Important Mexican Vacation Travel Tips

If you enjoy traveling to exotic places, you must know the basic customs of the country. Prepared travelers have more fun! Get yourself a planning guide and familiarize yourself with the area you want to visit first. If you are going to Mexico for a vacation in the Sun, here is a checklist of tips to make your trip go smoothly:

1. Make sure you have a photo Identification Card (such as a passport or a driver’s license), your tourist card (which is proof of your permission to visit Mexico), and your proof of citizenship.

2. Learn to speak Spanish.

Spanish is the main language spoken in Mexico. Although some residents can communicate in and understand English, Spanish is still the language spoken for trade and commerce. Spanish is easy to learn and once you have been familiarized with the sentence construction, you can easily converse with the locals using an English/Spanish dictionary.

3. Take note of the following items that are allowed to be brought into Mexico:

* Personal clothing, footwear and toiletries in practical quantities
* Magazines and books
* Personal medicines and prescriptions
* Used sporting equipment, fishing equipment or tennis rackets
* One portable TV and VCR and one typewriter
* Cassettes and records, not exceeding 20
* One still camera and movie camera, and no more than twelve rolls of film
* A musical instrument
* No more than three liters of alcohol-containing beverages, and 50 cigars or 400 cigarettes, provided the tourist is over eighteen years old

4. Before entering Mexico, there are two forms to be filled out. It is better to have a black pen for these. The first one is the temporary visa. The second form is for the Customs and Taxation called Hacienda. These are usually distributed at the airline ticket counter or while on the plane.

5. Although there are businesses that accept foreign currency, make sure that you still have some of your dollars exchanged for the Mexican peso. Credit cards with MasterCard, Visa and AmEx logo are also accepted. Bring traveler’s checks for safe access to more money.

6. Store photocopies of your tickets and a list of traveler’s checks in a location different than the original documents.

7. Drink bottled water or sufficiently boiled water. Never drink tap water under any circumstances. Before eating fruits and vegetables, wash these in a purifying solution, peel them and cook them.

Make your trip to Mexico a safe and enjoyable one. Follow these tips and your vacation will be pleasant and memorable!

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