Any ideas on tackling my list, docking at international pier?

To do:

--Los Cincos Soles

--Lunch within maybe 5-6 blocks

--A well stocked pharmacy that is open on a day there are no RCCL ships in town (I hear the "good one" in Forum shops is closed those days). Not looking for anything super sketchy / narcotic, have some legit insurance hassles.

--Beach break. Mostly need a few hours to swim (pool and or tranquil beach). Snorkeling or wave runners a plus, not necessary if it means it means total loss of tranquility. I kind of want Cuban food for lunch elsewhere, so maybe I need an a la carte option on the beach break. Swimming is biggest factor, followed by shade.

Is this a situation where I just accept x amount of taxiing around? Any thoughts on a rental car? I suspect many of my downtown objectives would have major parking obstacles, but sounds like the well known breach breaks would not.

Thanks in advance, looking for logistics strategy.

Bonus question: how and when should I do some exchange for pesos?

To do:

 

--Los Cincos Soles

 

--Lunch within maybe 5-6 blocks

 

--A well stocked pharmacy that is open on a day there are no RCCL ships in town (I hear the "good one" in Forum shops is closed those days). Not looking for anything super sketchy / narcotic, have some legit insurance hassles.

 

--Beach break. Mostly need a few hours to swim (pool and or tranquil beach). Snorkeling or wave runners a plus, not necessary if it means it means total loss of tranquility. I kind of want Cuban food for lunch elsewhere, so maybe I need an a la carte option on the beach break. Swimming is biggest factor, followed by shade.

 

Is this a situation where I just accept x amount of taxiing around? Any thoughts on a rental car? I suspect many of my downtown objectives would have major parking obstacles, but sounds like the well known breach breaks would not.

 

Thanks in advance, looking for logistics strategy.

For your first item, just go out the International pier, turn right and go about a 1/4 mile, many a little more , to the shopping area at Puerta Maya. You can get into the shopping area without showing ID. To your right is the outlet for Los Cinco Soles along with it's companion restaurant Panchos Backyard.

I believe there's a pharmacy outlet in the port complex as well. Someone else need to verify as I don't shop for drugs in Mexico.

For the life of me, I cannot see why you want Cuban food in Mexico, especially in the Yucatan where there are plenty of great seafood and local Yucatan dishes available. But there are a couple of Cuban restaurants on the island. One is El Casino downtown. It's primarily a bar specializing in mojitos and cigars. But food is kinda average for Cuban. The other place is also town, on Avenida 5 and Calle 6, as I recall, and called La Candela. They serve mostly local cuisine but have some Cuban style dishes. Good breakfasts.

Nearest southern "beach" that's somewhat tranquil with good snorkeling is the Money Bar. There are a couple of smaller beaches and open beach access toward town (left off the pier). Snorkeling here would be okay, but none of these places are much more than beach bars. If you want snorkeling and access to watertoys, you'll have to visit Chankanaab Park (where there's good snorkeling on the northern end) or one of the larger beach clubs like Mr. Sanchos, Paradise Beach, Playa Mia (none have good snorkeling but all can be crowded, far from tranquil, if there are a lot of ships in port when you are there. Access to any southern beach si via a taxi.

No need to change for pesos. Best place is to check with your ship's purser or guest services desk. They can change money. next best place is to take a taxi to a local bank. DO NOT attempt to try to change currency in any of the ATMs or Currency exchange machines on the pier or on the street.

Crewsweeper, I appreciate your post (and read all of it), but one of us must be confused about where "TMM International Pier" is (and to be fair I sometimes have trouble finding it on maps). I thought this pier was pretty far south of downtown San Miguel, definitely not 1/4mi from Los Cincos Soles. Am I wrong?

...I just ran it through google maps (what is shows as International Pier, which is near El Cid La Ceiba, from what I have read) to Los Cincos Soles, and it says it's over an hour walk.

Or are you saying they have a second location now?

EDIT: Re-reading your post, it really does seem like you're saying there's a Los Cincos Soles/Pancho's at the southern pier area (Puerta Maya/TMM), but I guess they just don't list it on their website and google maps doesn't know it exists yet? I hope this is true, it would potentially make the stuff I wanted to do a bit easier, although I'd still like to walk around downtown.

