Useful Information

Save precious time while getting around Los Cabos

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

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

Language: SSpanish 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. Banks are usually open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Baja California peninsula has a 10 percent 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 you need Internet access, many hotels have Broadband Internet or WiFi in the rooms or public areas. You'll also find a growing number of Internet cafés in the area. 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 e-mailing). 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.

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 or contact one of the following offices:

Mexico Office:
Los Cabos Hotel Association
Contact: Rubén Sánchez Lizárraga
Tel: (624) 143-4777
Fax: (624) 143-5424
E-mail: directorfiturca@prodigy.net.mx

U.S. Office:
Los Cabos Tourism Board
Toll-free: 1-866-LOS CABOS (For brochure requests)
Website: www.visitloscabos.org

La Paz and Baja California Sur:For tourist information in the La Paz area, or any other city in Baja California Sur, call toll-free 1-877-MY BAJA SUR or log onto www.mybajasur.com.

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 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:

• Minimum age to rent is 24
• Valid driver's license and major credit card are required
• Mileage is free
• Rent from an agency with multiple locations so if you need it, help is close by
• Gas prices are about the same as in the United States
• Bring back the car with the same amount of gas
• Expect to pay $14-$16 per day for local insurance coverage (your own company may not cover you in Mexico)

Car Rental Agencies at the Airport:

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 Airport: Longtime 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. 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.

After passing through the customs and immigration area, you might be greeted by timeshare salespeople eager to get your attention.

Airport Shuttles: Unless 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 Update: Although 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 México, which began flights between the mainland and La Paz in 1941. At press time, there were 144 weekly nonstop flights to Los Cabos from international destinations and 62 weekly nonstop flights from within Mexico.

AeroMexico offers daily nonstop service from San Diego and connecting flights from Ontario, California. Alaska Airlines operates nonstop flights from Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, and connecting flights from Seattle. Alaska is also starting nonstop service from Portland. American Airlines has daily nonstop service from Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles, plus seasonal service from New York's JFK Airport. America West offers nonstop service from Las Vegas and Phoenix, as well as connecting flights from Oakland, Ontario and San Diego, California. Continental has nonstop flights twice daily from Houston and nonstop service from Newark that varies in frequency seasonally.

Delta has nonstop service from Atlanta, Salt Lake City and New York, and connecting flights from Cincinnati. Mexicana offers nonstop flights from Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Sacramento. Northwest offers connecting flights from Minneapolis and Detroit. United operates nonstop flights from Chicago, Denver and San Francisco. Frontier now operates nonstop flights from Denver and Los Angeles, and is starting nonstop service from Kansas City. Apple Charters offers charter flights on a seasonal basis from Detroit (via Cancun), Minneapolis and St. Louis (via Cancun).

Nonstops to Los Cabos:

• Atlanta via Delta Air Lines
• Chicago via American Airlines and United
• Dallas via American Airlines
• Denver via Frontier and United
• Houston via Continental
• Las Vegas via America West and Mexicana
• Los Angeles via Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier and Mexicana
• Mexico City via Mexicana
• New York via Delta
• Newark via Continental
• Phoenix via America West
• Portland via Alaska Airlines
• Sacramento via Mexicana
• Salt Lake City via Delta
• San Diego via Alaska Airlines and AeroMexico
• San Francisco via Alaska Airlines and United

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: