Travel Guide

Flying to Oaxaca, Mexico

This event is moving forward with less than 50 attendees, members are encouraged to purchase any flights or other travel at this time. Please note – if flights are booked prior to EO confirming the event, EO will not refund travel costs.

All attendees of the 2023 EO Mexico Exploration should book their arrival flight to Xoxocotlán International Airport (OAX) in Oaxaca to start the Exploration and book their departure flight from Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport (MID) in Merida after the completion of the Exploration.

Xoxocotlán International Airport is located approximately 11 km from Oaxaca city centre. By car, it could take around 30 minutes to get to Oaxaca city centre. Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport is located approximately 11 km from Merida’s city centre. By car, it could take around 30 minutes from the city centre to get to Merida’s Airport.

You will need to arrange your own ground transportation to/from the airports as you arrive and depart for the Exploration. EO will share airport transfer options in advance for you to book on your own. Plan to arrive in Oaxaca by early afternoon of 26 October 2023 and depart from Merida any time after the morning of 1 November 2023. Air and ground transportation during the program days to/from the venues and various locations within Oaxaca and Merida are included in your registration and will be booked by EO, only your initial arrival and final departure flight/ground transportation will need to be booked on your own.

Ground Transportation

Taxi: Taxi service is widely available at the Oaxaca Airport, there is a booth located outside of the arrivals gate. The cost from the airport to Oaxaca city centre will cost about $15-$30USD one way.

Shuttle: Oaxca Airport has a shuttle bus system. Please refer to their website here for more information, schedules and how to purchase a ticket.

Car Rentals: Oaxaca Airport has several car rental companies available for reservation. Search their sites here to compare the best deals or check out the Global Partners tab for information about EO’s partnership with Sixt Car Rentals.

Weather

Oaxaca and Merida have a warm, Tropical climate. Oaxaca’s average temperature in late October is a high of 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit) and a low of 13 degrees Celsius (56 degrees Fahrenheit). Merida’s average temperature in late October is a high of 31 degrees Celsius (89 degrees Fahrenheit) and a low of 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit).

Dress

In general, the Exploration will be casual during the day and casual chic in the evenings. You will likely be active during the day, so plan on lighter fabrics and comfortable shoes. Bring layers to ensure you are cool/warm enough. Any other specific dress codes will be shared closer to the program dates.

About Mexico

Time Zone: Oaxca, Mexico (GMT-6) | Merida (GMT-5)

Please check www.timeanddate.com to determine what time it is in your home city.

Etiquette

For etiquette information, please reference:

Language

English is the official language of the 2023 EO Mexico Exploration.

Currency

For currency converter tools, please visit Oanda.com or XE.com.

The Mexican peso (sign: $; code: MXN), is the official currency of Mexico. It is subdivided into 100 centavos. Coins are in lower denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 are referred to as centavos and 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 as pesos. To check the current exchange rate for your currency, go to http://www.xe.com/.

MasterCard, American Express and Visa are all commonly accepted in Mexico followed by Discover cards, accepted in someareas. Credit card issuers commonly charge anywhere from 2% to 5% for purchases made in other countries. Before traveling, contact the bank that issued your credit card or debit card and ask about their fees. Debit cards normally have lower fees, but be sure to check all your options. You’ll rarely get charged extra by a store in Mexico for using a credit card to make a purchase; however you can look for signs or ask the cashier before using your card just to be safe.

ATMs, or “Cajero automático”, are readily accessible in most parts of Mexico. When you contact your bank before traveling, ask if they partner with any banks in Mexico that will allow you to use their ATMs without a charge. Before traveling to Mexico, be sure to contact your bank and inform them that you will be traveling and using your credit card overseas. If you fail to inform your bank of your travel plans, your card may be put on hold and you will not have immediate access to your account.

Tipping

Tipping is customary in most countries around the world, and is especially important in countries like Mexico where staff generally earn more from gratuities than from their basic wage. It’s up to you how much you tip, but the recommended amount in Mexico is between 10% – 20% of the bill or ticket price.

Do note, you will not need to tip during activities planned as part of the Exploration registration.

Stay Connected

The country code for Mexico is +52. When dialing a U.S. number from abroad, be sure to dial +1 before the area code and number. The national emergency number in Mexico is 911.

Please contact your individual mobile phone service provider for information about international plans. Mobile phones are widely used throughout Mexico. Call your service provider before arriving to determine if you should purchase an international roaming plan.

