ShuniahGirl
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ADVICE NEEDED-Driving AZ to Cabo via Nogales and Ferry to La Paz
We have driven both up and down Baja and we loved it, but now it's time to try something different! We are looking for advice from anyone out there
who has driven from Arizona via the Nogales/Mariposa border crossing, down the mainland and then taken the overnight ferry to La Paz. We are looking
for tips, tricks, advice, do's and don't's, places to overnight, etc.
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chippy
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Topo or Mazatlan? I´ve done Mazatlan alot but never Topo.
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El Jefe
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You will want to see Mazatlan. Great old tourist town with plenty of local flavor. But if you are in more of a hurry you can take the boat out of
Topolobampo which if further north.
If you go to Mazatlan, make sure in advance the ferry is running. I got down there (visiting relatives) only to find the boat was out of service and
I had to drive back up to Topolobampo.
Get a room on the ferry. And if they serve breakfast, eat it. Sometimes the crossing takes a lot longer than scheduled and you will be starving by the
time you land.
When you drive off the ferry in La Paz they may only allow the driver in the vehicle. They don't tell you where to meet your passengers who have to
walk off the ferry. Kind of confusing and worrisome. But if you and your passengers each follow the appropriate crowd you will all come together along
the road at the pickup point.
Unlike Baja, after you get a ways into Mex there will be a stop where you get your tourist permit and your car permit. I think the car permit gets
turned in when you get off the ferry in La Paz, but I'm a little foggy on that. I was too worried about where the hell do I pick up Paula???
Same rules apply driving the mainland. Only in daylight etc. The toll roads are well maintained and pretty fast. We did an overnight in Ciudad Obregon
which was a nice stopping point. Good sized town with lots of options.
No b-tchin\' in the Baja.
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BajaBlanca
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Welcome to Bajanomad!
The cabin on the ferry is great. If I remember correctly, they gave a coupon for dinner too.
Have fun!
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Marc
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Here’s the drill & good luck. Have a great time
Get your vehicle permit at Caborca on the way down.
You will need a credit card.
You will need copies of:
Passport
Drivers license
Registration
Mexican insurance
USA insurance (sometimes)
Lien holder permission to take vehicle into Mexico (sometimes)
On the way down San Carlos is where I usually stop. Also Las Mochis if you want to go slow with side trips. DO NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT.
Mazatlan is really a great place to spend a few days.
Best to reserve a ferry stateroom ahead of time. I didn’t but I bagged the VIP stateroom at the last minute (I can tell you how, but that’s
another story) Once you leave your vehicle you may not return below deck until disembarking so don’t forget anything. You get dinner and breakfast
chits for the dining area. Ice is available.
It’s a 16 hour overnighter to La Paz. Redeem the vehicle permit there. You don’t need it in Baja or Sonora on your way back. Exit at Sonoyta /
Lukeville. Usually only a 3 0r 4 minute wait there.
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Sr.vienes
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Ferry
Marc my son just took the ferry from Topo to La Paz, all your info is spot on. He did not redeem the permit in La Paz as we didn't know you could,
where exactly you you do that at?
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Marc
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Quote: Originally posted by Sr.vienes  | | Marc my son just took the ferry from Topo to La Paz, all your info is spot on. He did not redeem the permit in La Paz as we didn't know you could,
where exactly you you do that at? |
I did not redeem my permit in La Paz because I was rushed. I understand it’s near the terminal somewhere.
Before the new permit facility was built at Caborca, Sonora, on Mex#15 it was located just south of Sonoyta so at that time to redeem I just drove the
16 miles down and back before exiting. Hope this helps.
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bajagrouper
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Well 99% of Marc's info is right on, the OP wrote that they will enter Mexico at the Mariposa Truck crossing so they would be getting the TIP at KM21
and not Caborca.......
They also asked me for a copy of my pink slip/ title .......
I hear the whales song
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JZ
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| Quote: Originally posted by Marc | Here’s the drill & good luck. Have a great time
Get your vehicle permit at Caborca on the way down.
You will need a credit card.
You will need copies of:
Passport
Drivers license
Registration
Mexican insurance
USA insurance (sometimes)
Lien holder permission to take vehicle into Mexico (sometimes)
On the way down San Carlos is where I usually stop. Also Las Mochis if you want to go slow with side trips. DO NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT.
Mazatlan is really a great place to spend a few days.
