• America,  Mexico,  TDM,  Travel Journal

    Road trip in Mexico #3: Tulum, Playa del Carmen & the Cenotes

    In order to enjoy Tulum and the cenotes in the area without wasting too much time in transportation, we decided, exceptionally, to rent a car for 2 days. I’ve told you in more detail about the points to pay attention to when renting in Mexico here (insurance, corruption etc.). We were warned about the ultra touristic side of Tulum, Playa del Carmen and Cancun and the presence of algae so we basically have very little waiting for these destinations. Note: this article is part of the series of articles for our roadtrip in Mexico. You can access the 1st part here and the 2nd part here Part 1: Travel Diary…

  • America,  Around the world,  During the World Tour,  Mexico,  TDM,  Tips

    [Travel Guide] Car Rental in Mexico: Insurance, Scam, Credit Card

    I have read a lot of conflicting information about car rental in Mexico. Today, I will make you a small, easy to understand guide to avoid the most common pitfalls. Thank you Karen and Karl, who spent a vacation in Mexico this summer, for helping me write this guide, we then supplemented it with our own experience. To make it easier to understand, this guide will be in the form of FAQs. I hope I have brought you the necessary information. Follow our adventure in Mexico & read our different guides about Mexico here Road trip in Mexico #1 : Chichen Itza, Cenote Ik Kil, Valladolid, Cenote Zaci, Ek Balam,…

  • America,  Mexico,  TDM,  Travel Journal

    Road trip in Mexico #2: Cobá, Mayan Ruins & View from the top of its pyramid Nohoch Mul

    If it is no longer possible to climb the Great Pyramid of Chichen Itza, be aware that many high and challenging pyramids are still open to tourists, especially the one in Cobá (located between Valladolid and Tulum). It’s while viewing the photos & videos taken from the drone by an instagrammer that I tagged Cobá in my list of ruins to visit in Mexico. And unfortunately, Instagram isn’t always the best place to plan your trip🙂 Here is the post that made me dream… There are two ruins in the middle of the jungle easily accessible from Valladolid: Cobá and Ek Balam. I hesitated a lot between the two, but…

  • America,  Mexico,  TDM,  Travel Journal

    Road trip in Mexico #1: Chichen Itza, Ik Kil, Valladolid, Ek Balam, Cenote X’canche

    This year, we chose Mexico to spend our Christmas vacations: 17 days of roadtrip by public transport (bus, colectivo). OK, there is a smallcar rental for 2 days and some cabs, but we had a lot of fun. If you followed the adventure on our Facebook and Instagram page, here is the blog version. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Day 0 We fly from San Salvador to Merida (Mexico), with a stopover in CDMX (Mexico City). I strongly advise you, if you take the same flight, to pay for a seat near the window on the right side, because I could see all the…

  • America,  Around the world,  During the World Tour,  Mexico,  Tips

    Prepaid 4G SIM card in Mexico: How much does it cost? Where to buy it? What speed? Speedtest (2020)

    Arrived in Mexico, we are looking as usual to buy a local SIM card. If you have a Free Mobile subscription, you can use 25GB of data for free. However, calls and SMS to France will be charged extra. Exchange rate in December 2019: 100MXN = 4,73€ Buy a SIM card at Mexico City or Cancun airport Having only made one stopover at the airport in Mexico City, we did not have the time to inquire about available tourist offers. If you have any information, do not hesitate to share it as a comment Buy a SIM card at Merida airport At the time of our arrival, we did not…

  • Around the world,  Budget,  During the World Tour,  TDM

    Airport lounges: How does it work? How much does it cost? How to get there?

    Recently, I have been lucky enough to be able to access airport lounges during my travels. Like many, I have often wondered what is behind those beautiful doors of “Airport Lounges”, “VIP Space” or “Lounge Space”. Let me explain how it works. An airport lounge: what is it? An airport lounge is a space that allows passengers to wait for their flight in more comfortable conditions than traditional waiting areas at boarding gates. These spaces are rented : Either by airline companies who make them available to their customers Either by private companies that market access to these fairs Either by bank cards such as Mastercard or American Express which…

  • Around the world,  Budget,  TDM

    How much are Air France Flying Blue miles worth? How to use them?

    When I first became interested in the Air France Flying Blue miles that can be obtained with an American Express Air France card, the question of their value inevitably arose. The least we can say is that it isn’t very clear, that “it depends” and that the value of your miles can vary considerably depending on how you use them. It is therefore important to calculate their value each time you use them. Here are a few examples with the different ways you can use your miles. Buy an Air France plane ticket with miles Example of a round trip Paris – New York. Go on January 15, 2020, return…

  • Around the world,  Digital nomad,  Europe,  France,  Preparations,  TDM,  Tips

    Opinion on Ma Gestion Locative agency: renting your property from abroad

    As we told you in this article, we took advantage of having a file that was still presentable at a bank to get into debt and make a rental investment just before leaving on a trip around the world. It was a project under the Malraux Law (rehabilitation of old buildings) which required heavy work. It is only 18 months after the signature that we recovered the keys. In the meantime, we had decided to continue to travel for an indefinite period of time, so it was essential to entrust the management of our apartment to a rental management agency. We were in a hurry for several reasons: We had…

  • Others

    Mah Card: how to use a credit card in Iran? Review + Promo Code

    If you want a coupon code to buy a Mah Card and get a discount on the cost of the card, you can use the code TOURDUMONDE Having not (yet) had the chance to go to Iran, I am writing this article on the advice of a friend who has been there and who warmly recommended the Mah Card which can be of great service to travelers in Iran. Can you use your own credit card in Iran? The answer is no. Iran has been under a severe American embargo for several years. As a consequence, the Iranian banking system isn’t connected to the international system and foreign bank cards…

  • America,  Around the world,  Country Guides,  During the World Tour,  El Salvador,  Guatemala,  Mexico,  Nicaragua,  Panama,  TDM,  Tips

    Border crossing in Central America – Entry fee, Exit ticket: Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama

    Here is a summary of the entry and exit fees for Central American countries. These countries like to use the US dollar very much. Some of them use ONLY US dollars, so plan on using dollars before coming here (or get some from distributors who also offer dollars). Some countries require proof of exit from the territory (Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama), it is better to think about it in advance. A bus ticket will suffice. Mexico Entry: When you enter Mexico, you will be asked for your proof of exit. You can simply buy a bus ticket on the ADO website (e.g. to Guatemala) and exchange it afterwards. You can…