Travel Tips
| Climate / Clothing | Language | Code of Conduct | Currency |
| Holidays | Travel Insurance | Departure Tax | Luggage |
| Local Emergency/Phone | Health Precautions | Passports and Visas | Driving |
| Electricity | Shopping | Tipping |
Climate / Clothing
Bahamas: There is sunshine an average of 320 days a year in the Bahamas. In general, the islands are pleasant year round, with cooling, almost constant trade winds blowing by day from the east. Daily high temperatures rarely drop below 60°F in the winter (December to February) or rise above 90°F in the summer (June to August). The northern islands receive much more rain than the southern islands. The rainy season runs from May to November, usually bringing short, heavy showers, though occasionally manifesting in lingering rains over several days. Summertime sometimes brings squalls and hurricanes, though rare.
Cancun/Riviera Maya: Cancun is blessed with warm tropical weather. In the summer it gets a little warm by some standards. There is a strong possibility of afternoon rain during the summer, starting in June. Usually the rain lasts for a few hours after which the air is clean and the humidity drops. Sometimes the rain lasts through the night. Dress in Cancun is very casual with the accent on comfort. Remember to pack comfortable walking shoes. The activities at the hotels and the area dictate sporting clothes. In the evenings, you may want to dress up, but not too much. At some of the best entertainment spots and clubs you will feel more comfortable dressing up.
Bermuda: Bermuda enjoys a mild, agreeable climate because of the warming effects of the Gulf Stream. The average annual high temperature is 75°F, while the average annual low is 68°F. Humidity is high year round and rainfall is evenly distributed, with no identifiable wet season.
Jamaica: Jamaica's ideal tropical maritime climate means that dramatic fluctuations in temperature are virtually non-existent. Weather patterns can change quickly, though, especially during rain-prone May to December. Officially, hurricane season lasts from June to November, but relatively few of the hurricanes that sweep the region touch Jamaica.
Brazil: The weather in Brazil is temperate to hot year round. Bring casual, lightweight clothing that can be layered. Sunscreen and a hat are advisable. Bring insect repellent if you plan on a visit to the rainforest.
Brazil Average Temperatures: www.gutsywomentravel.com/latin-america/latin-america/latin-america-weather.asp#brazil.
Peru: Peru's climate can be divided into 2 seasons - wet and dry. The coast and the slopes of the Western Andes are dry with summer falling between December and April. In the Andean highlands, the dry season is from May to September, while the wet season takes up the remainder of the year. Bring casual, lightweight clothes that can be layered and a jacket if you are going up into the mountains. Bring sunscreen and a hat to protect against the strong sun along the coast and in the rainforest. Insect repellent is necessary as well.
Peru Average Temperatures: www.gutsywomentravel.com/latin-america/latin-america-weather.asp#peru.
Argentina: The climate of Argentina is mostly temperate; arid in the southeast and sub-Antarctic in the southwest. Bring lightweight clothes you can layer, a sweater and an all-weather coat. Dress is more formal in the city of Buenos Aires and a jacket a tie or cocktail dress may be required at some of the finer restaurants. Casual dress is more appropriate in the countryside.
Argentina Average Temperatures: www.gutsywomentravel.com/latin-america/latin-america-weather.asp#argentina.
Language
Bahamas: English
Cancun/Riviera Maya: The official language of Mexico is Spanish. Most people in Cancun and Cozumel speak and understand English.
Bermuda: English, Portuguese
Jamaica: English, Patois
Brazil: The official language of Brazil is Portuguese. Some English is spoken in the major cities.
Peru: Spanish is the official language of Peru. In most tourist center, English is spoken.
Argentina: Spanish is the official language of Argentina. English is spoken at hotels and restaurants in Buenos Aires.
Passports & Visas
Bahamas: Proof of U.S. citizenship, i.e., a passport (if you are using an expired passport it cannot be expired more than 5 years) or original or certified copy of a birth certificate with a photo ID, and onward/return ticket required for stay of up to 8 months.
**As of January 1, 2006, a passport will be required for re-entry to the United States.
Cancun/Riviera Maya: Bring either a U.S. passport or an original copy of your birth certificate with an emobssed seal and current, valid photo identification.
Citizens of many countries - including the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina, Chile and virtually all western European countries - do not require visas to enter Mexico as tourists. However, if they are staying longer than 72 hours, or are travelling beyond the Border Zone or certain exempted areas, they must obtain a government tourist card (tarjeta de turista) valid up to 180 days, available from embassies or at border crossings. The card is free but brings the responsibility of paying a fee of 20.00 at a bank or border post. For those flying in, the fee is included in the price of the ticket.
