I'm going to Cabo this Friday with a friend and we are unashamedly ignorant about travel. I've never been anywhere more exotic than Vancouver, BC!
We are staying in Los Cabos but would definitely like to experience the nightlife in Cabo San Lucas at least once. Is it a terrible idea to take one of those "drinking tours" that drive you around to the hot spots and then drive you back to the hotel?
Also, what should we do with our passports? We already have copies made with extra photos, but are we supposed to put them in the safe at the resort or do we carry them around in those pouches that go under our shirts?
What is a good ratio of pesos to dollars that we should have? Is it a good idea to carry dollars at all? I am just now realizing that we are totally going to get ripped off. Haha.
We don't plan on doing much more than lying on the beach, getting tan, smoking cigarettes and drinking margaritas by the sea. I don't want to be too scared to go anywhere but I also don't want to be so ignorant that I think I can do anything. I just want to stay safe and be reasonably smart while still having a great time. Any help from seasoned travelers would be most appreciated! Thanks!
― craven, Sunday, 13 January 2008 06:59 (eighteen years ago)
your post has made me anxious.
― estela, Sunday, 13 January 2008 07:17 (eighteen years ago)
The exchange rate is basically 10-1, so that's easy. Officially it's 10.9 or something and you can get 11-1 at a few places (where it's automatic in the register). You don't need to carry pesos anywhere. I carried enough cash on me, and left the rest hidden in the room. I just carried my passport and whatnot with me, in my pocket, but do whatever makes you comfortable.
I was in Baja for 10 days in November for the 1000, but we were only in Cabo for one night, so I don't have much advice about particular places, and can't remember the restaurant we had dinner at. Overall though, we had great luck with food everywhere we went, from nice hotel restaurants to this little shack in the middle of the desert that had an outhouse for its restroom.
― Kerm, Sunday, 13 January 2008 07:47 (eighteen years ago)
Thanks Kerm. I'm starting to relax (a little bit) about all of it.
― craven, Sunday, 13 January 2008 21:57 (eighteen years ago)
Is it ok to drink the water? What about the ice in mixed drinks?
― craven, Monday, 14 January 2008 23:48 (eighteen years ago)
I've never had any trouble from water/ice in larger and mid-sized hotels. Most of them have their own reverse osmosis systems and resort towns in general have good potable water treatment plants. Be careful not to get any seawater in your mouth when you're at the beach, and wash your hands before you eat anything after playing in the sand - that's where you'd be more likely to pick up any contamination. Just use common sense and you'll stay safe and healthy. Take some imodium tablets with you for reassurance. And have fun!!! Leave this gloomy damp winter behind :)
― Jaq, Tuesday, 15 January 2008 02:37 (eighteen years ago)
Thank you so much the advice, Jaq! We'll definitely be doing a lot of drinking at the hotel bar. I can't wait to get away from here, if only for a few weeks. I still haven't decompressed from all that holiday stress. I'm so tightly wound right now it's scary! Each time my traveling companion and I speak, we alternate between sane thoughts and catastrophic disaster scenarios. (Admittedly, we're both slightly nuts.)
I'd love to know whether you think it's wise for me to keep my passport with me, or leave it and just take my driver's license out at night?
P.S. Isn't the snow pretty tonight?
― craven, Tuesday, 15 January 2008 03:34 (eighteen years ago)
Hmm, I never gave much thought to my passport, generally just carried it with me unless the hotel required me to leave it in their safe (happened in Chile). I never needed it (or any other ID) when I was out. Do whatever makes you feel the least anxious. Some hotels have safes in the rooms that you can set the combination on.
― Jaq, Wednesday, 16 January 2008 22:22 (eighteen years ago)