Required Travel Documents: A valid passport and Tourist Card are the standard acceptable travel documents. However, if you're an American or Canadian citizen, the following items are also acceptable: An original birth certificate, U.S. naturalization papers, a notarized affidavit of citizenship or, a valid voter registration card. Each of these must be accompanied by a photo ID such as a valid Driver's License.

Local Language: Spanish control of Mexico led to the dominance of Spanish, the official language. As many as 100 Native American languages are still spoken in Mexico, but no single alternative language prevails. About 8 percent of all Mexicans speak an indigenous language.

Electricity: In Mexico you will find an electrical current of 110 Volts, 60 cycles AC. The entries of the plugs are two flat thin plates without polarization. This voltage is half as much as in most European and Asian countries, so visitors from those countries will need a plug adapter and a power transformer to operate their appliances.

Calling Codes: The country code of Mexico is 52. The telephone system in Mexico is not very good so most people use cell phones.

Time Zones: Most of Mexico is on Central Standard Time (Greenwich Mean Time minus six hours). The states of Sonora, Sinaloa, and parts of Nayarit are on Mountain Standard Time (Greenwich Mean Time minus seven hours), while the state of Baja California Norte is on Pacific Time (Greenwich Mean Time minus eight hours). Mexico observes daylight savings time.

Climate: The climate in much of Mexico is high temperatures and moderate to low rainfall. The highland climates vary noticeably with elevation, but the central plateau generally has a moderate climate with few extremes of hot or cold. Mexico City, for example, has an average July high temperature of 74°F (23°C) and an average January high temperature of 70°F (21°C). Cities at lower elevations on the plateau have warmer climates. Much of southern Mexico has a tropical climate with distinct rainy and dry seasons. Temperatures in the coastal regions range between 70 and 80°F (21 and 27°C) during the year. The extreme southern part of Mexico, including the Chiapas Highlands and the southern regions of the Yucatan Peninsula, is rainy and tropical. The climate in this region is generally hot and humid, with annual average temperatures of more than 75°F (24°C).

Potable Water: The water pollution in Mexico is one of the main problems, a high priority for the government. However, bottled water is available.

Currency/Money: The currency in Mexico is the peso. There are about 11 pesos in one US dollar.