Re: Cuban food. My parents have run Mexican restaurants on and off for years, and they are from SoCal. Meanwhile, Cuban is my favorite cuisine and I can't actually get it where I am. So if I'm somewhere I can get black beans and rice and fried plantains, I am drawn like a magnet. I also saw a place called La Casa Del Mojito, I believe, which seemed within walking distance of Los Cincos Soles (the downtown one).

Crewsweeper, I appreciate your post (and read all of it), but one of us must be confused about where "TMM International Pier" is (and to be fair I sometimes have trouble finding it on maps). I thought this pier was pretty far south of downtown San Miguel, definitely not 1/4mi from Los Cincos Soles. Am I wrong?

 

...I just ran it through google maps (what is shows as International Pier, which is near El Cid La Ceiba, from what I have read) to Los Cincos Soles, and it says it's over an hour walk.

 

Or are you saying they have a second location now?

 

EDIT: Re-reading your post, it really does seem like you're saying there's a Los Cincos Soles/Pancho's at the southern pier area (Puerta Maya/TMM), but I guess they just don't list it on their website and google maps doesn't know it exists yet? I hope this is true, it would potentially make the stuff I wanted to do a bit easier, although I'd still like to walk around downtown.

 

Re: Cuban food. My parents have run Mexican restaurants on and off for years, and they are from SoCal. Meanwhile, Cuban is my favorite cuisine and I can't actually get it where I am. So if I'm somewhere I can get black beans and rice and fried plantains, I am drawn like a magnet. I also saw a place called La Casa Del Mojito, I believe, which seemed within walking distance of Los Cincos Soles (the downtown one).

There are 3 piers in Coz. North to south:Punta Langosta, downtown; TMM International about 3.5 miles south of downtown; and Puerta Maya, about 1/4 mile or so south of TMM International (you can see it). The second site for Los Cinco Soles, as I stated, it's an outlet not a full shop. La Casa Del Mojito is another name of El Casino, I mentioned above. If you prefer to walk around downtown, its a quick taxi ride from the pier, around $7-$8 for 2 people, plus tip.

The pharmacies in both Punta Langosta and Puerta Maya are not the best stocked ones. They are more like a few pharmacy items along with sodas, snacks, etc. It's been a year since I was in PL so that could have changed but I was at the Drugs and Deli at PM in July of 2015. I do all my shopping at Discount Drugs in the Forum shops, which was only opening the days RCI has a ship in Cozumel. The owner told me that they are hoping this will change soon.

The pharmacies in both Punta Langosta and Puerta Maya are not the best stocked ones. They are more like a few pharmacy items along with sodas, snacks, etc. It's been a year since I was in PL so that could have changed but I was at the Drugs and Deli at PM in July of 2015. I do all my shopping at Discount Drugs in the Forum shops, which was only opening the days RCI has a ship in Cozumel. The owner told me that they are hoping this will change soon.

I believe I have seen you (or someone?) post the info about RCI w/r/t to the Forum Shops drugstore before, which it why I mentioned that there aren't any on the day I'll be there. On my to-do list is to try to figure out where I saw the owner's email address (I believe I've seen it posted?) to maybe contact him/her and inquire for sure. I believe it's only four ships that day, including what look like two older Carnival ships.

Thanks for the response.

Bonus question: how and when should I do some exchange for pesos?

I would only use an ATM in a bank downtown or in the MEGA. Do NOT use a freestanding ATM!

However, unless you are spending a lot; there really isn't need to exchange at all. And if you plan to spend somewhere that takes a credit card, just apply for one with no international fee. The CC will likely get a better rate than an ATM will give you.

 

EDIT: Re-reading your post, it really does seem like you're saying there's a Los Cincos Soles/Pancho's at the southern pier area (Puerta Maya/TMM), but I guess they just don't list it on their website and google maps doesn't know it exists yet? I hope this is true, it would potentially make the stuff I wanted to do a bit easier, although I'd still like to walk around downtown.

We were just there and there is a Los Cincos Soles in Puerta Maya.

Re: Cuban food. My parents have run Mexican restaurants on and off for years, and they are from SoCal. Meanwhile, Cuban is my favorite cuisine and I can't actually get it where I am. So if I'm somewhere I can get black beans and rice and fried plantains, I am drawn like a magnet. I also saw a place called La Casa Del Mojito, I believe, which seemed within walking distance of Los Cincos Soles (the downtown one).

We really liked La Casa De Mojito. It is easily walkable from the downtown Los Cincos Soles; but not easily walkable from Puerta Maya.

Thank you again.