WideAngleWandering
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First Trip - where to handle vehicle import / tourist card
I'm heading south on a roadtrip across Mexico and into Central America. I'll be starting in Baja, taking a ferry to the mainland and leaving Mexico
through either Belize or Guatemala.
Questions:
From what I gather, Calexico is the "easiest" place to cross and it is advised to get my FMM at the border. Sound right?
Should I handle vehicle import/customs at the border as well or push that off until I get to La Paz? I'd like to get this all sorted at once if
possible. I know I need to seek a "transmigrante" permit.
The last time I entered Mexico (by plane) I was given a 30 day visa even though I asked for 180. I'm sure it is up to the officer's discretion
... but any tips?
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David K
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Fill out the 180 day line yourself if it is blank when he hands it to you. Yes, get them at the border or from Discover Baja Travel Club before you go
south.
Get your car permits at the ferry office in La Paz (at least that was the original way), as Baja is a free zone (no car permits needed).
Tecate is the easiest as well as Algodones (both small, not busy), but being there when a bank teller is open is the key. You want to go south via San
Felipe and Gonzaga Bay?
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Ken Cooke
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Tecate is the easiest as well as Algodones (both small, not busy), but being there when a bank teller is open is the key. You want to go south via San
Felipe and Gonzaga Bay? |
Tecate has also been rife with graft from the local Police as well.
Crossing into Mexicali, you park on the right side of the entrance way, being sure to LOCK AND SECURE YOUR VEHICLE. Immigrants being DEPORTED from
the USA are dropped off where you will be parking your vehicle.
Cross the street (walking EAST) and you will see this giant seal and Reunion Point.
Just beyond the PUNTA DE REUNION up the sidewalk, is a building up the stairs with a door open where you will get your forms stamped.
Have a great time!
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WideAngleWandering
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
You want to go south via San Felipe and Gonzaga Bay? |
Probably ... though I haven't done much planning yet.
I'm camping out of a Toyota 4x4 and looking to get off the beaten path. My only requirement is that I end up in La Paz eventually (maybe 3 or 4
weeks in Baja).
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David K
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OK, great... Just went that way last July... See trip report with lots of photos:
Part 1: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=53921 (Shell Island 20 miles south of San Felipe)
Part 2: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=53923 (Road to Gonzaga Bay and Gonzaga Bay and out to Hwy. 1)
Road Log:
The following road log was made on the July 4th weekend, 2011.
MILE / KM. Marker
0.0 San Felipe (Traffic Circle by Pemex stations, south turn)
0.8 Pemex station and market on south side of town
6.0 Left Turn off Airport Road, Km. 0
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(add 6.0 miles to following for distance from traffic circle)
The next 45 miles are well paved, but many short, steep and unmarked dips will require reduced speed to avoid damage.
0.0 / Km. 0 Airport Road/ Puertecitos Road Jcn.
12.5 / Km. 20-21 Rancho Percebu Road
15.7 / Km. 26+ Shell Island Road
18.6 / Km. 31 Bahia Santa Maria Road
19.3 / Km. 32+ Nuevo Mazatlan Road
21.5 / Km. 35.5 Colonia Delicias (markets/ restaurants)
29.6 / Km. 49 El Coloradito Road
32.8 / Km. 54 Campo Cristina Road
35.4 / Km. 58.5 Los Olivos Road
36.1 / Km. 60 Arroyo Matomi
36.3 Rancho San Rafael (well)
43.4 / Km. 72 Playa Destiny
44.9 / Km. 74+ PUERTECITOS (paved) Road
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The newest paved additions to Hwy. 5 are well engineered, wide and are designed and signed for high speed. However, frequent rock slides onto pavement
require caution.
0.0 / Km. 74+ Puertecitos Road
5.0 / Km. 83 Bahia Cristina
6.1 / Km. 84.5 La Costilla
7.2 mine road
16.4 El Huerfanito Road
18.9 Bridge at previous end of pavement (July 2010)
20.1 / Km. 311 Change of Km. markers, distance from Mexicali
23.6 / Km. 317
24.1 / Km. 318 END OF PAVED DRIVE, detour onto older road, regraded smooth. Pavement ends just ahead on new roadbed.
