Saturday, December 16, 2006

Sonoran Sun Resort in Rocky Point Mexico

Sonoran Sun Resort is the ultimate in luxury beachfront and ocean view Rocky Point condos! You will enjoy a full service spa, beachfront swimming pools, Jacuzzis and scrumptious restaurant on site. Take advantage of the resort's close access to the area's most popular ocean spot, Sandy Beach, and spend a day in the sand. Or you can lounge by the beautiful blue pool and swim up to the bar for a refreshing drink while you take in the tranquil ocean views.

Exercise in the state-of-the-art fitness center or play a game on the private tennis court. Resort guests can also schedule fishing trips or a sunset dinner cruise, rent kayaks and boogie boards, play video games in the activity center, and so much more. Make your reservation today, and experience a vacation to remember!

Kayaking El Salto Mexico

Whitewater kayaking El Salto in Mexico

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Mexico Customs

Remember to do in Mexico what the Mexicans do! The following is a short list of what is customary—and what is frowned upon—south of the border.

Greetings:

In social settings, women and men usually greet each other with a single kiss on the cheek, even when they first meet. Men who know each other already tend to greet with a hug and a slap on the back. Greeting is often done by handshake in business settings, but never in social ones.

Meals:

Lunchtime in Mexico usually begins around 2:00 or 3:00 pm and can last at least a couple of hours, since it is the most important meal of the day. It is common for someone who lives near work to have lunch at home with his family. Unlike in the United States, it is common for a Mexican to order alcoholic beverages with his food, even on a business meal.

Business meetings:

Business meetings in Mexico are often held over meals, particularly breakfast or lunch. They usually begin with small talk, with business matters left until later in the meal. Even at the office, Mexicans like to bond and make everybody feel comfortable before talking business; discussion of one’s family is common.

Gift-giving:

It is customary for a traveler to bring along a small gift to the people he will meet with in Mexico, particularly if arrangements have been made to pick him up at the airport. Mexicans are also known for giving business gifts—sometimes lavish ones—for Christmas.

Tipping:

Waiters in Mexico are usually tipped between 10 and 15 percent and hotel bellhops are normally tipped US$2. Taxi drivers usually aren’t tipped, although it’s customary to round the bill up. All the gas stations in Mexico are full-service, and attendants are normally tipped between 5 and 10 pesos, depending on whether the car windows are washed while the gas tank is being filled. Persons who help someone park, be it in a parking lot or even on the street, expect to receive a small tip, as are grocery baggers. Other services that customarily command a tip in the U.S. and Canada, such as haircuts, are also tipped in Mexico.

Attire:

Mexicans tend to dress much more formally than their Canadian and U.S. counterparts both in business and social settings. Shorts and sandals are frowned upon in restaurants, and at work suits are the norm, even on Fridays. Khaki pants and a polo shirt are considered casual attire. If a visitor wants to stand out less as a foreigner, he should wear pants instead of shorts, wear solid colors instead of prints, don leather shoes instead of sneakers, use dress socks instead of sports socks and take off his hat.

Splitting the bill:

Mexicans dining in groups of two or three rarely split the restaurant bill among them. Normally, people take turns treating each other or, less commonly, split the bill evenly among the party. It is frowned upon to ask the wait staff for individual bills, although a few chain restaurants provide them as a rule. Mexicans are very generous with foreigners, often insisting on paying for meals themselves. Visitors to Mexico should remember to return the favor on the next occasion or in their home country, when the Mexican visits.

Using English:

Visitors should not assume that all Mexicans speak English, although many people—such as students and tourism industry employees—often do. Mexicans appreciate the effort made by a foreigner to speak Spanish, however basic. Visitors who do not speak Spanish should always preface their questions in English with “Hablo poco español. Habla usted inglés?” (A-blo POco espanYOL. A-bla usTETH inGLEZ?) (“I speak very little Spanish. Do you speak English?”).

Tú or usted

When speaking to a Mexican, a visitor should always use usted (the formal form of the pronoun “you”) instead of tú (the casual form) unless he already knows the person being addressed or unless that person begins to use the tú form with him. Usted is also common for conversations between persons of different social or professional hierarchies (ex. managers and secretaries, employers and cleaning staff), to convey distance but also respect. One typically uses usted to address the older relatives of friends or associates, although these people will usually use the tú form to respond.

Contact and personal space:

When speaking, Mexicans tend to stand more closely to each other than their U.S. or Canadian counterparts, and also tend to touch each other more. It is not uncommon for a Mexican to touch someone on the shoulder or arm occasionally while speaking, or to place his hand on someone’s back or shoulder while walking with him.

Professional titles:

Mexicans are very sensitive to hierarchies and professional titles. When in doubt, a visitor should always address a Mexican using the title “licenciado” before his last name (ex. “Licenciado Pérez”); ”señor” is reserved for individuals who are not suspected to possess a college degree, and therefore should never be used in a business setting. The use of the title may be dropped over time depending on the hierarchy and the type of business relationship two people develop.

Tone of voice:

Mexicans tend to speak more quietly than their Canadian or U.S. counterparts, especially in public places such as restaurants and stores.

Fashionably late:

It is common for Mexicans to arrive at a social event much later than the designated start time. Arriving up to one hour late is not unusual, while arriving right on time is often considered rude. Hosts always expect their guests to be at least half-hour late. At business meetings, though, lateness is much less tolerated.

Haggling:

Bargaining is common in open-air markets. Visitors should offer half of the asking price and bargain up from there. Bargaining is not used at formal establishments.

Friday, December 1, 2006

Travel Tips

Entry Requirements

The government of Mexico requires that all U.S. and Canadian citizens present proof of citizenship and photo identification for entry into Mexico. Citizenship documents such as a certified copy (not a simple photocopy) of a birth certificate, a Naturalization Certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Citizenship are acceptable.

However, it is recommended that travelers carry a valid passport to avoid delays or misunderstandings. Driver's permits, voter registration cards, affidavits and similar documents are not sufficient to prove citizenship.

U.S. and Canadian citizens traveling as tourists beyond the border zone or entering Mexico by air must pay a fee to obtain a tourist card, also known as an FM-T, available from Mexican consulates, Mexican border crossing points, Mexican tourism offices, airports within the border zone and most airlines serving Mexico. The fee for the tourist card is generally included in the price of a plane ticket for travelers arriving by air.

Upon arrival in Mexico, business travelers must complete and submit a form (Form FM-N 30 days) authorizing the conduct of business, but not employment, for a 30-day period. Travelers entering Mexico for purposes other than tourism or business or for stays of longer than 180 days require a visa and must carry a valid passport.

Children traveling without both parents or guardians will need a notarized letter from the absent parent or guardian authorizing the trip to and from Mexico.

It is always recommended that visitors make two copies of their passport identification page. This will facilitate replacement if a passport is lost or stolen. Leave one copy at home with friends or relatives. Carry the other with you in a separate place from your passport.


Customs

New customs declaration forms must be filled out by all incoming travelers, domestic and foreign. The belongings of all incoming travelers (except for diplomatic personnel) are subject to spot checks using a "traffic light" system.

The form is passed through a machine: a red light indicates possessions will be spot-checked and a green light means a search will not be conducted.

Tourists are allowed to bring in personal effects duty-free. According to customs regulations, in addition to clothing, personal effects may include a camera, video cassette player, personal computer, CD player, 5 DVDs, 20 music CDs or audio cassettes, 12 rolls of unused film and a cellular phone.

Any tourist carrying such items, even if duty-free, should enter the "Merchandise to Declare" lane at the first customs checkpoint.


Currency and Money Planning

Mexican coins come in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 centavos (cents) and 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 pesos; bills come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 pesos. Once in Mexico, currency can be exchanged at banks or exchange houses (casas de cambio) at the airport or in town.

Acceptance of US dollars is not uncommon, although change may be given in pesos. It is always wise to travel with at least enough pesos to cover travel for the day, since gas stations only accept pesos, as do most market or craft vendors.

Visitors to Mexico should plan to purchase pesos ahead of weekends and Mexican holidays, when banks will be closed.

Major credit and charge cards (primarily American Express, MasterCard and Visa) are welcome at many establishments. Some ATMs belong to Cirrus, Plus and NYCE systems, enabling travelers to access their accounts and make withdrawals in pesos while in Mexico.

However, people depending on ATMs for all their travel money may experience difficulty traveling off the beaten path where ATMs are not available. Banks will not cash personal checks, but most American Express offices in Mexico will cash personal checks for cardholders.

Travelers’ checks can be cashed into pesos in many establishments, as long as the bearers of the checks show proper identification. But it may be difficult to use them in small towns or any place without banking facilities nearby.