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I've driven the border to SC about 50 times over 15 years.
You don't need US insurance. You don't need permission from a lien holder. You need MX insurance, but not copies.
All the others you can make copies there when getting the permit (you'll need to get one made of your tourist visa anyway).
He wants to get the permit at K21 not Caborca. K21 is the reference to all the offices 21 kilometers past the border.
The roads in Sonora aren't like Baja. They are 4 lane divided. Fencing around most of it for animals.
You can drive at night, no problem. I've done it a ton.
[Edited on 7-30-2017 by JZ]
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JZ
Elite Nomad
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| Quote: Originally posted by ShuniahGirl | | We have driven both up and down Baja and we loved it, but now it's time to try something different! We are looking for advice from anyone out there
who has driven from Arizona via the Nogales/Mariposa border crossing, down the mainland and then taken the overnight ferry to La Paz. We are looking
for tips, tricks, advice, do's and don't's, places to overnight, etc. |
You want to overnight in San Carlos for sure. Beautiful town. Better than Cabo actually. Probably what Cabo was like 50 years ago. Best boating
area in the Sea of Cortez by far.
It's a pretty easy drive down a good road to SC. Except right now they are doing a ton of construction between Hermosillo and SC. They are putting
in a nice concrete road, but the construction has made it two lanes for part of it. It will be awesome once finished.
You are right to cross at Mariposa (truck route).
Three options for car permit 1) get it online ahead of time (easiest), get it at K21 near the border, or 3) get it at Empalme just past SC/Guaymas.
Road is 4 lanes down to Mazatlan. Mazatlan is definitely worth seeing and hanging out for a day or two. Or you can skip that and go over at Topo.
Nothing much to see there.
If you have enough time you should see Copper Canyon around Los Mochis. Ride the train through them.
Video I made of San Carlos last year:
https://youtu.be/GKTBVCIQ_z8
[Edited on 7-31-2017 by JZ]
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Sr.vienes
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Registered: 7-23-2017
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JZ: Great Vid, can't agree more about San Carlos. Went there the first time 49 years ago, not much then but is one of the most beautiful and
affordable places in Mexico. I'm not sure any place in the world has more good places to eat and drink at good prices than SC. Sea of Cortez Beach
Club is really nice if someone wants to Glam up the trip a bit.
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ShuniahGirl
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Ferry from Topo
Thanks for everyone's input thus far! To clarify, we plan on taking the ferry from Topo, so I'd appreciate anyone's comments who has done this. We
will explore Mazatlan, but on another trip. We plan to spend the night in Hermosillo, which appears to be about half way. Thoughts on this? Also,
we will be entering Mexico with our Temporary Resident visas, so does anyone know if we still need the TIPS? I assume we do, since we will be driving
a Canadian plated vehicle.
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JZ
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Registered: 10-3-2003
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| Quote: Originally posted by ShuniahGirl | | Thanks for everyone's input thus far! To clarify, we plan on taking the ferry from Topo, so I'd appreciate anyone's comments who has done this. We
will explore Mazatlan, but on another trip. We plan to spend the night in Hermosillo, which appears to be about half way. Thoughts on this? Also,
we will be entering Mexico with our Temporary Resident visas, so does anyone know if we still need the TIPS? I assume we do, since we will be driving
a Canadian plated vehicle. |
Big, big mistake to stay the night in Hermosillo. It is a landlocked, large, dirty city. Continue another 1 and 15mins to San Carlos and stay on the
ocean.
If you take a vehicle past Empalme you need an import permit for it.
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Marc
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If you have time for a train trip to Copper Canyon there's a guy at the station in El Fuerte who will take good care of your vehicle. He has a fenced
area and will even tarp it over. He runs a little store across from the station.
[Edited on 7-31-2017 by Marc]
[Edited on 8-1-2017 by Marc]
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surabi
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Yes, you definitely need a TIP.
No need to turn in your TIP and sticker until you are leaving Mexico, wherever that may be. As you are temp. residents, for all I know you are leaving
the vehicle in Mexico and flying home. As temp. residents, you may do this, as long as you report your Temp. residency renewals to Aduana, so as not
to lose the deposit you will pay when you get the TIP.
The ferry from Topo is o'nite and much shorter trip than the Mazatlan one.
I found the cafeteria food inedible, and the line-ups were huge- was glad I brought a cooler full of food.
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