Traveling Tips - Ecotourism and ecotravel in the Mayan World of the Yucatan Peninsula

Toiletries and other related items:
Make sure that you have good sunglasses as the sun in Mexico shines very bright. The average temperature is 25°C. When trying to get some tan, catch the sun in the morning or in the afternoon, as it is dangerous for your skin and your health to lie in the sun between 12.00 and 15.00 hrs. When using a sun blocker please, remember that you are damaging the water and the fishes. Therefore try to buy an ecologic justified product or wear a t-shirt. However, bear in mind to protect yourself sufficiently from the strong carribean sun with a high factor. Please make sure that when you plan to visit archaeological sites, go biking, hiking or bird watching that insect repellent is a must (preferably nature friendly). Bring some comfortable walking shoes and cotton clothes to make sure that you will experience the tour at its best.

Medicine:
When you are on medication make sure that you have your medication with you in its original, labeled containers. Bring copies of your prescriptions and the generic names for the drugs. If a medication is unusual or contains narcotics, carry a letter from your doctor attesting to your need to take the drug. If you have any doubt about the legality of carrying a certain drug into a country, consult the embassy or consulate of that country first. Before departing to the Yucatan Peninsula, check what vaccinations you need. Do this in time, especially when you plan to stay for a long time.

Clothes and accessories:
Try to remember when traveling to Yucatan that the dress code is different than what you might think is appropriate. This especially addresses women. When traveling to Mexico try to avoid being a target and do not wear clothes that could be seen as provocative. Instead, try to adapt to the different culture and learn the values of specialties of another culture by integrating in it. Do not carry valuable jewelry with you. When you loose it, you might not only suffer from the financial loss it, but also suffer from an emotional loss. When carrying expensive jewelry you will more likely be a target for thieves. During the warm months, which is also the rainy season, wear some cotton clothes as those are comfortable and not so hot. When walking through the jungle, bring some long cotton pants and long sleeve cotton shirts as this will prevent you from being a target of mosquitos. Although sandals are nice to walk in, also have some good boots with you.

Luggage:
By packing light you will be able to move quickly without too much effort. This will also ensure that you are less likely to put your suitcases or bags down and leave them unattended, making it an easy target for thieves. Have your luggage locked and watch your bag at the airport as you do not want people to use you as a drug transporter. Before locking your luggage and checking in at the airport, put tags inside your suitcase and apply them at the tag. These should have your name, address and telephone number listed.

Papers and money:
Have all your valuable papers in a secure bag (not a fancy purse or outside pockets). A small inside pocket, a pouch or a money belt under your clothes is very secure. You may wish to distribute your valuables to different places when carrying them with you, instead of keeping them in one pocket or bag only. Before you leave, check if your passport is valid accordingly. Most countries require a passport that is valid until six month after your return date to your country of origin. Make copies of your passport, credit cards and tickets and carry extra photographs with you in case you lose your passport. Make sure that you have an extra copy and leave the other copy with family or friends. When carrying credit cards, leave unnecessary credit cards at home, together with all your other cards that you will not need. Tell your family and friends what you will be doing. When something happens, multiple people will know where you are and they may have a better chance of getting a hold of you. Also, be sure to bring a contact list of close friends and relatives.

Culture:
Inform yourself about the culture of your desired destination. This will be a pleasant investment as you will recognize and experience the culture much better once you have arrived. Apart from regular travel books you might want to read books from Mexican writers such as Octavio Paz, El Laberinto de la Soledad (The maze of loneliness). This provides you with an interesting insight in the Mexican culture. Another suggestion is Sebastián Verti, Mexican Traditions; this book deals with many aspects of the Mexican culture. Also read about what you can visit and what activities you can engage in. Herefore, make us of the Internet or travel books and literature. Inform yourself via your tour operator (us) on what tours are offered in this area. That might help you decide what to do, before having arrived. Once you are in Canun, the offer might be too overwhelming and it might help you to buget when you decide to plan your trip previous to your arrival. Mexican people will respect you if you try to speak Spanish. Although Cancun is a major tourist destination, not all the tourism services in the Yucatan will be in your own language. Here are some words that will help you on our vaccation:

Good morning/afternoon/evening	Buenos días/tardes/noches
Please	Por favor
Thank you	Gracias
You are welcome	De nada
I am sorry	Lo siento
Do you speak English?	¿Habla ingles?
Good bye	Adios
The check please	(Me da) la cuenta, por favor
I would like to have a ticket to..	Quiero un boleto a...
Stop please (when riding in a bus)	Bajan!
Were is... ?	¿Donde esta...?

Security:
You can check the saftey of a country with the help of reports of government institutions. Inform yourself about the entry requirements, currency regulations, unusual health conditions, the crime and security situation, political disturbances, areas of instability and special information about driving and road conditions. Make sure that you know the number of important institutions in the area, or that you can get hold of them very quick.
At this moment Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula is considered a safe country to travel to and this is not likely to change in the near future.

Insurance:
Make sure you are insured sufficiently when travelling abroad. If you are not, perhaps arrange a short-term insurance policy with your travel agency. This is not only important for your health, but also check if you are insured against theft, loss, or damage.

Traveling: Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula offer several modes of travel. It is possible to travel by air in Mexico and it takes you to many destinations within Mexico in a short time only. However, the bus system is very established, too. It is the cheaper, but of course more time consuming option. The difference between the first and the second-class busses are, that the busses of the second-class are more crowded, that they are stopping at different places and are less luxurious. For long distance traveling is it nicer to take a first-class bus. These are very comfortable. In the Yucatan Peninsula, there are not many trains. Also, we would like to advise you when traveling the 4 routes (Mexico City to Veracruz, Mexico City to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico City to Oaxaca and Chihuahua to Los Mochis) not to take night trains due to criminality.

