Exito Travel Official Blog !

Whether you are an experienced world traveler or the ink is barely dry on your passport, there are a few things that are well worth remembering when planning, and taking, your next international flight.

Plan ahead
Airlines have reduced the frequency of many domestic flights, making many of the remaining flights fill up faster. This capacity-crunch, combined with the fact that availability of “cheap seats” is already limited on any given flight, means waiting too long to book could result in less desirable flight connections, while bringing on a classic case of fare “sticker shock” from missing out on the lower-tiered fares. As always, being flexible about travel dates and departure cities can sometimes yield surprisingly good savings. Booking online is fine, but don’t be afraid to check with a travel agent for creative ideas and hidden deals.

Are Your Papers in Order?
Having a passport is (hopefully) an obvious first step to traveling abroad, but it’s important ascertain if there any additional entry and/or documentation requirements for your destination(s). Is your passport valid for several months beyond the foreseen end of your trip? Stopping in Costa Rica on the way back from South America? You’ll need proof of Yellow fever vaccination. Flying to Argentina? Chile? An entry tax of over $100 may be collected, in cash, upon arrival. Heading to Brazil? US citizens must obtain a visa, in advance, and it could take weeks. For details, US citizens can start here: http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html or or otherwise review the information on each destination’s consulate website.

Get Seat Assignments
Not only will this give a better chance of sitting where and possibly with whom you prefer, it can also reduce the chances of getting “bumped” when the airline has overbooked the flight. Some airlines or flights restrict the ability to assign seats at time of purchase. Check with your agent, or the airline, to verify that you have seats, whenever possible.

Checking Bags?
While most major carriers still do not charge for the first checked bag for passengers traveling on international itineraries, many do charge for the second bag. Weight and dimension limits apply, depending on the airline and the specific route. Avoid having to pay unexpected baggage fees or otherwise be faced with re-distributing or even (yes, we’ve seen it) ditching personal items at the check in counter, by consulting with your travel agent, or the airline’s website for details.

Get Travel Insurance
Why? Refundable tickets are practically a thing of the past. Most likely, your medical insurance doesn’t cover you when you are outside of your home country. Unexpected trip delays, cancellations, and medical issues can equate to a baffling amount of expenses and logistical hassles. These days, travel suppliers are less willing to bend rules or waive fees for canceling part or all of a prepaid trip. Travel insurance can protect you from absorbing the cost of many kinds of travel-related surprises, from lost baggage to . Most policies automatically cover emergency medical care, medical evacuation and a list of extra services related to handling the unexpected.

Confirm, then Reconfirm
Don’t be the last one to know if the flight you booked 5 months or even 5 days ago is suddenly leaving an hour earlier than originally scheduled. Although airlines and travel agents make an effort to notify passengers of major changes, it’s ultimately up to the passenger to verify the flight details, and arrive at the airport with plenty of time to check in. Confirm flights by viewing the itinerary online at the airline’s website, on another website provided by your agent, or by simply contacting the airline by phone.

Ready for more tips? For more details, including tips for a diverse set of circumstances and situations, check out some of the links below. Last but not least, don’t forget to leave home without even amounts of scruples, and excitement.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/tips_1232.html

http://www.exitotravel.com/resources/helpful_links.htm

Luckily, when it comes to travel to Latin America, some recent airfare and flight changes make it one of the best times to get up, and out of town.

Select “fall sale” fares have completely eliminated fuel surcharges.
Save an average of $300 per ticket by booking right now. Sales end soon.

SAMPLE ROUND TRIP FARES, TOTAL COST, INCLUDING ALL TAXES

At these rates, spending a week abroad could cost less than a holiday weekend flight in the US!  Subject to change. Restrictions apply. Availability is limited.

Groups of 10+:  Call : 800 655 4054, or complete a Group Request Form
1-9 passengers: Book Online or call 800 655 4053

For travelers, particularly groups, added flight service equates to better itinerary choices, and more lower-fare seats available to more destinations

Featured Changes For Latin America:

• Delta adds service to Tegucigalpa, Honduras
• TAM Brazilian Airlines adds direct service from Orlando to Sao Paolo
• TACA adds connection service to Paraguay
• Delta adds direct service from New York to Buenos Aires
• American and Delta add new flights to Brazil, to such popular destinations as Salvador, Manaus, and Fortaleza.

