Where Can I Get a COVID Test in Cancun & The Riviera Maya?

This is very helpful for us as we plan our trip. You can now add Canada to the list of countries requiring a PCR test on return.

Thanks for the info! What happens if I get a positive test while in Playa? Is there a mandatory quarantine at a specific type of place? Or would we just lay low at our Airbnb/resort? Thank you! It’s been hard to find an answer to this!

My 2 sisters and me need a PCR test tomorrow. Can we have an appointment please in Cancún? It’s important and must be tomorrow because we must fly back to Canada in 72 hours.

Please contact me

Thanks you

Hello. Do you know if the Canadian travel insurance “Tugo” covers PCR testing?

Thank u but I’m here till March good to know I need text toget home to Canada how much is it please stewart

Thank you so much, Sarah! I just made our appointment in Playa del Carmen. Can’t tell you how much we appreciate the information. We will be traveling there from Canada on January 23.

Us just added PCR test requirement today

Sarah,

We did the calculator to see when we would need the test to come home from Cancun. It says we need to do it on May 4th which is 96 hours prior to going home. I assume it will take more than 24 hours to receive our results. I’m concerned our test will be done outside the 72 hour window and the airline won’t accept it. Will the certificate show I got the test outside the 72 hour window or will it show my results were done within the 72 hour window?

Based on C.D.C. info, it looks like Antigen (rapid) tests will be acceptable to meet the new US requirement going into effect on 1/26. You state PCR tests will be required.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html

How will the vaccine card go into play with this will it suffice . Why are they charging so much?

Hi Sarah, we have a trip booked for February 1st – 11th staying in playa del Carmen. We are traveling from the United States, wondering if it’s possible to be tested with results for our trip home to the U.S. 72 hours prior to boarding. Thanks for any info.

Hey Sarah – awesome info and thanks for aggregating it. Have you seen much info that confirms that a rapid antigen test will suffice instead of PCR results, for entering into the US? This seems to be substantially cheaper but curious if it will also come with evidence of the negative test to submit to the airlines.

Hi me & my Hubby are going to Cancun Feb 11th for our Valentines Anniversary, do you know if we have to get a Covid test coming from Indianapolis, Indiana and then turn around & get another test before leaving Cancun to come back home? Thanks in advance!

Thank you so much for this – very helpful. Do you know if Costamed offers their antigen/rapid test with same day results? I read elsewhere that Mexico government requires the antigen tests be reserved for people exhibiting symptoms, which means that they wouldn’t be helpful for our test requirement back to the US from mexico. Also, I used the Costamed PCR calculator and it told me to get our results in time for our flight on Saturday 1/30 we’d need our test done Wednesday 1/27, but that would be 4 days before the flight and thus invalid… Does anyone know if the Cancun airport is still doing rapid PCR tests at the airport, I read they were on their website in mid December but then could not find other information…. not sure what to do…

Hello Sarah!

I just found out that the CDC is telling us that if we are in Playa Del Carmen past the date of January 26th that we will need to get a COVID test before entering back into the USA. Is this correct, if so can you find out if our resort does rapid testing?

Thank you so much for providing all of this info Sarah, you saved me a TON of time and frustration!!! I’ve read the new (1/12/2020) CDC directive requiring COVID tests for international travel into the US. I didn’t see anything specific on whether an antigen test is acceptable. From the beginning of your article, it looks like you think antigen might be accepted? Can you add a link to where you saw that or any more info you might have found on what specifically will be accepted? Thanks!

Hi there,

Thanks for all the info!

We will be visiting Isla Mujeres from 1/18-1/29, and now the US is requiring the negative result for our return, I’m curious if you know of any testing sites on the actual island (not hopeful on that)?
Or should we plan a day (half day, fingers crossed) to ferry back to Cancun a day or two before our departure for a rapid test? Costamed does seem like the best option for rapid or PCR, but we’re planning on rapid since it seems pretty concrete that the USA isn’t requiring the PCR test, and we don’t want to mess around with potentially not getting results in time.
I appreciate any further insight you might have on the situation!

Hi Sarah, I clicked on the phone number listed for costamed but received an error message on the other line. I’d like to make an appointment for the rapid test in April but can’t seem to connect with him. Is the phone number not working?

