I am originally from Ohio but spent substantial time living in Mexico, studying the nature and history of this beautiful place. If you are looking for cheaper transportation to and from the airport, take the bus to downtown Playa del Carmen or Cancun. There are bus schedules posted for local travel or throughout the country. The nicest buses when I was there were the plush tour buses for longer trips, called ADO. Really nice buses that cost more but are worth it.

If you need to make phone calls in Mexico, buy a phone card there and use them from any pay phone. You can buy them in the Casas de Cambio (places where you can exchange your money into Mexican pesos). If you buy fruit, peel before eating it. If it isn’t peelable, then forget it. Drink purified, bottled water at all times. Go with a tour group to these places. Take a camera and stop at the nearby hotel for lunch if you have the chance.

Speaking of Xcaret, it is a must to visit if you love nature.

If you want a fun trip by boat, go to Playa Linda (in the Hotel Zone of Cancun) and hop a boat over to Isla Mujeres. It is a very international place, worth the very long bus ride from Cancun.

Downtown Cancun has a few interesting places to shop. I haven’t been to Cancun since the devastating hurricane there, so check to see if these places are still in operation, if so, they are definitely worth going to. Take a bus or taxi to these places, to get a more “authentic” Mexican experience. If you see people on the street selling tamales, try them, they are excellent and really cheap. It is a major bread and snack food producer in Mexico.

Enjoy your stay in the lovely Mayan Riviera. If you go, you’ll want to go back again and again.

Dentists scare me. (Today, in 2009, the root canal would cost me about $1100 and the crown would be around $850). I had a friend who was living in Chihuahua, Mexico, and as I had already planned to go and see him, I decided to see if I could get my tooth fixed in Mexico. During my vacation time that year, I had the dental work done on my tooth at a great savings. The root canal cost me $140 and the crown cost $125 for a total of $265.

Through the years I have had a lot of dental work done in Mexico. The American dentists have commented very favorably to the many Mexican dentists crowns they have seen in my mouth. My Tijuana dentist, SAM Dental, actually has a website that you can access to find out about prices, contact information, and how to find the clinic. 6 BASIC TIPS on dental care in Mexico.
Price.

Be careful what you pay for dental care. The quality of the dental work done in Mexico is very comparable to that in the USA, and the price is much cheaper. If you look around, you can find an equally competent dentist who will charge you less for the same work. If you fly into San Diego, it is not necessary to rent a car.

If you want to stay in San Diego, and rent a car, I still recommend that you park in the parking lot for the trolley and take it down to Tijuana. If you are a little more adventurous, you might want to simply stay in Tijuana. Time frame required.

If you live in the San Diego or L.A. area, it is a lot easier to go across the border for multiple visits. But if you are flying in, you’ll want to budget enough time to get it all done.

To Enter Mexico: USA Visitors to the northern part of Baja California do not need US passports or tourist cards if staying in the country for a short time. If you plan to stay for an extended period, or if you plan to travel beyond Ensenada, You will need to obtain a tourist card.; Proof of US citizenship would then be required.

If you have time, it is good to get a U.S. passport, but don’t be overly concerned.