Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where can I buy groceries and liquor?
Two miles (3.5km) away in Pedro Santos. There are six stores in Pedro Santos where you can buy basic food items.

• El Ranchito. Best for meats. Check the chest freezer behind the deli counter. For sour cream and cream cheese, check the refrigerator nearest the deli counter. Good selection of vegetables. Best overall grocery store in town.
• Harvest Bakery. Delicious and fresh breads, cookies, cakes, donuts and sandwiches.
• Aborrates Imelda. Buy beer, liquor, ice and a variety of canned foods here. Fair selection of paper, glue, pencils, tape, and pens.
• Tortilleria. Buy freshly made corn tortillas. If you prefer flour tortillas, go next door to Aborrates Imelda.
• Aborrates Terisita. Good smoked pork chops usually available and some hardware like nails, bike parts, plastic buckets and dishes. Also buy fish food here in the big garbage cans behind the counter (“alimentos para pollos”).
• Galeria de Artesanias y Manualidades. Souvenir and gift shop with home made paper towel holders, candle holders, animal woodcarvings, boxes carved from tropical hardwoods, hammocks, Mexican style wall decorations.
• There is an ice factory (hielo) where block ice can be purchased (about 15 pesos for a midsize cooler full) just south of Los Limones (10km north of Pedro Santos.
• Freshly squeezed fruit juice is sold on the “topes”, speed bumps in town. Pineapple, coconut, orange, watermelon, are the favourites. Pedro Santos is known all over Mexico for its delicious pineapples and you can buy a “pop” bottle full for 10 pesos ($1)
• Fresh Fruit/Limes You can get fresh fruit in Pedro Santos but if you are driving you might as well go the extra 10km into Los Limones as the fruit stands on the side of the road at the south end of town always have a good selection.

2a. Where is the nearest bank or ATM? (going South) :
• Bacalar: The closest ATM is the town of Bacalar, 45 minutes by car. The ATM machine is located on the town square. There is no bank or money exchanger (“Cambio”) in Bacalar. Just past “km 22" turn left at the sign “Bacalar Salida 500m.” Turn left one street past the big white church downtown. Make the first left again and you will see the town square and the ATM kiosk on the right.
• Chetumal: If you are going to Chetumal, every bank has an ATM machine. The following are easy-to-find banks and ATM’s in Chetumal:
o Bus Station. There is an ATM at the big bus station near the San Francisco grocery store.
o The Big Mall on Insurrengtes Ave. Bank & ATM located in the center of the mall. Access is from the outside (front) of the Mall.
o San Francisco Grocery Store. Next to the bus station. Inside, you will find a bank and ATM.
o Obregon at Juarez. There are two banks where Juarez crosses Obregon. The Bital bank has an ATM.
There are lots of banks and money changers in Chetumal, too numerous to list. Most of the money changers are on Heroes Ave., the main street going through town, connecting Insurrengtes and Obregon.

2b. ATM’s and Banks (going North):
Felipe Carrillo Puerto. There’s a bank and ATM at the Pemex station on the left as you are entering Felipe Carrillo Puerto, about an hour’s drive from Pedro Santos.
Tulum. There is also a bank & ATM and “Cambios” in Tulum (about 2 hours north of Pedro Santos).
Mahajual. There is no bank, ATM or Cambio yet at Mahajual.

3. What restaurants are nearby?
• Federico’s Laguna Azul. On the same lakeside road, ten minutes away by walking from Manatee-in-the-Moon, 15 minutes from Mis Casas. You can kayak there and tie your boat to one of Fritz’s docks. Enjoy American-style food. Delicious, thick T-bone steaks with Fritz’s fried potatoes and salad for $95 pesos. Enjoy wonderful margaritas, mixed drinks, and Mexican beer. Soft, romantic lighting, great host, lots of fun times with neighbours and guests. Enjoy the sounds and sights of the jungle while you dine on great food and/or enjoy an ice cold drink.
• Vieja Bavaria. (3 miles-5km) Outstanding German style food is yours at this little gem. Go south on Hwy. 307. Make the first right on the road to Merida and go about 350 meters. It’s the first restaurant on the right. Bratwurst and goulash, delicious salads and potatoes. Also serving shrimp dinners and cerviches. Enjoy your favorite Mexican beer or a mixed drink with your meal.
• Los Mayas del Caribe. Fantastic pork with rice and salad. Ask for “puerco” or “chuletas.” Also Mexican style beef and chicken dishes. Beer only. Meals are $40-$60 pesos. This little restaurant is next to the Tortilleria in Pedro Santos.
• Pollo Asado. This is a small restaurant without a sign as yet. Follow the delicious smell of grilling chicken to the north end of town across from Aborrates Imelda. Buy a chicken to go or eat it there. You won’t be disappointed.