Renting a car is no problem; however pay attention to your car. It should not be a fancy car, but blend in with the locals. Leave no valuables in your car unattended and park you car at safe places and in areas that are well lit. When your car breaks down do not leave it unattended. Try to avoid driving at night, the roads have bumps and wholes and people and animals will cross the road at night. Pay attention to the speed limits and look out for speed bumps (topes) that you will find on the streets in the city and at the entrance and exit of villages. There are many taxis in Cancun. Most of the prices are set and negotiation is hardly ever possible. However, when traveling from the hotel zone of Cancun to the center, negotiating is possible. When walking, watch your bag and keep a firm grip on it. Wear the shoulder strap of your bag across your chest and walk with the bag away from the curb to avoid drive-by purse-snatchers. Mexican sales people will speak to you in order to get costumers. If you are not interested keep walking or just say "No gracias." Remember that this is part of the tourism industry and do not waste your energy on getting mad or annoyed by the people. They are just trying to make a living.

Water safety: From Punta Cancun (the tip of the hotel zone) to the island of Cozumel the sea has a strong current. Try to swim in company of someone else and do not go in the sea if you feel very tired, overheated, have just eaten or if you have been drinking. Watch the flags on the beaches that indicate the ocean conditions. However, if you have gone in to far the life guards will warn you.

Food: The Yucatan Peninsula is the home of Mexico's spiciest cuisine. If your mouth is on fire do not drink water, but instead take a piece of bread. Beer might also help. When you do not want your dish to be spicy, ask the waiter for: "No picante, por favor." Send back meat, poultry and seafood that is only partially cooked and make sure that fruit and vegetables have been sterilized. The water treatment system is not as well developed as in most Western cultures. Therefore, only drink bottled water (or purify it yourself) and try to be careful with ice. If you are sick drink a lot of water and té de manzanilla (chamomile tea). Usually a 10-15% tip is common to give to the waiter. Remember that, although quality food is offered in the hotel zone of Cancun, downtown holds many great restaurants and the prices of the dishes offered are much smaller.

Sewages system: Just like the water treatment system, the sewage system can not be be compared to Western standarts. Please remember to not throw toilet paper into the toilet, but use the bin instead.

The police and its laws: Remember that you are a guest in somebody else's country. We recommend to behave like you expect guests in your your country to behave on their visit. The police in Mexico is very strict when it comes to drugs and alcohol. Try to avoid drinking on the streets and do not get in touch with drugs. When taking pictures, make sure that you are allowed to do so. In many archaeological sites filming is prohibited unless you pay a fee for filming rights. When taking pictures of the police and military, government buildings, border areas, transportation facilities and people, ask for their permission.

Artifacts and souvenirs: Mexico has diverse artifacts that have their origin in the Mayan or Pre - Colombian culture. Remember that you cannot bring those home with you. When buying a souvenir keep the receipt so that customs can see that it is not real. When buying an artifact make sure you have obtained the necessary export permit, too. When snorkeling, do not take coral with you. Not only will that damage the reef drastically, it also is not allowed to import it to your country. This does not only account for coral, but also for wildlife.

Nature: The Yucatan Peninsula houses rich ecosystems, that are truely worth visiting. We invite you to purchase one of our eco-tours. Here, you will learn about the importance of those ecosystems and what needs to be done to preserve and mantain them for future generations. Please treat nature with caution, as it is very sacred. Read about the tours we offer. We put together tours suiting every interest. If not, we are flexible and are willing to tailor our tours according to your wishes.

Relaxing:
The Caribbean Sea on the west coast of the Yucatan, offers great opportunities for relaxation. When you are in Cancun and fancy shallow water and a current that is not too strong, visit the beaches in the hotel zone before Punta Cancun. If you fancy a strong current and more waves, visit the beaches behind Punta Cancun on the way to Punta Nizuc. Playa Delpfines (Dolphin beach) is the nicest beach in Cancun. However, this beach is far away. You find it at the end of the Hotel Zone. Also, visit the island of Isla Mujeres. A ferry takes you from Punta Juarez to this beautiful and laid back island.

But the most important tip is to simply enjoy your vacation and to experience something different each time you travel!

Nature: The Yucatan Peninsula houses rich ecosystems, that are truely worth visiting. We invite you to purchase one of our eco-tours. Here, you will learn about the importance of those ecosystems and what needs to be done to preserve and mantain them for future generations.
Please treat nature with caution, as it is very sacred.
Read about the tours we offer. We put together tours suiting every interest. If not, we are flexible and are willing to tailor our tours according to your wishes.

Relaxing:
The Caribbean Sea on the west coast of the Yucatan, offers great opportunities for relaxation. When you are in Cancun and fancy shallow water and a current that is not too strong, visit the beaches in the hotel zone before Punta Cancun. If you fancy a strong current and more waves, visit the beaches behind Punta Cancun on the way to Punta Nizuc. Playa Delpfines (Dolphin beach) is the nicest beach in Cancun. However, this beach is far away. You find it at the end of the Hotel Zone
Also, visit the island of Isla Mujeres. A ferry takes you from Punta Juarez to this beautiful and laid back island.

But the most important tip is to simply enjoy your vacation and to experience something different each time you travel!

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