This is the second installment of my new blog series, and this one addresses staying safe while doing what we all enjoy doing while staying at an all-inclusive resort–eating and drinking without worrying about added charges to our bill.

This subject is a tricky one, especially since some vacationers become ill at some point while staying in Mexico, even if they are staying at a 5 star resort.  The other tricky subject matter concerning safety is that of “tainted alcohol” which historically has been a serious issue in Mexico.  Hopefully the following info will aid you in helping to protect yourself against falling ill or avoiding instances of potentially serious problems while just trying to have an enjoyable and relaxing vacation.

To stay safe concerning food and drink, consider the following:

• Bring Imodium.  I can’t stress this enough, it has saved me from several disastrous trip-ending instances when I was first vacationing in Mexico. Pepto Bismol isn’t strong enough in such cases, trust me on this one. I know this isn’t the preventative info you wanted, but it can save your vacation if something slips by you or you make an unwise choice.
• Start a course of probiotics pre-trip, then continue to take them during the trip, plus for a while post-trip.  By doing so you would be introducing healthy bacteria into your digestive system which helps battle the “bad” bacteria that may be introduced into your system from various sources.
• Yes, you can safely order drinks with ice at resorts.  That wasn’t always the case, but now resorts in tourist areas have their ice delivered in plastic bags from factories which produce purified ice.  Notice I wrote “resorts” and “tourist areas”.  If you are out and about on excursions or just exploring the area and want to try local drinks, buy bottles or cans of something instead and skip the ice on those occasions.  If you want to order a drink without ice at a resort to play it extra safe, just say “Sin hielo, por favor”.
• Instead of worrying about the ice, worry instead about how the drinking glasses are cleaned.  At most resorts they will have used plastic glasses carried away to be cleaned, but at some resorts I have seen bartenders/helpers try to clean the cups right at the bar station–a quick rinse in old soapy water doesn’t do the trick and instead may make you ill if you are unfortunate enough to have a drink made in such a container.
• Worried about what to put on your plate at resort buffets?  Stick to live cooking stations where you stand and watch staff prepare your food if you are concerned about doneness or the effects of letting food sit out for lengthy periods of time.  I have recently begun to encounter microwaves at all-inclusive resort buffet areas (Ocean Riviera Paradise was the first I discovered to have a microwave, and hot plates were offered at Platinum Yucatan Princess), but they don’t all have them yet, so be patient.  Skip dishes which appear to have been left out for a bit, and I never eat sushi at a buffet.  Eating smoked salmon at morning buffets can also be risky; if the plate it’s sitting on looks and feels cold (hold your hand above the plate), it’s a safer bet than a serving plate which appears like it’s hardly cold at all.
• If you have a food allergy, have it written in Spanish before you go on your vacation.  You can then present it to every waiter/waitress or hostess so there will be no miscommunication where you might wind up in the hospital.  My son has a very serious tree nut allergy and having Nutella added to one of his breakfast dishes when we thought it was understood he had a food allergy was a disaster barely avoided.
• While it’s not possible to monitor every resort guest and what they do and don’t do in the buffet, be on the alert for those who like to touch their food before they put it on their plate.  While one would expect this kind of behavior more from children, I’ve seen adults pick up a food item, look at it, then replace it on the same platter.  Unconscionable I know, but it happens.  For more easily handled items, choose one from the back of the serving plate or container if you can’t live without that food item.
• Watch out for ice cream serving machines at resorts.  I’ve seen guests fill up their cones then use their finger to stop the ice cream flow from the machine to their cone. (I’ve also seen this done on a cruise ship but it was a staff member who did it).  Can anyone say Norovirus…If you just have to have your ice cream fix, many buffets have a separate section of ice cream in tubs, or better yet, more resorts are including ice cream in tubs in their coffee shops as well.  Skip the machines.
• Now for the tricky bit.  Avoiding “tainted alcohol”.  Try to avoid having local alcohol added to your drinks.  These are typically called “well drinks”, and resorts are notorious for saving money by using local liquor to save on their liquor bill.  Even 5 star resorts will do this, so do yourself a favor and request the type of liquor you want used in your drink.  I go a step further and much of the time I will order drinks from the bartender him/herself and watch them pour what I asked for.  This is not an automatic preventive measure, but it does cut down on the chance of substitutions made.  If your drink tastes “funny”, don’t continue to drink it, go to a different bar if one is open and order again.  You are staying at an all-inclusive resort so you’ve already paid for it anyway.
• Had a couple of drinks and it feels like you’ve been drinking non-alcoholic beverages?  That’s probably not tainted alcohol, that’s watered-down booze.  Again, some resorts will save money by diluting their better products…Don’t continue to drink there, go to a different bar and order again.

If you follow all your own “rules” for staying well while vacationing and you fall ill anyway, don’t be afraid to seek out an on-site doctor if the resort has one (many do have one on-site in their own private office, or front desk staff can quickly summon one to talk with you in your room).  There are prescriptions typically given to guests who have GI problems which will be fairly quick in eliminating your symptoms, so don’t be afraid to ask to see one while staying at your resort.  That amount won’t be added to your vacation bill, that amount will be expected to be paid immediately to the doctor.  A typical guest visit will cost around $150 USD or so; I usually take Mexican pesos along to cover such a bill should one occur, and if I don’t need it I just save the money for next vacation.

Did I forget anything?  Hopefully not; if you have any further suggestions please leave a comment below, it helps keep everyone safer.