Bermuda: No visas are required for citizens of the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and Western European countries. Visas are required by citizens of the former Soviet Union, most countries in North Africa and the Middle East, China, Sri Lanka and some former Soviet Bloc countries in Eastern Europe.
**As of January 1, 2006, US Citizens will be required to show a passport upon re-entering the US from Bermuda
Jamaica: Passport or original birth or naturalization certificate and valid driver's license or state-issued photo ID, onward or return ticket, and proof of sufficient funds required.
Brazil: Passport and visa required.
Peru: Passport required. Visa not required for tourist stay of up to 90 days, extendible after arrival.
Argentina: Passport required. Visa not required for business/tourist stay of up to 90 days.
For more information, please see www.gutsywomentravel.com/visas.asp.
Currency
Bahamas: Bahamian Dollar, but US currency is also widely accepted.
Cancun/Riviera Maya: Mexican New Peso ($). The peso is divided into 100 centavos. Coins come in denominations of five, 10, 20 and 50 centavos and one, two, five, 10 and 20 pesos. Notes come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 pesos.
The most convenient form of money in Mexico is a major international credit card or debit card. It is probably a good idea to have more than one credit card as acceptance of cards is erratic - American Express cards in particular are not accepted for payment by a significant number of Mexican businesses. As a backup, it's wise to take some travellers cheques and a little cash. US dollars are still the most easily exchangeable foreign currency in Mexico.
Bermuda: Bermudian Dollar, but US currency is also widely accepted.
Brazil: The currency of Brazil is the Real. U.S. currency can be exchanged at banks, exchanges and hotels.
Peru: The official currency is the Peruvian Sol. Most tourist areas accept and exchange U.S. Dollars. Exchange your currency at your hotel or a bank.
Argentina: The currency of Argentina is the Peso. It is not always easy to change money in the interior of the country. Major credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops.
Tipping
Tipping is considered by locals to be a part of their normal remuneration and some may approach you for additional "compensation" There is no need to be intimidated by the request, nor should you feel pressured to pay more than recommended. If you become uncomfortable by any behavior you encounter, please advise your tour escort or phone our local office. Numbers have been provided in your documents for your convenience.
For specific guidelines, please refer to www.gutsywomentravel.com/tipping.asp
Electricity
Bahamas: The voltage used is 120 volts
Cancun/Riviera Maya: The standard current in the hotels in Mexico is 110 volts AC, the same as in the U.S.
Bermuda: The voltage used is 120 volts
Jamaica: The voltage used is 110 volts
Brazil: Brazil's voltage is 110, however some hotels operate on 220
Peru, Argentia & Chile: The voltage used is 220
*Note: The U.S. uses 120 volts and you can purchase a converter and transformer at most hardware stores for your 120V appliances.
Shopping
Bahamas: Special purchases include china, cutlery, leather, fabrics, spirits from Britain, Scandinavian glass and silver, Swiss watches, German and Japanese cameras and French perfume. Local products include all types of straw artifacts, seashell jewelry and woodcarvings. Shopping hours generally run Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm.
Cancun/Riviera Maya: Cancun is paradise for the casual or very serious shopper. There are open air markets, open air malls, indoor malls and specialty shops of every shape and size. There are a few outdoor flea markets, but not as many as you will find in other large Mexican cities. The tourist zone offers more of the finer shops, but don't leave without looking for some bargains in the downtown area. The downtown area has a couple of nice modern malls, with stores such as Sears.
Bermuda: The best buys are imported merchandise such as French perfumes, English bone china, Swiss watches, Danish silver, American costume jewelry, German cameras, Scottish tweeds, and various spirits and liqueurs. Bermuda-made articles include handicrafts, pottery, cedar ware, fashions, records and paintings by local artists. Antique shops may have the odd good bargain and shops in the countryside offer many souvenirs. Bathing suits, sports clothes and straw hats are other good buys. There is no sales tax or VAT. Shopping hours generally run Mon-Sat 9am - 5pm, with some closing early on Thursday. Shops at the Royal Naval Dockyard are open on Sun 10am - 5pm.
