As I sit here on the penthouse roof of my resort hotel room in the beautiful Riviera Maya, I am both incredibly content and yet a little glum on the inside. I’m one of the fortunate ones in this world that I can afford to come spend my time in an all inclusive and beautifully manicured resort. On the plus side, these resorts are important to the local economy. Staying in one supports the tourism industry and provides good jobs for many locals. On the flip side, however, they tend to be nothing but a reality that has been carefully prepared for tourists. They are created to present an image that usually has little resemblance to the culture of the area. I am enjoying my rooftop view, but want to get out and see the real Mexican Riviera Maya. And I want to help you to get more from your all inclusive experience.
For many, its becomes a question of comfort and safety vs exploring and adventure. How does an individual or family balance the ease of resort living with the risk of missing it all? After spending so much time and money to get here, you want to actually see the country. If you know the feeling I’m talking about, follow along and I’ll give some great tips for balancing safety and experience.
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Get More from your all inclusive staff
Get to know the resort staff. They tend to be a pretty nice group of people and can give you the real low down on the best and worst places to go locally. And get really lucky and they might even hook you up with friends or family who can show you around like a real local.
Book Local and Local Friendly Excursions
Do your research. When you don’t speak the language or feel comfortable venturing out of the resort 
environment on your own, excursions seem to be inevitable. They can be a great way to get more from you all inclusive. Doing your research will have a double benefit. First, you’ll already know your stuff when that resort concierge comes at you with a stack of brochures a miles thick and tries to sell you excursion after excursion at prices that rival your flight tickets. The best excursions support local businesses and respect the commnities they serve. You will learn more about the way of life for the average person I your chosen destination, learn about the way of life and often the good, bad and undesirable.
Keep an open mind
Sure, developing countries experience poverty. There are people who will see you as a target. There is a chance you may be the victim of a crime. This is true of every country in the world, including the United States. There are ways to be as safe as possible. Read the travel notifications from the US Department of State and follow common sense rules like storing valuables in multiple bags and not easily accessible to pick pockets. Only take certified taxi services and if possible have your resort order them for you. Negotiate rates ahead of time and always keep the contact information for your resort on you. After you’ve taken all of these precautions, take a chance and see what the locals are like. Open yourself up and expect nothing from them. Give of yourself, with a smile, and an attempt of the language. Offer a thank you for their help and you will get back in return.
Make a Local Connection
Search out other Americans or English speaking foreigners that live in the destination you are going to. This could be through couchsurfing, meetup or other expat groups, or other online resources. Search for blogs written by locals and reach out. Ask them your questions but depending on their scope, don’t ask for too much. For example, if you are reaching out to a local blogger, I wouldn’t ask them to come pick you up at your resort with your 5 kids and show you around. On the other hand, if they are a meetup group specifically for foreigners, see if they are meeting. Ask for help on how to get to them. Meet in person and see what you can learn, or if anyone there would be interested in showing you around.
Don’t Expect it to be America
This can be difficult for first time travelers, but it is important to know 
that each country in the world will have its own personality, pride, and culture. It sometimes surprises Americans that people in poorer countries love their homeland as much as we love ours. You have chosen to visit, so don’t expect them to accommodate you. You will get so much more from your all inclusive experience if you open your mind to see the perspective of the local residents of your destination. Embrace the culture, be silly, try their dances, food, customs. Be safe and aware of your surroundings. Expect the best and most of the time that is what you will get.
