Population: 400,000
Location: In the sate of Quintana Roo, off the northeastern end of the Yucatan penisula, directly south o New Orleans. Approximately 1.5 hours flying time from Miami.
Elevation: 16 Feet
Languages: Spanish and Mayan, but English is spoken in most areas. The original inhabitants of this part of Mexico were Mayan and although Spanish is the offical language, most of the indgenous population still speaks their native tongue. In the past few years, people from all parts of the world have settled here, giving this region a comopolitan atmosphere.It is fairly easy to encounter English, German, Italian and French speaking people, especially in hotels and in larger towns.
Weather: Cancun is warm year round, but the steady sea breezes tempers the heat. There is outdoor swimming year round.The chances of hurricanes is greater in September and October. The sun reflected from the water is intense, so it is important to come prepared with sunblock.
Average Temperature (In Fahrenheit)
(HIGH) (LOW) January- March 84F 67F April-June 89F 73F July-September 90F 76F October- December 87F 69F
Tourist Assisstance: Secretariat of Tourism 91-800-90362
Consulates: United States of America 830272 Plaza Caracol II #2 3rd Floor 832296 Canada 83360 Plaza Caracol II 3rd Floor #L330 833361
Currency: New Peso, Old Peso, US Dollar
Banks and Currency Exchange Facilities: US Dollars are easliy exhanged into pesos in banks, major hotels, airports and exchanges houses. Mexican banks are open from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM weekdays only.Most credit cards are excepted in shops, hotels and travel agencies.
Church Services:
Roman Catholic: Cristo Ray CHurch, 15 Margaritas Street, Downtown Cancun Daily Masses 7 A.M. and 7 P.M. Saturday. 7 P.M. Sundays: 8:00 A.M., 11 A.M.., 5:00 P.M., 6:30 P.M.., and 8 P.M. 840513
Hotel Zone Masses: Cancun Baptist Fellowship, Hyatt Hotel each Sunday 10:00 AM Hotel Camino Real, 10:00 P.M Continental Villas Plaza, Sunday 12:00 P.M. Fiesta Americana Coral Beach, Sunday 10:30 A.M. Presidnets-Intercontinetal, Sunday 6:30 P.M. Sheraton, Sunday 10:00 A.M. Chapel next to plaza Nautilus, Sunday 10:00 A.M.
Presbyterian: Puerto del Cielo Church. 15 Crisantemos St. Downtown Cancun Sunday services: 10:45., 6:30 P.M. 842362
Episcopal: Marriott Casa Magna, Hotel Zone Sunday Services, 10:00 A.M. in English 852000
Telephone & Fax: For local directiry inquiries dial 847612
From North America To Cancun: Dial 011 (int access code) +52 (Mexico's country code) + 98 (Cancun's area code) + the local number. From Cancun to North America: Dial 00+1+area code+ local number Using Tel/Mex public phones: If you are calling with-in Mexico, you can pay for the call in cash or call collect. International calls are collect only at some casetas. The service charges may apply whether or not you connect and there might be an extra charge for information or any other services involving the international operator. Only use offical Tel/Mex booths for long distance calls.
Internet: Public internet service is available in all major hotels at a rate of about $10.00 an hour. There are also many Internet Cafe's in the Hotel Zone and downtown.
National Holidays:
Jan 1- New Years Day (Ano' Nueve) Feb 5- Constitution Day Mar 21- Birthday of Benito Juarez' Mexican President and national hero Holy Week- (Semana Santa) Good Friday through Easter Sunday May 1- Labor Day ( Dia' del Trabajo) with workers parades May 5- Battle of Puebla commemorates the Mexican victory over the French at Puebla in 1862 Sept 1-The president of Mexico delivers thew annual States of the Nation address. Sept 16- Independence Day Oct 12- Day of the Race (Dia de la Raza) Columbus Day Nov 1/2 The Day of the Dead Nov 20- Revolution Day: Anniversary of the 1910 Mexican Revolution Dec 12- Feast Day of the VIrgin of Guedelupe Dec 25- Christmas Day
Emergency:
Local Police: 841913/8432342 Fire Department: 841202 Highway Police: (Federal) 841542/841107 State Police: 841171 Federal Ploice: 887291
Hospitals: Mexico has a nationalized health care system and almost everytown and city has either a national hospital or medical clinic. Most hotels have a 24 hour doctor on call. No vaccinations are needed to enter Mexico from the US or Canada.
Hospital Americano: 84-61333/84-6068 (24 hours) 15 Viento St SM4
Red Cross 84-1616 (24 hours) Yaxchilan Avenue. SM 21
Total Assist: 84-1092, 84-1616 (24 hours) 5 Claveles St SM-22
Social Security Hospitals: 887274/887354
General Hospital: 842967/842666
How to get around: A counter at the airport exit sells tickets for buses (called colectivos), which cost about $8. The buses are air-conditioned and sell soft drinks and beer on board. You can also take a government-subsidized cab. The driver will accept the taxi vouchers sold at stands inside or just outside the airport.
Local Bus Service: The bus system in Cancun is very convenient and inexpensive. The fare is 3 pesos. It is much better to pay in pesos because, according to some travelers, if you pay with US money the fare is $1, and no change is given.
Airports: Cancun International Airport- Phone 870088 Airport is 9 miles southwest of the heart of Cancun City, 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the southern most point of the hotel zone. Shuttle: (tel 98/83448), runs directly from the Playa Tortugas dock in Cancun's hotel zone to the airport at least four times a day and costs about $15 round-trip.
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