Is it safe to go to Mexico now? Covid and FAce Mask rules & more

Planning to travel to Mexico but not sure how Mexico is handling the pandemic? Is it even safe to go to Mexico now? What are the Covid rules, social-distancing rules, entry rules, face mask wearing rules and more? I’ll try to answer these questions in this post.

Here’s what you can expect to find in this post:

Important information about travelling to Mexico from your country

Before you travel to Mexico, check travel advice in the country where you are based at the moment. It could be that there are no direct flights to Mexico or you can’t exit the country under some local regulations (e.g. Tier 4 rules in London, UK, for example). Check UK travel advice for Mexico here. Check US advice for Mexico here.

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Is it safe to go to Mexico now?

If you’re wondering whether it is safe to go to Mexico now, there is no easy answer. In case you have right travel insurance (where Covid is included), no underlying health conditions and you’re going to a place that is outside Mexico’s red zone, you should be fine. If one of these conditions is negative for you, I would probably think twice before going.

If you are interested what are the “red zones” of Mexico these are the states of Mexico with the highest number of Covid cases, where the Government decided to take action and put these areas under stricter measures. The map is continuously reviewed and changed, so you can check the latest “red zones” using the links below (as of December 2020, it’s Mexico City, Mexico State and Baja California).

Click to see the map.

However, based on common sense, it would be safer to go to places that are outside big cities. Also, I wouldn’t recommend going to massive all-inclusive resorts, where it wouldn’t be possible to avoid crowds during breakfast, lunch or dinner. There are, however, smaller boutique resorts, apart-hotels and B&Bs available at the main touristic destinations.

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Covid rules and face mask wearing in Mexico: do you need to wear a mask in Mexico?

Let’s talk about the general Covid rules and face mask wearing in Mexico, and whether do you need to wear a face mask in Mexico or not. The rules change a lot; however, the general rule is that you need to wear a face mask everywhere in public in Mexico unless you’re at a table in the restaurant or at the beach.

Even if you’re staying at a resort in Cancun, that means that you will have to wear a face mask everywhere around the resort and you can only take it off in your room, at the swimming pool/beach area and when you’re seated at a hotel restaurant.

Most of the restaurants, shops and even shopping malls in Mexico will take your temperature and will provide you with an antibacterial gel / will ask you to walk over a disinfecting mat for your shoes.

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Covid rules in red zones of Mexico

If you’re travelling to the red zone of Mexico (semaforo rojo) such as Mexico City, the rules for people are similar; however, all the restaurants and non-essential shops will be closed there. Moreover, most of the parks in the red zones are closed as well to avoid people gathering there. Like in the other zones, you also need to wear a mask everywhere and disinfect your hands as well as wash them frequently.

Is it safe to go to Cancun / Playa del Carmen now? Mask wearing rules in Cancun and Playa del Carmen

If you’re wondering whether it’s safe to go to Cancun or Playa del Carmen now and what are the mask-wearing rules in Cancun and Playa del Carmen, keep reading.

As of December 20, both Cancun and Playa del Carmen are in the orange zone, just 1 step away from being in a red zone. Cancun and Playa del Carmen are both located in the state called Quintana Roo, and the rules usually apply to the entire state. However, I spent 7 days in Playa del Carmen in December and felt absolutely fine and much safer than back home in London.

Playa del Carmen was somewhat crowded, so I would honestly avoid staying in the heart of the town. Instead, pick a nice apartment/resort a bit outside of Playa del Carmen – anywhere in Riviera Maya, make sure to hire a car, so you can easily get around Riviera Maya and buy food (unless you’re staying at an all-inclusive resort and don’t want to get out).

Here are some excellent resorts where you can avoid crowds:
Andaz Mayakoba
Grand Velas
Palmaia

If you’re interested in smaller boutique hotels /resorts, I recommend:
Nest Tulum
Akkuun Tulum
Chable Maroma

Finally, these are great apartments to hire in Riviera Maya / Playa del Carmen / Cancun area:
ARBA Tulum
Dreams Lagoon Cancun
The Suites of Solymar

Some of our other posts you might like:

Cancun or Riviera Maya (Playa del Carmen and Tulum) – where to go on holiday in Mexico
Cancun vs Varadero – the best holiday destination in the Caribbean
Road trip from Mexico City to Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende