Drive to Costa Rica | Drive to Mexico | Drive to Central America

Drive to Costa Rica | Drive to Mexico | Drive to Central America | Panamerica Highway - Guatemala

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Guide Format
updated 10/07

2007 Upates: All US citizens entering mexico must have a US Passport to get back in - go get one.

This publication is not an all-inclusive travel guide. Nonetheless, this guide does offer detailed data concerning the drive through Mexico and Central America. For information about hotels and general tourist guidance you may want to consult an additional guide. There are several available online in our bookstore.

The city to city portion of this guide is constructed as follows: firstly, the starting location and ending location for each section are printed in bold capital lettering - NOGALES/GUYAMAS; secondly, detailed driving statistics are listed - Driving Time: 6 hours, Kilometers: 421, Miles: 261, Hwy: 15; thirdly, a map is displayed for each particular section with the major cities along the route and the respective highway numbers; lastly, a short description of the drive is given along with a Special Directions and Lessons Learned section.

Study the Special Directions sections for clarification of specific instructions for each detailed area. The Learned Lessons section highlights special areas of concern. Additionally, the Hotel & Eats section provides travelers with specific hotel and restaurant recommendations that I felt deserve special attention. Also note that Spanish words and cities are written in italics for improved readability. The following are examples of the aforementioned:

Special Directions
All the paperwork for personal vehicles and tourist cards are processed at the Immigration/Customs checkpoint 24k after the US-Nogales border entry which is located outside of town. You are not required to process any paperwork at the actual border entry point. Drive directly out of town and follow the signs to Guaymas

Learned Lessons
When gringos ask for directions in a Latin American country, they will always get a different answer. Thus, ask several people the same question and go with the most popular answer.

For Your Information & Enjoyment
Throughout the guide you will find general information sporadically displayed to inform the reader of various important topics.

The drive through Mexico and Central America is a wonderful experience, however, it's not an adventure for everyone. The following pages contain my advice and detailed accounts of my experiences while driving through Mexico and Central America. Places and conditions change, thus be prepared to make variations or detours altered from the original directions; though generally speaking things in Central America change slowly. There is no one correct way of doing anything and therefore if you find a way or route that you feel is easier or less complicated, please send your comments to the address at the end of this book so that your information may be included in the next publication.

Which Route?

There are three routes through Mexico, one is along the Atlantic Coast (actually the Gulf of Mexico), the second is through Central Mexico and Mexico City, and the third is by the way of the Pacific Coast. From Texas the four main entry points are El Paso, Piedras Negras, Laredo and Brownsville. There are several east-west, north-south links as you journey south through Mexico. The Pacific Coast route is the hands down favorite among travelers. The roads are better overall, drivers don't have to circumnavigate Mexico City, and there are plenty of beautiful sites along the way. Those travelers that have driven all three route agree that the Pacific Coast route is by far the best. The route detailed in the city-by-city portion of this book is the Pacific Coast route.

If Central America is your goal, then the central route bogs you down too much in Mexico City and the surrounding areas. The Atlantic route is just plain hard on vehicles and the scenic delightful places are fewer. Head for the Pacific Coast and then south through Mexico.

A new crack down is in progress to stop illegal immigration into Mexico, yes I said into Mexico. Increased road check points are anticipated for the future. Most often once officials see your gringo face an unrestrained passage can be expected.

In situations where you are motioned to pull over the officers will ask a few general questions and then check your vehicle or migration paperwork. No problem, always present a polite and respectful attitude and the officers will do the same. Idiotic, disrespectful travelers can expect a synonymous response from officials.

If you are traveling with a fluent Spanish speaker, have that person deal with the officials. All things being equal in these situations, have a women talk to a man and a man talk to a women when dealing with border officials or customs inspectors.

