If you are planning a two week or longer trip in Baja, driving is a great way to go. Here are some things to remember to hopefully make your adventure go smoothly.
- BRING PESOS - Most gas stations only take pesos (CASH). Very few gas station take debit or credit cards. If they do, it usually only accepts cards drawn from a Mexican bank. Almost no restaurants or stores accept debit, or credit cards either and will give you prices in PESOS - not US dollars.
- Exchange your money BEFORE you cross the border - You may see signs for casa de cambios along the way BUT most of them are closed or won’t have enough pesos on hand to cash out your dollars especially if you trying to exchange anything more than a few hundred dollars.
- Pack a cooler - with snacks and beverages you can easily eat. Stopping at a taco stand is fine but if you are trying to make good time, it really cuts into your drive time. If you looking at a 10-12 hour day of driving, every extra 15 minute counts (and they add up), you don't want to be on the road at night.
- Don't drive after dark - Not because that's when the bad guys come out or anything, its just hard to see. There are no street lights on the open road and it is much safer to drive during the daylight when you can see well. Also, at night in the winter time, cows, horses and other animals come to the road because it is warm and will sneak up on you real fast in the dark. You don’t want to find yourself in a position where you have to swerve, slam on your breaks or worse.
- Cross the border as early in the morning as you can - I am talking NO LATER than 8 am. And even that is pushing it. We like to cross the boarder no later than 7am.
- Keep a roll of TP in your car - pretty much all gas stations have bathrooms however many times do not have toilet paper.
- DON'T LEAVE VALUABLES IN YOUR CAR - You would think "well duh" and so would I, however, we had our car broken into in the parking lot at night when we stopped at our hotel the first night and the thieves stole our computer, iPod and some other electrical stuff. So bring in your camera, phone, computer, etc.
- Stay at a good hotel - There are many hotels just for people that drive through Baja. Our favorite hotel chain is the Desert Inn. There are four location in Baja - Ensenada, Guerrero Negro, San Ignacio and Loreto. They are very clean, nice, great food, pool, and most allow pets. You can also make reservations online at www.dersertinns.com. There are two other nice hotels in San Quitin and Catavina that used to be part of the chain but where bought by another similar company. There is also the Cactus Inn in El Rosario which is VERY comfortable. - and right next door to Mama Espinosa's!
- If you can, do the long day the first day and make the second day a shorter one - if you are like us and going to a specific place try and drive the long day the first day. if you are just cruising around and going to explore new spots along the way, I guess it probably doesn't matter but try to determine your stops before you leave.
- If you run out of pesos, go to the ATM - Pretty much all banks in Baja have an ATM. It is in Spanish and it will give you pesos. If you cannot understand what it is saying, just ask someone. If they speak English, most of the time are very willing to assist.
- Don't go to the ATM at night.
- Be polite to the military check guys - They are there to protect you and look for the bad guys (people transporting illegal drugs or weapons). Most of the time, they will wave you right on thru going South, but coming back North, they will ask you to get out of your car so they can look through it (revision). it is pretty quick and they like to practice their English most of the time. Most of them DO NOT speak English.
- Get your Tourist Visa before you cross the border (if you can)- If you require a Visa, and you will if you are traveling outside of the "Tourism Corridors" which is about 20 miles south of the border or staying more than 72 hours. They are good for 180 days. If you live close to the border like in San Diego, it is worth it to get it out of the way so you don’t have to deal with on the day you are traveling. It can be a huge hassle and there can be a super long line which will set you back significantly if you are trying to make a time frame to be somewhere. You cannot get Visas at the Mexican Consulates or Embassies anymore. You HAVE to go into Mexico and obtain one at the immigration office which is usually right across the border, then go to the bank then BACK to immigration to get it made official and show then that you paid for it with your receipt from the bank. Again, ONLY PESOS are accepted. It is usually around $250 pesos or about $20 US per visa.
- Car Insurance - You are required by Mexican Law to have car insurance that covers you in Mexico. We use www.mexicaninsurancestore.com Our total premium for a year with liability only is about $140 total. Its up to you if you want to increase your coverage. If you do have an accident, be sure to call the insurance company IMMEDIATELY.
- Bring copies of your documents - Like registration for your vehicle, AND if you are pulling a boat or have a motor cycle, bring those documents as well - for the trailers too!! . It's a good idea to have them in a three ring binder so they are easily accessible because you will be asked for them when you cross the border and they will check the numbers to see if they match. On a side note, I also scan all my documents including my passport, credit and debit cards and email them to myself in case they are lost or stolen.
Safe Travels,
Cambria