4. Where is the nearest Phone, Internet & Fax?
• In Pedro Santos two miles away you can make a phone call from Aborrates Terisita. Write the number in large, clear-to- read numbers on a piece of paper and give it to the store keeper. He/she will dial the number for you. When you are done talking, hang up. The store keeper will call the operator for the charges. It’s easy.
• Limones (10 km). You can make a phone call or send a fax from “Telephonica Casita” which is also a grocery store. This store is located on the south side of the town square on Highway 307.
• An Internet Café is located on the north end of Limones near the third and last tope next to the mechanic’s shop. The cost is $10 pesos per hour. The room is air-conditioned.
We are working hard to get a satellite dish installed for internet and phone in 2007.

5. Where are the closest Mayan Ruins?
• Chacchoben. (12 kilometers) Due to its proximity to the new cruise ship dock in Mahajual, this is the second most visited ruins in the Yucatan (Chichen Itza, located between Cancun and Merida, is #1). Go south on highway 307 and make the first right to Merida (Hwy. 293). Follow the signs. On the left.
• Kohunlich. Drive time approx. 1 ½ hours. Go south on highway 307 about 35 miles (57km) and turn right on the road to Escarcega (Hwy. 186). Go another 30 miles (50km) and turn left. Watch for the signs. Very beautiful setting. Usually very few people. You might be the only one there. Often you will see monkeys.
• Dzibanche. Drive time approx. 1½ hours. Go south on highway 307 about 35 miles (57km) and turn right on the road to Escarcega (Hwy. 186). Go another 38 miles (62km). On right. Watch for signs.
• Kinichna. About 1km past Dizibanche.
• Calakmul. About three hours away but well worth the drive. Follow the directions to Kohunlich. Keep going. On the left. Watch for the signs.

6. What are the best places to shop in Chetumal?
• The Market. The “old Mercado” in Chetumal is located beside the Mayan Cultural Museum and across the road from the Holiday Inn on Heroes Ave. You can buy T-shirts and hammocks, blenders and shoes, papayas and fresh pork in this big indoor market. There are also plenty of little restaurants inside serving typical Mexican fast foods. Try the “salbutes” and the “empanadas.” Delicious!
• Chedraui. Big store at “the mall” with a good selection of vegetables, meats and canned goods. They might have soy milk. Ask for “leche de soya.” Also has a farmacia. Sells dishes, towels, clothes, and electronics as well.
• San Francisco. Another big grocery store except not as big and not as busy as the Chedraui. The bank and ATM are conveniently located inside this store.
• The Bodega. This new store has the look and feel of a Walmart. Includes a grocery store with a great selection of cheeses. You can buy everything from washing machines to underwear here. Located on Insurrengtes not far from the big Mall with the MacDonald’s.
• The Big Mall on Insurengtes Ave. MacDonalds, Office Depot, Liverpool (high price department store with everything from electronics to dishes), Kodak store with kiosk for printing photos from CD’s or flashcards, bank and ATM, Chedraui (groceries and misc.), movie theatre, restaurants, gift shops and many others.

7. How does solar power work?
Lights are powered by 12 volt, “deep-cycle” batteries. Each day the sun hits the solar panel and charges this battery. Unlike the 110 volt A/C system you have at home, this system does not provide unlimited electricity.
If you leave the lights on all the time, you will run down the charge on the battery, your lights will dim and eventually go out completely.
The following morning, as soon as the sun hits the solar panel, you will have electricity to operate your computer and lights; however, some of that electricity is necessary to recharge the battery or your lights and computer will not work after the sun goes down that evening.
IF you ran down the battery the night before (your lights dimmed and went out), give your battery a chance to recharge the following day for at least four hours. This means don’t use your lights, computer or other electronics for at least four hours during the day. A normal day usually provides eight hours of sunlight on the solar panel.

8. Where can I buy Gas for my Car?
• Two miles away in Pedro Santos at the house near Abarrotes Terisita. Ask for“vente litros, por favor”. This is about 5 gallons (20 liters), enough to get you to Bacalar, Chetumal, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, or Mahajual. You will pay $13 to $15 USD, only slightly more than at Pemex stations.
• Mahajual at the Pemex station. Mahajual is about 55 km from Pedro Santos (45 minutes by car).
• Bacalar at the Pemex station on Highway 307.
• Chetumal at the Pemex station on the left just past the glorietta to Belize. About 85km from Pedro Santos.
• Felipe Carrillo Puerto at the Pemex station about an hour’s drive north from Pedro Santos.

9. Where do I check in?
For Manatee-in-the-Moon and Casa Maya as well as Federico’s Laguna Azul, check in at the campground restaurant at Federico’s Laguna Azul. Ask for Fritz “Federico” Vatter, the owner and operator of Laguna Azul. If Fritz is not in the restaurant, check around the campground. He lives in the 5th wheel by the lake. If he knows you are coming, check to see if he left a message with your keys on the bar.
For Mis Casas at the end (T junction) of the main road in from the highway turn right (you would go left for Federico’s Laguna Azul) and continue about 1km until you reach Lot 44, Mis Casas. Ask for Katarina or Kim.