Create a festive decoration for a room with your caring female hands,...
We went to Mexico quite recently, or rather arrived 5 days ago.
We rested in Cancun, the Solymar 3 * hotel, we wanted to save money. It's actually pretty good, I'd even say good. small but cozy room, there is a safe, refrigerator, loggia, air conditioning, which worked noisily, but we cooled the room and turned it off, it was enough for almost the night. no one uses, but the entire minimum set is there. the only thing missing was clothes hangers, but this is a common problem in budget hotels.
The territory is clean, beautiful, lots of greenery, swimming pools. The beach is very beautiful, though there are very few sunbeds, but personally I don’t need them.
So: they arrived. I will not talk about the flight, about how the neighbors drank and did not give rest for all 13 hours, this is a special case.
In the morning meeting with the guide, her name is Milana, reading: remember this name, she is from transaerotour.
We prepared for the trip, read reviews and advice, so we knew that the prices for excursions there, to put it mildly, are high. Therefore, in advance, we decided to rent a car and travel around everything ourselves.
After Milana's stories about what to take and where to go, my husband and I said that we would not take anything, better tell me where to rent a car?
She changed her face, began to say that it was just crazy, that the police would rip us off at every step, there would be set-ups, they would rob a car, throw themselves under the wheels, etc., etc. After listening to her, one married couple immediately I put aside my plans about this and bought 2 excursions from this Milana.
But my husband and I were tough tin soldiers! And they said that we would do it anyway. And they didn't regret it!
There are Hertz and Avis campaigns in Cancun, they are located in the hotel zone, in the area of the Liverpool store, buses No. 1,2,27, maybe some more.
You need to have a card, we had a credit card and water. certificate. It was normal for us, not foreign ..
They wrote out documents, in my opinion they blocked 500 dollars on the card, we don’t speak the language, so everything is approximate.
They examined the car (Chevrolet Aveo, automatic), noted the scratches that were on it. car, in general, something new, mileage 6000km, music, Conder bylo.All the same ride then, 5 days.
We left immediately after breakfast, at 7 am or earlier.
We went: to Chichen Itza, to Kobu, Tulum, to Shcaret Park, to Akumal and just shopping on the 5th day before giving the car back. e. for the day it turned out 1300r, very acceptable!)
Chichen Itza.
We went to Chichen Itza on a toll road, but as we later found out, the free road is no worse, and it’s more interesting to drive along them. so that who wants to ride on their own, do not listen to anyone. The roads are perfect, I've only seen them in Australia. Yes, there are many speed bumps in settlements and at traffic police posts, but there are a lot of signs warning about this, unlike in Russia, so you will never jump on them.
Everyone, of course, exceeds the speed limit, even I am a woman, I confess, I traveled 120 km, on such roads it is so imperceptible!
The police never stopped us, we used to ask them if we were in doubt somewhere. Although, with such an abundance of denoting signs, it is difficult to get lost.
We drove up, bought an entrance ticket and saw all the sights ourselves, and in order to make it all clear where a pyramid, a feathered serpent, something else, I printed out information from the Internet. But no one drove me, did not interfere with the imbued with history and did not breathe in the back.
On the way back, we stopped by a village, bought a national blanket there, then ate delicious meat from the grill, from local, friendly residents. I even fell in love with Coca Cola (I don’t drink it at home), which is everywhere as a free supplement to dinner. By the way, they don’t drink tea there at all.
So! Where should you go? This is in Chichen Itza, but there you can’t touch anything with your hands, everything is fenced off; to Cobu, where you will touch everything, climb the highest pyramid in Mexico, walk through the beautiful jungle, to Akumal, where you need to have a mask, flippers, I advise you to buy in Russia (I saw an inexpensive kit in the Lenta supermarket for 999 rubles). where the minibuses stop in the center of Akumal, put the car in the parking lot, go through, like a checkpoint. We did not pay anything, there you can change clothes in the toilet and go to the shore. Turtles are about 50 meters from the shore, there are a lot of them, there are also stingrays. you can’t touch them, but I did touch (turtles), they are so pretty! While swimming, my husband and I went into the water 3 times, for 40 minutes each, time passes so imperceptibly there, the back and everything behind it burned down so much that we barely got into the car, it’s good that we gave it back the next day.
Excursion to the park Shkaret.