Important Documents

Carry your auto registration and vehicle ownership papers with you. You must have the title to the car in your possession on the trip, it must be the original and not a copy. A Mexican tourist visa is required and is issued at the border. Additional items you need include your passport, auto insurance papers, Guatemalan visa and photocopies of everything. Visa requirements are constantly changing, thus check with each consulate before you leave. Do yourself a favor and obtain the necessary visas before you depart from the US. This saves a lot of time and confusion when entering countries like Guatemala and Nicaragua. In most instances obtaining visas for all the countries takes only a day or two at the embassies in the US - remember, a little preparation before the trip goes a long way.

A United States drivers license is valid throughout Central America and Mexico, however it is recommended that you get an International Driving Permit. You can get one by filling out a form available from the AAA and returning it with $10.00 and two copies of your passport type photo. If you return your application in person to the AAA office, they will issue it immediately to you. But if you prefer, return the application by mail and it will be mailed to you. The passport photos can easily be obtained from your local photo shop for about $10. The permit is valid for one year

When you need to present your license to the police or military, show them the international license, see if you can get away with not showing your US state license. If for some reason your license is confiscated, let them take your international license. That will permit you to drive with your US license. This doesn't always work, but it's worth a try. Technically you are required to present both the driving permit and your US state license, but you will rarely be asked for your US license. By the way, don't forget to use the international license when filing out border documents. Be consistent, the police or military may ask for papers during transit and they may notice a discrepancy if you use one for the paperwork and then another for roadside inspections.

Vehicle

You must give serious consideration to the type of vehicle that transports you from point A to point B, wherever that might be. You don't have to drive a 4X4 to be comfortable on your trip. You do need a reliable vehicle that will withstand hard driving. The ideal vehicle for driving comfortably in Central America has the following: normal to above-normal road clearance, good tires, good shocks, air conditioning, cassette player, tinted windows, gas mileage above 20 mpg, fog and road lights, and an attentive driver. If you spend a little extra money to prep your vehicle before the trip you will thank yourself when you return from your journey. Before my trip I spent about $400 dollars replacing all the fluids, belts, electrical fittings and hoses.

Take the used car parts with you on your trip, there are no auto supply warehouses along the way. Throw in an extra fuel filter, a spare tire, your basic mechanical tool assortment, and anything else you feel will assist you with minor repairs. Tires! Tires! Tires! Please, fit your vehicle with a good set of tires. The majority of the roads are horrible and your best defense is a reliable set of tires. If you have some extra money and your shocks are old, my recommendation is to replace them. Shake, Rattle and Roll takes on a new meaning while driving through Mexico and Central America and if your shocks are nonexistent before your trip, you can expect your spine to be in a similar condition at the end of your excursion.

What To Expect From The Police & Military

The police that will give you the most problems are the smalltime city police. These police are poorly educated, minimally trained and mostly corrupt. They think that as a tourist you owe them compensation for transiting through their minuscule town. If you're pulled over chances are that they will ask you for a small donation. In most cases it is best to play their game and give them something. Remember, in Mexico and other Central American countries you are guilty of a crime until proven innocent, not innocent until proven guilty. Nevertheless, you don't want an over ambitious police officer creating some false crime or planting illegal contraband in your vehicle because you wouldn't give him a small bribe.

Often when stopped, the police or military will ask where are you going (donde viene?). Just tell them the next tourist town - looking like a tourist helps too.

In most Central American countries the police are part of the military, except Costa Rica and Panama. In the larger cities of Honduras traffic police are a common site. In Honduras they wear a gray uniform with a black strip along the side of their legs. In most Central American countries the likelihood of being stopped periodically for inspections is a common occurrence. The officials will ask you for your license and vehicle registration card. Often they will ask for your passport as well. Once they realize you are a tourist they will wave you on through.

The current administration in most Central American countries and in Mexico is trying to put on a good face for tourists, rarely would you expect to have any hassles. There are a variety of reasons for the periodic inspections. The main reason is to remind people that the military is in control, even in these "democratic" countries.

Throughout Central America and Mexico the military presence is a fact of life. North Americans are not accustomed to seeing military men on a crowded downtown street with a machine gun, but this is a common sight in Central America. The reasons for the periodic military stops range from looking for stolen vehicles to inspecting for contraband, such as arms or drugs. An effort is being made to control the amount of arms in civilian hands, this is one of the major efforts now being made.

For those from the United States, more often then not, a talk by the policeman or military man is actually an opportunity to give him a donation. Finesse, calm and using your head are the order of the day. Do your best to be pleasant, show him the documentation he needs, don't forget to try and give him the International driving permit and not your state license. (1) Make him aware you are a visitor and are not familiar with the driving customs. Usually you will be given a warning and permitted to leave. (2) If this doesn't happen, ask him if you could pay your infraction on the spot, put a small bill in your passport and hand it to him to check it out a second time. At this point he usually takes the bill, returns your passport, and you leave. (3) Lastly, he will write you an infraction ticket, retain your license, and request you to appear in a court to pay your fine. Should this happen and it is your international license that he has, and your visit is short, you might consider continuing on your journey. If the policeman takes your license and you are licenseless (sic) and are stopped again, present the citation to the questioning officer. This will serve as your license.

Police in Mexico or Central America will except bribes as a means of payment for infractions and other various violations of the law. To put it straight, the official usually wants a small donation. If you break the law, your best solution to an infraction is to pay the fine at the location of the infraction. Tell the officer that you want to pay the fine and ask the officer if he will deliver it to the main station. I have been driving in Mexico for over 12 years and I have been pulled over dozens of times.

There were several instances where I he refused to pay the fine on the spot and thus went through the bureaucratic process of paying the fine at the station. Paying the fine at the station entails hours of paperwork and always equates to a much larger payment than what would have been paid to the officer at the location. Thus, negotiate the smallest sum possible and pay the officer on location.

Crime

In everything good there is also something bad and therefore I wanted to say a word on crime because this is such a huge topic when traveling into Mexico and Central America. My opinion (and experience) is that there is less crime in Mexico and Central America than in North America, which is also statistically proven. However, travelers are popular targets because they stand out and usually have something worth stealing. Thus the odds substantially increase because you, most likely, are a more desirable target to the criminal than the local farmer that earns in a year what you earn in a month.

The best thing to remember is to use common sense and avoid putting yourself or your valuables in a situation that would invite crime. Most crimes in Mexico and Central America are victimless, but unfortunately not all. Victimless meaning that Señor Criminal will attempt to take your belongings without physically threatening or harming you. They usually break into your car or hotel room when you are not around. Hence, park in safe places, stay in hotels that have locks on the doors and windows and think defensively when in large cities, (i.e. don't carry your wallet in your back pocket).

Please don't let crime rule your thoughts because most people in Central America are trustworthy, but then again, you must remember that these countries are very poor and that when given an opportunity thieves will take your possessions.

There are many people who may consider carrying a pistol for protection. Don't do it! Primarily, if you are caught with a weapon you will not only lose the weapon, but it can very well make your life miserable for some time. Secondarily, your small pistol will be of no assistance against numerous automatic weapons. You would be far out gunned unless you decide to take some type of high powered assault riffle, but I don't recommend it.

Throughout the journey your vehicle will be inspected and some inspections are meticulous. There is a high probability that the weapon will be found. Regardless of what is said here there are travelers that will insist on taking a weapon. If you must take a weapon, carry it on your person and not hidden somewhere in the vehicle, it is very unlikely that any officials will ever search you personally.

Games Border Officials Like To Play

When you cross from one country into another there are a number of scams that the border officials like to use to get some of your money. Here are samples of a few of them.

