Entry Requirements
All U.S. and Canadian citizens and permanent residents visiting Mexico must have a valid passport (and permanent residency card, if applicable) to enter. Tourist immigration is now done electronically. You place your passport on a scanner, which captures your information and takes a photograph for identity verification. The scanner will issue a receipt that you should retain for the duration of your stay in Mexico.
You will then go through baggage claim and, after that, customs. Here you will present your completed customs form that you (most likely) received during your flight. You will then be asked to push a button. If you push the button and the light glows green, you are free to go and exit the secure area. If the light glows red, you will be required to subject your luggage to further inspection before exiting the secure customs area. Guides and drivers are not allowed into the waiting area, so you must exit to the outside by heading right through the sliding glass doors and head to transportation umbrella No. 10. If your adventure includes airport transfers there you will see your driver holding a sign with your name on it. Go with him or her and let the adventure begin!
Banking and Currency
The currency of Mexico is the Mexican peso (MXN). Current exchange rates can be found at https://www.x-rates.com/calculator/?from=USD&to=MXN&amount=1. Dollars are widely accepted throughout Baja Sur, and many, but not all, locations accept credit cards, mainly Visa and MasterCard. In general, only the largest resorts accept American Express.
Climate and Weather
The weather from November through April is generally perfect, with highs during the day in the mid to upper 70s and lows at night in the upper 50s to mid-60s. There may be windy days that can have an impact on certain adventures, and there is the occasional rainy day in those months as well. May and June are a bit warmer during the day but still delightful, and the truly warm weather starts in mid-July. Hurricane season is exactly the same as in the eastern United States, and officially runs June to November. However, most storms tend to occur August to mid-October. You can check weather forecasts for Todos Santos at: https://weather.com/weather/today/l/MXBS0126
Internet Availability
Internet cafes: Yes
Accommodation options: Yes
Restaurants: Yes
Cafes: Yes
Shopping malls: Yes
Public parks: Yes
Libraries: Yes
Electricity and Plug Standards
Electrical outlets, plugs and voltage are all exactly the same as in the United States, so if your electronics work there, they will work in Mexico with no adaptors or converters required. If you are coming from other parts of the globe, you will need the same adaptations you would need for traveling to the United States. For those of you going to our luxury tent camp on Isla Espiritu Santo, we do have solar panels for charging phones and cameras.
WIFI
All the hotels we use onshore in Baja California Sur have wifi. Some places have faster/better service than others, but it is generally available. There is no internet or phone service available at Camp Cecil on Isla Espiritu Santo or at the ranches in the Sierra La Laguna mountains.
General Guidance
People often ask us about tipping on our trips so we will add in a few guidelines here:
- Hotel housekeeping staff: US$2 per day per room
- Guides: US$20/person/day
- Camp Cecil Staff: $45/person/day
- Boat Captains in Magdalena Bay: US$35/boat (this is per boat so everyone pools funds)
As elsewhere in the world, tipping is completely at your discretion, and these numbers are guidelines only.