Hi Sarah,

Your numbers show that Laclisca is $2,994 MXN = $51 USD (at the clinic), but when you go to their website, they show $2994 MXN or $2695 for foreigners which is $135 USD.
Can you confirm which is correct?

Also, there’s a group of 8 of us coming to Playa Feb 5-12. Do you feel confident that Laclisca or Costamed are going to be able to handle the 72 hour timeline with the abundance of Americans visiting the area and all needing testing?

Thanks for your blog! Highly informational!

Thank you!

Murky

Are the above sites considered “approved” sites by the CDC to get a COVID-19 test to return to the US? I don’t want to go and get one and have it not be from an “approved” site 🙂

Thank you for this information. Do you know if all the places you’ve listed use the long nasal swab to do the testing? I have a son with a disability and am looking for a place that utilizes a short nasal swab.

Hi Sarah,
Thanks so much for all this info and being so quick to update it. Really helpful. My questions:
1.) My husband and I have a flight scheduled to leave back to the US at 5:00pm on a Saturday. When we did the test calculator, it said to get tested on Wednesday, but did not provide a time. Does this mean we can get tested any time on Wednesday?
2.) If you are spouses, I wonder if you can schedule a test for the same time?
3.) How do the home tests work exactly? Do we buy these here in the states and take them to Mexico? Or pick them up in Mexico? How do you get and submit the results for the home tests in time? Are they rapid or you have to wait a few days for results? We are only there from Sunday to Saturday, so a little nervous about the turnaround time.
Thanks!

Hello Sarah,

Thank you so much for sharing this information! With all the news coming out recently, it has put me into a panic for trying to navigate how to schedule a covid test in Mexico before arriving back to the US. We arrive from the US on the 22nd of January and leave on the 31st. Since the rapid antigen test is now approved for the USA, do you know if we can wait to schedule this test upon arrival in Playa Del Carmen? I can’t figure out how to schedule an appt. ahead of time? If you have any tips or tricks! They would be super appreciated. Again, thank you so much for providing this resource for people, you rock!! 🙂

Hey. Do you know if there is another way to make an appointment with costamed besides calling. I keep calling them but they don’t pick up

Hey sarah,
Thank you so much for all the info, super helpful! Was curious if you knew if people need to get tested for in country Mexico flights? I can’t seem to find anything about flying from one city to the other within Mexico in regards to the new regulations.
(Specifically Cancun to Zihuatanejo to Puerto Vallarata)

Hi Sarah, this post is so helpful. I have a family trip booked to Cancun 3/26-4/2. US is now requiring a negative PCR test re-enter into the US. I read it has to be no more than 5 days out, so my family and I should get our PCR tests shcheduled for Monday 3/29 or Tuesday 3/30?

Also, some of these clinics offer at home, does that mean they will come to the hotel and do our tests?

Thank you so much for your time!

Wow, those resorts are charging at least double what it costs to just get it done yourself. And if you get the Antigen test, they are charging at least 4X the cost of getting it done yourself. Crazy.

Hi! What if the travelers have had Covid and have clearly recovered, but hearing we could test positive for weeks after!!

If you must be tested no more than 72 hours before your flight, and it takes 72 for results (plus 8 hrs extra time for the increase in tests). How can you receive a test in time??

Hi Sarah. Your article has been a life-saver! Thank you so much for all your hard work deciphering the tangled covid web for us. The news that the US will accept an antigen test after January 26 is really encouraging. I have also tried to reach Costamed to make a booking to no avail but will keep trying. Can I ask you please if we were unable to make a booking before we arrive in Tulum on February 7, do you think we could make a booking once we were in Mexico? Are there enough antigen testing facilities for the need do you think? Thank you and much much gratitude for your sharing,

HI Sarah,
Thank you so much for this information, as it has shown helpful for so many during this difficult time. This may have just saved a trip for my husband and I as we travel just two days after the new CDC “rules” from the US to Cancun. We are only there for a short stint (Thurs eve – Sunday mid day)
Lots to still read and understand to ensure that in the event of a positive COVID test what our options would be and to ensure that we test quickly or at the right time to ensure we meet the required time lines.
Truly can not thank you enough for the information provided, will you continue to update this blog as more information comes out?
Thank you

Hi Sarah,

I appreciate all this info that you’re kindly providing – thanks so much! I’ll be flying to Mexico from Canada later this year at the end of March with a few others, staying at Occidental Xcaret.

