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Plan Your Trip Right
Contact Info
info@trespalapasbaja.com
accommodation@trespalapasbaja.com
MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS
On the Airplane - On your inbound leg into Los Cabos Airport, you will be handed Customs and Immigration forms to be filled out before you arrive in Mexico. Bring a couple of pens, the flight attendants don't have any and it will speed up your process on the ground. Fill out the Customs forms as best you can. No worries unless you have guns or tons of electronic stuff. Ipods, Ipads, Laptops and cell phones are fine. Fill out the Immigration form - you will need to fill-in the following address and phone number on your customs form. You are staying at: Palmas de Cortez, Los Barriles, BCS, Mexico. Use that address even if you are not staying there since it is a benchmark. Lost luggage is sent there. Hotel phone number 624 141-0044
Airport Arrival – You will be met by Immigration on the aircraft and escorted to in-processing. You will pass through Mexican Immigration with your Tourist Visa that you prepared on the airplane. Save that Tourist Visa, you will need it to get out of the country. Next you will collect baggage and head for Mexican Customs. You are allowed to bring $300 in gifts into the country. You will be asked to press the button at the bottom of the Traffic Signal. Green lights pass and red lights are inspected. This is a random baggage check. Finally, you will pass the “Land Sharks” and exit the terminal. With prior arrangements you will find your contact there.
ATM - The best rate of money exchange is at the ATM! Don't use the airport money changers. They take about 10% off the top on the transaction. The airport ATM is located next to the “Money Changer”. The ATM will give you the official international rate of exchange - somewhere close to 19 pesos to the dollar. The instructions will be in Spanish and English. The one page that is all Spanish tells you there is a charge of “x” pesos for the transaction. That decodes to a small charge for using the ATM. The amounts on the screen will reflect Pesos NOT Dollars. So if you ask for $3000 pesos and you will be charged about $180 USD or whatever the current exchange rate is. Don't forget to take your card out of the machine once the transaction is complete!
Credit Cards – Most large institutions will accept Visa & Mastercard. Taco stands and small restaurants, probably not.
Rental Car Companies – Competition is keen, check on line for best rates. Sometimes larger vehicles can be cheaper. Some companies have folks at the airport with offers to cut the competition. You might want to check with your credit card company to see what type of collision insurance coverage they will offer you on the rental cars down here. The Mexican Collision is expensive at the airport. Liability is required.
Driving tips – On the Highways in Mexico drivers use the left turn signal to indicate to you that it is safe to pass them. You should never use your left turn signal on a major highway to indicate a left turn, use your hand signals! The highway is open range for cattle, horses, donkeys and goats. If the driver in the opposite lane uses his emergency flashers, that means there is livestock near or on the road ahead. Never drive at night on the main highways!
Buying Fuel – There are several hints to buying gas. When you stop at the pump, get out of the car and look at the pump to verify that the attendant resets the pump properly. (There are instructions in Spanish on the pump telling you the same thing.) Make sure you verify the pesos you hand the attendant – caution the 500 pesos note and 50 pesos note look similar in color. Gas station attendants work for tips.
Internet access – Yes we have internet in Mexico. DSL is most abundant.
Cell Phones – Most of them will work. Sprint phones may not work unless it is international capable. If you don’t make arrangements ahead of time with your cell phone carrier, you could be paying a lot of money for each minute. Data charges are very high without that international plan. I recommend that you put your Android phone or Iphone in Airplane mode with WiFi “on” if you haven’t made prior arrangements.
Here are some handy links to Google Maps that will work on your smart phone:
Link from the Airport to Palmas de Cortez hotel: https://goo.gl/maps/AzE
Link from Airport to Palmas de Cortez hotel then to Tres Palapas: https://goo.gl/maps/c
Note: You can download the local maps that include the Airport and Hotel prior to arrival. This will save a lot of data charges. Very important if you don't have an international data plan.
Now that we’re through the tough part, welcome to Mexico and have a nice day. Remember “Dinks Win Games”.