Embassies and Consular Services

U.S. Embassy
Paseo de la Reforma 305
Col. Cuauhtemoc
Mexico City
Tel. +5255-5080-2000
Business hours: weekdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m.; closed for U.S. and Mexican holidays (however, a duty officer is always on call)

Canadian Embassy
Schiller 529
Col. Polanco
Mexico City
Tel. +5255-5724-7900
Business hours: weekdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.; closed for Canadian and Mexican holidays

There are consular offices or agencies in most main tourist and business cities. A complete list of U.S. and international embassies and consulates can be found on the Internet at www.sre.gob.mx.


Health Hints

No vaccinations are needed to enter Mexico from the United States or Canada.

Travelers should take it easy on food and alcohol consumption the first three days after arriving in Mexico, particularly in cities at high elevations such as Mexico City.

Bottled water is readily available at pharmacies, groceries and hotels. Luxury hotels often have purified tap water. English-speaking doctors are usually on call at most hotels.

Mexico has an abundant number of pharmacies (farmacias) that dispense prescription drugs (often without prescriptions) at a fraction of their cost back home.

Before going abroad, it is recommended that visitors learn what medical services their health insurance will cover overseas. If health insurance policy provides coverage outside country of origin, it is recommended that visitors carry both their insurance policy identity card as proof of such insurance and a claim form.

Although many health insurance companies will pay "customary and reasonable" hospital costs abroad, very few will pay for medical evacuation back to a country of origin. Medical evacuation can easily cost US$10,000 and up, depending on one’s location and medical condition.

For a major medical emergency, jet evacuation services are available, including:
Red Cross Mexico: from Mexico City, dial 5395-1111 or 5557-5757. For Locatel offices in Mexico City, dial 5658-1111.


Safety Tips

When traveling in Mexico, exercise the same safety precautions used traveling anywhere in the world: carry money inside clothing, keep your eye on your possessions at all times, don't leave valuables in plain view in vehicles, don't be alone on empty beaches and don't purchase or use illegal drugs.

Travel on buses that run on toll highways during daylight hours. Consult the U.S. State Department site for safety and travel tips at http://travel.state.gov.

Take care to use radio-dispatched taxis. These can be found at all hotels and restaurants. Request the number of the taxi to be dispatched.

If there is any question about a taxi requested, compare the picture on the laminated 5"x7" picture permit (tarjeton) with the driver. If there's no picture permit, or the picture doesn't match the driver, do not get in the taxi.

Good Mexico City hotels have specially licensed tourist taxis, without taxi markings, assigned to them. Verify that the drivers are known. At the airport and bus stations in Mexico City, use only officially designated taxi service for which special tickets are sold.


Telephones

Public phones marked Ladatel are the best to use for long-distance calls within or outside Mexico. Most of these telephones require debit phone cards, which can be purchased at newsstands or convenience stores.

In addition, there are special streetside businesses marked Caseta de Larga Distancia which are set up for long-distance calling and are usually marked (long distance telephone booth). Casetas will have several private booths, a clerk who makes and times the call, directs you to a booth, and collects the money.

Caseta offices usually offer fax service, and some even offer Internet service. They are also located at most bus stations in major tourist or business locales.

Also accessible is toll-free calling assistance provided by major U.S. telephone companies such as AT&T, Sprint, MCI, and Bell Canada to their card holders. Dial 090 to make a long distance call from a public phone.

To dial the U.S. directly, dial 001 + Area Code + Phone Number. To dial directly within Mexico, dial: 01 + Area Code + Phone Number. To call Mexico from the U.S. or Canada, dial 011 + 52 + Area Code + Phone Number.

Phone numbers in Mexico City have eight digits. To call a Mexican cell phone number within the country, dial 044 + Area Code + Phone Number. The 044 prefix should be dropped when dialing the number from the US or Canada.


Mail Services & E-mail

Courier services such as Mexpost (which is a branch of the Mexican Post Office), Federal Express, DHL, UPS and others operate throughout Mexico.

Mail acceptance services such as Mail Boxes Etc. are also available. In addition, Internet centers or cyber cafes are increasingly found throughout the country.


More information

For general tourism information while in Mexico, dial 078 from anywhere in the country.

Individuals interested in filing a complaint against a tourism service provider in Mexico should call: 1-800-475-2393, 1-888-594-3372 or write to: quejas@secodam.gob.mx.
For more information on Mexico, visit www.visitmexico.com.