The San Miguel de Allende area is a safe area of Mexico; however, we recommend exercising a good dash of common sense. See more information on the U.S. Department of State or on TripAdvisor.
Weather Expectations
November is one of the more mild months of the year and signifies the end of the rainy season. The area is considered semi-desert with a high altitude of 6,400 feet, so it can get cool at night.
The temperature ranges from 74F - 48F. For more information, go to www.sanmiguelguide.com/weather.htm.
Money in Mexico
Mexico's currency is the Mexican Peso. There are one hundred Mexican cens (centavos) to every Peso. Currently, the exchange rate is 13 Mexican pesos to 1 US dollar. Check for the most current rate.
Cash is the most acceptable form of money, in fact, many businesses are still cash-only in this part of Mexico. Credit card machines are not as ubiquitous as they are in the U.S. We strongly recommend alerting your credit card company that you will be in Mexico if/when you do plan to use a major credit card during this time. Ensure that you know your ATM/credit card pin numbers by heart before traveling to Mexico.
You will find ATM machines in the airport. Banks with ATM machines are also found throughout the downtown area of San Miguel and Dolores Hidalgo. During business hours, they and the local Casas de Cambio will buy traveler's cheques and cash from you as well. Most machines have a maximum limit of 3000 pesos per withdrawal, but you can make several withdrawals in succession up to your card's limit.
Want no-fee withdrawals? Some US Banks are affiliated with Mexican banks (i.e. Mexico's Banamex is owned by Citigroup, HSBC, Bank of America to name a few). Bank of America has a membership in the Global ATM Alliance where card holders can make no-fee withdrawals at more than 11,000 ATMs outside the U.S. Check with your bank to see if they have a partnership with Mexican banks.
If you have a Capital One credit card, you'll pay no extra fees on foreign transactions which can be as high as 3%. That does not apply to debit cards or cash advances.
Of course, traveler's checks are a safe way to carry money in Mexico. Most banks should not charge additional fees for cashing in a traveler's check, you get the face value of the check multiplied by the day's rate of exchange. If there is a fee, go somewhere else.
For more about money essentials, go to: www.mexperience.com/guide/essentials/money.htm#TC
Using your Cell Phone
Should you want to have cell phone access during your time in Mexico, you can easily get such a service added to your phone plan by your carrier for a nominal fee.
Wireless/Internet Access
The new, one and only Starbucks in SMA has WiFi access as does the town's central library (biblioteca). Internet cafes are commonplace in Mexico. Some hotels have their own wireless. The Hacienda Las Trancas also has WiFi access, however the service cannot handle downloading large files, so please refrain from doing so.
Electric Outlets
Appliances, radios, and other devices requiring electrical power in Mexico typically use the same voltage as those in the U.S., however, you may need a socket adaptor should you bring any devices with a 3-pronged plug. Most plugs in Mexico contain two flat prongs.
Tipping
Tipping guidelines for Mexico are nearly the same as tipping guidelines used in the United States or Canada , with some exceptions. Most service employees earn very little or no base salary and the tips they earn comprise the vast majority of their overall income. Read more on www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g150768-s606/Mexico:Tipping.And.Etiquette.html.
Health and Safety
Many hotels and restaurants have their own purified water system (including the Hacienda Las Trancas). Ask first to make sure. When in doubt, use bottled water to be on the safe side.
Immunization is not required for travel in Mexico, unless you plan to go to some remote jungle area which we don't recommend.
Read more about the health, medicine and safety in Mexico.
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