25.5 Okie Landing site.
32.0 END OF NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION and end of smooth dirt detour on older road. (reported paved to this point Jan., 2012)
32.4 Campo Delfines Road
35.6 Las Encantadas Road
37.7 Punta Bufeo Road
42.4 Papa Fernandez' Road, roadbed south of here is better/ faster.
43.6 Miltary Checkpoint
45.0 GONZAGA BAY PEMEX/ ALFONSINA'S ROAD/ RANCHO GRANDE MARKET (Pemex closed from 2-4 pm for siesta)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.0 Gonzaga Bay Pemex
1.2 Campo Beluga (2.0 mi.) and El Sacrificio (4.2 mi.) Road
7.1 Las Palmitas Oasis (4.7 mi.) and Santa Maria Canyon (4.0 mi.) Road, right.
14.4 First Boojum Trees on Hwy. 5.
14.6 La Turquesa Canyon Road, right.
18.4 Las Arrastras (site) Road, right.
22.1 Coco's Corner (Puerto Calamajue and Mision Calamajue road left).
34.8 Hwy. 1, Laguna Chapala (Cataviņa is 33 miles north).
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WideAngleWandering
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
Have a great time! |
What, no GPS coordinate? 
Thanks for the info. Very helpful.
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Ken Cooke
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| Quote: | Originally posted by WideAngleWandering
| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
Have a great time! |
What, no GPS coordinate?
Thanks for the info. Very helpful. |
Drive across the border, and stay to the right lane. As soon as you get to the border, you will see the buildings to your right hand side. Park
there - just past the USA/Mexico fence. When you get there, you will know you are there, trust me.
I don't own a GPS so I couldn't give you waypoint coordinates. Sorry.
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David K
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I thought the INM was on the LEFT as you pass into Mexico...?
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Marc
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For the vehicle permit have the originals and COPIES of:
Drivers license
Passport
Registration
Also they may ask originals and keep copies for:
Leinholder permission to remove vehicle from USA
USA insurance
Mexican insurance
Determine beforehand where you can redeem the permit. This can be a hassle. Use a credit card, not cash. Permit offices are open during banking hours.
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WideAngleWandering
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
I don't own a GPS so I couldn't give you waypoint coordinates. Sorry. |
I was just giving you a hard time. That post was very helpful - thanks 
[Edited on 2012-3-17 by WideAngleWandering]
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WideAngleWandering
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I was planning on axing my US insurance. Do I need to have insurance cards that appear to be valid?
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BajaBlanca
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If you U2U me your email address, i will scan the importation document requirement brochure I got when we did the ferry trip to the mainland.
have a fun trip and give us periodic trip reports ... you can also write to the other couple who is doing this exact same route as I write ... they
are reporting as well on their trip but I don't remember the name of the thread. Last I read, they were heading further south from Guatemala where
they had taken immersion Spanish classes.
I do remember that one of his postings was titled 'UN BELIZE ABLE" !!
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by WideAngleWandering
I was planning on axing my US insurance. Do I need to have insurance cards that appear to be valid? |
To get inexpensive Mexican insurance (for tourists on vacation, not for people who live in Mexico), you need to have U.S. insurance at the same
time... required anyway if your vehicle is registered in CA. Contact BajaBound.com for details if you don't fall into that group for info.
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Ken Cooke
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Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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| Quote: | Originally posted by WideAngleWandering
| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
I don't own a GPS so I couldn't give you waypoint coordinates. Sorry. |
I was just giving you a hard time. That post was very helpful - thanks
[Edited on 2012-3-17 by WideAngleWandering] |
I was extremely tired when I typed that up last night. The buildings where you park are on the right side of the road - adjacent to the border. The
INM building is on the left. Initially, you will walk up to an earthquake-damaged building. A newer building is beside it near the PUNTO DE REUNION.
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WideAngleWandering
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Any current information on whether I can handle the vehicle import paperwork at the ferry office in La Paz? Am I correct in understanding that I need
a tourist card to enter baja sur but my vehicle doesn't need anything until I hit the mainland?
Would it be easier to just sort it all out in Calexico before moving on?
[Edited on 2012-3-20 by WideAngleWandering]
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David K
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Since nobody stepped in to correct what I said (and lord knows they are looking for me to slip up), YES! In fact you need a Tourist Card (FMM) for
driving south of San Felipe or anywhere more than 3 days in Mexico. They only check the card at one place... Hwy. 1 near Guerrero Negro (the state
border). You need to get the car permit BEFORE leaving La Paz.
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WideAngleWandering
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Alrighty ... so I could get the permit at the border but chances are they wouldn't know what I was talking about so I'm better off in La Paz, where
vehicle documents are commonly handled. Probably at the ferry office. This is no problem since there is no vehicle import paperwork required to
drive into Baja Sur.
So ... insurance and registration. I was planning on axing my insurance and registering my vehicle as non-operative in California ($18 vs the normal
cost of renewal) since the registration is up. I'm told I need to have valid / current registration.
Will non-op registration be ok? I'm going to quiz the insurance providers I talk to since I really don't want to spend $500 on worthless California
insurance while I'm in Mexico.
Thanks again for all the info.
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