Travel Information

For all your travel needs (including flight assistance and insurance) please contact your travel agency of choice.

You may also want to consider one of the many companies that specializes in online reservations and travel assistance, like: www.orbitz.com, www.travelocity.com; or www.expedia.com.

We also suggest you sign up for free e-mail alerts from your preferred airlines, via their websites. In addition, numerous websites -- including www.travelzoo.com, for example -- offer free e-mail alerts highlighting regular specials for a wide range of airlines. Many of these websites offer tips for getting the best flights, such as being flexible with travel dates and airports if possible.

To protect your travel investment, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you from all the unexpected events that can disrupt or cancel your travel plans.

COUNTRY INFORMATION

PANAMA

Time Zone: Panama is on EST (GMT -5) and doesn’t observe daylight saving time, during which it’s on GMT -6.

Electricity: 110/120 volts, the same as US voltage and electrical outlets.

Currency: The US dollar.

Financial Issues: Major hotels and restaurants accept credit cards, which you can use to pay for any incidental expenses, you may incur. You will want to have cash if you eat at some smaller restaurants and for taxis. Traveler's Checks are not accepted in most places. You will need to cash them at a bank, that will charge you a fee.

Customs & Immigration: First of all, bring your PASSPORT! And be sure you have at least 6 months until it expires. You will need a tourist card, which costs US$5, is purchased before you get on the plane by the airline company or when you arrive to Panama in the airport. You will also need US$20 cash as a departure tax when you leave Panama.

Clothing: Although this is a tropical region you might want to bring a sweater because many restaurants and other places are often very cold from the air conditioning.

Other: As this is a tropical region bring sunscreen and bug repellent. It is not necessary to get shots or vaccines to come to Panama.

MEXICO

Time Zone: Mexico is on Central Standard Time, one hour behind EST and two ahead of PST.

Electricity: 110 volts, same as in the U.S.

Currency: Mexican peso. You can usually get these from your bank in advance of your trip, or upon arrival at the airport. You will see booths there that change currency (usually called Cajas de Cambio.) An easy way to get pesos is by using ATMs. They provide the most current exchange rate. The exchange rate is approximately 10.8 pesos to $1 USD. A good rule of thumb is to use a 10:1 ratio. Therefore, if your ATM daily limit is $300, you can withdraw 3,000 pesos.

Note: in shops you will see a $ before the price. This is usually used to refer to pesos. A hamburger on a menu, for example, may say $30. This is in pesos - about $2.50 USD. In some shops in downtown Puerto Vallarta, you may see prices marked in USD. (If unsure, ask.)

Telephone: You can easily call the U.S. from Mexico but it is more expensive than long distance calls within the U.S. And, of course, all hotels worldwide tend to add surcharges to phone bills and Mexico is no exception. If you need to make a call back to the U.S., the best option is to ask for an ATT or MCI operator (they are bilingual) and bill your call to your ATT or MCI account, or to your credit card. In Mexico, the access number for an AT&T operator is 01-800-288-2872. Another option is to purchase Telmex cards (available from almost any shop or farmacía) and use them with pay phones, found everywhere. If you have a cell phone you may want to check with your cell phone company about plans regarding roaming charges and service in Mexico to make and receive calls.

Clothing: Temperatures are warm during the day. Casual attire is fine, although it should be noted that Mexican men and women hardly ever wear shorts…and certainly never while doing business. Evening temperatures here are delightful, and it is doubtful that sweaters or jackets will be necessary. But if you chill easily (from ocean breezes or air-conditioned rooms), you may want to pack a light sweater or long-sleeved shirt. In the evenings you may want something a bit dressier…slacks or jeans and collared shirts (no ties, please!) for men, nice slacks or skirts for women. Don't forget bathing suits for the beaches, pools, etc. And don’t forget your hats and sunscreen.

Food & Water: Hotels provide bottled drinking water in the rooms. Please ask for more if you need it. We love the food in Mexico...an abundance of fruits, exquisite fresh juices (try them all!), fresh vegetables and excellent seafood. Most of the hotels and restaurants here are very careful to serve food that has been specially washed and prepared with health concerns in mind. It is very doubtful that you will get sick, but please don’t take a chance and do not drink the water from the tap. (Also brush your teeth with bottled water.)

Financial issues: Major hotels and restaurants accept credit cards, which you can use to pay for any incidental expenses you may incur. You will need to have cash if you eat at small, homey restaurants. Local street artisans accept only cash so if you plan to shop, come prepared! Note that most small shop owners cannot change large bills so make sure you have plenty of pesos in small denominations.

Tipping: In Mexico, it is not customary to tip taxi drivers, unless they have gone out of their way to accommodate you. In restaurants, the customary tip is 15% on the before-tax total. It is customary to tip a bellman 10 pesos (or $1 USD) per bag. It is also customary to leave 10-20 pesos ($2-$3 USD) on the pillow for the maid who cleans your room each day. You can chose to tip her at the end of your stay, if you prefer.

Customs & Immigration: Bring Your Identification! Mexico requires U.S. travelers to have a passport.
On the plane over, you will be given a form, a tourist visa, to fill out. Keep it with your ID, you will be asked for it when you leave Mexico. If you are a lone or single parent or custodian traveling with a child, your child will need a passport, or you will be required to show specific documents that you have custody of or are allowed to travel with that child. Ask your travel agent and/or airline for this information.

Clearance through customs and immigration is smooth and easy. Bags come easily and quickly. Secure a cart if necessary. Walk through the Customs area where you will be asked to push a button. If the light flashes green (which it usually does) you will move on through. If the light flashes red, you may be asked to open your suitcase for inspection by the customs agents. This is strictly regulation, so don’t worry. You are allowed to bring just about anything you need for your personal use, including prescription medicine, cameras, laptop computers, etc.