Mexico Puerto Vallarta | Los Cabos | Manzanillo | Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo Mazatlan | Cancun | Cozumel | Playa del Carmen Contact Anderson Travel for the most current air specials As of January 2007, all US citizens flying into Mexico are required to have a valid US passport! In addition Mexican Tourist Cards are distributed on board the plane for each traveler. Mexican customs officials will keep 1 copy and return the 2nd to you. Keep your tourist card and travel documents in a secure place. You will be required to surrender the 2nd copy of your tourist card when you check in for your return flight. Mexico - an overview There are 31 states in Mexico, plus the Federal District (D.F., Distrito Federal), which Mexico City is in. In the 1990 census, Mexico's population was 81 million. Mexico's largest cities are Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Puebla. The country covers some 760,000 square miles (one quarter the size the continental U.S.). Much of it is rugged and mountainous. 60% of the country's landmass is in what's referred to as the "mesa central" or central plateau. This highland is bordered to the east and west by mountain ranges (Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental, respectively), and to the south by a row of towering, widely spaced volcanoes. México has 8,300 miles of border, over 6,000 miles of coastline, and is touched by four major bodies of water: - The Pacific Ocean - The Sea of Cortes - The Gulf of México - The Caribbean Sea The country is void of major river systems and only about 11% of the landmass is naturally arable for agricultural use. Spanish is the official language in Mexico. We encourage you to speak Spanish whenever possible. Your Mexican hosts will love you for trying. And they might be encouraged to attempt speaking to you in your native language! Mexicans are warm, outgoing people. You'll discover it's easy to make friends! Try to learn something about Mexico and its history before you go. You'll get more out of your trip if you're sensitive to Mexico's rich culture and heritage. Mexican bank hours are normally from 9AM to 2:30 PM, weekdays only. Some branches are open in the afternoon from 4 to 6PM and on weekends; check at your hotel for the hours of the nearest branch office. ATMs (Automatic Teller Machines) are growing in popularity in many Mexican cities and larger towns; many of these ATMs are linked to those of U.S. and Canadian banks, so you might be able to take advantage of this convenience. Money is exchanged at casas de cambio (currency exchange houses) that are open longer hours than banks; they generally offer quicker service, too. While foreign currencies are sometimes accepted - particularly in major resort areas - we recommend you use pesos during your stay. The Mexican currency is the "peso." It is minted in coins and paper. Our favorite places in Mexico: Puerto Vallarta Los Cabos Manzanillo Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo Mazatlan Cancun Cozumel Playa del Carmen Click on the map for a larger view. Note: The majority of our staff travels to Mexico regularly. We are your local source for up to date and valuable information. Call us. Specific Information Request - Click Here Specials | Home (206) 938-8466 | info@andersontravel.net | FAX: (206) 938-8496 4138 California Avenue SW | Seattle, Washington 98116 - U.S.A. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday