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If this is your first time to Isla Mujeres these frequently
asked questions are a must read. A big thank you to Chris at
www.islamujeres.info
for most of these FAQ's.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need a passport to travel to Mexico?
Q: What other documents do I need?
Q: Should we be concerned over foreign state department warning
on travel to Mexico or over media reports on drug wars or
violence in Mexico.
Q: How do I get to/from Isla Mujeres and the Cancun Airport?
Q: How do I get to the Ferry from the Airport?
Q: What is the best way to get back to the airport when leaving
Isla?
Q: How do I pay for things on Isla?
Q: I heard the bank is no longer exchanging American Dollars for
Pesos. What do we do?
Q: How do I get Pesos and Cash on the Island?
Q: How do I stay in contact with home via email and phone?
Q: How do I rent a golf cart on the Island?
Q: How do I get a taxi and what are the rates?
Q: What is Isla Contoy and how do I visit it?
Q: Is there good
snorkeling and scuba diving in Isla?
Q: What sort of trips can I do in a day from Isla?
Q: What are the fishing options on Isla?
Q: What sort of medical care can I get on or near Isla?
Q: Should I tip on Isla?
Q:
Can I drink the water? Eat fruits and vegetables?
The top ten silliest questions ever!
Q: Do I need a passport to travel to Mexico?
| TOP |
A: Everybody needs a passport to enter Mexico. Citizens from
some countries might require an entry visa as well. If you are
not sure please check with your travel agent and/or the Mexican
Embassy in your country.
If you do not have a passport you should start the process as
soon as possible, at least 8 to 10 weeks before your travel
date.
When a minor is
traveling alone, along with their passport, they must have a notarized letter signed by the
parents or legal guardians giving them permission to travel.
When a minor is traveling with one adult, provide a notarized
letter signed by the parent or guardian not traveling giving
them permission to travel with the other parent or guardian.
If the minor is in the custody of one parent, a notarized
custody document should be provided.
If one parent is deceased, provide the death certificate. It has
been reported that minors do not need the above documents, only
a valid passport, check with your airline to be sure.
It is also a good idea to make a copy of all your travel
documents and keep them separate from the originals. This well
help in event they are lost or stolen.
For more information about US Passports visit
www.travel.state.gov or
click here
Q: What other documents do I need?
| TOP |
A: From
www.cancun-airport.com/immigration.htm
When you reach the arrival terminal after landing in Cancun you
will be guided to the immigration hall where you will form a
line and wait for your turn with a Mexican Immigration officer.
This officer will ask you for your passport, entry visa, if you
are from a county which requires it, and your tourist card,
which will be given to you aboard the plane. The immigration
officer may ask you a few questions as of the purpose of your
trip, how long you will be staying and if this is your first
time in Mexico.
The “tourist card” is a form that the airline will give you at
the counter when you check in or aboard the plane. It is one per
person, meaning that each member of your party must have one
with his/her individual information. Questions in this form
include: Names, country of origin, passport number, where you
staying in Mexico, arrival and departure dates and so forth.
After the immigration officer has stamped this card you MUST
KEEP IT IN A SAFE PLACE AND DO NOT LOSE IT. YOU WILL BE ASKED
FOR THIS DOCUMENT WHEN YOU DEPART MEXICO.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CARRY THESE DOCUMENTS WITH YOU WHILE IN
MEXICO. WE RECOMMEND YOU LEAVE THEM AT YOUR HOTEL IN A SAFE
PLACE.
This information is very general and can change at any time. If
you have any questions we recommend you talk to your travel
agent or the nearest Mexican Consulate in your country.
Q: Should we be concerned over foreign state department warning
on travel to Mexico or over media reports on drug wars or
violence in Mexico. | TOP |
A: While anytime you are traveling abroad you should always be
aware of your surroundings and exercise caution, Isla Mujeres is
a small island that is for the most part free of any crime more
serious than petty theft. There is a reasonably large navy base
on the island which is a great presence when it comes to keeping
things very tranquil locally. The warning publicized relate
primarily to drug and violence problems within border towns, not
tourist areas such as Isla Mujeres.
Q: How do I get to/from Isla Mujeres and the Cancun Airport?
| TOP |
A: To get to Isla by Air – you fly to the Cancun airport and
then take ground transportation to the
Ultramar Ferry (also
known as Gran Puerto, Isla Ferry or Puerto Jerez – when in doubt
say ‘Isla Mujeres Ferry’). You purchase tickets for the Ferry at
the Ferry Dock and the ferry takes you across the Bay of Mujeres
to the island. During the day the Ferry runs about every 30
minutes and takes about 20 minutes to cross the bay. When you
arrive on Isla Mujeres you can rent a taxi to take you to your
hotel or a tricycle operator to take your bags while you walk to
your hotel depending on location.
Q: How do I get to the Ferry from the Airport?
| TOP |
A: You can get to the Ferry by taxi, transfer service or the
public bus. Each method has pros and cons here are the common
ways to get to the Ferry. If you get in a vehicle with multiple
parties – make sure they are not going through the Cancun hotel
zone or you will add another hour to your transfer. Normally the
transfer takes about 30 minutes. Don’t forget to tip the
drivers.
a. Taxi and private Vans – when you exit the Terminal there will
be numerous people trying to get your attention to ‘help’ you.
If you have not prearranged transportation – you can book with a
Taxi on-site – you can buy a voucher at the exit of the terminal
or negotiate directly with a driver. This will require fairly
good Spanish abilities and make sure the fare you negotiate is
for the entire party and is either in Peso’s or US dollars. For
2 people the Taxi or Van is usually around $45usd.
b. Transfer Services – there are numerous transfer services
where you can pre-arrange for private van transfers from the
airport to Isla (round trip or one-way) – popular services
include:
Cancun Isla Mujeres Transfer,
Cancun
Valet and
Bestday. Usually you fill out a form on their website
with your flight information and they meet you at the exit with
your name on a sign. You pay the driver in cash, ask for a
receipt and keep it for the return. These services cost between
$40-$90usd for one-way and round trip.
c. Public bus – There is a public "ADO" bus that runs from the
airport to the central bus terminal in Cancun. From there you
can take a cab to/from the ferry for $5usd.
Q: What is the best way to get back to the airport when leaving
Isla? | TOP |
A: You have basically the same options returning to the airport
as going except the Taxis are generally cheaper on the return.
Expect to pay about $25 usd going back to the
airport by taxi. When at the ferry in Cancun there are usually
taxis waiting up near the entrance for hire. Confirm the total
price in US dollars (NOT per person) before loading into the
cab. The transfer services will have arranged the pick up time
for you at the Ultramar dock – remember the ferry takes 20
minutes – so for an 11am Ultramar (Ferry) pickup you have to
catch the 10:30 ferry from Isla Mujeres.
Q: How do I pay for things on Isla?
| TOP |
A: The Mexican peso is the standard currency used in Mexico. Everyone in Cancun and in Isla will take US dollars or Mexico
pesos. The exchange rate fluctuates daily but is around 12
Mexican pesos to the US dollars. If the amounts are in the
hundreds of dollars it pays to get the exchange rate converted
precisely. US coins are of no value to the locals and can even
be considered offensive so please do not leave them for the
locals. Use Isla Net's Currency Exchange tool on the
currency page.
Q: I heard the bank is no longer exchanging American Dollars for
Pesos. What do we do? | TOP |
A: Not to worry at all. It is true that the HSBC branch here on
Isla Mujeres is no longer exchanging foreign currency, but there
are several money exchange houses downtown that are more than
happy to exchange Dollars or other foreign currency. There are
also plenty of cash machines (ATMs) in the downtown area where
you may withdraw money directly in Pesos. This way generally
gives you the best exchange rate, but you should consult your
bank before leaving to find out what foreign withdrawal fees
apply.
Q: How do I get Pesos and Cash on the Island?
| TOP |
A: The popular ways are ATMs, Travelers Checks, Exchanges,
Credit Cards and ATM’s on the Island
The main bank on the Island is HSBC – they are one of the
largest banks in the world. As such, their ATMs (at the bank
office near the ferry, inside the 7-11 and the super market)
work with just about any ATM card. Your bank will probably
charge you a fee to use the ATM as will HSBC. The ATM is in
English and Spanish – it is a good idea to only have a 4 digit
pin as older machines will automatically continue after the 4th
digit has been entered, preventing you from entering a 5th or
6th digit. Also use common sense to hide the pin, etc when
entering the number.