Jamaica: Special purchases are locally-made items and duty-free bargains. Crafts include hand-loomed fabrics, embroidery, silk screening, woodcarvings, oil paintings, woven straw items and sandalmaking. Custom-made rugs and reproductions of pewter and china from the 17th-century ruins of the ancient submerged city of Port Royal can be bought in the In-Craft workshop. At Highgate Village in the mountains, Quakers run a workshop specializing in wicker and wood furniture, floor mats and other tropical furnishings. Jamaican rum, the Rumona liqueur (the world’s only rum-based liqueur, hard to find outside the island) and Ian Sangsters Rum Cream are unique purchases. Other local specialties are Pepper Jellies, jams and spices. There are shops offering facilities for ‘in-bond’ shopping, which allows visitors to purchase a range of international goods free of tax or duty at very competitive prices. These goods are sealed (hence the ‘bond’) and because goods are tax- or duty-free can only be opened once away from Jamaican waters or territory. All goods must be paid for in Jamaican currency. Shopping hours generally run Mon-Sat 9am - 5pm. Some shops close half day Wednesday in Kingston, and Thursday in the rest of the island.
Brazil: Shops are open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Brazil has a rich array of native crafts from Afro-Brazilian textiles to Bahian pottery and delicate lace tablecloths.
Peru: Duty-free shops and artisan's shops offer tourists the opportunity to purchase Peruvian handicrafts such as pottery, carvings, and weavings.
Argentina: Business hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Banking hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The shops open at 9 a.m. and generally close at 7 p.m. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Good buys include leather goods, jewelry and furs.
Health Precautions
Bahamas: Sunburn, Prickly Heat, Dehydration, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke, Fungal Infections, Diarrhea, Giardiasis, HIV/AIDS, Tetanus, Jellyfish sting
Cancun/Riviera Maya: For visitors coming directly from the United States, no immunization certification is required to enter Mexico. If you are traveling from a part of the world infected with yellow fever, a vaccination certificate is required.
Water: Most hotels have purified water. Cancun is home to the largest water purification system in all of Mexico. Most restaurants use purified water for all cooking and ice making. For your own well being, it is recommended to drink bottled water when not on the resort property.
Bermuda: Sunburn
Jamaica: Sunburn
Brazil: No vaccinations are required to enter Brazil. However, it may be advisable to get inoculated against yellow fever, malaria and typhoid. Be sure to consult your doctor before your trip, especially if you are planning to go up the Amazon River. Drink only bottled water and do not eat raw fruits and vegetables.
Peru: A yellow fever vaccination is recommended if you are going into the Amazon rain forest. Travelers with heart conditions or high blood pressure should check with their doctor about high-altitude travel if you will be visiting the mountainous regions. Avoid the tap water and raw fruits and vegetables. Bottled water is widely available
Argentina: No inoculations are necessary when arriving in Argentina from the U.S.
To prevent "Montezuma's Revenge," avoid the tap water, including raw fruits and vegetables washed in tap water. Your stomach may still become upset due to the change in diet. Bring anti-diarrhea medicine just in case.
*For the latest overseas travel health information, call the Center for Disease Control's traveler's hotline at 404-332-4559. Or visit their web site at www.cdc.gov
Conservation / Code of Conduct
Bahamas: The pace of life is generally leisurely. Informal wear is acceptable in the resorts with some degree of dressing up in the evenings, particularly for dining, dancing and casinos in Nassau or Freeport. Further from the main towns, dress is more casual although there is still a tendency to dress up at night. Small outposts like Green Turtle Cay, for example, will not require more than a shirt and long trousers. It is not acceptable to wear beachwear in towns.
Bermuda: Many of these are British influenced, and there is a very English ‘feel’ to the islands. It is quite customary to politely greet people on the street, even if they are strangers. Casual wear is acceptable in most places during the day, but beachwear should be confined to the beach. Almost all hotels and restaurants require a jacket and tie in the evenings; check dress requirements in advance. Non-smoking areas will be marked.
Jamaica: Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. As tourism is a major industry in Jamaica, the visitor is well catered for, and hotel and restaurant staff are generally friendly and efficient. Outside Kingston, the pace of life is relaxed and people are welcoming and hospitable. Normal codes of practice should be observed when visiting someone’s home. It may be common to see signs on the island referring to ‘Jah lives’, Jah being the name given to God by the Rastafarians. Casual wear is suitable during the day, but shorts and swimsuits must be confined to beaches and poolsides. Evening dress varies from very casual in Negril to quite formal during the season in other resorts, where some hotels and restaurants require men to wear jackets and ties at dinner. Possession of marijuana may lead to imprisonment and deportation.
Brazil: Handshaking is customary on meeting and taking one’s leave, and normal European courtesies are observed. Frequent offers of coffee and tea are customary. Flowers are acceptable as a gift on arrival or following a visit for a meal. A souvenir from the visitor’s home country will be well received as a gift of appreciation. Casual wear is normal, particularly during hot weather. In nightclubs smart-casual (eg blazer, no tie) is acceptable. For more formal occasions the mode of dress will be indicated on invitations. Smoking is acceptable unless notified otherwise. The Catholic Church is highly respected in the community, something which should be kept in mind by the visitor.