We need to make PCR test appointments as required & are currently still waiting on getting contacted by Costamed to make appointments after chatting with them via their website. Keep getting told they have a high volume of test requests & they will get back to us…

According to Westjet Vacations, our resort has a ”testing agreement” with Hospiten lab. Would you happen to know if this means that the resort will be helping accommodate us with making our appointments, etc once we arrive?

Hoping you can help clarify this, as I wasn’t able to find any detailed info beyond what was briefly mentioned in the pdf file on Westjet’s website.

Thanks!

Hi Sarah, thanks for digging into this subject. It is definitely easier to make a decision whether to travel or not knowing all the options. We were going to be staying at Iberostar in Riviera Maya mid February. Do you know if they are planning to have an onsite testing and what would it cost?

Hi Sarah, Thanks for all the information! Besides Costamed are any of the other testing facilities websites in English. Given the new US entry requirements and what you know, is it possible to arrive on 3rd of February and schedule an appointment for a rapid antigen test for Sunday 7th late afternoon or early Monday 8th morning. We depart at 2:40pm Wednesday 10th. Best Regards

Will the labs take our insurance from the United States?

Hi Sarah!
I wanted to thank you again for all of the information. I did get in touch with a place in Playa Del Carmen and we’re all set up for the 8 of us to be tested.
Between Costmed and Laclicsa, they are both very hard to get a hold of.
For other travelers reading this blog, I contacted Laclicsa via their website and clicked on the chat button. It said they were busy but after about 20 minutes, I was able to talk to someone, get their email to send all of our information. Once they received all of the information, they sent a payment link where you pay via debit card, credit card or Paypal. Soon after that, you have your date, time, and the location to go for your test.
You have to pay before your appointment time and the date is guaranteed.
Be sure you have the correct location for testing. We’re staying in PDC but when I got the email with payment instructions, it had a location in Cancun listed. I had to wait to have that changed to a location in PDC.
There is nothing easy about getting an appointment, I can guarantee you that but I was also booking for 8 people!
The cost for the Antigen test is $65 USD.
Happy travels everyone!

Hey,thank you for the best break down of this jumble of a mess I have sooo far lol , southwest needs to hire you to right their email bulletin…. but.. I’m going to majestic elegance costa mujeres feb 10th .. you think that resort will have the on site testing? And I seen it says a stay home kit….do I just order one for the resort?

Baltimore Maryland, Thank you so much for the information it was just what I was looking for.

Aloha,
First of all, what an AMAZING resource—thank you for compiling and explaining all of this to readers.

So I have a unique situation, I’ll be traveling to Puerto Morelos in April and, when I return to Hawaii, I will need to provide a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) from an approved, certified partner (such as CVS or Walgreens). In other words, I’ll need two tests to return home. The resort I’m staying at offers the Rapid Antigen Test administered for free to customers thru Hospiten. But would you know if there is a clinic that can administer this NAAT test near Puerto Morelos? Big Mahalo

Thanks Sarah for putting this article and responding patiently to all the comments. just wanted to poin out a typo
1. PCR Test (the test needed for travel):

$ 2,994 MXN = $51 USD (at the clinic) – [This seems to be a conversion error and should be ~$150]

Secondly the antigen tests seems to be the way to go since its less than half the price of PCR.

Me and my wife are living to go to Cancun where can we get a covid test we leaving Jan25-Jan30

Hi there..we will be in Playa Feb 10-17 which is obviously covered bu the new US CDC entry requirement. We will be staying at the CATALONIA PLAYA MAROMA, is there a way to find out if the resort will be able to schedule a test for us on site? We are willing to pay extra for the convenience..
Thanks!

My daughter and I are coming to the Valentine Imperial Maya this coming Sunday. I have an amazing travel agent who is very on top of things. We will need a COVID test to come home (USA). This resort offers testing. I’m a little nervous. This website made me feel a little more comfortable. Just throwing this out there. Thanks for all of your info. Very informative….👍

Hi Sarah,

Thank you very much for posting all of this information, it has been very helpful!! I am planning on staying at the Barcelo resorts in Riviera Maya. Was wondering if you have heard anything on if they will be administering covid tests at the resort, and if so, how much?

Thanks again!

Sarah, this was extremely helpful. We will be staying at the Marriott in Cancun Feb 5 -12 and returning to the US. Have you received any hints that Marriott will participate in onsite testing, or should I proceed directly with booking an appointment with CostaMed to ensure we have a spot?

Good afternoon Sarah! Thank you so much for your information! This sight has been way more helpful for those of us traveling soon. I have been super nervous with the new order that becomes effective next week. I travel next week as well and there’s NOTHING at all advised as far as Covid testing within the Marriot chains. I called, tweeted, and emailed them waiting to see if they will offer testing at any of their locations. If you hear anything before me, please let me know! I appreciate you!

Hi 🙂 Just wanted to help add to the list – The Grand at Moon Palace is also offering free covid tests to their guests.
“Now all our resorts throughout Mexico & Jamaica will offer easy, onsite COVID-19 antigen (rapid) testing.
Tests will be conducted on property at no cost to guests (for up to two guests per room) traveling to a country which requires a COVID-19 antigen (rapid test) for entry into such country.*
Testing and samples will be administered by experienced in-house lab teams.
Results will be received within 30 minutes, and documentation will be ready for guests to present at the airport for their journey back home.
Guests can contact the concierge to schedule their departure test as soon as they check in.”

Sarah,
Thank you so much for your VERY imformative post. We have a VRBO for 2/6-2/13. There are 9 of us staying in a home in Playa de Carmen. The property manager has told us that she would make us reservations to get tested on 2/10 by a technician at Hospital Riviera in PDC. The turnaround time is supposed to be 6-8 hours and cost 3,400 pesos. Do you think this would be a reputable place to get testing?

I have tried calling and emailing Costmed with no luck. I also tried doing the chat message route with Laclicsa and was not able to get through.

If you don’t think the above is a good idea, what other ideas do you have for us. Do any of the hotels do testing for congests?

Thank you so much for your excellent information and help!

Good Morning 🙂 What about those of us who have already had the Covid and are cleared by our health dept. to travel? My understanding is that all we need to do is take our positive results paperwork and our cleared for travel paperwork from our county health department with us and that should be all we need to board the plane. Is this correct?

This article is amazing! An american looking to visit Tulum Jan 25-27 and interested in the antigen test at Costamed. Do you have any other info on whether this can be booked ahead of time?

Thanks so much!!

Hello Sara, do you have an email, we are from the Medical Center Maranatha and we would like to submit our info for coving testing in Tulum

Thanks for all the info Sarah. Was wondering if you know anything about Farmacias del Ahorra…They are advertising antigen testing for $299 pesos plus IVT ($346 pesos total)…Is this only being offered to Mexican citizens, or can US citizens use this service at the pharmacy for the US requirement? Coming in Mid-March staying at the Barcelo Occidental at Xcaret (not the Xcaret Hotel). The hotel syays they will have antigen testing available at “special rates”, but doesn’t say what they are…though hard to believe it will be less than the $18 or so at Farmacias del Ahorra.
Thanks!

Aloha Sarah,
I emailed earlier this week asking about the availability of NAAT (Nucleic acid amplification test) testing in Puerto Moreles—this is the test Hawaii requires for entry or, in my case, recently. I wanted to mention I just saw an article in Travel & Leisure that the NAAT test is being offered in Mexico and, I’m presuming in the Cancun area. It looks like the PCR test required by Canada is a form of NAAT testing.

I checked the resort I am staying at and it looks like Hospiten will be the clinical partner offering complimentary antigen testing. I have attempted to contact the resort to see I could schedule a PCR test for my girlfriend and me, but have not heard back from them yet.

Anyway, just wanted to share this info about the NAAT test with you. Thank you again for investing so greatly in this page—it is an amazing and much appreciated resource.

Canadian authorities have approved not one, but two different types of Covid-19 related laboratory tests for all travellers that desire entry into the country. One is PCR, the other is LAMP.

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2021/01/new-pre-departure-covid-19-testing-requirements-come-into-effect-for-all-air-travellers-flying-into-canada.html

Do you know which labs in Quintana Roo have the equipment for processing a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) COVID-19 test?

Just wanted to add a quick note to respond to Laura who asked about those who have already recovered from COVID, are no longer contagious, but will continue to test positive for weeks, even months, after. The USA travel website is aware of this, and what they are asking is that you show proof that you tested POSITIVE for COVID-19 more than 2 weeks since your travel date. For example. I tested positive for COVID on December 24, 2020. I had to cancel my trip to Jamaica that I had planned for January 13-17, 2021 because I was still testing positive. I’m planning to go to Mexico for my birthday next month, and will carry my positive December 24th COVID test results so that if I test positive in Mexico, they can see that I’m no longer contagious and can enter the Country (USA).

Does Sunset Royale Beach Resort offer testing? We will be there March 3rd to the 8th and will need an Antigen test to return to US.

Hi Sarah could you tell me of any places in Bacalar mexico which will be doing antigen testing..I am going with a group of 40 ppl in March. Thanks

Hi
I am in cancun and need infos about where i can do the covis19 test for traveling to USA..
Please help!
Thank you so much

Hi there,
Is a saliva test an option? I’ve heard it’s as accurate as a nasal swab and more comfortable, specifically for children. If so, do you know of a place offering the saliva test?

I posted a few hours ago but for some reason it didn’t actually post.

A follow up to my question about traveling with a 5 year old….

Do you know how deep the swab goes into the nose? I know a while back the only way was to go pretty far but I’ve recently seen anterior tests where it goes 1/2 – 1 inch in. I’m not sure my 5 year old would let someone stick a swab all the way back in his nose but an inch should be just fine.

Thank you!

Hi Sarah!

How are you? Hope you’re doing well. Thank you so much for providing all this useful information. It helped me a lot. I will schedule my appointment ASAP. However, do you know what it’s the code or area code to call and make the appointment to any of the clinics you have provided? I’m in California, and every time I click on the phone numbers, they all say it’s incomplete or the operator will show…

One more thing. I’m traveling with my 11 year old daughter, would you be able to recommend me a good place where we both can take the test and have the results with in two days? The reason I would like to have the results within two days is because my flight is very early on a Wednesday and I just don’t want to risk not getting it on time.

Thank you!
Natali

Hi Sarah, Thank you so much for this Article. This is so lovely .
I have a question. We Are from
Germany and we Need a PCR Test which is no older than 48 Hours.
Costamed say that they Need extra 24h After the Results to Translate the Papiers into english .
Do you know anything about that ?
Best regards
Tamara

Hi. Did you happen to find any information on the saliva test?

Hi! I just wanted to inform you that actually Laclicsa now offers same-day results for PCR if you go before 10:30 or 11 am, depending on the location (PLaya has next day results) (Cancun same day results) from Monday to Saturdays. and they even have now a clinic in which you don’t need an appointment, you simply scan a QR code, register yourself and go directly to the branch office to wait for a turn.
also, prices have gone down:

PCR:2545 pesos
Antigen: 1300 pesos
Antibodies: 849 pesos

you can access their websites and contact them through Whatsapp or Facebook in case you want to schedule an appointment!

THANKS tHAMMY I ALL READY BOOK MY TEST. SERVICE ITS FANTASTIC

Thanks, Thammy for the answer! That’s perfect.

I’m traveling to Playa in April and wanted to share my experience with getting a Covid test scheduled. First off, thank you Sarah for this blog, I wouldn’t have been able to do this without your help – you rock! I went with Laclicsa Labs in Playa and scheduled my appointment through Facebook messenger (like Tammy stated above). No need to know Spanish, they have an English chat option that chose. They whole process was easy and didn’t take more than 15 minutes. I got a confirmation email immediately after with my preferred test, time, day and location and I’m all set. 🙂 Thanks again Sarah and everyone else in the comments, times are crazy now, but we’re all in it together. Viajes seguros para todos!