Travelers Checks
The bank, most exchanges and most hotels will accept travelers’
checks. You will need your passport to cash these checks. Bank
lines can be long at times so check around for the best time of
day to go to the bank. The bank is closed on Sunday but the
ATM’s are available 24 hours a day at the bank.
Exchanges (Cambios)
There are a few places that exchange US dollars for Mexican
pesos (or Mexican to US) – which in general does not have to be
done on the Island as everyone takes US dollars. If you do use these services make sure
and get a receipt that shows the conversion and count your money
before you leave to make sure you received the correct amount.
Ninety-nine percent of the time you get everything done
perfectly – but sometimes errors do occur – take your time and
double check everything – no sense rushing through this process.
Credit Cards
A lot of restaurants and hotels take Visa and MasterCard
(American express and others are less popular). Mexico is well
known for credit card fraud so if you can get by without using
your credit card it is best. It is recommended that you
call your credit card company and your bank to alert them in
advance of foreign travel. Give them your departure and return
dates. Otherwise if you have a company with tight security, they
may freeze your accounts for expected fraud when you try to use
them in Mexico. If they are aware of your travel dates they are
more likely to catch any fraud that occurs after you return very
quickly.
Q: How do I stay in contact with home via email and phone?
| TOP |
A: The best way is to use an internet cafe for email and phone
service.
There are quite a few internet businesses in downtown that
offer phone, internet and laptop connections. Also many of the
hotels, apartments and private homes offer free wireless
internet for their clients.
Most US cell phones will work in Isla – you need to call your
provider before you go to Mexico and tell them you will be in
the Cancun Mexico area and you want to make AND receive calls
while there. The US cell phone calls are expensive to use in Isla but for very brief calls it’s easy
and convenient. To call the US on your cell phone you dial
001-AreaCode-Seven-Digit-Number. You will NOT be able to dial a
toll free 1-800 type number from your cell phone while in
Mexico.
The cheapest way to call home is to go to an internet cafe that
offers calls to the US for around 30 cents a minute. That is
about the best rate you will find on the island to call the US.
Some internet cafes have the ability to dial US 1-800 numbers –
very important for calling banks, cell phone carriers, airlines,
etc.
There are also a few businesses that now offer free WiFi access
to their clients. Look for signs or ask around for free WiFi
service if you bring your laptop to the island.
Q: How do I rent a golf cart on the Island?
| TOP |
A: There are numerous places to rent golf carts for the day or
for 24 hours from the time of rental.
Golf cart rentals are recommended over scooter rentals as
traffic has become an issue and scooter accidents are ever
increasing. Most golf carts are about $40usd for the day and
$50usd for 24 hours. You can sometimes get $5usd off each day if
you are renting for multiple days but be prepared to negotiate
for this at multiple places to get a discount. Most places will
want to keep your drivers license for the duration of the
rental.
Q: How do I get a taxi and what are the rates?
| TOP |
A: Taxis can be hailed just about anywhere in Isla and they can
be seen circling the island looking for work in 4 door red cars.
The official rates are posted on a sign near the ferry but to
keep things simple here is a general rule of thumb. Taxi’s cost
from $3-$7usd. The price scales from short($3) in-town transfers
then to mid-island($5) trips and finally to longer($7) trips
down the island. Be sure to ask the price before taking off to
avoid a surprise at the end of the ride. If you like the driver
it is great to ask for their cell phone number and taxi number
and have your hotel call them directly for additional trips
during your stay.
Q: What is Isla Contoy and how do I visit it?
| TOP |
A: Isla Contoy is a small idyllic Island that is about an hour
boat ride from Isla.
The island is a National park and bird sanctuary. There are
numerous guides that will take you and your group to the island.
The trip usually costs $40-$50usd a person and leaves around 9am
and returns around 3pm. Trips usually include a stop along the
way to snorkel a nice reef, some sort of fruit brunch, then
lunch in the lagoon of Contoy, followed by more snorkeling of
the lagoon and during the ride back some hand line fishing for
barracuda. It is a great day trip for the family. Tip: bring
mosquito block if you plan to go inland at all on the island as
they can be fierce from time-to-time.
Q: Is there good snorkling and scuba diving in Isla?
| TOP |
A: Isla has some great snorkel and dive options.
