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Our on-site NGO offers a meet and greet service at the airport between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. the day before your program begins. Be sure to request a week before your program start date. A member of the team will be waiting for participants outside the airport, at the exit.
You must arrive at least one day before the start of the project in order to be sure not to miss the start, you are however responsible for your own accommodation before the start of the project, this is not included in the price of the project.
Most volunteers take international flights to arrive at Cancun International Airport the day before their program begins.
You can arrange to be picked up from the airport or make your own way to Puerto Morelos using the ADO bus service.
The ADO buses to Puerto Morelos are the same as those going to Playa del Carmen (PDC). They run regularly and cost around US$6 for PM and US$14 for PDC. The bus will take you to the PM bus stop at the gas station on the highway, or if you have booked your accommodation at PDC, it will take you to the bus depot on 5th Avenue.
You can then take taxis to your accommodation, costing 4 to 5 dollars.
Our partner will organize your transfer to downtown Puerto Morelos. Remember that you must wait 24 hours between your last dive and the flight. We recommend that you do not book a flight to Cancun until at least 6 p.m. to allow yourself time to explore a little more.
Please note that Divemaster and IDC/MSDT trainees will have to go to the airport themselves at the end of their internship.
Please note that neither Freepackers nor our partners on the ground can be held responsible for missed connections. To get to the project, you will need to make arrangements with the airline if a problem arises.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct visa for your project.
The visa you need for this program is a tourist visa.
The staff on the ground advises you to enter the country using a tourist visa. For most nationalities, it is not necessary to make arrangements in advance.
Check with the immigration authorities of the countries you intend to visit, or see www.inm.gob.mx. For those who plan to stay beyond the maximum number of days allowed by a normal tourist visa (180 days) or to take other courses, please inquire with the embassy of the country concerned about obtaining the appropriate visa for your stay and the approximate costs associated.
Please be aware that you are responsible for obtaining the correct visa and any costs incurred in obtaining it.
The local currency is the Mexican Peso. Participants typically spend $70-$100 per week on phone cards, bottled water, buses, food, drinks, and more. Plan extra funds to do additional activities and excursions.
For those who wish to discover more of the region and Central America before or after the program, we suggest an approximate amount of US$40-50 per week.
Accommodation costs vary, but throughout the Yucatan you can generally expect to pay around $25 for a hostel room or a basic hotel room.
We recommend traveling with cash (pesos, US$ are widely accepted) in major cities as your main source of funds, although it is wise to have a credit/debit card in reserve.
The closest ATM to the base is downtown, and there are two banks on the urban side of town.
In major cities (Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Merida, Mexico City), ATMs are widely available.
This program is run by staff from our local NGO in Mexico. The professional and experienced team will be your main point of contact in the field and will do their best to help you solve the problems you encounter and answer your questions.
In your spare time, you can go on day trips, like visiting the Mayan ruins of Tulum or Coba, diving in cenotes, visiting Playa del Carmen, etc.
Before and after your program, you can go to Mérida, Chichen Itza, Chiapas or Central America. The possibilities are limitless !
Divemaster and IDC/MSDT interns going to the dive center: During the dive shop internship, you will be based at Xcalak National Marine Park, located approximately one hour from Mahahual. Travel to the nearest town can only be done by bus or taxi. The price for a taxi is around 40 USD one way.
Please note that during your internship at a dive center, you will only have one day off per week: Bacalar, Mahahual, etc.
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