Useful Information — Did You Know?

Useful information to help you stay informed

By Sarah Muñoz

Whether you’re surrendering to the balmy beaches of our peninsula, relishing the five-star gourmet fare of our world-class dining establishments, hitting the links on some of the best championship golf courses on earth, reeling in trophy game fish from the plentiful waters or exploring the rugged beauty of our land and the cultural heritage of our area, you’ll have a great vacation.

To maximize your time, we’ve included a guide to show you everything from where to rent a car, how to call home and whom to call for information to the essential details about currency, language, climate and more.

Location:Los Cabos is located at the tip of Baja California Sur, approximately 1,000 miles south of San Diego and south of the Tropic of Cancer. Los Cabos refers to the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, stretching east toward La Paz and north to Todos Santos.

Population: 204,000

Climate: Subtropical desert. During the summer, highs can be in the 90s F with sporadic showers. Winter evenings may drop to the 60s F, with daytime highs near 80 F.

Time Zone: Los Cabos is on Mountain Standard Time (MST), which is one hour later than Pacific Standard Time.

Language: Spanish is the official language, but English is widely spoken by people employed in tourism.

Electricity: 120 Volts/60 Hertz. Electrical outlets are the same as those used in the U.S.

Banks and Currency: The official unit of currency is the Mexican peso, although the U.S. dollar is widely accepted.

All major Mexican national banks are represented in Los Cabos and are usually open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Many locations have ATM machines that accept U.S. bank cards in the same manner as they do in the U.S., although transaction fees may be higher (around $3). ATMs dispense Mexican pesos. You can exchange dollars for pesos at the airport, hotel or at any bank. Banks usually have the best rates.

Credit cards are welcome at most major restaurants and hotels. When using credit cards, the total on your statement will be reflected in pesos at the exchange rate posted that day.

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, although not all have hookups for personal computers/modems. Many hotels have broadband Internet or Wi-Fi in guest rooms or public areas, as do the Starbucks at Plaza Bonita Mall in Cabo San Lucas and many other establishments.

You’ll also find quite a few Internet cafés in the area, including The Corner Restaurant & Bar (Lázaro Cárdenas and Matamoros streets), home to the “world’s largest margarita.” In San José, look for the office supply store across from the town plaza.

To call the U.S. from your U.S. cell phone, dial 00 + 1 + area code + telephone number.

To call locally to landlines, just dial the seven-digit number.

To call locally to local cell phones (within the same area code), dial 044 + telephone number.

To call Mexico outside of Los Cabos, dial 01 + area code + phone number.

Public Holidays: Mexico celebrates several public holidays annually. Except for banks and government offices being closed, your vacation plans should not be disrupted.

Los Cabos Convention & Visitors Bureau
Contact: Rubén Sánchez Lizárraga, Managing Director
Tel: (624) 143-4777
Fax: (624) 143-5424
E-mail: ruben.sanchez@loscaboscvb.com
Web site: www.TIME2CABO.com
Toll-free: (866) LOS CABOS
Follow us on Twitter: @LOSCABOSCVB
Find us on Facebook: Los Cabos Convention & Visitors Bureau

Visit www.visit-cabo.com for more information about Los Cabos.

Baja California Sur: For tourist information about Baja California Sur, call toll-free (877) MY BAJA SUR or visit www.mybajasur.com.

Mobile Guide: Download the new Los Cabos Mobile Guide free of charge on your mobile phone for instant access to accommodations, culture, tour operators, tourist spots, contact information and much more. The Mobile Guide is a valuable, portable tool you can always have on hand as you explore the area.