You can take a quick snorkel trip near the small light house by
the ferry landing for about $20usd. There are two tanks dives
available for around $45usd where you can dive the reef in the
bay. From this base – you can do very exotic dives, night dives,
cave dives, wreak dives, etc. Be sure the operator you are
working with is officially licensed and certified. Ask around
for tips on shops with good reputations for diving and
snorkeling around Isla.
Q: What sort of trips can I do in a day from Isla?
| TOP |
A: You can do a number of trips from Isla in one day – it will
be a LONG day but it can be done.
Trips include Playa Del Carmen, Tulum and even Chichen Itza. To
do these you will have to get up early, catch the ferry and
either rent a car and drive yourself or join a tour group in
Cancun. There are various places in Isla that can arrange the
trip for you, ask around for information.
Q: What are the fishing options on Isla?
| TOP |
A: You can do bay fishing for 4 hours or deep sea fishing for a
full day.
You can go inshore fishing for 4 hours for about $200usd or 8
hours off shore fishing for as little was $400usd to as much as
$2,000usd depending on the size of the boat. When fishing
in-shore, on the bay, you will catch mostly barracuda and a few
other species (yellow tail, etc). Barracuda can range in the bay
from a few pounds to 50 plus pounds and can give you a heck of a
fight. Many people do not eat barracuda because of the
possibility of being poisoned, especially by the larger ones,
but they do put on a good fight. Off shore usually requires
about a 20 mile ride out to various spots – the fishing includes
Dolphin (no, not flipper – Mahi Mahi), Bonita, King Macrel, Sail
Fish, Marlin, Shark, Jack fish and many other types. The fishing
is generally good from January through the end of June off
shore. Many restaurants will cook your fresh catch for a small
fee or tip in town.
Q: What sort of medical care can I get on or near Isla?
| TOP |
A: Isla has a local doctor (Dr. Salas), a local hospital near
the downtown Plaza and the Naval Hospital.
Beyond that, Cancun has a number of facilities (Galenia
Hospital 998.891.5200, HOSPITEN –
998.881.3700, AmeriMed Hospital – 998.881.3400, Hospital
Americano – 998.884.6133, AMAT Hospital – 998.887.4422 and more
are
available should you require hospitalization. Your hotel can
contact Dr. Salas at his local number of 998-877-0021. A number
of pharmacies are in the downtown area and generally do not
require a prescription but if you think you need to see a
doctor call Dr. Salas.
Q: Should I tip on Isla?
| TOP |
A: Tipping is best described as a personal matter.
Suffice it to say that many service providers – maids,
bartenders, taxi drivers, etc rely on tips to make a living.
Most restaurants do not include a service charge with the meal –
when in doubt – ask the waiter or the manager. Please do not tip
with US coins or coins other than Pesos. These other coins are
not useful to the locals and can even be considered an insult.
Q:
Can I drink the water? Eat fruits and vegetables?
| TOP |
A: From
Kathryn's Travel. You should stick to bottled water,
although using tap water to brush your teeth, or inadvertently
getting a little water in your mouth while showering should not
cause concern. And when it comes to water - in the hot climates
be sure to drink lots! Often health issues attributed to food or
water changes are caused by dehydration more than anything else.
Restaurants use purified water for ice, and most wash fruits and
veggies in it, or use Microdyn. If you have a kitchen and do
some of your own cooking, be sure to purchase some Microdyn to
wash your fruits and vegetables. Peeling them before eating is
another precaution that can help. Don't expect to find food
exactly as it is at home - even familiar brand name restaurants
will be a little different. In fact, rather than be disappointed
that it isn't exactly like home - avoid the chains you know. Be
adventurous - take this opportunity to try something new. Maybe
ceviche, food prepared with mole sauce, motelenos, or Yucatan-style
dishes. One of the best parts of Mexico is the food.
The top ten silliest questions Isla Mujeres Net has ever
received received. Enjoy!
#10. What is the water like?
#9. Do people live on Isla Mujeres or just tourists?
#8. Do you know anyone?
#7. Are there beds in the hotel rooms?
#6. Is there any information about Isla Mujeres on the Internet?
#5. Will there be any hurricanes when I'm there?
#4. What will the weather be like next year?
#3. Can you tell me where I'm going?
#2. Are there beaches on Isla Mujeres?
And the #1 most amazing e-mail received by Isla Net
#1. How close is the ocean to the beach?
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