While other countries attract international tourism with special programs, it seems that Mexico is making every effort to make it difficult and costly to visit the country, especially by road.

When talking about international tourism, we are generally thinking about tourists from or originating their journey in the USA and Canada.

As of now, January 2010, everyone needs a passport and a valid drivers license - which are no big deal; every legitimate  tourist has those. When it comes to the vehicle you travel in, proof of ownership or legal possession is required. Further, the license plates must be valid for the time of your stay in Mexico. Further, valid insurance for Mexico is required. You can purchase the latter at the border.

Now, hat and all those documents in hand, you have to go to customs and excise, to apply for a temporary vehicle import permit, which is usually granted for a period of 180 days PER YEAR, obviously, at a relatively high cost USD22.50 to USD 45.00, apart from a returnable security deposit of between USD 200 to USD 400, depending on the year of the vehicle, which you will have to leave (usually charged to a credit card) but will be reimbursed if the vehicle leaves the country in time. You will be issued with a sticker, which you have to adhere to your windshield.

Once all that is behind you and you think "you did it", in most cases about 50 Km. down the road or when leaving the "free zone", you will get to yet another check point - customs - where they check the permit you just acquired plus any goods you may have with you that may be subject to duty.

It is only fair to say that all of the above applies only if you intend to travel further than the limits of the "free zones" and does not apply to travellers to Baja California North or South. The points mentioned below do apply though.

Once through customs, you really think its all over now. Think again! At least at every crossing of a state line, you will come to a Military or Federal Police check point, where you probably are checked for the possession of arms, drugs or large amounts of money. These checks are more the rule than the exception, especially when you are heading north from anywhere.

But that is not all. Don't buy or carry meats (packed or otherwise) or fruits and vegetables. At every state line, sometimes as well at regional checkpoints, you will be checked for those, too. If you have them, you will have to leave them behind, give them away or destroy them.

Often, apart from regular and established checkpoints, you will come across improvised checkpoints operated by Federal, State or Municipal Police. The reasons (excuses) for stopping you are plentiful, some of them legitimate and many to see what they can get out of you. And don't think you have any rights what-so-ever. The police is the law, judge and jury! By the way, don't leave your vehicle unattended during those checks - you would not want to have more items in it than the ones you arrived with.

In short, in a test run in August 2009, from Cancun to Nogales, we were stopped 34 times. There you are! And the Mexican Golf Coast is worse.

On top of all of the above, there are the extremely high costs of road tolls. The pure road tolls from Cancun to Nogales amounted to around USD 600, avoiding toll roads when they where not absolutely necessary (to avoid literally hundreds of "TOPES" (sleeping policemen), which are just humps constructed at will, without any norm, resulting in suspension destroyers).

Beware of road signs!

In Mexico, the international specifications for road signs are simply not observed. The signalisation of one way streets and preferential roads (right of way), for example, are in most cases not visible or illegible, especially in rural areas or at night and are definitely not where you would expect them to be.

Within cities and urban areas, please, do not expect to find coherent sign posting to point you in the right direction to any particular other city. In Mexico, the traffic authorities seem to believe that all travellers are local and know the way.

In some states, like in Sonora for example, a destination easy to visit from Arizona, exist special programs for the temporary import of vehicles, like the plan "Only Sonora". Check it out by following this link: http://www.gotosonora.com/only-sonora.htm

Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora offers various attractions, including Bird Watching, Deer Hunting (when in season), Duck and Quail Hunting. Further Hermosillo is a great place from which you can visit various missions

Places to visit from Hermosillo are Kino Bay on the Golf of California (100 Km. from Hermosillo), Ures (60 Km. from Hermosillo), the former capital of Sonora, with a beautiful all inclusive Hacienda Hotel that, by itself, is worth a visit and allows you to enjoy for 3 or more nights life in traditional hacienda style and comfort.

South from Hermosillo, at a distance of 125 Km., there is another interesting destination, which is San Carlos, offerering fishing, boating, ATV adventure tours, a few very good restaurants and very acceptable accomodation, although at relatively elevated cost, especially during vacation periods.

Puerto Peñasco or Rocky Point (around 520 Km. from Hermosillo) is known for its Beaches, RV Parks, Desert and Mission Excursions.

To find Hotels, Restaurants, Services and Businesses in Sonora, please, visit: www.onlysonora.net

For other interesting destinations in Mexico, please, visit www.mexpub.com! Although that website is under review, you may just find what you are looking for.

To find Hotels, Restaurants, Services and Businesses in all of Mexico, please, visit: www.flickmexico.com. To check from your Mobile Phone, please, visit: www.mxcomercial.com (Internet Connection Required)

Since the year 2008, while travelling throughout the country, we began to see road signs announcing "RUTA 2010" or, in English "Route 2010". At the beginning, there was little information available.

However, now it is clear: "Ruta 2010" is a project (mainly a website) by the Mexican Federal Government announcing, in commemoration of the bi-centennial anniversary of the independence of Mexico, routes that mainly lead to historical locations connected to the Mexican Revolution and resulting independence.

These routes, while attractive in internet, offering an impressive amount of interesting historical information, are, in our opinion, really not worth the trouble and cost to follow them unless, of course, you are on the road travelling anyway along or near them. Even if you are close, beware! Most parts of these routes lack acceptable infrastructure for international tourism.

But look at the routes and judge for yourself. Just click on this link: http://www.bicentenario.gob.mx/english/