American Airlines is offering double Aadvantage miles on flights to Salvador de Bahia, or Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Date and registration restrictions apply. Book an applicable flight with Exito and find out how to earn double miles when flying round-trip between Nov 4th 2008 and Feb 15th 2009.  PLUS, ask an Exito Group Specialist about how to save over $50 off of the lowest, published fare for groups of 10+ traveling to these Brazil destinations, and more.

Off the north coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, one of nature’s most extraordinary encounters can be found – the whalesharks of Holbox Island. A visit to see these, the largest fish species in the world, can be an awe-inspiring part of a trip to the Yucatan.

The whale shark is a slow-moving, filter feeding shark. It can grow to extraordinary size – up to 40 feet in length and weighing up to 15 tons. They are believed to live up to 100 years. Every summer, these gentle giants congregate in the warm waters near Isla Holbox. While scuba diving is forbidden to protect the sharks, the experience of swimming and snorkeling with the sharks is both humbling and rewarding.
Boats to see the whale sharks depart approximately every hour in the morning, starting around 7am, from the main pier in Isla Holbox. The ride out to the sharks’ feeding area can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on where they are feeding that day. While sunscreen is a must, make sure it’s biodegradable and harmless to the fish – the Mexican government takes preserving these unique creatures quite seriously. On the ride out, the guide will go over the other regulations , such as no touching the sharks, only two snorklers in the water at a time, etc.

Once your boat arrives in a feeding area, get ready with your mask and fins- when a shark comes within range, your guide will have 2 swimmers jump in for the swim of a lifetime. You cannot get closer than 6 feet to these protected fish, but 6 feet is plenty close - as big as they look from the boat, they look even bigger in the water! They are, however, completely harmless, as they are filter-feeders that live on plankton.

Boats generally spend an hour or so at the shark feeding ground. After seeing the sharks, your guide may look for other marine life to observe. Manta rays are often found in this area, as are dolphins.

Manta rays are another giant of nature. The largest of all rays, they have been known to reach 25 feet across and weigh up to 5,000 pounds. Another filter feeder, they can be found lazily swooping through the warm waters, enjoying a meal of plankton. With their huge kite-like shape, they appear to fly through the water.

By the time your boat returns to Holbox Island, you will have memories to last a lifetime.

Getting there: Most dive shops in the Yucatan can arrange the trip for you. If you are coming from Cancun or anywhere along the Mayan Riviera, your trip will include van transportation to Chiquila (the closest point on the mainland to Holbox), boat transportation to the whale sharks, water and juice to drink, snacks on the boat, all equipment, and lunch at Holbox on the return. It’s an all-day trip - if you leave your hotel at 6am, you will probably be back around 4pm. Cost as of summer 2008 was around $200 per person.

Alternatively, you can do the trip on your own. From Cancun, take the local bus to Chiquila, and the ferry across to Holbox. As this is an approximately 3.5-hour trip, you would want to plan on spending the night on the island. There are a variety of hotels available, in various price ranges. The trip from Holbox to the whale sharks was about $90 per person as of summer 2008.

Three weeks during the month of October every year the city of Guanajuato, Mexico, plays host to the Festival Internacional Cervantino. This festival is a cultural celebration of the arts, and is one of the most important happenings of its type in the world. Attendees can expect to see first-class theater, dance, music, visual arts, and street performances from not only Mexican artists, but artists from all over the globe as well. Previous acts include: Radiohead, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Nortec Collective, and Cafe Tacuba to name a few.

The city itself sees tens of thousands of visitors during October from all over the world, so many that, when I was there in 2001 any public bench or grassy area was the sleeping space of any enthusiastic Cervantino-goer that did not make lodging arrangements far enough in advance. I almost ended up as one myself, luckily though I had some friends who put me up.

Personally, the street performers were the biggest draw. You will see everything from clowns and mimes to graffiti artists and fire dancers. Throngs gather round to watch these creative geniuses work their crafts. Some even had regular performances in front of the Teatro Juarez where spectators fill the steps that lead to the theater’s entrance.

Getting to Guanajuato for the Cervantino Festival is quite simple. Airfare offered by airlines such as American, Continental, Mexicana, and AeroMexico will get you to Leon(airport code BJX), which is the capitol seat of the state of Guanajuato, then from there the city of Guanajuato is about a 45-minute automobile ride. Be sure to arrange your airfare and lodging well in advance so as not to be one of those literally, left out on the street.

Bonus ! Also check out these pictures from the festival.

Fire Art Pictures
A View of Guanajuato