Getting Around Los Cabos: Some 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 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
•  Minimum age to rent is 24
•  Driver’s license and major credit card required
•  Mileage is free
•  Rent from an agency with multiple locations so help is close by if you need it
•  Gas prices are about the same as in the United States
• Return rental car with the fuel tank at the same level as you received it to avoid high fueling charges
• Your own insurance company may not cover you in Mexico, so expect to pay $17–22 per day for local insurance coverage

Car Rental Agencies at the Airport

Alamo	(877) 222-9075
Avis	(800) 331-1212
Budget	(800) 527-0700
Dollar	(800) 800-4000
E-Z Car Rental	(800) 277-5171
Hertz	(800) 654-3131
National	(800) 227-3876
Payless	(800) PAYLESS
Thrifty	(800) THRIFTY

Taxis: To get from one town to the other, you can expect to pay about $50. 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, hop on a public bus, which runs between the two towns. With highway stops at major hotels along The Corridor, the ride takes about an hour.

Traveling With Infants And Children To Cabo?
Traveling with a baby or toddler can be daunting. If you want to insure that your hard-earned vacation is relaxing and enjoyable for the whole family, make a note to contact Baja Baby Gear. The store provides baby and toddler supplies (all brand new and sourced from the USA) and a baby concierge service which can have all the goods you need on site, on your arrival; Baby diapers, wipes, baby food, high chairs, strollers, boxes of toys, humidifiers, saftey rails and bedding.  Get free delivery for orders over $100. Ask for Jenni. Call from the USA or Canada in advance: (855) 369 2229. E-mail info@bajababygear.com or visit the website: www.bajababygear.com.

Airport Details: The San José del Cabo International Airport (SJD) is located just 20 minutes north of San José and welcomes domestic, international and private or charter flights.

You need a valid passport to be allowed into Mexico. When traveling abroad, all passengers must pass through customs and immigration. Once you have passed through immigration, collect your luggage and proceed to customs. Here, passengers push a button on a traffic light of sorts; if the light turns red, your luggage has been chosen for inspection.

After passing through the customs and immigration area, you might be greeted by time-share sales people eager to get your attention. Cab drivers and pre-arranged transportation providers will be waiting outside the building.
Unless you’ve arranged pickup by your hotel, yellow and white mini shuttles are the best bet to bring you to your destination, as they’re less expensive than a taxicab. They won’t depart unless they’re full, so you might have to wait a few minutes.

This airport welcomes more than 200 flights each week. At press time, the following airlines offered flights to Los Cabos: Aeroméxico, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, Sun Country Airlines, Sunwing, United Continental Holdings, US Airways, Virgin America and WestJet.

There are also nonstop flights or convenient connections to Los Cabos available from Atlanta; Charlotte; Chicago; Cincinnati; Dallas/Fort Worth; Denver; Detroit; Houston; Kansas City, Missouri; Las Vegas; Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif.; Minneapolis; New York/Newark; Phoenix; Portland; Salt Lake City; Seattle and more.

Seasonal nonstop and connecting service is available from Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.

Airline Telephone Numbers

Aeroméxico	(800) 237-6639
Alaska Airlines	(800) 426-0333
American Airlines	(800) 433-7300
Continental	(800) 523-3273
Delta	(800) 221-1212
Frontier	(800) 432-1359
Sun Country Airlines	(800) 359-6786
Sunwing	(800) 668-4224
United	(800) 864-8331
US Airways	(800) 428-4322
Virgin America	(877) 359-8474
WestJet	(888) 937-8538

Important Telephone Numbers:
To call the police, it's NOT 911.
If you are calling from either a cell phone or landline, dial 060.

Medical Assistance:

Local Charities/Voluntourism Opportunities
Los Cabos Children’s Foundation: Provides medical and humanitarian assistance to children and their families. Assists various area organizations and accepts tax-deductible donations. www.loscaboschildren.org

Grupo de Apoyo Ray Thomas/Y.E.S. Foundation: Establishes sports programs in communities throughout Baja, as well as services such as graffiti cleanups and school breakfast programs. Seeks volunteer coaches and sponsors of teams and child breakfasts. www.raythomasgroup.org

Amigos de los Niños: Provides health care services to children and accepts donations such as disposable diapers, small toys, children’s clothing and prenatal vitamins and folic acid. www.adlncabo.com

Santa Josefina Blood Bank: Visitors in good health may stop by to donate blood. www.santajosefinabloodbank.org