Monday, September 16, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Want to have a great (and cheap) time in Cancun without doing the all-inclusive thing? AUG 24 Posted by TC
Want to have a great (and cheap) time in Cancun without doing the all-inclusive thing?
How to Drive in Mexico: Get to Puerto Escondido and Vivo!
How to Drive in Mexico: Get to Puerto Escondido and Vivo!
Email Article
Making your way to Puerto Escondido and Vivo Resorts is half the fun of being there! Mexico is a country of striking landscapes and breathtaking natural beauty, and driving is one of the best ways to enjoy it. However, driving in Mexico may take some getting used to if you've never operated a vehicle outside Canada or the United States, as the driving culture is quite a bit different than what you might be used to. Be aware of some major differences in driving and auto insurance laws that may come into play during your journey.Understanding the Local Highway Infrastructure
Right now, construction of a major new highway is underway in Oaxaca. Known as the Puerto Escondido-Oaxaca highway, the project is nearing completion and will make getting to Puerto Escondido easier than ever before. If you're thinking about investing in Oaxaca or Puerto Escondido real estate, the highway project may turn out to be a boon to your bottom line. It is expected to stimulate a great deal of economic growth in the region, which should also trigger significant appreciation in local real estate values. Given that Puerto Escondido is already experiencing double-digit year-over-year increases in property values, there is no telling just how high the market could climb once the highway is complete.
In the meantime, you can use several other existing, albeit more scenic, routes to get to Puerto Escondido:
In the meantime, you can use several other existing, albeit more scenic, routes to get to Puerto Escondido:
- Highway 190. While this is not the most direct route to Puerto Escondido, many believe it is the easiest to navigate. If you don't mind a little sightseeing along the way, Highway 190 leads through Huatulco and Salina Cruz, both of which are well worth a visit.
- Highway 175 & Highway 200. Taking Highway 175 through Pochutla, then continuing north on Highway 200 to Oaxaca is a relatively easy drive and is more direct than taking Highway 190. This route also offers a number of interesting vistas and is a relatively easy drive.
- Highway 131. This is the most direct route between Oaxaca City and Puerto Escondido, but you should be aware that road conditions are not the best and that the highway runs through mountainous terrain. While the highland views are impressive, you are also at heightened risk of encountering landslides, especially during the rainy season. If you choose to take this route, always be mindful of weather and road conditions.
Driving in Mexico: Practical Information and Tips
Generally speaking, drivers in Mexico and other Latin American countries are more aggressive and have a looser interpretation of the rules of the road. Here are some practical tips and pointers to keep in mind:- Drivers tend to be very aggressive, and may not always use turn signals
- Always try to anticipate what others around you are going to do
- Do not turn left out of a parking lot; instead, always turn right and go around the block
- Avoid driving on Mexican highways at night if you're not comfortable with nighttime driving
- Expect a high volume of commercial traffic on Mexican highways
- A two-lane highway with paved shoulders is usually used as a four-lane highway; pull onto the shoulder to let passing drivers get past you
- Try to drive at the speed of the traffic around you; if you want to go slower, keep right
Combine caution with vigilance until you get used to driving in Mexico. It may take a period of adjustment at first, but within a few days, you should feel right at home on the roadways.
Bringing Your Vehicle into Mexico
Bringing Your Vehicle into Mexico
First and most importantly, make sure that you have valid and current auto insurance coverage while driving in Mexico. If you are involved in an accident and you do not have proper insurance, you are subject to imprisonment if injury or property damage was caused. Check with your auto insurance provider to see if your present coverage will carry over to Mexico; if it won't, purchase additional coverage prior to your departure.
Your current and valid U.S. or Canadian driver's license is all you need to drive in Mexico, but you must be absolutely certain that it will not expire while you are away. You'll encounter problems with the authorities if you attempt to drive on an expired or invalid license. Also, you should always keep a copy of your passport in your vehicle with you as a secondary form of identification.