Entrance ticket min. 99 USD, and all inclusive. 129, I advise you to take everything at once, tk. you want to eat, but there is still a Swede. table and it will turn out the same. And in general, if now, I would choose the Explorer tour, the price is the same, other tourists later told me that they bought it "on the street", but from their stories, I realized that it was much cooler! And bungee and rafting on the river and lunch and jeeps in the jungle, in short, we regretted that we learned about it late, 2 days before departure. By the way, in the list of excursions from our guide, it was not.
And yet, you can also take a guide to Shkaret Park, because at 6 pm the performance begins there, goes with a break until the ninth hour, we did not stay for the second part, because it was still not so difficult to get there, although it turned out to be not so difficult.
We also went to the Pericus restaurant. Oh, very cool, the atmosphere, the waiters are fun, Mexican dances. I liked it, although the kitchen ... well, for 4. It cost about 4,500 rubles for a tip, for two, with our money. You can get there by R 2 and walk a little bit, we went there by taxi, a little expensive!
In general, if you count money, it is better to travel by bus, they have much better than ours, and the driver will always stop where necessary. Buses run until late at night and from 4.30.
Isla Mujare, i.e. island of women. went 2 times. they took a car on the island, such as an electric car, only on gasoline, for the whole day 500 pesos. For the first time we traveled around the island all around the perimeter, stopped, took pictures, ate in a cafe, very tasty fish, and ate there the second time. Local musicians come up to the cafe and offer to sing, someone will always order, so you can also enjoy the music.
The second time we did shopping, I realized that I need to take souvenirs here, it's cheaper.
You can get to the island from the hotel zone, only on the R1, straight to the port of Juarez, and the ferry ticket there and back is about 150 pesos. This is the cheapest option. by the way, if you sit on the upper deck, a musician will sing there and then you have to give a tip, from 10 pesos.
We really wanted to go fishing, we wanted to take with English-speaking people, they have an order of magnitude cheaper excursions, everything later, later, we’ll have time! And then there were no empty seats, and then we had to leave! So this advice: do not put off what you have planned for the last day, sometimes there are no places!
Tips for travelers:
1) In Mexico, you need to take a tour: all inclusive. Eating by yourself is expensive, this is not Vietnam or Thailand. And there are mostly no cafes near the hotels.
2) Take a car, don't be afraid, feel like a Mexican.
3) If you just need a beach holiday, look for something closer so as not to regret the money spent.
4) Prepare for the trip, read about the sights on the Internet, download a guidebook, navigator, buy a Spanish phrasebook, there is even in English. few people speak.
5) Behave decently. during the trip, on the part of the Mexicans, we saw only a good friendly attitude, no pestering, as in Egypt, smile back, thank you, in Spanish, it’s easy to learn a few words; let's tip.
6) If you bought a sombrero, do not check it in your luggage, as the guides say, take it in hand luggage. They will let you on the plane.
7) Sunscreen, put on so you don't sit in your room afterwards.
8) Do not change dollars at the airport, it is not profitable, always carry a calculator with you, if you are in doubt about the price, calculate it on it, it is difficult to immediately switch from rubles to pesos.
Maybe I missed something, if you have questions, my address [email protected]
Mexico is located in North America and makes up most of Central America.
Mexico borders on , Guatemala and Belize, on the isthmus connecting North America with South. In the west, Mexico is washed by the Pacific Ocean, in the east by the Caribbean Sea.
In the northern part of the country, there is quite little rainfall, the climate is arid, so the main vegetation is represented by various types of cacti and thorny shrubs.
The most typical tropical rain forests, the jungle, are found in the coastal plains and foothills in the southern and southeastern regions of the country. These are dense, sometimes heavily swampy forests.
The mountainous relief brings great diversity to the tropical nature of Mexico, where 4 altitudinal zones are distinguished: "Thiera Caliente", a hot zone, includes all coastal areas and the foothills of the mountains. It is hot here both in winter and summer, but the summer-autumn rainy season stands out; rainfall is sufficient for the development of tropical rainforests.
"Thiera Templada", a warm belt lying at altitudes of 1000-1500 m. The climate here is moderately hot, with cool winter nights. The vegetation is dominated by light tropical forests.
"Thiera Fria", a cool belt, lies at an altitude of 1500-2700 m and occupies vast expanses of the Mexican Highlands, including the Northern and Central Mesa, the slopes and foothills of the Transverse Volcanic Sierra and the Southern Sierra Madre. Summers are moderately warm, and winters are cool, with frosts. The vegetation on the slopes of the southern mountains is oak-pine forests, on the northern arid plateaus it is desert and semi-desert.
"Thiera elada", a frosty belt covering the slopes of the mountains and the tops of the plateau above 2700 m. Frosts often occur here. At an altitude of 2900-3500 m, forests disappear, giving way to alpine meadows and eternal snows, crowning many peaks of the Volcanic Sierra, reaching 5000-5500 m.
In Mexico, there is a dry and rainy season, which are formed under the influence of tropical cyclones.
The rainy season falls on June-September and is pronounced on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
Timezone
8 hours relative to Moscow time
Population of Mexico
The Mexican nation was formed as a result of a mixture of Indians and Spanish settlers. About 107,449,525 people live in the country. Modern ethnic groups: mestizos -60%, Indians -30%, Europeans-10%.
Capital of the United Mexican States .
According to the UN report, this is the second most populous agglomeration after Tokyo. Mexico City is home to approximately 18.66 million people.
The capital of Mexico is the political, economic, industrial and cultural center of the state.
Official language
Spanish. Although many Indian languages and dialects are common in the country along with it (more than 52)
Local currency
The official currency is the peso.
It is almost impossible to buy anything with dollars in Mexico, not to mention the euro.
American currency is not accepted everywhere, mostly dollars can be freely paid in tourist areas. Most stores accept Visa, Master Card, American Express credit cards.
It is best to change money at the Mexico City airport - there is the best exchange rate in the city.
Prices in restaurants pesos.
ATMs in Mexico City are everywhere, in Cancun they are located in the city center and in the shopping centers of the hotel zone and are open from 09:00 to 17:00.
On the Riviera Mvya: in Playa del Carmen, Xcaret, Puerto Aventuras and Tulum.
The maximum withdrawal amount from an ATM is 3,000 pesos (about $300) per day.
Visa to Mexico
To enter the country, citizens of the Russian Federation need
For getting Russian tourist visas require the following documents:
- Passport original
- Photocopy of the 1st page of the international passport
- Photocopy of valid visas
- Consular application form in two copies:
- Print the questionnaire on one sheet;
- on the first page put in black only the prints of the index fingers of both hands. The prints must be clear, without divorce;
- on the second page, put only the signature corresponding to the signature in the RFP; - 2 photographs 3x4 (necessarily in color) on a white background, without corners and ovals, with a fully visible face (without glasses, without hats and other headgear) and maintaining portrait proportions
- Help from the place of work
- Copy of marriage certificate
- Creditworthiness confirmation
The term for issuing a visa is 5 working days.
Mexico on a US visa
Mexico, where in recent years it is already quite easy to get a visa, has simplified the rules of entry even more. Russians with a valid can visit this country without obtaining a special permit.
Considering that the American consulate is quite willing to issue visas to Russians, the opportunity to visit Mexico can be a pleasant addition to . Moreover, most often issued for a year or two, which makes it possible to visit Mexico at any convenient time.
Customs rules for entering the country
The import of fruits, vegetables, cuttings and seeds of plants, as well as psychotropic substances and pornographic publications is prohibited. Duty-free you can enter personal items (clothing, toilet items, cigarettes up to 200 pieces (or up to 50 cigars or up to 250 grams of tobacco), alcoholic beverages up to 3 liters, photo and video equipment, 1 item per person, souvenirs and gifts, the cost of which does not exceed $300.
It is forbidden to export archaeological valuables, antiques, animals and birds, their skins and stuffed animals, national currency over $10,000.
Phone/cellular
Calls abroad can be made from any pay phone using a LADATEL phone card worth 100 pesos - about 5 minutes of conversation with Russia. Direct dialing (007 - area code - phone number).
Russian cellular operators function normally in all major cities and tourist areas.
Internet can also be found in all major cities and tourist areas.
Holiday calendar
January 6 - Catholic Epiphany
February 5 - Mexican Constitution Day
February 19 - Carnival in Mexico
February 24 - Flag Day of Mexico
March 21 - Birthday of Benito Juarez (national hero, the most beloved and revered leader in Mexico)
April 30 - Children's Day
May 10 - Mother's Day
July 27 - Gelagetsa (or Monday on the Hill) is a holiday that takes place on the last two Mondays of July.
September 16 - Independence Day of Mexico
November 2 - Feast of the Dead
November 20 - Mexican Revolution Day
November 22 - Saint Cecilia's Day
December 12 - Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico
December 25 - Catholic Christmas
You can clarify the details of the trip, as well as find out any questions you are interested in about the country and the tour, by contacting the direction managers.
