Yucatan Peninsula Planning Your Trip

Before You Go

Passport (see opposite page). Required for citizens of all countries except the US and Canada. Note that a passport is required to return to the US from Mexico.
Tourist Card. Required for citizens of all countries who plan to venture past border towns and/or stay for more than 3 days. Available at airports and points of entry. Good for anywhere from 30 to 180 days depending on country of origin. Included in price of plane ticket or US$20 at the border.
Visa . Required for visitors from most countries outside of the Americas and Europe. Must be obtained through a Mexican consulate before arrival.
Under 18? Any non-Mexican under the age of 18 departing for Mexico must carry notarized written permission from parent or guardian not traveling with the child.
Work Permit . Business visas and proof of employment required for all foreigners planning to work in Mexico.
Recommended Vaccinations Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid.
Other Health Concerns: Malaria pills are recommended for those traveling to malaria risk areas: Mexico’s southern borders and in Sinaloa, Durango, Chihuahua, and Sonora states.

Embassies And Consulates

Australia: 14 Perth Ave., Yarralumla, Canberra, ACT 2600 (☎ +61 02 62 73 39 63; www.mexico.org.au). Canada: 45 O’Connor St., Ste. 1000, Ottawa, ON K1P 1A4 (☎ +1-613-233-8988; www.sre.gob.mx/canada) ...more

Documents And Formalities

Requirements Citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US need valid passports to enter Mexico and to re-enter their home countries. You may also be asked for evidence of ...more

Money

The currency chart on the next page is based on August 2009 exchange rates. Check the currency converter on websites like www.xe.com or www.bloomberg.com for the latest exchange rates. As a general ...more

Safety And Health

In any type of crisis, the most important thing to do is stay calm. Your home country’s embassy abroad is usually your best resource in an emergency; registering with your embassy upon arrival in the ...more

Transportation To The Yucatán Peninsula

When it comes to flying on a budget the key is to hunt around, be flexible, and ask about discounts. Students, seniors, and those under 26 should never have to pay full price for a ticket. Airfares ...more

Transportation In The Yucatán Peninsula

When traveling around the Peninsula, fares are either one-way or round-trip. “Period returns” require you to return within a specific number of days; “day return” means you must return on the same ...more

Staying Connected

Although in some places it’s possible to forge a remote link with your home server, in most cases this is a much slower (and thus more expensive) option than taking advantage of free web-based email ...more

Accommodations

Many hostels are laid out dorm-style, often with large single-sex rooms and bunk beds, although more private rooms that sleep from two to four are becoming more common. Hostels sometimes have kitchens ...more

The Great Outdoors

The Great Outdoor Recreation Page (www.gorp.com) provides excellent general information for travelers planning on camping or enjoying the outdoors. Leave No Trace. Let’s Go encourages travelers ...more

Travel Concerns

As the number of travelers on the road rises, the detrimental effect they can have on natural environments is an increasing concern. With this in mind, Let’s Go promotes the philosophy of sustainable ...more