The Bring Them In Here Game, Game #1: Your car must be inspected before you will be permitted to enter the country. The border official will tell you to take everything out of your car and bring it inside the inspection building. After the inspection you will be permitted to take your personal items back to your vehicle and re-pack them again. It is true that your vehicle needs to be inspected, but this can be done at your vehicle. It is unnecessary to take everything out and bring it to the inspection station. Belize, Guatemala and Mexico are especially good at this scam. In Guatemala there are a number of men at the border that earn a living carrying your possessions into the inspection building. Almost always you can negotiate with the inspector (usually the one assisting you with the papers) to have the car inspected with everything intact, but you will need to pay these "gentlemen" for their loss of work. About $1 US each will do it, most often there are four or five to be paid. If you don't have many personal effects, carry them in and you will see that the inspector will hardly look at them, he will just say okay, and you carry them back.

The You Need A List Of Items Game, Game #2: Your possessions may cause you problems after you enter the country. The officials at the border will tell you that other officials (like the military or town police) may think that you brought your things in illegally. They will suggest that they make a list of everything you brought and that this special list will give you clear passage. The charge for this official looking document ranges from $50 to $100. I thought I would avoid this problem by typing a list of all my possessions before the trip and then showing it to the border officials when they attempted to pull this one on me. The officials liked the list, stamped it with an official looking stamp and charged me a fee anyway. However, the charge was only a few dollars. For the most part, once you have entered into the country, if you are stopped by the police or the military they could care less if you have an official looking document. If their intent is to get a bribe, that document will prove worthless.

The Document Copy Game, Game #3: You must have copies of all your documents. Officials will claim they must have copies of your car's ownership papers, or other documents. The official will tell you that the copy machine is broken or the official who operates the machine is on vacation, usually in the next room. The official will then tell you that you must pay extra to be allowed to enter. This scheme can easily be avoided by making extra copies of everything before you leave. Have at least on set for each border exit and entry stashed away just for this purpose. Of course it's a scam, but what can you do.

The Oh No You Have A Bug On Your Shoe Game, Game #4: Your car and perhaps you must be sprayed for insects. There is a small fee for this. Most often, just pay the fee, get sprayed and go on. Many people pay bribes to avoid this, the bribes are often more than the spraying fee. Hopefully a little insecticide won't ruin your day, just leave the windows down for awhile.

Take used clothing and other miscellaneous items and give them away as you go. These items may also satisfy the police, border guards or military when you meet with the unavoidable bribe, inspection or infraction.

My most treasured items while traveling through Mexico and Central America are copies of used Playboys. I don't read them, I use them as bartering chips. Well, okay, I might take a quick look at an article during times of boredom. "El señor policia, no tango mucho dinero por la propina pero tengo Playboys para usted." You should see their eyes light-up and the smiles that protrude from their machismo faces. Don't take any 95 issues, I have already passed all of them out.

There's no if, and, or but - purchase Mexican auto insurance! Most US insurance policies are not valid in Mexico. You can buy insurance near the border, or from AAA, it's not too expensive. The insurance is sold by the day and therefore you must estimate your entry and exit dates for Mexico. You may want to buy a couple of additional days of insurance for complications or unforeseen travel delays. If you have an accident in Mexico without insurance you could quite possibly land in jail until the matter is sorted out. The laws are different in Mexico and as a foreigner you must comply with these laws. At the very least, consider it insurance to keep out of jail.

Costa Rican Auto Insurance
Costa Rica is the only other country in which you are required to purchase auto insurance. The procedure is simple and straightforward. When you enter the country you must purchase insurance for at least one month. The price ias of 1/2007 is $7-$20 per day. There is no need to make arrangement before the trip, the insurance is sold in the customs building at the border.

Auto Insurance In Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras
You are not required to purchase auto insurance in these countries. It is possible to buy auto insurance in Honduras for one year, see the Honduras section for details. If you decide to venture into Belize as a side trip, auto insurance is required - it's available at the border.