17 October 2012Mexico is an exotic country for a Russian tourist, so before you buy a tour to Mexico, you need to stock up on useful tips that will help you feel more confident and possibly help you avoid some troubles.
Currency
The official currency in Mexico is the peso, but sellers are willing to accept US dollars. It is more profitable to make purchases in pesos.
Language
The official language of Mexico is Spanish, so take a Russian-Spanish phrasebook with you. Mexico is focused on tourists from the United States, so many residents can speak English here.
Water
It is strongly not recommended to drink tap water inside, as it is quite possible to get an upset stomach. Use only bottled water, while making sure that when buying water the bottle has a whole seal, as it is not uncommon for entrepreneurs to usually sell tap water bottled in used plastic bottles.
Security
Make sure drinks are opened in front of you. In some areas of Mexico, there are gangs that can put drugs in your drink in order to rob you.
If, once on the beach, you see a black flag, then you should know that swimming is prohibited here. This is due to the presence of strong underwater currents that are dangerous to humans.
Taxi
Taxis are best called by phone or find a free taxi driver at the official parking lot (sitios). If, waving your hand, a car without taxi symbols drove up to you, then we advise you to ignore such a “taxi driver”. Even if the taxi car is equipped with meters, it is still better to agree on payment even before the start of the trip. The usual fare is $0.5 per km during the day and $1 per km at night.
Vaccinations
For tourists entering the main resort areas and cities, vaccinations are not required. But if you decide to visit mountainous places or a tropical forest, then it is best to get vaccinated against malaria, typhoid, hepatitis A, B and yellow fever.
Food
Going on vacation to Mexico, it is recommended to take with you a set of medicines for the stomach and intestines. This is due to specific bacteria present in local food. In Mexico, there is such a thing as "Montezuma's Revenge" or, in other words, ordinary diarrhea. It falls to the lot of many tourists, especially in the first days of visiting Mexico.
Are you planning a vacation in Mexico? A great idea, but so that a long-distance voyage does not turn into trouble, experienced tourists are advised to first study the rules of stay and behavior. And you should start by obtaining a visa to Mexico, otherwise your tour simply will not take place.
Visa
Those who have a US visa in their passport can be free, they do not need a separate visa. Everyone else will have to apply for a visa, but citizens of the Russian Federation and Ukraine have one advantage - they have the opportunity to get a free electronic permit. It is valid for 30 days and will suit the average tourist. To get it, you need to fill out an electronic form on the consulate website, get a code in return, print it out and present it at the airport. However, not everyone is lucky enough to have such a permit, so you have to apply for a visa.
A standard tourist visa is valid for six months (180 days), during which the traveler can enter and leave the country as much as he wants. The set of documents for a visa is no different from others: a questionnaire filled out in English (previously downloaded from the site), a color photograph of the established format glued to the questionnaire, the original passport and a copy of its first page with basic data, photocopied existing visas, including Mexican ones , reference from work on the amount of earnings, position and length of service. The latter is needed to confirm solvency, and therefore can be replaced by a bank statement on the state of your account and a certificate of ownership of real estate in your home country. You will be fingerprinted, just like anyone who wants to go to Mexico.
Insurance
A natural continuation of the visa is insurance - a medical policy. Only with such support, you can safely spend your holidays in Mexico without worrying about the near future. Insurance is relatively inexpensive, specific medical services are many times more expensive than a voucher, and carefree time is priceless.
Despite the fact that Mexico, more precisely, its resort areas, is a comfortable space for tourists, you never know what is waiting around the corner, especially if you prefer active entertainment, which the country is so rich in.
The economic rules of insurance do not differ from other countries, namely, the longer the trip, the cheaper the purchased insurance policy. The average insurance will cost you 55 rubles a day, and if you are going to stay in Mexico for about six months, this amount is reduced.
Customs
The first rule concerns the currency. Whatever amount you bring into Mexico, you must declare it. At the same time, the amount for import is limited only by your financial capabilities. All valuable items that you have are subject to declaration. It is impossible to export currency equal to the total equivalent of 10 thousand dollars.
Mexico is one of the few countries where you can bring as many as two blocks of cigarettes (400 pieces), as well as 3 liters of alcohol (wine or spirits). It is allowed to carry one camera, one camera, one computer per tourist.
Items in factory packaging, that is, potential gifts, can be brought if their total amount does not exceed three hundred dollars.
You can not bring food, weapons and ammunition into Mexico without a special permit, as well as drugs. Animals are allowed to be transported with a veterinary health certificate and vaccinations.
