Required documents
You will not be allowed into Mexico without a passport
which is valid for 6 months beyond your departure date. If you are
a US or Canadian citizen you may enter with a certified copy of
your federal government-issued birth certificate accompanied by
photo ID. Travelers need a tourist VISA (FMT document),
approved for a time period related to the purposes of your journey.
Usually the visa is approved for a maximum period of 90 days if
you arrive in Mexico by plane for a vacation, after which it can
be renewed for an additional 90 days at any Mexican Immigration
office.
You can pick up a blank FMT form at any Mexican Consulate, at the
check-in counter at the airport or on the plane while en route to
your destination. If you are coming to Mexico via automobile, you
can request an FMT form at the border. Be prepared to fill out the
information requested which includes your place of birth, your destination
and the reason for your visit.
Always keep your tourist visa safe during your journey:
you will be asked to return it when you leave: If you have lost
it you will experience a long, annoying and expensive procedure
at the Immigration office in order to get an exit permit.
Health
Vaccinations
There are no mandatory vaccinations for traveling to Mexico, unless
you are coming from areas infected by serious diseases, like malaria
or yellow fever.
However, if you are planning to travel off the beaten track, to
take part in jungle tours, or to visit areas where there may be
hygiene problems, vaccinations against Diphtheria, Tetanus, Typhoid,
Polio, and Hepatitis A are recommended.
Always ask the opinion of your doctor, especially about the necessity
of malaria prophylaxis. Some good insect repellents and other simple
measures such as mosquito nets should be enough.
Health problems
Diarrhoea - popularly known among Mexican travelers as "Montezuma's
Revenge” - is the most common health problem. It can be caused
simply by the change of food and climate, but you can have severe
problems, or even get Typhoid, by drinking non-purified water or
eating food that has not been properly prepared. Always try to keep
your body hydrated in case of vomiting and diarrhoea, and do not
hesitate in consulting a doctor if the problem becomes more serious
or prolonged.
It is really important to follow some simple measures like drinking
only bottled water, avoiding ice and hand made ice cream and sorbets,
unpeeled fruit and raw vegetables. Be careful with all food sold
in the streets and in the markets, where there is no hygiene control.
Some other health problems can be caused by altitude, sun and humidity.
Many archaeological sites and places of interest are at high altitude,
or in very hot places, and you can experience headache, insomnia
and dizziness. Always wear a hat and sunglasses, drink a lot of
water and some drinks enriched with mineral salts.
And don’t forget to protect your skin with high factor sun
creams!!
Money
Currency
The National currency is the Mexican Peso, equivalent to
0.10 US Dollar.
Please note that the symbol of the Peso is the same as the USD ($),
so bear this in mind when you find prices displayed on items. Prices
in US dollars are usually marked as US$ or USD.
Even though US Dollars are accepted in the main cities and tourist
areas, we suggest you pay in Pesos.
You will avoid bad exchange rates, and won’t have any problem
if traveling off the beaten tracks, where only Pesos are accepted.
Change
ATM (cash) machines are quite widespread, and can be used
to withdraw local currency at good exchange rates. The most common
are Bancomer (owned by BBVA-Spain), Banamex, (US Citybank) Banco
Santander (partially Bank of America) HSBC/Bital, and Banorte. We
suggest you to withdraw a bit more if you are planning traveling
in isolated area, but try not to carry huge amounts of cash with
you in the cities.
You can also change money in banks and casas de cambio (open 9am-3/4pm).
Check the local competition for exchange rates, and be careful with
the “No commission” adv, as there are often other fees
to be added.
Credit cards
Credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants, and
travel service providers. Always be careful though with those old
carbon copy machines (always ask for the receipt and double check
what you sign) and try not to leave your card around, as credit
card frauds have been frequently reported.
Prices
Generally speaking, life in Mexico is not expensive, but
the areas most visited by tourists, like the Baja California, the
Yucatan’s Mayan Riviera, Monterrey and the most famous resorts
on the Pacific Coast can be pricey, especially during high season.
In all other areas you can easily find good value accommodation
and enjoy excellent meals for less than 100 pesos. Shopping can
be a really pleasant experience, especially in the markets where
bargaining is allowed and very common.
VAT in Mexico is 15% and by law it must be included in the quoted
prices, unless clearly specified otherwise.
Tips are expected in the areas frequented by tourists (between
10% and 15% and up to 20% in resort areas) but not in the small
cheaper places.
Communication
Telephone
There are only a small number of coin operated public phones
for local and reverse charge calls, as most of the payphones now
operate with pre-paid cards. Cards for 30, 50 or 100 pesos can be
bought in newsagents and tobacco shops and kiosks, or wherever you
see the sign “Tarjetas Ladatel”
For local calls, just ignore the area code and dial the number;
for national calls dial 01 followed by the area code and local number.
To make an international call dial 00 followed by the country code,
area code and local number. For calling Mexico from abroad dial
00 followed by the country code (52), area code and local number.
If you have a "Tri Band" hand set, and your national
network provider has a roaming agreement with Telmex you can use
your own mobile phone. Check before leaving that international roaming
has been enabled on your account and bear in mind that charges are
extremely high. Reverse charges international calls will cost a
lot to the receiver.
Internet
Internet Cafes are very popular and widespread, except for
in rural villages in remote areas. Charges depend on location.
Other info
Time Zone
From GMT -6 (Most of Mexico) to GMT -7 (Baja California Sur,
Sonora and other states in the northwest), and GMT -8 (Baja California
Norte)
Electricity
The system is 120 V and 60 Hz, as in the US, with the same
plugs (with two flat prongs). If your electrical equipment has got
different plug you will need an adaptor.
The electrical equipment operating at 240v need to be dual-voltage.
Most electrical equipment operating on 12 volts (laptops, PDA, video
and digital cameras, mobile phones) will cope with dual voltage,
but always check the equipment instructions first.
Business Hours
Shops are open from 10-11 am to 8-10 pm in the main cities.
In the smaller towns they can have a more limited opening time or
have a couple of hours lunch break, usually between 1.30-2pm and
3.30-4pm
Office Hours
Offices are usually open between 8am and 6pm with an hour
lunch break.
Banks are open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, but some may be
open on Saturday morning. HSBC branches are open from 8am to 8pm
Monday to Saturday.

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