Travel
to Cancun
Cancun's airport is located about three miles inland from
the southern end of the Hotel Zone. A departure tax of
US$12, also payable in pesos, is collected for all international
flights.
Airlines Servicing Cancun
Aero
Caribe / Aero Cozumel
Aero
Mexico
American Airlines
Aviacsa
Aviateca
British
Airways
Continental
Iberia
Lacsa
Martin
Air
Mexicana
Northwest
Entry Requirements
New
Travel Regulations
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
The proposed implementation timeline has two phases:
Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including
U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United
States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America,
the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present
a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or U.S. Coast
Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration
Card, Form I-551, if applicable.
As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including
U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada,
Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean,
and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries),
may be required to present a valid passport or other
documents as determined by the Department of Homeland
Security. While recent legislative changes permit
a later deadline, the Departments of State and Homeland
Security are working to meet all requirements as
soon as possible. Ample advance notice will be provided
to enable the public to obtain passports or passport
cards for land/sea entries.
The passport requirement does NOT apply to U.S.
citizens traveling to or returning directly from
a U.S. territory. U.S. citizens returning directly
from a U.S. territory are not considered to have
left the United States and do not need to present
a passport. U.S. territories include the following:
Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American
Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands. More
Details... |
Note:
No brief account of the complex Mexican Passport/Visa
regulations is likely to be fully successful and visitors
are advised to use the following for general guidance.
Non-compliance with visa regulations will result in
fines and transportation (at the carrier's expense)
to the visitor's country of origin.
PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least 1 year after
date of entry is required.
 Tourist
cards: Available only to people entering Mexico on vacation,
for reasons of health, or to engage in scientific, artistic
or sporting activities which are neither remunerative
nor lucrative. Valid for the holder only. Other persons
(including minors) travelling on the same passport must
have their own card. The card is a single-entry document
and is issued free of charge. The Consular office retains
the right to request further evidence of the applicant's
intention to visit Mexico as a tourist whenever such
intention has not been established to the Consul's satisfaction.
The same right applies with regard to evidence of the
applicant's financial means to sustain him/herself while
in Mexico.
Note: (a) Visitors eligible for Tourist Cards (see below)
can be issued with Tourist Cards by any Mexican Consulate,
on board the plane or at the point of entry in Mexico.
(b) Tourist Cards must be kept by the visitor during
the entire length of stay as they will have to be presented
and stamped on leaving.
Nationals of the following countries are eligible for
a Tourist card: (a) 1. EU countries for stays of up
to 180 days (except nationals of Austria, France, Greece
and Luxembourg who can stay for up to 90 days);
(b) 2. Australia, Canada, Japan and the USA for stays
of up to 180 days;
(c) Andorra, Argentina, Bermuda, Chile, Costa Rica,
Hungary, Iceland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway,
San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Switzerland and Uruguay
for stays of up to 180 days;
(d) Czech Republic, Israel, Monaco and Poland for up
to 90 days;
(e) Korea (Rep. of) for up to 60 days;
(f) Brazil and Venezuela for up to 30 days.
For requirements and regulations relevant to other nationalities,
contact the Mexican Embassy.
VISAS: Required by all except holders of a Tourist Card
or visa-replacing document. Nationals of the following
countries require a special authorisation from the Ministry
of the Interior in Mexico: Afghanistan, Albania, Bangladesh,
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, China (PR), Croatia, Eritrea,
Iraq, Iran, India, Jordan, Korea (DPR), Lebanon, Libya,
Macedonia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan,
Turkey (unless permanent residents of UK), Vietnam and
Western Sahara region. Authorisation takes approximately
3 to 4 weeks.
Application requirements: Tourist Visa: (a) Passport
with minimum of 6 months' validity. (b) Application
form. (c) 1 passport-size photo. (d) Original return
ticket. (e) Fee (payable in cash only). (f) Proof of
sufficient funds (US$50 per day) to cover length of
stay. (g) Postal applications must be accompanied by
a covering letter specifying the purpose of the trip
and the dates of entry and departure. Applications should
be made in a stamped, self-addressed envelope with recorded
or registered delivery.
Business Visitors Card: (a)-(b) and, (c) 2 passport-size
photos. (d) Letter from applicant's employer accepting
financial responsibility to cover the applicant's stay,
which also states the nature of business to be undertaken
and the name and address of the business contact(s)
in Mexico. For visits of more than 30 days, a multiple-entry
card is needed, as well as a letter from the local Chamber
of Commerce (or Department of Trade and Industry) confirming
the sponsoring company is a member of either body. (e)
Fee (payable in cash, postal order or company cheque).
