Recently my husband and I travelled to the mayan riviera area. We would like to give some travel advice to anyone going there. Please research traveler's diarrhea. There are some things you can do before you go to help alleviate this problem. Use your bottled water to drink and brush your teeth. Be aware when you drink mixed drinks that there is ice in the drink, there is alot of food handling in the restaurants. We both got sick for a day or so while there, since being home alot of people we talked to that had gone there also got sick but failed to mention it before we went. We could not pinpoint any one cause as we didn't always eat the same things. There may be a vaccine you can get, also some herbal
remedies can help. We had a wonderful time otherwise and do plan on going back but we will be forearmed next time. Hope this helps someone from having the same problem we had. Kammi

DON'T DRINK THE WATER! You know that. You can easily and cheaply buy bottled water, so don't risk ruining your vacation. When not in the Cancun Hotel Zone, try the local cuisine, be adventuresome but cautious. If by chance you do start to feel cramps in your stomach, run don't walk to a local - "farmacia" and buy some [b]antibiotics, (Bactrim and Lomotil)[/b] to cure it in a day or so. (DON'T TAKE THESE IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO ANTIBIOTICS, ask your doctor.. .. .) If you don't catch it in time you may have to stick around a bathroom for a day or so, so grab some Imodium.. .. . some people also like to chew 1 or two Pepto-Bismol tablets each day a precautionary measure.

Immodium and antibiotics are overkill for this, and not fun for your body. Pepto Bismol does the trick in a safer, gentler way.
You needn't worry about ice in mixed drinks. It comes from the same place the bottled water does.
I'd say most illness in Mexico comes from people suddenly spending a lot of time in the sun, drinking more than they are used to, and eating greasy and chile-laden foods.
Also, anytime you travel, if the e-coli in your intestine changes over you can have a few days of runs. No way to avoid it. Use Pepto Bismol. If you have other symptoms or persist unreasonably, check with doc, make sure you don;t have dysentery.