Useful Information
Location: 1,000 miles south of San Diego in the state of Baja California Sur, south of the Tropic of Cancer. Los Cabos refers to the two towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, stretching east toward La Paz and north to Todos Santos. Population: 130,000 Climate: Sub-tropical desert. During the summer, highs can be in the 90s F with occasional showers. Winter evenings may drop to the óOs, with daytime highs near 80. Time Zone: Los Cabos is on Mountain Standard Time, which is one hour later than Pacific Standard Time. Language: Spanish is the official language, but English is widely spoken by those employed in tourism. Electricity: 120 cycles/60 volts, same as in the United States. Banks and Currency: All major Mexican national banks are represented. For convenience, many locations have ATM machines. These accept U.S. bank cards in the same manner as they do in the U.S., but transaction fees may be higher (around $3). ATMs dispense pesos, the official unit of currency. At press time, approximately 11 pesos equal one U.S. dollar (rates fluctuate). You can exchange dollars for pesos at the airport, hotel or at any bank. Banks and money exchange houses have the best rates. Although recommended, it is not necessary to exchange your dollars since the dollar (not coins) and traveler’s checks are widely accepted. The more of it you have, the happier they are to accept it. When using credit cards, the total on your statement will be reflected in pesos at the exchange rate posted that day. Credit cards are welcome at most major restaurants and Hotels. There is a 7% bank commission for paying with credit cards. Banks are usually open weekdays from 8 am. to 7 p.m. The Baja California peninsula has a 10% federal tax. Drinking Water: Major hotels and restaurants have purified water. Water comes from surrounding mountains, filtered through natural sand beds. Many resorts desalinate and purify their own water on property. Communication: International communication is easy, but costly. Hotels impose a surcharge on calls made from the room. Your best bet may be to call collect or use a calling card. Local phone cards can save you money. The area is compatible for cellular phone usage as well. Major hotels are equipped with fax machines, though not all have hookups for personal computers/modems. If e-mail will do, Internet cafes are the way to go but there are not many. Ondanet Internet Café in Cabo San Lucas (across from Pemex gas station) has state-of-the-art computers and charges an inexpensive $4.00 an hour (plus you can sip refreshing margaritas while emailing). In San José, look for the Office Supply store across from the town plaza. Postal Rates: It costs 4.80 pesos (less than 50 cents) to send a letter or postcard to the United States. Public Holidays: Mexico is a land of special events with several public holidays annually. Except for banks and government office closures, your vacation plans should not be disrupted. Jan. 1 New Year’s Day Feb. 5 Anniversary of the Constitution Feb. 24 Flag Day March 21 Benoto Juarez Day May 1 Labor Day May 5 Cinco de Mayo-Puebla’s Battle Sept. 16 Independence Day Oct. 12 Dia de Ia Raza (Day of the Race) Nov. 2 Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Nov. 20 Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution Dec. 12 Virgin of Guadalupe Day Dec. 25 Christmas Day Visitors’ Service Bureaus: There are no official tourist information offices in Los Cabos. You may see booths or stands with signs that read “tourist information,” but these have nothing to do with any sanctioned government office (they are usually timeshare-related). For more information about Los Cabos, visit www.visitloscabos.org, www.experienceloscabos.com or contact one of the following offices: Mexico Office: Los Cabos Hotel Association U.S. Office: Los Cabos Tourism Board La Paz: For tourist information in the La Paz area: Contact the La Paz Hotel Association The Baja California Sur State Tourist Office may be reached online at www.Iapaz-tourism.com or by calling (612)124-0100. Getting Around Los CabosSome will tell you the best way to see the sights of Los Cabos is by foot, but no matter where you choose to stay, a car is a must if you want to experience both Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo or take a side trip. Car rental agencies can be found at most hotels, in the airport and downtown. The smooth four-lane Corridor highway connecting San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas has been improved, now with more safety features. The drive is a breeze from the airport to either town, but surrounding areas are still under development. A government-funded highway patrol the Green Angels — patrols the Corridor, providing emergency service for people encountering car trouble.
Car Rental Tips
Car Rental Agencies at the Airport:Avis 1-800-331-1212 Budget 1 -800-527-0700 Dollar 1-800-800-4000 Hertz 1-800-654-3131 National 1 -800-227-3876 Payless 1-800- PAYLESS Taxis:From Hotel Finisterra in Cabo San Lucas to the airport, the rate is $56 for the carload. From Casa Natalia hotel in San José, it’s about $15. To get from one town to the other, you can expect to pay about $35. Red and yellow taxi vans operate in San José; blue and green vans cruise Cabo San Lucas. These vans are available 24 hours a day and are never far away. For those who like to do as the locals do, live the adventure of a public bus. They run as shuttles between the two towns. The ride takes about an hour with highway stops at major hotels along the Corridor. The cost is less than $2 one way. Arriving at the AirportLongtime residents remember when the airport terminal was just a cart selling Coca-Cola. Now there are three large buildings located 20 minutes north of San José. One is for Delta, Alaska and most large charters; another is for private flights; and the recently remodeled terminal hosts all other commercial airlines. When traveling abroad, all passengers must pass through customs and immigration. You will need a current passport or certified birth certificate, accompanied by a valid photo ID. Once you have passed through immigration, collect your luggage and proceed to customs. It’s quick and easy. Passengers push a button on a traffic light. If the light turns red, be ready for your luggage to be inspected. Airport ShuttlesUnless you’ve arranged pick-up by your hotel, yellow and white mini buses are the best bet to bring you to your destination. When they are full, you leave. So if you’re the first in, you’ll have to wait. Fares range from $8 to $15 per person depending on your hotel destination. Airline UpdateAlthough Los Cabos’ first connections to the outer world were by land and sea, air transportation has been most important in shaping its future. The first airline to service Southern Baja was Aeronaves de Mexico, which began flights between the mainland and La Paz in 1941. Frontier Airlines is one of the latest to join a growing list of carriers offering service to Los Cabos International Airport. Frontier now operates three weekly nonstop flights from Denver. AeroMexico joins in a code-sharing agreement with Delta Air Lines to offer four nonstop flights from Ontario, California on Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. American Airlines has daily nonstops from Los Angeles and Dallas, plus seasonal service from Chicago O’Hare. Weekly nonstops from Newark via Continental operate December through April. Other Nonstops to Los Cabos:
Airline Telephone Numbers:Aero California 1-800-237-6225 AeroMexico 1-800-237-6639 American Airlines 1 -800-433-7300 Alaska 1 -800-426-0333 America West 1 -800-235-9292 Continental 1-800-525-0280 Delta 1-800-221-1212 Frontier 1-800-432-1359 Mexicana 1-800-531-7921 Important Telephone Numbers:To call the police, it’s NOT 911. If you are calling from either a cell phone or landline, dial 060. American Consulate (624)143-3566 Canadian Consulate (624)142-4262 Federal Highway Patrol (624) 1 22-5735/(624) 125-3584 Cabo San Lucas Fire Department (624)143-2466 San José Fire Department (624)142-2466 Military Hospital (624)122-3488 Red Cross (624)143-3300 Airport (624)122-1486 Medical Assistance:AmeriMed (624)143-9670 Northwest Medical (624)143-5404
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