(f) Postal applications must be accompanied by a stamped,
self-addressed envelope with recorded delivery.
Note: 3. If intending to undertake business or work
of a technical or scientific nature, normal visa regulations
do not apply, and it is necessary to obtain a Visitors
Card. It is vital to contact the local Mexican consular
representative well in advance of the intended date
of departure in order to secure the necessary authorisation
(see address section). Non-British Nationals seeking
to visit Mexico on business are advised to check with
the Consulate regarding visa requirements and fees.
Visitor
Information
Getting
Around
Tourist information is available at most of the resort
hotels. You'll also find the tourism office in Cancun
City on the east side of Avenida Tulum between Avenidas
Coba and Uxmal. It's open daily 9 am-9 pm.
 You
can explore the Hotel Zone on your own by taking a public
bus or taxi along Paseo Kukulkan, the main thoroughfare
(and almost the only street). The distances between
resort hotels can be long, however, so walking may not
be practical. You'll definitely need transportation
to get from the Hotel Zone to Cancun City.
Both the Hotel Zone and Cancun City are considered safe
to walk around,
While it isn't necessary to rent a car while in the
Cancun Downtown / Hotel Zone area, you may decide to
venture further south to the Mayan Riviera, Playa Del
Carmen, Chichén Itzá, etc. Rental cars,
primarily standard-shift sub compacts and four-wheel-drive
vehicles, are available at the airport and throughout
Cancun. The standard rate is about $50 USD per day for
the car, tax, and insurance. You can also rent an automatic
car with air-conditioning at a much higher price. You
can also hire a big, late-model car with air-conditioning
and an English- speaking chauffeur at many hotel travel
desks. You must have a license and be at least 21 years
old. Driving in the Yucatan is on the right. Streets
and roads outside Cancun are not always up to the standards
you may be used to. If you drive on the mainland, keep
your tank filled-gas stations are scarce.
- Rental Car and Driving Tips
- Look over the rental car and have the rental agent
write down anything that is wrong with it, no matter
how small. When you return the car you may be charged
for even the most minor scratches (even on the bumper)
if they aren't noted on the paperwork. Also, make sure
the lights and wipers work. You can't be too careful
with this process - they will get you for anything not
written down.
 -
Buy the Mexican insurance. Yes, sometimes rental car
insurance comes with your credit card, but this doesn't
work the same way in Mexico. Although your own insurance
says it covers you in Mexico, they generally mean they
will reimburse you for damages. If there are problems
and you do not have the Mexican insurance you may be
required to pay the damages before you are allowed to
leave the country, and can be held in jail until the
money arrives. Even with Mexican insurance, there is
often a $1000 deductible you have to pay if the car
is damaged.
- Pass with caution. Passing is a major cause of car
accidents around here. Other drivers are probably going
much faster than you realize - so don't pass unless
you have more than enough room. Oncoming traffic will
sometimes pass when they are heading straight at you
- and they are expecting YOU to move onto the shoulder
to give them room to pass! If you pass without enough
room, the driver in your lane and the one coming the
other direction will not make it easy for you to pull
back in.
- Avoid driving at night whenever possible. Things appear
in the road without warning (cattle, people, etc.);
some highways are poorly lit; some drivers don't even
turn their lights on.
- Remember... Distance and speed limits are posted in
kilometers instead of miles. To convert kilometers to
miles, multiply kilometers by .62. (Something 100 kilometers
away is 62 miles away; 100 kilometers per hour is 62
miles per hour, etc...)
Military Check Points. There are military check points
at all state borders and sometimes just South of the
Cancun airport and in Tulum, often looking for illegal
drugs. The soldiers working there are generally very
polite. They ask where you are coming from and going
and what you did there. Tell the truth. If you are at
a state border, they will also ask about agricultural
products like fruit or chickens.
- Speed Traps. Around Cancun there are several speed
traps where local police wait for rental cars to come
speeding by so they can stop them and try for a bribe.
Here is your best defense - do not speed in and around
Cancun, particularly in the hotel zone and between Cancun
and the airport.
If you run out of gas or break down, don't leave the
vehicle; Mexico's "Green Angels," part of
the Tourism Department, patrol the main roads and will
lend you assistance.