Vivo Resorts is a leading developer of Mexico beachfront real estate in the Puerto Escondido area. We're here to make your transition to Mexican life smooth and easy. If you have any questions about driving in Mexico, or if you'd like to learn more about how to get here by car, please don't hesitate to contact a Vivo customer service representative.
Your current and valid U.S. or Canadian driver's license is all you need to drive in Mexico, but you must be absolutely certain that it will not expire while you are away. You'll encounter problems with the authorities if you attempt to drive on an expired or invalid license. Also, you should always keep a copy of your passport in your vehicle with you as a secondary form of identification.
Vivo Resorts is a leading developer of Mexico beachfront real estate in the Puerto Escondido area. We're here to make your transition to Mexican life smooth and easy. If you have any questions about driving in Mexico, or if you'd like to learn more about how to get here by car, please don't hesitate to contact a Vivo customer service representative.
Team Vivo's Zipline Adventure in Puerto Escondido
Team Vivo's Zipline Adventure in Puerto Escondido
By Clint Demers
We just had our annual Vivo team meetings here in Puerto Escondido at the end of August. For one of our team sessions we decided on a trip up to the zip lines. Since none of us had been there yet, even those of us that have lived here for years, it was a chance for us all to have a new adventure together.
Being that it is the rainy season, we had to do the trip early, so as not to get caught in the daily afternoon rains that fall in the mountains. We departed at 7:30 and after a 90 minute drive from Puerto Escondido, up through the beautiful mountain countryside, we found ourselves in coffee country. Some of the best coffee in Mexico is grown here on these steep mountain sides, and some of the most pleasant people as well.
Approximately 15 minutes off the highway down a dirt road we came to the town of La Chao. No cell phone signal, and no internet. It was awesome, nothing to distract us from having a great experience. We parked the vehicles grabbed ourselves some water and hooked up with the zip line tour guides to begin the 30 minute hike along the river up to the first line. What was waiting for us there was certainly a pleasant surprise. A 30 meter high waterfall, complete with a sandy beach, and large rocks to dive from. The water was crystal clear and very refreshing. Since we were such a large group, we had to split in half. So half of us hung out and relaxed at the waterfall while the others began the 35 minute descent, zipping through the tree tops over some of the most incredible scenery you may ever see. There are a total of six lines ranging from 490 meters long and 80 meters high to 425 meters long and 130 meters high. Seeing the looks of amazement and listening to the hoots, hollers, and giggles of the first team overhead zipping down the mountain just added to the great experience we knew we were about to have.
It seemed like no time at all before our guides returned. They had taken the first group down, had a drink of water and jogged back up, to then take us down. They caught their breath while we got our harnesses and helmets on, gave us the list of tips, and then we were off. That first time your feet leave the platform is quite the high, and then it almost becomes surreal, as you float over small coffee fields, rivers, mountain pasture land with grazing livestock, and jungle like forests. We reached the last line just as the clouds had started to roll in, and made it down to the little restaurant where the other half of our group was having a few beverages, and waiting to have lunch with us. We finished lunch just as the sky opened up, and the tin roof of the restaurant began to chatter away, but it was nothing compared to the buzz of excited conversation that filled the room.
All in all it was an incredible day, the scenery was beautiful, the guides were great, and it was an amazing experience. I would do it again and again!
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Ingrid, Manuel to Cause Life-Threatening Floods in Mexico By Brian K. Sullivan & Edward Welsch - Sep 14, 2013 11:47 AM PT
Ingrid, Manuel to Cause Life-Threatening Floods in Mexico
By Brian K. Sullivan & Edward Welsch - Sep 14, 2013 11:47 AM PT
Tropical storms Ingrid and Manuel will cause heavy rains and life-threatening floods in eastern and southern Mexico. Ingrid may become a hurricane later today.
“This will remain a significant hazard over the next couple of days,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said in a statement. “The moist flow resulting from the combination of Manuel and tropical storm Ingrid in the bay of Campeche will produce torrential rains and life-threatening flooding over eastern Mexico.”
