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You will receive a complete 4 page brochure outlining additional hints for having an enjoyable trip and a copy of a Cancun Tips magazine with discount coupons and booking information for tours, etc. upon receipt of full payment. This brochure has been compiled by the owner during 30 years of visiting Cancun. This will help you have a fantastic time!

There is also an information sheet in the kitchen of each unit with additional helpful hints. ONLY available in our condos!

Entry Requirements:

Travelers going to Mexico and the Caribbean will need PASSPORTS (not just birth certificates) for travel starting December 31, 2006. Until that time, visitors need proof of citizenship and a photo I.D. Residents of the U.S. and Canada may submit a valid passport, birth certificate or affidavit of birth, or a valid U.S. voter's registration card. If you have any questions, it is best to check with your local travel agent.

Traveling to Cancun:

Most tourists arrive in Cancun by landing at the Cancún International Airport (CUN): Approximate driving time to the Cancun Hotel Zone is 20 minutes and the distance is 13 miles.

Cancun, Mexico is easily accessible from most major U.S. cities. Cancun is 3 hours from New York and Chicago, and 4 hours from Los Angeles. Airlines that service Cancun include American, Alaska, Continental, Delta, United, Northwest, USAirways, Aviacsa, Mexicana, and AeroMexico.

There are also discount charters from Suntrips, Pleasant Holidays, Funjet Vacations, Apple Vacations, Worry Free Vacations, USA 3000 and Viva Aerobus.

Getting to the condo:

Authorized taxis/minivans shuttle (or collectivos), are an easy way to make the journey from the airport to the Girasol Condos. Transportation shuttles can be accessed as you exit the airport terminal. We recommend the booth on the left prior to exiting the terminal. The sign will say "Shuttle & Ground Transportation". Air conditioned vans and taxis are used exclusively. You may wish to buy round trip tickets, depending on the size of your group. You may find cheaper transportation through a private company. You can pre-book an airport transfer shuttle at CDM Transportation.com OR paradisetransfers.com . They provide van shuttles from the airport directly to the condominium. This is a great deal for large groups.

Getting around:

The hotel is located within Zona Hotelera, or Hotel Zone, and is within walking distance of the Cancún Convention Center and plenty of shopping, restaurants, and bars. Public and private buses connect the Hotel Zone to downtown. Once downtown, most tourist attractions are easily accessible by walking.

Taxi rates in Cancún are determined by zones. Taxis can be rented by the hour or day if you want to visit the historic ruins outside of the city. Always negotiate your taxi fare before beginning your trip. Rental cars offer a convenient way to visit historic points outside the city; price is negotiable.

Once you're at the Girasol you can walk to the best restaurants, night spots, and shopping or use the buses to anywhere on the Hotel Zone or Downtown Cancun. This is a very efficient bus system. There are over 1000 buses in Cancun. At certain times of the day, the buses can be standing room only.

The buses you will need are:

* #R1 travels up and down the Hotel Zone to three huge marble floored shopping malls, hundreds of unique restaurants, and the best nightclubs
* #R2 also goes up and down the Hotel Zone with the north bound routes taking you to Market 28 (Mexican flea market), Super Walmart, and Soriana (similar to Super Walmart).
* #R27 travels every 20 minutes from the Hotel Zone and will take you to the largest mall in all of Cancun called the Plaza de Las Americas (The Cinepolis VIP is a must-see along with the food court. Try the Italian Steak House for a $9.00 US ribeye steak dinner).

For day trips to Rivera Maya (Playa Del Carmen, Xcaret, Xel-Ha), you can rent a car. Talk to Luis at the Girasol condominiums, he's very honest and helpful. Or join a tour if you would rather not drive.

Cancun :

It's clear as you fly into the Cancun resort area that it was carved out of the jungle. When development began here in the early 1970s the beaches were deserted except for birds and iguanas. Now luxury hotels, shopping malls, and restaurants line the oceanfront. More vacationers come here than to any other part of Mexico, and many come again and again for the white-sand beaches, crystalline turquoise waters, sizzling nightlife, numerous restaurants, and the proximity of Mayan ruins throughout the Yucatan peninsula.

