Some useful information for you

First of all:

 

Is it safe to travel to Mexico? The short answer is: yes. 

 

Although certain parts of the country have seen a rise in drug-related violence in the last few years and the gruesome news reports have done little to help the country’s image in the minds of tourists, the fact is that most parts of Mexico are still safe to travel to.

As with any foreign country you go to, it is important to be informed and to take appropriate safety precautions.  Staying up to date with U.S. State Department travel advisories, avoiding border towns, and staying in tourist areas will help make your trip to Mexico a safe one.

With its breathtaking beaches, historical landmarks, and rich culture, it’s no wonder that so many people have an interest in visiting Mexico. The country’s beauty and diversity of attractions has made it a consistent draw for resort-goers, outdoor-adventurers, and culture-seekers alike, and has helped cement it as one of the top international tourist destinations.

Mexico deserves its place on vacationer wish lists, and despite some troubled areas, travelers need not avoid the country as a whole. By making informed decisions, taking simple precautions, and exercising common sense, travelers can continue to take advantage of all that Mexico has to offer.

 

Climate and travel season:

Puerto Vallarta enjoys a tropical climate. During the sunny dry season, from November to May, daytime temperatures hover at 27˚ to 30˚ C (80˚ to 85˚F) and there is virtually no rain. At night, the temperature drops to 16˚ to 18˚ C (55˚ to 65˚F), which is ideal for sleeping, but you may want to pack a shawl or light jacket. The hotter, humid rainy season lasts from June to October. But even in this time you can visit the area (mostly) without bigger issues. The rain falls mostly in the late afternoon or in the evening.

The mountain area directly in the east of the city has of course a more moderate climate. In winter time it can be chilly in the higher mountains. It’s good to have the appropriate cloth, especially for riding motorcycles.

 

 

Money:

The national currency of Mexico is the Mexican Peso. 1 US $ is worth aprox. 17 Pesos. 1 Euro is worth aprox. 18 Pesos.

At the airport and in all cities are ATMs where you can withdraw money with debit-cards (Maestro or EC-card) and Credit Cards (Visa, MasterCard). In many bars, hotels and bigger shops like Walmart etc. you can as well pay with US $.

 

It makes sense as well to have copies from all important documents and store them separately from the originals.

You can also scan or photograph your documents and upload them on a server (can be an email-account as well).

The server access must be password protected of course.

 

 

Arrival:

Travellers from Europe, North America or Australia do not need a special Entry-Visa for Mexico.

Please pay attention that you (probably) need a return ticket or a onward travel ticket.

 

There is a international airport directly in Puerto Vallarta. The acronym for the airport is PVR. If there are no flights available it’s also possible to fly to the capital from the State Jalisco, Guadalajara, airport code is GDL. From there you can take a direct bus to Puerto Vallarta.

 

If you come from Europe and fly over the United States and you are not an
US-citizen you have to make the ESTA registration.

This is possible for travelers from many European and other countries.

 

Here is the link for the ESTA registration:

 

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

 

These countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program    

 

Andorra	Estonia	Ireland	Monaco	Singapore	Taiwan[1]
Australia	Finland	Italy	Netherlands	Slovakia	United Kingdom
Austria	France	Japan	New Zealand	Slovenia
Belgium	Germany	Latvia	Norway	South Korea
Brunei	Greece	Liechtenstein	Portugal	Spain
Czech Republic	Hungary	Lithuania	Republic of Malta	Sweden
Denmark	Iceland	Luxembourg	San Marino	Switzerland

 

 

Communication + Electricity:

You will have in nearly the whole country cell phone coverage, mostly in 3 or 4 G. Modern cell phones are mostly tri-band or quad-band. They should work in Mexico as well. If you have an older mobile phone with European standard it's possible that it won't work.

In our house we have WiFi internet. Most of the hotels, restaurants and bars provide WiFi as well.

 

The voltage is normally 110 volt with US-American plug system.

Modern chargers from cell phones, laptops and cameras work normally from 110 - 240 volt. This shouldn't be a problem.

As a precaution look at the sticker on your charger from your gear. Who uses Laptops, chargers etc. with European plug system should buy an adapter for the US-American system at home. You will find them cheap in electronic stores or in the internet.

 

Insurance:

To save you possible cancellation costs we recommend you a travel insurance as a package with health-insurance, pre-trip cancellation, medical transport and many more.

 

You will find one here, including coverage for damaged rental vehicles.

 

http://www.worldnomads.com/

 

There are more different insurances on the market.

 

What should I bring:

All the things for the normal live you will find in Mexico as well.

 

• Own riding gear such as a helmet, breathable protector jacket, breathable
 
  protector pants, boots, gloves,

  rain jacket and pants if you plan a longer trip here in Mexico

• (international) driving license, it should be clear that you are allowed to ride

  a motorcycle

• Passport, with minimum 6 month validity

• Debit- and Creditcards and the corresponding numbers (store separate)

  for cash withdrawing. Please watch the validity.

• Travel-Insurance (certificate)

• from doctor prescribed medication (copy of prescription)

• vaccination card

• glasses, spare-glasses, contact lenses (if needed), sunglasses

• copies from your travel-documents. Store separately from the originals.

 

Maybe leave some copies at your friends or family at home.

 

As well useful are following things:

• Spanish-dictionary or high grade electronic dictionary

• Travelbook and map from Mexico

• Sun-protection like hat, cap, sunblocker with high UV-protection

• waterproof (trekking) sandals, trekking- or hiking-shoes

• flashlight with common batteries like AA or AAA

• maybe some earplugs. Latin-America is generally noisier than 

  USA/Canada or Europe. 

 

Like this you well prepared for your trip to Mexico.