The Mexican government issued a hurricane watch for Ingrid’s path on the Gulf coast and the U.S. hurricane center said it is expected to become a hurricane later today before approaching the coast on Sept. 16.
Tropical Storm Manuel gained strength today in the Pacific. The storm is creating “torrential rains” with as much as 15 inches (38 centimeters) expected over the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, the hurricane center said in its latest advisory. Ingrid may produce as much as 15 inches of rain over eastern Mexico, with isolated areas in the mountains receiving as much as 25 inches, the center said.
Ingrid, the ninth tropical storm of the Atlantic season that runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, is currently drifting west across the Bay of Campeche where Petroleos Mexicanos, Mexico’s state-owned oil company known as Pemex, has its two largest oil fields. They produce about 1.25 million barrels a day.
Pemex suspended air and sea operations at its rigs in the bay, according to a company statement. The oil port of Dos Bocas closed on Sept. 12 because of adverse weather conditions, while the Cayo Arcas port, which processes about 68 percent of Mexico’s crude exports, re-opened today, the country’s Merchant Marine said in its daily weather bulletin.
Storm Positions
Ingrid was 145 miles (233 kilometers) northeast of Veracruz and moving north at 8 mph as of 10 a.m. Mexico City time today, according to the center in Miami. Storm tracking aircraft found Ingrid growing stronger, with maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour, up from 65 mph a few hours earlier. The storm will begin drifting northward today and pick up speed moving toward the northwest tomorrow, the center said.
The slow motion of the storm may allow it to strengthen because it is over warm water, from which tropical systems can draw power, said Dan Kottlowski, a meteorologist withAccuWeather Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania.
“This thing could ramp up to a very strong tropical storm and it may become a Category 1 hurricane,” Kottlowski said.
Pacific Season
Manuel became the 13th storm of the Pacific season, which begins on May 15. It was about 125 miles south of Lazaro Cardenas with top winds of 50 mph and is expected to gain strength through the weekend. The storm was stationary and is expected to turn northwestward today and approach the coast of southwestern Mexico by early tomorrow. Manuel is expected to make landfall tomorrow, the center said.
On the Atlantic coast, a hurricane watch is in effect from La Pesca to north of Cabo Rojo and a tropical storm warning is in place farther south to Coatzacoalcos, according to the center. A tropical storm warning remained in effect as Manuel approached the Pacific coast, from Punta San Telmo to Acapulco.
On its current track, Ingrid won’t be a threat to U.S. production areas in the Gulf of Mexico, saidMatt Rogers, president of Commodity Weather Group LLC in Bethesda, Maryland.
The Gulf is home to about 5.6 percent of U.S. gas output, 23 percent of crude production and more than 45 percent of petroleum refining capacity, Energy Department data show.
Rogers said clouds and rain from Ingrid may cross into Texas next week, bringing cooler temperatures that will dull electricity demand across the state.
‘Mammoth Rainfall’
The main impact of the two storms will be “mammoth rainfall amounts” across southern Mexico, said Michael Schlacter, founder of Weather 2000 Inc. in New York.
“The worst thing for heavy rain are hills, mountains and mud,” Schlacter said by telephone. “The consequences for humanitarian purposes are just that more horrific.”
Schlacter said it’s possible heavy rain will fall across southern Mexico for the next five days.
The hurricane center was also tracking Humberto, now a post-tropical cyclone, which was about 980 miles northwest of the Cape Verde Islands with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. It was heading west-northwest at 13 mph and isn’t a threat to land.
Tropical Depression Gabrielle was absorbed by a cold front today. Its remnants were bringing heavy rain to Canada’s Atlantic coast.
To contact the reporters on this story: Brian K. Sullivan in Boston atbsullivan10@bloomberg.net; Edward Welsch in Calgary at ewelsch1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Andrew Reierson atareierson1@bloomberg.net; Dan Stets at dstets@bloomberg.net
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