But there is more to Cancun than plopping yourself down under a palapa (thatched roof). Downtown offers a more authentic glimpse into the sights and sounds of Mexico. For diving and snorkeling, the reefs off Cancun and nearby Cozumel, Puerto Morelos, and Isla Mujeres are among the best in the world. Cancun also makes a relaxing base for venturing to the stupendous ruins of Chichen Itza, Tulum, and Coba, remnants of the area's rich Mayan heritage.

The Mayan people settled the area during the Pre-Classic era, around AD 200, and remained until the 14th or 15th century. But little is known about them. Other explorers seem to have overlooked the barrier island -- it doesn't appear on early navigators' maps. It was never heavily populated, perhaps because its terrain of mangroves and marshes discouraged settlement. Some minor Mayan ruins were discovered in the mid-19th century, but archaeologists didn't get around to studying them until the 1950s.

Beaches :

The entire coast is federal property and therefore open to all. The beach at the Girasol is a combination of a limestone reef, crushed coral & sea shells, making it a bright white and at 90 degree daytime temperature, cool to the touch. The beach about 100 yards north is ideal for swimming and body surfing. From downtown Cancun to Punta Cancun the coast is protected by off-shore Isla Mujeres Island with virtually no waves; whereas the wide-open beaches in front of the Girasol all the way down the "Hotel Zone" enjoy waves. The height of the waves varies depending on the weather and location. You can enjoy watching the local surfers from the condo balcony.

Phones:

• Check with your cell phone provider PRIOR to arriving in Cancun.

• Phone cards are for sale at the OXXO Minimart. Just a short walk south of the Girasol or just a short walk north to the second level at the Forum By The Sea plaza.

Average Temperatures :

#1 Misconception :

#1 Misconception :
"Don't drink the water". The water and ice cubes are completely safe and pure. Cancun's "Hotel Zone" enjoys natural well water filtered by an aquifer.

You can also purchase 5 gallon bottles of water from the Girasol Restaurant and use the handy water dispenser on the kitchen counter.

"Be careful of salads and vegetables". Most come from inland Mexico and can be contaminated. The salsa served in restaurants can also be made from impure, contaminated items. Better quality restaurants catering to the tourists seem to be safe places to get salads, salsa, etc.

Geography :

The ground is formed by layers of limestone, where many underground cave and river systems from hundreds of natural sink-holes, called cenotes. Parallel to the coast is the second largest barrier reef in the world, 535 miles long (864 kilometers).

Currency :

Nuevos pesos (new peso notes) come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 200 & 500 peso notes. Coins come in various denominations.

US dollars (not coins) are widely accepted in the Yucatan, particularly in Cancun. Many hotels, shops, and market vendors, as well as most hotel service personnel readily accept US currency.

Some of the "Big Box" stores will not accept anything larger than a $50 US bill. (Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Costco, etc.)

Taxes :

Airport facility and departure taxes are now charged by your airline as part of your ticket price.
Mexico has a value-added tax (VAT) or IVA (impuesto de valor agregado) of 15% (10% along the Cancun-Chetumal corridor). Many establishments already include the VAT or IVA tax in the quoted price of goods.

Fast Facts (as of 2004):

· Age of Cancun: 35 years

· City Buses: 982

· Daily flight average: 195

· Electricity: 110 volts

· Golf Courses: 3

· Hotel Rooms: 26,138

· Language: Spanish

· Movie Theaters: 21

· Population: 500,000

· Restaurants: 350

· Shopping Centers: 25

· Species of birds: 475

· Species of mammals: 100

· Species of plants: 3,700

· Species of tropical fish: 500

· Taxis: 4,058

· Time Zone: Central

· Universities: 9

· Visitors per year: 3,000,000