The Whole Shebang
You can purchase a policy from Sanborns for all of Central America and Mexico in the U.S. Call Sanborns for an updated quote at Toll Free (800) 222-0158 or email info@sanbornsinsurance.com

Gasoline

Always use high grade gasoline, regular leaded is second-rate and will clog your gas filter. Unleaded gasoline is available in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica. Unleaded is not available in Belize or Nicaragua. You can expect to pay about the same per gallon as in the US (perhaps a bit cheaper) for Magna Sin, which is unleaded gasoline. In all other cases you always want to use Super or Extra.

In order to use leaded gasoline you'll need a funnel to put the gasoline in your unleaded restricted gas tank. If you are driving an older vehicle it is possible to remove the restricting piece at the opening of the gas tank. If you should find yourself with a tiny hole after removing the problem piece, put a screw, washer and nut tightly into the hole in order to close the opening. In most vehicles you can then put leaded gasoline in your vehicle without adjustment. Albeit when you put leaded gasoline into your vehicle you will burn out your catalytic converter. Normally auto service is not required, however, Mexican border mechanics are experts at hollowing out or removing the converter if needed, (this is illegal in the US).

Finding petrol for your vehicle during late evening hours is not a problem. Most gas stations are open all night along the coastal route and your only logistical problem is finding your way in the dark, though it is possible. In some areas along the mountain passes, Michoacan and Puerto Vallarta especially, the fog can be dense. If this is the case, locate a large truck and follow it. The yellow and orange running lights on the truck will act as a guide through the fog. Please proceed with caution when driving in these extremely dangerous conditions.

Mexican and Central American drivers make driving in the cities a bit frustrating for visitors from above the border. Obedience to basic traffic laws seems to depend upon if a policeman is watching or not. For example, if you stop for a red light the impatient driver behind you may honk his horn and inch his vehicle uncomfortably close to your rear bumper, he may even tap it. All the same, if you drive through the light and receive an infraction Señor Impatient is not going to pay the fine for you. Additionally, the lines that indicate traffic paths are quite frequently ignored, therefore drive defensively.

Signals
Turn signals take on a different meaning in Mexico. Often a left turn signal on the vehicle in front of you is a sign letting you know it is safe to pass. Flashing headlights while passing lets oncoming cars know what you are doing. Additionally, when cars traveling the opposite direction flash their headlights as they pass you it is a warning that the police or military are up ahead. This procedure is especially common in Costa Rica where the police are famous for their radar traps.

Daytime Driving
The unwritten law of driving in Central America and Mexico is don't drive at night. Most of the problems that travelers encounter take place on dark desolate evenings. As a general rule, get up early in the morning and drive until dusk. Although, it is very easy to drive into the night when a more preferential town is only one or two hours further. It is likely that you will break the night driving rule in order to find a good place to stay.

There have been groups of people that have driven to Honduras in five days from California, they take turns driving and go continuously. For those adventurers that dare to be different, you could theoretically drive from the US-Mexican border to Costa Rica in seven days, (these people are definitely coffee aficionados).

Nighttime Driving
Challenging road conditions worsen at night, occasionally Mexican drivers do not use headlights claiming that it is saving them gasoline. Additionally, animals and potholes in the roadway make driving even more dangerous at night. When driving at night, decrease your speed and use high-beam lights, respectful of other drivers - please! In many instances you will notice that nighttime drivers use their high-beams upon approaching your vehicle. Many times after you signal them to switch to a lower beam they don't because the high-beams are the only functional lights on their vehicles. When this happens focus your eyes on the white lines at the side of the road until they have passed. Also be aware that there is no highway lighting, thus when you add all the nighttime variables together -animals, potholes, high-beams, torrential downpours, the occasional bandit or military blitz - well, your odds are better at the roulette table in Las Vegas.

