Fly into: Cancun International Airport. Travel by shuttle, taxi, a 10 person "colectivo" van, direct bus, or rental car approximately 45 minutes south to Playa del Carmen. Your hotel should have a free shuttle service. If not, check www.travelyucatan.com/cancun_airport_transfers.php
Passort & Tourist Card Needed: You need a passport or other proof of ID to get into Mexico, but more importantly you need a passport to get back! Children are also required to get a passport. For US citizens, see here for info on getting a new passport or renewing your old one: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html.
You must also carry a Mexican Tourist Permit (FMT), the equivalent of a tourist visa, which Mexican border officials issue, free of charge, after proof of citizenship (passport) is accepted. Airlines generally provide the necessary forms aboard your flight to Mexico. The FMT is more important than a passport while you are in Mexico, so guard it carefully. If you lose it, you may not be permitted to leave until you can replace it.
The FMT can be issued for up to 180 days. Sometimes officials don't ask but just stamp a time limit, so be sure to say "6 months," or at least twice as long as you intend to stay. If you decide to extend your stay, you may request that additional time be added to your FMT from an official immigration office in Mexico.
What do I have to do upon arriving to the Airport? After being cleared by an Immigration Inspector you may collect your luggage and proceed to Customs. Please have a completed Customs Declaration form available. The form will be provided to you by the airline during flight. If may also request one at the Customs information counter. Read it carefully before filling it out and, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask personnel for assistance before you insert your Declaration form through the Automated Selection System (stop light). This service is free and confidential.The Automated Selection System will determine whether your luggage will be submitted to inspection or released.
- The red light indicates that your luggage will be inspected
- The green light indicates that your luggage will not be inspected; therefore you will be allowed to leave
What can I bring there? See: www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/2008/pasajeros/139_10210.html
Please DON'T BRING any GIFTS with you - you don't need to AND it will be a pain in the butt for us to figure out what to do with it while there. Thanks for the thought though. :)
Departure Taxes: When leaving the country, you must pay departure and airport taxes, which cost about US$13 and US$8.50, respectively. When purchasing your airline ticket, ask if the taxes come included. Tax fees may vary; bring some cash with you on the plane just in case.
Other questions about what you can & can't bring:
See: www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/2008/pasajeros/139_10178.html
Again, please DON'T BRING any GIFTS with you - you don't need to AND it will be a pain in the butt for us to figure out what to do with it while there. Thanks for the thought though. :)
What you can & can't bring BACK: Returning U.S. citizens who have been away for at least 48 hours are allowed to bring back, once every 30 days, $800 worth of merchandise duty-free. You'll pay a flat rate of duty on the next $1,000 worth of purchases. Any dollar amount beyond that is subject to duties at whatever rates apply. On mailed gifts, the duty-free limit is $200. Be sure to keep your receipts or purchases accessible to expedite the declaration process.
To avoid paying duty on foreign-made personal items you owned before your trip, bring along a bill of sale, insurance policy, jeweler's appraisal, or receipts of purchase. Or you can register items that can be readily identified by a permanently affixed serial number or marking -- think laptop computers, cameras, and CD players -- with Customs before you leave. Take the items to the nearest Customs office or register them with Customs at the airport from which you're departing. You'll receive, at no cost, a Certificate of Registration, which allows duty-free entry for the life of the item. This is probably only necessary if you are bringing a brand new, or several, laptops, cameras, etc.
For more info, see: www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/kbyg_regulations.ctt/kbyg_regulations.pdf
A very helpful article on traveling to Mexico can be found at:
http://travel.latimes.com/destinations/mexico/clm/planning-a-trip
