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TravelYou may purchase your airline tickets online by booking your flight either to Mérida or to Cancun. If you choose to arrive in Cancun, it will be necessary to take a bus to the program's first location in Mérida. The bus ride is about 2 hours. At the end of course, we will be located in Valladolid , which is halfway between Cancun and Mérida, so you can fly out of either place. However, do not make a reservation to fly out early in the morning of July 16th, as you need to get from Valladolid to one of the other cities in order to fly out. It is about 2 hours to either city. Keep in mind that you can stay longer to travel elsewhere, if you wish. Unfortunately, we cannot take advantage of a group travel rate since people will be leaving from and returning to different destinations. VisaMexico requires that North Americans show proof of citizenship with a passport or a birth certificate with a raised seal (Be sure to have a picture ID with you anyway, as you will need one for use in airports). With this proof, they will issue you a tourist card upon entry that is generally good for one to three months. If anyone wishes to stay longer, please make your own legal arrangements with the Mexican consul nearest your home. While you are traveling, I would suggest you have a US passport. If there is an emergency and your family needs to contact you, there is an American Consul in Mérida. The telephone is 011 52-99-25-50-11 or 23-5554 and it is located at Paseo de Montejo 453. AttireIt will be very hot and humid in Yucatán and it will rain part of every afternoon (if it is a typical summer). You can wear almost whatever you want, but in general, Mexicans are more conservative in dress than we are. Women in Mérida wear dresses but young women now wear shorts or pants. During our stay in Santa Elena and Xocen, women must wear below the knee dresses, skirts, or pants. No tank tops should be worn, unless covered by a shirt. Tourists abound in Yucatán, so you will see all sorts of attire. We do not have a lot of time to wash clothes in Yucatán, so I suggest you pack enough to last at least four days. There is a lavandería in Mérida that is similar to a Laundromat, but is not self-service and there are no evening hours. The hotel will do laundry but it is expensive. Laundry in Santa Elena also may be difficult. MoneyYou may want to take some travelers checks. DO NOT change your money into pesos before going (You will lose on the exchange rate). If you have an American Express card, you can get cash at an American Express office anywhere in Mexico. There are also many "quick cash" (ATM) bank machines that take debit or Visa cards. For further information, please view our section with information on personal expenses. |
Health Precautions
VaccinationsIt is always good to have your regular shots such as typhoid, tetanus, polio etc. up to date. We recommend the Hepatitis A shot. Be sure to ask your regular doctor to prescribe any antibiotic and/or malaria medicine. Anti-malarial shots are probably not necessary, but you may choose to take any precautionary health measures as you see fit. It is advised that you be sure to fill all prescriptions while at home. Also, take along prescription medicines and/or over the counter medicines you need in their original containers. Pleases view our list of other recommended vaccinations. VACCINATION INFORMATION FOR MEXICO FROM THE CDC: The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following vaccines for travel to Mexico. It is recommended that you obtain these vaccinations at least 4-6 weeks before your trip to allow time for immunizations to take effect. Be sure to bring your immunization record to your first appointment. All vaccinations should be recorded on an International Health Certificate (available from your doctor or government health department), and participants should bring the card with them. |
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Enrollment, Costs, and How to Apply |
General Information about the Yucatan Program Locations: Santa Elena, Valladolid, Merida, and Xocen |