Giving Back in Isla Mujeres & Riviera Maya: How CARM Tours & Transfers Supports Local Children

Giving Back to the Communities That Welcome You

CARM Drivers Cesar, William & Henrry!

When you vacation in Cancún, the Riviera Maya, or Isla Mujeres, you’re experiencing more than beautiful beaches and turquoise water…you’re visiting vibrant communities that make this region so special. At CARM Tours and Transfers, this is where we live and work, and giving back to these communities is an important part of who we are.

That’s why each year we proudly support Shoes For Children MX, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children in underserved areas of the Yucatán Peninsula by providing a pair of shoes to those in need. The organization was started in 2015 by Brenda & Don Gentry and is still going strong today.

Supporting Communities Beyond the Resorts

While many visitors see the coastline, just a short distance away are small villages where families face daily challenges. We donate vans, and our staff each year, ensuring Shoes with Children MX can safely transport volunteers, supplies, and hundreds of pairs of shoes to children who need them most.

Reliable transportation makes these outreach programs possible, and we’re honored to contribute with vehicles and drivers, as well as having our staff volunteer in a meaningful, hands-on way.

Our Team Volunteers Along the Way

Our involvement goes beyond providing vehicles. Members of the CARM team volunteer their time, sorting shoes, translating, and traveling  to the small rural villages to help with set up, shoe fittings and break down. Thank you to all of the volunteers who make this possible every years and to our CARM staff Sally, Cesar, William & Henrry for traveling to the small village of Tres Reyes near Coba this year to help with this special event.

We’re also proud to support the organization’s annual shoe giveaway on Isla Mujeres, where local children receive new shoes that help them walk safely to school, play comfortably, and stay healthy. Many visitors enjoy the region for a short vacation for it’s charm and beauty. This event supports the families who call the island home year-round.

Why This Matters to Travelers

For many children in the region, a simple pair of shoes can mean fewer injuries, better health, and consistent school attendance. This program addresses this need with care, respect, and long-term commitment to local communities. As a traveler, choosing companies that invest locally helps ensure tourism benefits the people who make your vacation possible. [Read more…]

Magical Private Ek Balam Ruins & Cenote Tour: Trip Report!

We took the private tour to Ek Balam & Xcanche cenote and had an incredible day!

Since we were on Isla Mujeres, we took the first ferry of the day at 6:00 AM. Our CARM driver Martin was waiting for us at 6:20 AM at the Gran Puerto Juarez Ultramar Ferry Dock, ready for the 2.5 hour drive.

Martin!

NOTE: Since the ruins are in a different state (Yucatan) than Cancun (Quintana Roo), the time there was 1 hour behind us. We arrived exactly at 8:00 AM, just as the ruins opened.

PRO TIP: Arriving early to the ruins beats some of the heat of the day but, most importantly: allows you bypass the surge of people arriving on huge public tour buses that don’t start arriving until 10:00 AM. So, the sites are not so crowded. On this day, we literally had the entire site to ourselves-there was not one other person until 8:30 AM – incredible!

You can choose to add on a certified tour guide during booking, and that guide will be with you the whole day. We opted for no tour guide. But, if we had changed our minds, there are also tour guides available in all languages at the entrance of the ruins.

When we entered, a cute mama dog came right out and led us to through the winding site. She waited as we stopped to take photos and admire the structures. Amazingly, she led us the Acropolis (the main pyramid) and started climbing up with us, all the way to the top! The site was so peaceful and the view was incredible! We were able to take amazing photos. What a bucket list item, climbing to the top of a pyramid!

Why visit Ek Balam? Ek Balam is the ONLY Mayan ruins site in the Yucatan where you can still climb to the top of the ruins.

Sites such as Chichen Itza & Coba no longer allow you to climb the ruins. Also, Ek Balam is a small site, and less crowded and hectic. Chichen Itza can get crowded with tour groups at every turn.

We really wanted a more tranquil site, with all the same magic and history. The only sounds were the birds and nature. It truly felt magical. We were NOT disappointed! (TIP: Bring lots of sunscreen and/or an umbrella if you are sun sensitive. We brought bug spray as well but, did not need to use it).

We were ready to cool off in the cenote after our adventure and Martin was waiting for us!

[Read more…]