gotten sick once...from a dish on the Pride but nothing from food in port.

 

 

 

We also wonder if we have built up some kind of immunity, too, as we have been drinking/bathing/washing from our well my entire married life. We do the same at our cottage and when I was growing up we had a well. When we went to the Dominican Republic a few years back, we were warned about the drinking and bathing water. While we did drink out of the bottled water they had around the resort, we still brushed our teeth with the regular water, took a shower, etc. People at the resort complained about getting sick. Other people we talked to on the plane back home, some of which stayed at our resort and some who stayed at different ones, all complained about getting sick from the water. We never had one problem. Could it be that we just have built up an immunity from drinking well water all these years? Or could it be that we were smart and didn't get drinks mixed with coconut and we avoided salads with mayonnaise on them?

[Cruiseboy06]

When we were in Ensenada 3 weeks ago we went to Papa'S and Beer, and we had a couple Margaritas with no problems.. I prefer to eat and drink on the ship...

[DEBnGAB]

Haha, I love street food, my favorite part of traveling! It's funny, a few years back I was WAY out in the bush in Guatemala for about a month, ate with the locals, drank the shady local water. Felt like a million bucks, not problems. I got back to the states, had a burger at McDonalds and immediated puked my guts out:) Once you get used to no preservatives for a time, they don't agree with you.

 

Street food is the best! Funny you mention McDonalds...I often see many people from the ship eating at McDonalds in the port. Too bad.

[SadieN]

Street food is the best! Funny you mention McDonalds...I often see many people from the ship eating at McDonalds in the port. Too bad.

 

The McDonalds in Ensenada has clean bathrooms.;)

[DEBnGAB]

The McDonalds in Ensenada has clean bathrooms.;)

 

Oh true! So does Starbucks!

[Kokopelli2]

We just drink bottled beer and shots! :)

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Only do bottle

[ChefSusan]

We've been to Nachi Cocum in Cozumel a number of times, and we have never gotten sick from the frozen drinks or the food. My husband did meet the porcelain goddess once, but that was because he mixed shots of tequila with frozen margaritas and a couple of pina coladas.

 

Lesson learned - stick with one type of booze!

[halos]

We've been to Nachi Cocum in Cozumel a number of times, and we have never gotten sick from the frozen drinks or the food. My husband did meet the porcelain goddess once, but that was because he mixed shots of tequila with frozen margaritas and a couple of pina coladas.

 

Lesson learned - stick with one type of booze!

 

 

LOL...That's wouldn't be Montezuma's Revenge, that would be the revenge of Jose Cuervo. :p

[Cruise_Q]

OK so what about the resorts? Has anyone gotten sick from eating and/or drinking from there? Oh I hope not, I really wanted a margarita :(

[Wayfairers]

every resort I have stayed at in Mexico has purified water

[cr_guy]

I have traveled to Mexico roughly twice a year for the last 20 years. I've traveled from Cancun to Mexico City to Cabo San Lucas. I always drink the tap water and eat whatever the locals eat. I have never had a problem with any kind of sickness. Maybe I've developed immunity but I don't worry about such things. I doubt that I'll change my habit even if I do get sick since this even happens to me occasionally in USA.

[Rosefloater]

The McDonalds in Ensenada has clean bathrooms.;)

 

But sometimes they run out of TP!:D:eek:

 

OP - I have never had a problem in any of the MR ports. If possible, get a drink in a bottle/can. I have also eaten at a taco stand in Ensenada where the cabbage is in a bowl with water. Never had any problems.

 

The only time I ever got sick on a cruise to Mexico, was eating at the Mexican buffet on the ship. Never again.

[ImmortalxKiss]

We've been to Cozumel twice ..and have had many mixed drinks and beverages with ice in the restaurants. Never gotten sick *knocks on wood*

[halos]

I have traveled to Mexico roughly twice a year for the last 20 years. I've traveled from Cancun to Mexico City to Cabo San Lucas. I always drink the tap water and eat whatever the locals eat. I have never had a problem with any kind of sickness. Maybe I've developed immunity but I don't worry about such things. I doubt that I'll change my habit even if I do get sick since this even happens to me occasionally in USA.

 

I don't really believe that one can build immunity to e-coli...and although you've been very fortunate, I wouldn't recommend drinking from the tap in Mexico. Every hotel I have ever stayed at in Mexico has had water coolers in the rooms or in the lobby (and they give you pitchers to fill and bring back to your room).

I once thought I was 'above' getting sick and brushed my teeth with tap water at a beautiful hotel in Tulum...figured if I wasn't swallowing it, it wouldn't hurt

:eek:

I was wrong....

 

The filtered water sources are there for a reason. It is wise to stick with that. I don't think it's good for people to read your posts and think it's ok to drink water from the tap in Mexico. It's just too risky.

While staying in Mexico, we observed water trucks delivering drinking water to homes...so even the Mexicans do not drink the water unless it's treated. Bacteria filled water is not something any human being can 'adjust to'...if that were the case, people in parts of the world with no clean water wouldn't be dying at astronomical rates.

 

So, because of the dangers, the restaurants in Mexico wash their produce with filtered water (or, they should be anyway) and drinks with ice are fine because it's made with purified water. Mexico depends on tourism...they don't want people becoming ill.

[misstopgun]

We have made several trips driving into Mexico (most border towns, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo), cruised the MX Riviera, flew into Acapulco & Cancun. We have both been sick twice but never from a drink with ice or water. There are three pieces of advice we give to everyone going to Mexico.

 

1. Ask if the water and/or ice is purified. The person serving you will usually tell you if you shouldn't drink the water or ice before you even have a chance to ask the question, but always ask. FYI: purified ice is shaped like it is made by a machine, unpurified looks like block ice.

2. If you do get sick buy Imodium from a MX pharmacy. It looks the same as what you buy in the US and the same active ingredients are listed, but it is very different. The MX version will stop Montezumas within a few hours... American will not.

3. You are most likely to get sick when you buy a beer or other bottled/canned drink because they normally use unpurified ice to cool the drinks. Always ask for a piece of lime and run it around the mouth of the bottle/can before you drink.

 

Apparently we have the bacteria in our systems now because our last visit was a month in Acapulco in Jan and we were able to eat food from street vendors with no problem. :)

Wayfairers, the Imodium you get in MX is different becuae it contains a small amout of opium to help with stomach cramps. You can still get it in the US by prescription but over the counter does not contain it. Thought some would want to know this if they are opposed to the small amounts of opium in their meds.