Finding petrol for your vehicle during late evening hours is not a problem. Most gas stations are open all night along the coastal route and your only logistical problem is finding your way in the dark, though it is possible. In some areas along the mountain passes, Michoacan and Puerto Vallarta especially, the fog can be dense. If this is the case, locate a large truck and follow it. The yellow and orange running lights on the truck will act as a guide through the fog. Please proceed with caution when driving in these extremely dangerous conditions.

Animals On The Road
While driving you will encounter various types of animals: cows, sheep, horses, bulls, chickens, crows, vultures, pigeons, lizards, iguanas, snakes, rats, possums, deer, mules, oxen, coyotes, shrews, alligators, dogs, cats, and elephants. Well, maybe no elephants. I managed to avoid a collision with all of the aforementioned except a pigeon that I demolished in Mexico.

At first you will stop or come to a slow crawl when encountering animals on the road. Usually animals in the road will not move or cross your path as you drive by. Most of the animals are busily grazing by the side of the road and could care less about your presence. Therefore a slight variation in your path and a touch of the brakes will suffice. Do not stop for every animal that is on the road! If you do this you will never get to your final destination because animals are in the road constantly. More importantly, if you stop, the Latin American bus driver that is behind you will run you and the animal off the road without thinking twice. Of course, there are some instances when you will have to actually stop - use common sense, intelligence and caution - but don't be stupid.

Animals are your main concern when driving at night. Please note that some people in Latin America do not use their lights at night, thus never assume that a car is not rounding an invisible bend because there are no visible lights. Animals, on the other hand, never have precautionary lights, thus, you will never see them until they are directly in front of you. For your information, if you hit an animal of good size (cow, bull, horse, etc.) it is synonymous with colliding head-on with another vehicle. Be careful when driving at night!

Toll Roads
You can expect to pay high toll charges as there are miles of new pay (cuota) highways in Mexico that have been privately built, though most Mexicans can not afford the toll roads and they are eerily vacant. Generally there is a non-toll (libre) road going in the same direction for those that want to save money. The libre roads are often two lanes highways - one lane for each direction - that are crowded with commercial trucks and full of pot holes. Just the same, the fee roads will essentially take you to the same destination.

Speed Bumps Galore
You won't travel very far into Mexico before encountering speed bumps. They are called topes or bustos and they are located at the entrances and exits of small towns. Some are concrete blocks, others are iron bullets in a row and still others are a stretch of rises in the road called vibradores which give the car and everything in it a shiver and shake message. Topes extended high on the roadway may present problems for low riding cars. A loose tailpipe is especially susceptible to the speed bump phenomenon, thus a quick check and tightening before your trip may prevent problems. If not, you may spend a lot of time reattaching you tailpipe with chicken wire and sandwich twists. Check the fittings around the tailpipe before you depart as a precautionary measure, playing pick-up-the-tailpipe every one hundred miles along your journey is not an enjoyable game.

If you are carrying merchandise into Central America there are a number of additional concerns that require addressing, these are relatively new regulations and have been in effect for the last couple of years. There is a distinction between bringing personal possessions or gifts for friends and merchandise. Merchandise is listed as obvious items for resale. Even so, personal possessions may cause you problems if you have an overabundance of items.

If you are moving to Central America and you have decided that you want to take all the comforts of American life with you the border officials may consider the items merchandise. If you have merchandise it is necessary to enter Mexico at the border crossing just south of Brownsville, Texas. Here you are required to process Mexican paperwork, for a fee of $200 - $300, and then you are permitted to travel on the Atlantic - Gulf of Mexico route, considered a gateway and intratransit circuit. In most cases you have to transit with a caravan of trucks and commercial vehicles. If this is the case contact the Mexican Consulate for specific regulations and assistance. However, this whole procedure is complicated and bureaucratic, try to avoid it if you can because it's a real headache.

Gifts shouldn't cause you problems, all the same, if you add the custom officials and the military to Santa's List you can expect an easier passage.

What can I take into Mexico?

When crossing into Mexico, if you have no merchandise to declare, you must go through the Stop and Go light check point. A green light means proceed ahead without inspection. A red light means stop for inspection.