- Gasoline is sold in liters (3.78 liter=l gallon).
Nova (blue pump) is leaded; Magna Sin (green pump) is
unleaded. Only cash is accepted. Most stations close
by 10 PM. There is no self-service, and it is customary
to tip your attendant with a few coins.
Scooters and mopeds can be rented for about US$25-$30
a day anywhere in the Hotel Zone. But be aware that
speeding traffic,  particularly
along Avenida Kukulkan, makes this a dangerous way to
travel. Helmets are required by Mexican law.
Taxis are available at all of the resorts. Expect to
pay US$4-$6 for a ride along Paseo Kukulkan. Be prepared
to bargain, and settle on the fare before entering the
vehicle.
Public buses run along Paseo Kukulkan in the Hotel Zone
and stop at paradas (bus stops), which are marked with
kilometer posts. Buses also connect to the commercial
area along Avenida Tulum in Cancun City. You can take
the bus anywhere along Kukulkan for less than US$1
Banks
Banks are open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 3 pm, some
until 5 pm. A few open on Saturdays from 10 am to 1:30
pm, and there are banks and ATMs in the Riviera Maya.
Shopping
 Duty
free shops can be found at the forum by the Sea Plaza,
La Isla Plaza, Cancun International Airport and Puerta
Maya.
If you want bargains, head to the mainland to Cancun
City's outdoor markets lining the east side of Avenida
Tulum-but note that while prices may be lower there,
the quality can be, too. Market vendors may not accept
credit cards; even if they do, you can often get a better
price if you offer cash instead of credit cards. Almost
all stores take U.S. dollars as well as pesos-often
you'll find prices marked in both currencies-or even
just U.S. dollars! Bargaining is expected in the markets
in Cancun City, but plan to pay the marked price in
shops in the Hotel Zone. Almost all the shops in the
Hotel Zone take major credit cards. Shopping is a popular
pastime in the Hotel Zone, but don't expect many bargains
in the shopping malls. In fact, you can expect prices
to be higher than in other parts of Mexico. The shopping
malls contain everything from souvenir shops to internationally
known boutiques-resort wear and handicrafts are among
the best buys. Handicrafts include handwoven fabrics,
blown glass and jewelry. The largest shopping malls
are Plaza Caracol, Plaza Kukulkan (midway along Paseo
Kukulkan) and Plaza Flamingo.
Nightlife
During the day Cancun is pretty laid back. That changes
at night when both the Hotel Zone and downtown start
rocking with music. It’s all here: salsa, meringue,
flamenco, reggae, jazz, classical, disco, rock and roll,
hip-hop and techno. Many restaurants do double duty
as party centers with “all you can drink”
specials and waiters who don’t hesitate to get
up on stage and dance in between serving drinks. Cancun
Discos and dance bars usually have taped music accompanied
to high tech laser light shows with the occasional live
band thrown in for good measure. The Cancun nightclubs,
especially the Latin Clubs, all have live music and
import some of the hottest bands from Latin America.
Barhopping during happy hour (4 PM – 7 PM) is a
great way to check out the different hotels and evening
cruises have a high-energy, party atmosphere. For a
taste of how the locals like to party head to one of
the Salsa clubs or check out the clubs in the downtown
area. There is usually a free evening concert in the
downtown Parque de las Palapas and close by are some
excellent jazz clubs featuring local musicians. Just
choose your spot and you can dance until the wee hours
of the morning.
Electricity
110 volts, same as in the U.S.
Water
Most hotels and restaurants use purified water, but
you should be safe and drink bottled water whenever
possible - don't let yourself get dehydrated because
you're afraid to drink the water.
Dress
Dress in Cancun is very casual with the accent on comfort.
Remember to pack comfortable walking shoes. The activities
at the hotels and the area dictate sporting clothes.
In the evenings, you may want to dress up, but not too
much. Rubber soled shoes are recommended for tours to
archeological sites. Boots, long sleeve light cotton
shirts and long trousers are best for those interested
in jungle treks. A light jacket, shawl or sweater is
advisable for the evenings of November, December and
January.
Tipping
Tips in Mexico are generally 15%, tipping cab drivers
is not expected, and tipping the maid in the hotel a
couple of dollars a day (per room) is greatly appreciated.
Time Zone
Equal to U.S. Central Time
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