Peru: Shaking hands is the customary form of greeting. Visitors should follow normal social courtesies and the atmosphere is generally informal. A small gift from a company or home country is sufficient. Dress is usually informal, although for some business meetings and social occasions men wear a jacket and tie. Life is conducted at a leisurely pace.
Argentina: The most common form of greeting between friends is kissing cheeks. When invited to somebody’s house it is quite common to take a homemade dish or dessert. Dinner is usually served between 7pm - 10pm. Avoid casual discussion of the Falklands/Malvinas war. Dress is not usually formal, though clothes should be conservative away from the beach. Formal wear is worn for official functions and dinners, particularly in exclusive restaurants. Smoking is prohibited on public transport, in cinemas and theatres.
Luggage
*Gate 1 tour packages allow one piece of luggage per person, plus carry-on bag. Additional baggage will be subject to handling charges of up to $100 per piece.
As Gate 1 will not be responsible for loss or damage to luggage and personal belongings, you MUST report any loss or damage immediately at the time of the incident and obtain a written report from the local authority for submission to your insurance provider. If you luggage is lost or damaged by the airlines, a baggage claim form MUST be filed with the carrier before leaving the airport. See www.gutsywomentravel.com/destinations/luggage.htm for Important Baggage Information for U.S. Travelers.
Departure Tax
Argentina: $18 to be paid in USD upon checking in for international flight from Argentina.
Brazil: None (Included in ticket price)
Chile: $100 to be paid in USD upon arrival at Customs
Ecuador:
- Guayaquil: $25 to be paid in USD upon checking in for international flight.
- Quito: $40.80 to be paid in USD upon checking in for international flight.
- Shell: $3 to be paid in USD upon checking in for domestic flight to & from Kapawi.
Peru: $30.25 for international departures, $6.05 for each domestic flight to be paid in USD or local currency after check-in before entering gate area.
Uruguay: $29 to be paid in USD after check-in, before entering gate area.
Please see www.gutsywomentravel.com/departure-taxes.asp for more information.
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance as additional security in the case of cancellation or interruption of travel plans, lost or damaged luggage, travel delays, illness, or accident. Keep all boarding passes, ticket copies and receipts for expenses paid during your trip if it later becomes necessary to file a claim.
Local Emergency Phone #
Bahamas:
- general emergency: 911
Cancun/Riviera Maya:
- Police: 060 or 080*
Bermuda:
- general emergency: 911
Jamaica:
- ambulance/medical: 110
- fire: 110
- police: 119
Brazil:
- general emergency: 911
Peru:
- general emergency: 011 or 5114
Argentina:
- ambulance/medical: 101
- fire: 107
- police: 101
Holidays
Bahamas:
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Bermuda:
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Cancun/Riviera Maya:
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Jamaica:
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Peru:
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Driving
Bahamas: Traffic drives on the left.
Cancun/Riviera Maya: Driving is on the right hand side of the road. In town, the speed limit is generally 25 mph and in the hotel zone 37 mph. Highways range between 55 and 68 mph.
Jamaica: Traffic in Jamaica drives on the left. There is a 17,000km- (11,000mile-) road network, one-third tarred. Speed limits are 30mph (48kph) in towns and 50mph (80kph) on highways.
Brazil: Brazil has 1,940,400km (1,202,800 miles) of roads. Traffic drives on the right.
Peru: The Central Highway connects Lima with La Oroya and Huancayo. From La Oroya there is a road connecting Cerro de Pasco, Huánuco, Tingo María and Pucallpa on the Ucayali River. Landslides are frequent in the rainy season (December to March), making for slow travel. The Touring y Automóvil Club del Perú and the Instituto Geográfico Nacional sell maps. Travel guides like Guía Toyota and Guía Inca del Perú include good road maps. Traffic drives on the right.
Argentina: Major privatization programmes have resulted in many trunk roads being upgraded, and roads are generally in good condition. Expect tolls on motorways. Rural roads, composed of packed dirt, become impassable after rain. Nonetheless, buses are considered to be a more reliable form of long-distance transport than trains. Traffic drives on the right. Car hire: There are a number of agencies in Buenos Aires (including Avis, Dollar and Hertz). Drivers must be at least 21 years of age (sometimes up to 25 years of age). International Driving Permit is required and this must be stamped at the offices of the Automóvil Club Argentino (website: www.aca.org.ar). These documents must be carried at all times whilst driving: proof of ownership, proof of insurance and receipt for last tax payment.