Thanks for such detailed information! Very helpful. I asked front desk people from hotel and all what they replied:” come here and you will find where to do test…”
They definitely need to read your blog

This is GOLD! thank you so much Sarah!

Thank you so much for the very useful informations.
I just want to know something I wasn’t able to find anywhere : what happens if you need a negative PCR test to fly back to your country and unfortunately the result is positive? Is there a compulsory quarantine in Mexico ? How long does it last ? In which conditions shall the tourist live during this quarantine ? Shall he remain in the same hotel or shall he have to move in a specialized hotel?
Thank you very much for your help and for your great work.
Gaspard, Geneva (Switzerland)

So sorry Sarah, I just discovered the other part of your blog where my questions are already answered. I wonder that you were able to make a so fantastic blog with really USEFUL informations. The websites of the Mexican government offer us a ton of useless informations like the number of cases or the sanitary rules for airport toilets and other things we don’t care about, but nothing the tourist really needs to know.
The only think I still don’t know are the conditions of house arrest if I tested positive. How can I get food? And is it really impossible to go out of the room for a few steps, even without any contact with other people?
Thanks a lot again

It seems this question has been asked before but I did not find an answer. Where can I be tested in Playa based on saliva, not by nasal intrusion? I did this kind of test in Miami with a negative result.

Hi, does anyone know where I can do a RT LAMP test in Cancun? For entering the Netherlands I either need a PCR test no older than 72hrs AND a rapid test taken 4 hours prior to departure OR ONLY a RT LAMP test taken 4 hours prior departure. So I would prefer to do only the RT LAMP test.

Hi Sarah, I have additional informations about covid test requirements to board an aircraft to Switzerland. Now an antigen test is also accepted. This test is much cheaper than the PCR one and the result is known a few minutes after testing. The test must be made less than 24 hours before departure. There is a testing facility at the Cancun Airport. Source : https://www.flyedelweiss.com/en/alerts/Pages/corona-entry-restrictions.aspx.

PS – I would be very interested if people who tested positive could share their experience of the quarantine in Playa del Carmen. Thanks a lot

Any idea of where we can get saliva spit tests done in Playa del Carmen? Previta does them but they don’t go to PDC

What about previous positive test results? You need the test paper and letter from your doctor to re-enter because CDC does not recons testing for three months after a positive result.

Hello, does anyone have any experience with Laboratorio Abiatar in Playa? I have an appt booked with them for a PRC test before flying to the EU. I haven’t seen them mentioned here which worries me.

Hi Sarah – this question may already be somewhere in here but can’t find it. Have you heard any comments about the COVID-19 mobile testing units at the Cancun Airport? We’re staying in Akumal via a VRBO previously booked before the test requirement by USA, and it would seem that there is no clinic in town that offers it. I’m asking just in case we cannot get into the Costamed clinic in Tulum. If you check out the airport’s website, they highly recommend getting test before arriving to the airport.
I’m just curious if folks have had a bad or good experience with airport’s testing.
Thank you

Hello Sarah!
Do you happened to know the ANTIGEN Test at the airport gives the result in English as well? We need to bring the Covid negative result in English when we fly from Cancun, and wondering if the test results are available in English at the airport… (If not, do we need to make an appointment to the clinic in Cancun in advance I suppose?) Your advise would be really appreciated!!

Thank you&Cheers,
Ai Sato

We’re due to go to Cancun in just over two weeks time. Then we’ll be flying to Orlando. I’ve scanned through the replies, but can’t really find the answer I’m looking for.

We’ve two children ages 9 and 11. Getting the antigen testing looks pretty nasty. Saw a video at the mobile unit at the airport.

Does anyone know of any place in Cancun that does something less evasive, but still CDC approved? Mouth swab, or a short nasal swab?

May sound crazy, but we’re considering cancelling, all because of the prospect of putting them through the testing.

Googled lots and lots, but coming up blank.

Thanks.

If somebody go to Xel-ha please don’t take the covid test there, I went with my family and friends and was the worst experience ever, the doctor was brutal he hurt almost everybody in my group specially my son, it was traumatic experience, I don’t even know if he was a real doctor.
Please don’t go there, I took the test many time in different countries that experiences was the worse.