FAQ
About Las Gaviotas' Surrounding Areas of Rosarito
& Mexico
Where
is Rosarito?
Rosarito
is 30 minutes south of San Diego, just across
the Mexican border on the Pacific coast of
the great Baja peninsula. Downtown Rosarito
is only 18 miles from the border via the beautiful
and well-kept Rosarito-Ensenada toll road,
recently renamed the Rosarito-Tijuana Scenic
Road.
What's
the best time of year to visit?
Anytime!
The weather is similar to San Diego's coastal
areas, but with constant ocean breezes keeping
us cool in summer. Year round, we enjoy an
almost perfect climate with mild winters and
balmy summers.
Is
Rosarito a ritzy, expensive resort town?
No. While
they have all the amenities of most top coastal
resorts worldwide, they would be considered
inexpensive by California standards and lower
in overall cost, for hotels and meals
than Tijuana. Your dollars go a long way in
Rosarito and you'll find excellent value for
your money everywhere. The atmosphere is casual,
laid-back and informal.
Are
Rosarito and the surrounding area safe?
Probably
safer than most towns in U.S. Guns are illegal
in Mexico and Baja California has had the
lowest unemployment rate in all of Mexico
for almost 10 years, currently at almost 0%.
Thus, violent crime is low and random violence
is practically non- existent. However, it's
always wise anywhere to use the same, normal
safety and anti-theft precautions you would
use at home. Lock your car. Use a Club-like
device. Don't leave valuables in full view
on car seats and park in well-lit places.
Can
I drink the water?
As opposed
to mainland Mexico, Baja's water is from wells
and has been considered safe for years. In
addition, there is a Mexican federal law stating
that restaurants must serve purified, "drinkable"
water, tested free of contaminants both for
drinking and for ice. Most hotels in Rosarito
also provide bottled or purified water in
guest rooms and popular international brands
of bottled water are available for purchase
virtually everywhere.
What
about money and credit cards?
The peso
is the official currency of Mexico but being
so close to the border dollars are accepted
almost everywhere and credit cards are taken
at most major restaurants, shops and hotels.
There are also two ATM machines in town located
at the Bital. Banorte, Santander, Banamex
and Bancomer banks. They accept Visa and MasterCard
and dispense bills in pesos. If you prefer
to use pesos during your stay, you'll also
find several banks and money-exchange houses
in the central downtown area where you can
make money exchanges.
I
don't speak Spanish. Will I be able to communicate?
English is
spoken almost everywhere in the main tourist
areas.
Do
I need a passport?
Entering
Baja exploring as far south as the seaport
city of Ensenada requires no
visa or other paperwork for U.S. or other
citizens. Simply drive across the border (as
almost 180,000
people do each day), head for Rosarito and
enjoy the unusual foods, music, festivities
and fabulous crafts of Mexico---without the
bureaucratic hassles usually inherent in foreign
travel.
And whether you stay the day, the night or
the weekend, you can return to the U.S. just
as easily. Only non-U.S. residents must present
passports and visas for entry. U.S. citizens
need only proof of citizenship, like a copy
of your birth certificate, to re-enter California---and
rarely is even that requested.
Do
I need special insurance for my car?
If you're
driving, Mexican auto insurance is strongly
recommended since your U.S. auto insurance
is not valid anywhere in Mexico. Inexpensive
Mexican insurance can be purchased by the
day, week or month at numerous highly visible
locations near the border on both sides. Getting
Mexican insurance is so quick and easy that
many of these places have drive-through windows.
A number of San Diego rental car agencies
also rent vehicles to Rosarito and provide
the Mexican insurance.
What
can I bring into Mexico?
You can bring
in your car, personal clothing, camera and
other items for personal use without any problem.
For general merchandise, such as food or medicines,
there is a per-person limit of up to $400
U.S. dollars duty free. Anything over that
amount has to go through Mexican customs and
pay import duty. Firearms are illegal in Mexico
although special permits can be obtained in
advance for hunting.
What
can I take home?
You can take
back $400 per person duty-free including one
liter of alcohol. Mexican arts and crafts
are duty-free and don't count toward your
$400 limit.
The following items are legal in Mexico and
readily available everywhere in the border
area, but cannot be brought into the
United States: Cuban cigars, turtle products,
switchblades, butterfly knives and fireworks.
What
are the alcoholic beverage and drug laws in
Mexico?
Legal drinking
age is 18 and most bars and nightclubs request
an ID before admittance when they doubt the
customer's age. Drinking on the streets is
against city ordinance and fines are imposed
on offenders. Drinking and driving is a jailable
offence that also carries a heavy fine.
It is a criminal offense to use, possess or
traffic in illegal, mind-altering drugs (cocaine,
marijuana, heroin...etc.). Even the possession
of a few grams will bring a jail sentence
of eight years or more. Legal, medicinal mind-altering
drugs (such as Valium) require a medical prescription
for purchase and use. Many common prescription
drugs are available over the counter in Mexico
at approximately _ to 3/4 of U.S. prices.
What
if I get sick while on vacation?
There are
five good hospitals and numerous highly trained
doctors in Rosarito. Ambulance and helicopter
transportation to the United States is available
in emergencies. Many thousands of U.S. citizens
have vacation homes or full-time residences
here. They wouldn't have chosen Rosarito unless
excellent health care was available.
Where
can I rent a car in Southern California to
take across the border?
Based upon the information I’ve received,
your options are: Avis, Enterprise, or Baja
Rent-a-Car
in San Diego. All three will require you to
purchase Mexican insurance from them. --Mexican
Insurance agencies will write policies on
any rent-a-car that does not specifically
state in the contract that the vehicle is
not to go to México. Most, but not
all, of the agencies in San Diego have this
stipulation. Most, but not all, of the agencies
in Los Angeles do not.