When you travel to Mexico by airplane or by ship, you are allowed to import (duty free) a total of items worth up to $300 per person (including children). For example, a family of five members consisting of the parents and three minor children can import up to $1,500 worth of merchandise, duty free. However, if you are traveling by land, you are allowed only $50.00 worth of merchandise duty free.

When you bring items whose value exceeds the above mentioned limits, but not more than $1,000.00, you can pay the taxes yourself. If your merchandise is worth more than $1,000.00, you must use the services of a customs broker.

If the flight by which you arrive come from the border zone you are allowed only $50.00 of new items per person.

If you are a resident in Mexico you are allowed to bring in free of duty the following items for your personal use: One camera or video camera if it can be carried by the passenger; up to 12 rolls of new film, video cassettes, or photographic materials; one article of sports equipment or a used set of equipment that can be hand carried; books and magazines; 20 packages of cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grains of tobacco; 3 liters of wine, beer or liquor (adults only); medicines for personal use or with a Doctor's prescription, if it is a controlled substance; and the suitcases to carry baggage.

If you are a resident of a foreign country (USA, Canada, or other), in addition to the above you are allowed to take a set of binoculars, a photographic camera, a television, a radio or radio-cassette, tape or disc player, up to 20 recording tapes or discs, a typewriter, a portable computer, a musical instrument that can be hand carried, a camping tent and camping equipment," a set of fishing equipment, a pair of skis, 5 used toys for minors, two tennis rackets, a motorless boat less than 5 1/2 meters long or surfboard with or without a sail.

If you are inspected and are discovered with items of greater value than is permitted and you have not paid duty on them, you risk having to pay a high fine (of up to four times the value of each item). If weapons or ammunition are found, the penalty could include imprisonment.

The following are products you can take into Mexico without previous authorization:

dehydrated or canned foods
roasted coffee (packaged),
fresh or dry meats (beef, sheep or goat from US or Canada) candy (not lactic)
bamboo (dry)
dried spices
dry herbal medicines
dry or preserved insects canned jellies or fruit preserves nuts
straw articles or artisans dried fish
cheese (processed in US or Canada) canned or processed sauces
soups without meat canned or processed vegetables
dogs or cats (with health certificate)

How much money do you need for your trip into the depths of Central America? There is no one answer to this question. Be that as it may, travelers can expect to travel for far less than in North America or Europe. Everyone has a different level of comfort and you can expect to find accommodations for the total gamut. An average daily expense between $50.00 and $75.00 is a good target. You should first calculate the cost of gasoline for the entire trip and then prepare a daily expense budget for accommodations, food and miscellaneous fees, such as, entrance to national parks or museums. Border entries and exits should also be calculated. Some are more expensive than others, however, you can expect to pay around $100.00 for each country when all is said and done, including auto insurance where applicable.

Cash, traveler's cheque, foreign currency, credit card - which should you take? Take them all! Cash is king, and US dollars are welcome everywhere. In fact, you must have $30.00 cash to enter Nicaragua. Take small bills and keep several one-dollar bills handy for the occasional propina contribution. Traveler's cheques are bulky, inconvenient and not always excepted. However, if you get robbed you can get your money back if you properly recorded the serial numbers of the cheques. Keep the numbers separate from your money and give them to a trusted soul before you leave as a back up. As a rule you should carry the majority of your funds in traveler's cheques. A credit card is invaluable for emergencies. Plastic is accepted at numerous locations: gas stations, restaurants, hotels, service stations and super markets.

If times really get tough, you can also receive a cash advance at most banks, however the fees are astonishingly high. Banks in Costa Rica receive 15% of the total sum as a service charge. No card, no money, no cheques...no problem! Call mom and have her send money via Western Union for a $50.00 fee, or more, depending on the amount. Western Union or their authorized agents are located in Mexico and all Central American countries.

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