Wi-Fi is available either under payment or for free in some public places such as coffee shops/ bistros, airports, restaurants, and some hotels. The strength and speed of the signal may vary and you may need to ask for login information.

The standard voltage is 127 V and the standard frequency is 60 Hz. For Mexico, there two associated plug types, types A and B. Plug type A is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and plug type B is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and a grounding pin. You may also need a voltage converter so you should consider a combined power plug adapter/voltage converter. Be extra careful with certain appliances because of the difference in frequency. Check out the following pictures:

 

COVID-19 Entry and Exit Requirements

All Covid-19 travel restrictions have been lifted in Mexico. There are currently no Covid-19-related travel restrictions to enter the country, nor any disease prevention measures in place such as masking or vaccine requirements.

EO members are responsible for being aware if they need a negative Covid-19 test to get back into their home country or if one is required by the airline. EO will not be able to provide personal assistance on testing if a negative Covid-19 test is required to enter back into your home country or by the airline. Members are responsible for fulfilling entry and exit requirements on their own. EO members are responsible for arranging their own travel in a timely manner—including, but not limited to, all entry requirements and testing, immigration and visa-related costs and paperwork. If you fail to receive the appropriate approvals to enter Mexico after you have purchased a registration, you will be subject to EO cancellation policies.

Please refer to the following site for detailed information on current Covid guidelines upon entering Mexico.

Visas

A visa is not required for U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and most EU countries passport holders for temporary tourist and business trips up to 180 days. Citizens from other countries (not listed previously) may be among those who do require a visa. Use this list to locate your country to determine if a visa is required. You can submit the application online.

Every tourist, no matter their country of origin, must have a Mexican-government tourist permit called a Forma migratoria múltiple (FMM; tourist permit). These can be obtained on arrival or completed online in advance of your trip.

EO highly recommends that you arrange your visas in advance of travel in order to make entry as seamless as possible.

EO will not be collecting any data from members as they are responsible for applying for their visas directly but EO will provide an invitation letter upon request to [email protected].

For your passport, it will need to be valid three months after the planned date of departure and requires one page for an entry stamp.

EO members are responsible for arranging their own travel in a timely manner – including, but not limited to, all immigration – and visa – related costs and paperwork. If you fail to receive the appropriate approvals to enter Mexico after you have purchased a registration, you will be subject to EO cancellation policies.

EO takes no responsibility for acquiring or monitoring the status of a visa for any member. EO can support you in your quest for immigration approval by providing the following:

  • Letters of invitation
  • Hotel confirmation numbers (where applicable)
  • Connections to chapter members via the Chapter Admin

EO cannot:

  • Sponsor members
  • Guarantee costs or other monetary-related paperwork
  • Liaise with ministries, immigration, embassies or consulates on behalf of any member

If you require a sponsorship for entry into Mexico, you assume all risk associated with registering for the Exploration prior to getting approval and finding sponsors. EO cancellation policies apply. EO members are required to find other EO member sponsors on their own, including using eonetwork.org or through the EO chapter hosting the event. EO staff will not broker sponsorship.

Travel Insurance

EO highly recommends that you purchase travel insurance and verify the terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and requirements of your insurance policy before you travel and to check with your travel insurance provider (whether you have a group, an individual or a credit-card type of insurance) the following:

  • Are you covered for COVID-19-related medical expenses, other non-COVID-19 emergency-related expenses, as well as interruptions to your travel plans? While some insurance companies may offer COVID-19 related medical expenses coverage, it may not include protection for other non-COVID-19 emergency-related expenses.
  • Find out if you are covered for quarantine costs should you become infected with COVID-19 during your trip.
  • Make sure you have travel insurance coverage for your entire trip as some insurers may limit options to extend policies after departure.
  • Find out if you are covered for extended stays outside your home country.

Health

Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.

You can find more health and safety recommendations for Mexico from the Centers for Disease Control(CDC).

Dietary Restrictions

Please notify us of any dietary restrictions during registration so that your needs are accommodated at the Exploration. To edit any dietary restrictions or input new dietary restrictions, go to the event page and click “Modify Registration.” You will be able to edit or enter dietary information and click “Save.” If you suffer from severe food allergies, we encourage you to visit this website and consider purchasing food and travel-translation cards to effectively communicate your needs while traveling.