Climate and time
Mexico has a dry, hot climate with occasional rainfall. For the most part, tropical and temperate climates can be distinguished, dividing the local lands among themselves. A large part of the country is occupied by mountains, so the rule applies here: the higher the mountains, the lower the temperature. To summarize, the average annual temperature in the flat part is about 24 degrees, in the mountains - from 20 degrees. Moreover, the closer to the sea, the warmer and sunnier. Whenever you go to Mexico, you will not need a fur coat and a coat.
Over time, not everything is so favorable. The central time of the country is 9 hours behind Moscow, the other two time zones are 10 and 11 hours behind, respectively. In particular, the capital of Mexico City is 9 hours behind Moscow, and 11 hours is a temporary difference with the most famous and popular resort of Mexico, Acapulco.
Money
In Mexico, the peso currency has been adopted, more precisely, the new peso, which was introduced in the country after the denomination of the old peso. One peso equals 100 centavos. You can get it in exchange for dollars at banks, exchange offices, large hotels, restaurants, shops, airports, train stations, etc. As practice shows, the most profitable rate at airports.
A good way to get local currency is ATMs. In large resort centers, they are ubiquitous.
Transport
Mexico has excellent buses linking popular resorts. There are also buses inside the cities. The interval between them is only 2-3 minutes. Transportation is convenient enough to make your vacation in Mexico fun and cloudless. The quality of the roads is also at an acceptable level. Bus tickets are sold at kiosks, as well as from the driver. It is worth adding that the buses are always crowded. Not the most fashionable mode of transport, but the most inexpensive.
Railroads are not popular in the country of tequila and cacti, although trains run regularly and on the most popular routes.
For greater convenience, there are taxis, almost all of them are equipped with meters, with the rest it is customary to negotiate the price in advance.
Tap water in the country is not suitable for drinking. Better to buy bottled water. The classification of local hotels differs from the European one - the quality of service does not depend on the number of stars. In addition to stars, other designations are used - Gran Turismo (hotels with the highest level of service), Category Superior or Special Category - hotels located in special places, for example, on the territory of a monastery.
The beaches in the resorts are sandy and clean. Most places to stay are free. Although there are private, paid beach areas. But you should not swim in unfamiliar places, in the coastal zone there are beaches with strong currents and pitfalls, usually such places are indicated by a raised black flag.
Food, alcohol, tips |
Each region of the country sets its own food prices. For example, a lunch for one person in a small village cafe will cost about 80 pesos, or about 184 rubles. A dinner for two in a middle-class rural restaurant can cost 450 pesos or 1,030 rubles. In resort areas and in the capital, food is much more expensive.
Mexican dishes are especially popular among tourists: Tacos - tortillas with various fillings, Tamales - small cornmeal pies with meat or various vegetables, Mole - cocoa sauce with peanuts.
The most famous Mexican drink is tequila. In addition to tequila, in local restaurants you can taste pulque and mezcal - these drinks are made from agave. Beer lovers will appreciate Michelada, a local beer mixed with lime juice and various sauces.
In restaurants, visitors leave about 10% of the total order. In resort areas, tips can cost as much as 15%. The porter and maid at the hotel will charge $2 and the tour guide will have to donate about $3.
It is recommended not to dine in empty or half-empty restaurants. Food in such establishments may be of poor quality.
In Mexico, you can bargain everywhere except for high-end stores and large shopping centers. It is not customary in the country to return money for purchased goods, so before buying, make sure that it is of good quality. Most shops are open with a siesta break from 13:00 to 16:00.
Traditional souvenirs are ponchos and bedspreads made from local fabrics. A great gift can be silver jewelry, ritual Aztec knives or figurines of the god Tlaloca purchased at the resort. What you should not buy are children's toys - they do not meet safety requirements. Most often, tequila or coffee is brought as a gift from Mexico. But, perhaps, the main souvenir is a sombrero.
Please note that the export of souvenirs from the shells of rare breeds of turtles and feathers of exotic birds is strictly prohibited.
Transport |
The country has an excellent network of domestic airlines. All major cities are connected by rail. And intercity buses follow strictly according to the schedule. Every major city has a network of bus routes. In tourist areas, you can use the services of fixed-route taxis. The capital has a subway. If you do not want to become a victim of a robbery, contact only official taxi services. Mexican taxi drivers do not speak English well, so it is advisable to learn some phrases in Spanish or have a route map with you.
