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CALLING HOME

If you need to call home, the best way to call is from a Ladatel telephone.  You can find these phones on every street, but in order to use them you need to purchase a pre-paid phone card which comes in $30 pesos, $50 pesos, and $100 pesos increments.  You can buy these cards at almost all convenient stores, OXXO stores, Extra stores, etc.  Just ask the clerk “Necisito una tarjeta de Ladatel, porfavor”, meaning, “I need a Ladatel card, please.”  Once you have your card and ready to make your call insert the card into the phone.  When dialling to the States or Canada you need to dial 001 first then the area and the number following.  What ever you do, NEVER call collect from a pay phone unless it’s an emergency, because they charge a $40 dollar connection fee plus $5 USD a minute after, and they never tell you how much its going to be so ask if you must call...INSANE!

INTERNET ACCESS
Internet cafés are everywhere, especially downtown.  You can find them in malls, the back of convenient stores, and of course any hotel.  They usually cost anywhere from $1 ($10 pesos) to $6 ($60 pesos) for an hour.  Cafes are great and some of them have internet phone service which is a cheaper way to call home.  As for your hotel, almost all hotels have an internet café, now even some hotels offer free internet access in your room. (Make sure you ask your hotel because some hotels do charge $10 to $25 for a 24 hour period) If you just keep your eyes open you can find an internet café hidden away almost anywhere you go.

FOR FOOD AND GOODS, ONE WORD, WALMART
Wal-Mart is a home away from home; you can find everything from Cancun T-shirts, shot glasses, pens, all sorts of silly little things.  But the most important things they have are food & beer!  Wal-Mart is always a dope experience; you never know what you are going to see.  Don’t be surprised if you see sexy girls promoting products, anything from yoghurt to beer.  The good thing about this place is that they have almost everything you need.  Other than the essential food & beer, Wal-Mart has a pharmacy, internet access, a bank, an ATM, a hair salon, a dollar store, a Kodak shop to develop film and a McDonalds.  So like I said, almost anything you need!
*FYI:  ALL PRICES INCLUDE TAX IN MEXICO*

TRANSPORTATION
This one is very important.  The great thing about Cancun is that the transportation system is off the hook. You can find a taxi anywhere, busses are every where, and you can always find a rent-a-car!  Taxis are a great way to get somewhere fast, but be cautious, because there are a couple important tips that you should know about the taxis…they can be shady.  First off, getting a taxi at the front door of your hotel is convenient but it also costs double the money than a taxi that you can flag down on the street.  Before getting into any cab make sure you come to an agreement of the price to where you are going.  Remember this is Mexico; always barter.  If you are travelling alone especially, it is a good idea to write down the cab number and if you are a woman it is a better idea to sit in the back as well.  And lastly, when getting out of a cab make sure you have everything that you got in with, because if you leave it, you probably will never see it again. Renting a car is an option, but I do recommend that this should be for experienced drivers.  Driving around the hotel zone is one thing but driving into the downtown is a whole other world.  Everybody is in a hurry and they seem to drive with their own set of rules.  But if you do have the experience of driving in other countries then it’s not so bad. Once you get the hang of it…you got it!  If you are just travelling in the hotel zone the best way to travel is by bus.  It’s cheap and hassle free, plus it hits all the stops in the hotel zone.

MARKET 28
Going to market 28 is a way for you to get out and mingle with some locals and the down town atmosphere.  The hotel zone is about 15 to 20 minutes from the downtown area, so not too far from the hotel zone. You can find great Mexican crafts and the locals are always ready to wheel and deal, which is the fun part of the shopping. If you get hungry on your trip you can find a bunch of restaurants; from sea food to of course Mexican.
**If you don’t like the hassle of negotiating, Plaza Fiesta is located near the party centre in the hotel zone and they have everything that Market 28 has and more.

SHOT GIRLS
Shot girls (Muppeterras in Spanish) are the women walking around every club selling shots.  Watch out for these girls because on occasion they won’t even ask you if you want a shot but pour many shots down your throat and then ask for the money.  Besides the shots are watered down anyways.  Just tell them “no” as long as it takes because you are better off buying your shots at the bar. 

STRIP CLUBS-PLAZA 21
Plaza 21 is a real strip mall.  It’s a mall that has about 10 different strip clubs inside.  Cover is like 25 bucks, but some are free to get in.  The women are exotic to say the least and are from all over the world.  It’s called Plaza 21 for a reason because it’s located 21 kilometers out of Cancun.  It’s about a 45 minute trip from the hotel zone.  If you like Strip Clubs I definitely recommend checking this out because it is a once in a lifetime experience! 

CONSULATE AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION
Americans and Canadians with any problems in Mexico are encouraged to contact the U.S. or the Canadian consulate. There you can also obtain updated information on travel and security within Mexico. The U.S. consulate is located in Plaza Caracol II, Boulevard Kukulcan Km 8.5 in the hotel zone. The number within the Cancun area is 883-0272.  To call from the U.S. the number is 01152-998-883-0272.  You may also visit www.travel.state.gov for any travel information into mexico.
The consulate for Canada is located in Plaza Caracol II, third floor, Boulevard Kukulcan Km 8.5 in the hotel zone. The number within Cancun is 883-3360 and 883-3361. To call from Canada the number is 01152-998-883-3360 and 01152-998-883-3360.  You may also contact them via e-mail at cancun@canada.org.mx.

ELECTRICITY
The electrical system in Mexico is 110 volts AC (60 cycles), the same as in the United States and Canada. In reality, however, it may cycle more slowly and overheat your appliances. To compensate, select a medium or low speed on hair dryers. Many older hotels still have electrical outlets for flat two-prong plugs; you'll need an adapter for any appliance with three prongs. New hotels have three-hole outlets (trifásicos in Spanish). The hotels that don't have three pronged outlets may have loan adapters, but to be sure, it's always better to carry your own.

TIPPING
Most service employees in Mexico count on tips for the majority of their income, and this is especially true for bellboys and waiters. Bellboys should receive the equivalent of at least $1 per bag; waiters generally receive 10% to 20%, depending on the level of service. Do not to tip taxi drivers, unless they are hired by the hour or provide touring or other special services.

EXCHANGING MONEY
There a couple of different ways you can take care of your money exchange.  All over Cancun are Money Exchange houses or “Casa de Cambio.”  Another way to exchange money is at any bank.  And the last option is having your money exchanged when you are purchasing something, even though I don’t recommend this way because you will get the lowest exchange rate in return.  Bottom line, look for the best exchange rate possible- the higher the number the better.  Using ATMs will ensure the best exchange rate and you don't have to carry lots of cash or travellers checks.  But sometimes when using this option, it is a good idea to notify your banks that you are travelling because if they see abnormal fees in a different country they may freeze you card.  So don’t let your debit card be your only line for money.

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
When travelling to Mexico, you are required to have a passport. Whenever you travel, it is always a good idea to make photocopies of your travel documents and store them in a safe place; separate from the originals in case of loss or theft. If you have access to a scanner you may want to consider storing a digital copy of your passport online for easy access.   Do not go out and party with your passport, it will save you from a possible future headache.

AIRPORT
Visitors to Mexico are required to obtain a tourist card that is given to you in customs at the airport. These tourist cards are good for anywhere from 7 to 180 days. Remember, you are required to surrender your tourist card when leaving Mexico. If you lost your tourist card or if it has expired you are likely to be fined, so keep them in a safe place. As dumb as this sounds...bring a pen or two! You need one in order to fill out the custom forms on the plane.