My Passport finally came in last week (long story on both the purchase and the process).
I have decided to take the flight to Tijuana from North Alabama. I also have to go about getting a Star ID (that's going to be a requirement this new year 2025, for those of you foreign mongers).
My question is: Is going to TJ in late January to Early February worth it?
Does Tijuana have ATMs that spell words in English?
Thank you. I'm probably going to bring some cash. However I keep reading about the corrupt cops and other crime elements. My solution is to carry a limited amount of cash (not in my pocket). I'll just use the ATMs in Tijuana if needed.
Remember, I'm flying into TJ and taking a cab directly to Hong Kong. I may go to Chicago club if I have time. It's only going to be a weekend trip (no more than 2 days). I won't really try walking much if it can be avoided.
Second Question: Do I need to reserve a room or will Hong Kong provide one? I may need to ask RonJax2.
I'd recommend reserving a room in advance. It doesn't cost anything. You never know how full they will be and you can always cancel it.
I'm curious about your flight into TJ. All of the TJ flights I've looked at from the east coast stop in Mexico City and have pretty long layovers. I've found it more convenient to fly into San Diego but YMMV.
Going late January / February should be decent turn out of more girls. Definitely reserve a room in the hotel.
I have no experience flying into Tijuana or even San Diego. I drive and park along the trolley line usually at Palm Avenue and take the trolley to the border and cross on foot. Then take the Zona shuttle to Hong Kong.
The Bandits with badges are a concern... I now try to hide most my money. That was a expensive lesson for me to learn. I plan on visiting in a week or two. It's more expensive than it was in the last 10 years but it's still one of my favorite places to visit.
I know there is a ton of introduction to TJ in this forum already so don't want to regurgitate the same info but I totally agree with @devl_dawgg and @Jascoi in that you should reserve a room before going. I so much so wouldn't make the trip without a reservation. I have gone and the room choices people wanted were reserved so they were at the desk scrambling.
Remember, the pricing is different, with VIP card, M/T is 70% off the room price, Sun/W/R is 20% off regular room price and F/Sat is 20% off elevated weekend room price.
I bring this up because it seems like you are limiting the cash you bring. If staying at HK (Cascadas), just upfront cash that would be $70 for VIP card, total of all your nights stay and a refundable $50 security deposit (just don't lose the security deposit receipt they give you). So say you stayed on a Sunday and Monday, that could estimate to be $200 total for the room for a couple of nights (depending on which room), $70 VIP and $50 which already is $320. Obviously "limited" cash means different to others but from what I'm imagining you might not even carry enough for the room.
Have fun and report back.
Although nobody could guarantee anything but you are really limiting your exposure to the bandits with badges as you are taking a taxi straight to the front door to HK/Cascadas from the airport. You basically have no exposure outside walking. Unloading your luggage from the taxi to the front door is literally the width of the sidewalk. If you are still concerned, be smart in how, where you hide the cash and leave a smaller amount like $100 in medium to small bills in your pockets or backpack (if you are carrying). I really don't think you have much to worry about.
Now walking from HK to Chicago, etc., yeah, I would walk with a purpose and be aware.
@ devil_dawgg
I'm using Expedia to plan the trip. It gives me three options.
North Alabama to Rodriguez airport in Tijuana (my first choice)
San diego International airport (not sure how close this is to Tijuana, keep in mind I'm using a taxi and I don't want to pay a kings ransom).
San Diego Gillespie field. Same concern as #2.
@justinyoo
Thank you for the advice. I will save that information. Their will be money on my body, it just won't all be in my wallet. I will bring enough to cover the hotel and taxi fees.
I will call the Hong Kong (Cascadas) in advance. Is the strip club and hotel in the same building? that's the impression I get from multiple posts about this place. If nothing else, I will book a hotel nearby, but I would prefer staying at the club hotel if possible.
My luggage was going to be in an over the shoulder bag (the type you see student athletes use everywhere). I will wear a backpack instead based on the advice both you and RonJax have given. Backpacks are smaller, can travel on the airplane, easier to carry in taxi, have hiding spots for anything, etc.
The only downside is that you have limited space for clothing. So dual purpose outfits it is.
A few more questions:
Does Hong Kong or any other club have an clothing rule for patrons (ie clean collared shirt, no sweatpants, etc.)
Do I have to go to Currency Exchange to get pesos? I'm an American and I have dollars.
Should I try to "blend in" with the crowd? I'm a black male, it's going to be pretty obvious I'm not from Mexico.
@owlyoung - there are a lot of posts in this forum for first time travelers by experienced contributors. I highly recommend you read up on those because knowing that information will make things so much easier for you.
2.) I don't know if there is a dress code but most guys I see have a polo shirt on. There are those who wear a tee shirt and many who have a dress shirt. Your preference on how you want to present yourself.
3.). I would say almost all of the US travelers come across the border via San Diego and then through San Ysidro crossing. Flying wise they fly into San Diego and then a majority will take the blue line trolley down to the border. Some take an Uber/Lyft frim the airport but depending on time of day, that could be a $40-50 trip. The 992 bus to the blue line trolley to the border is only $2.50. Bargain.
4.). Currency - In HK, the girls, the drinks, the arribas all are priced in US dollars. The restaurant (Azul) with the hotel can be paid in USD or pesos. The convenience store (Oxxo) is like a 7-11 and can use both currencies. I actually haven't ever converted any dollars to pesos in all my trips but there is a thread about the good conversation rates now so maybe others pay in pesos but I haven't seen it in HK.
5.). Luggage - the over the shoulder one works. I have taken different kinds. The backpack was a second bag if you needed. There is no way I could fit everything I need to change into in just a backpack.
6.). Hotel - no need to call, just go on the website and reserve the room you want. They will get back to you usually within half a day to verify if your room is available and confirmed for the dates for are staying.
@ Justinyoo,
1/6. Thanks. I will check the website online. I assume it was some type of shared facility split between a strip club side and a hotel side. Thanks for the clarification.
Polos are typically the safest option for anything. I was going to travel wearing polos and bring another one. I will also wear office slacks.
This is where 90% of my concern regarding travel. Why not just fly directly into Tijuana?
I assume their is a reason people prefer to fly into San Diego and take trolley into TJ? May you please explain what's going on?
I will admit that I am not familiar with San Diego to TJ geography. So that is something I will be reading about long before I book the trip. I have to pick an airport. If it wasn't already clear, I'm new to international travel.
My thought process before reading TJ forums was : Fly into TJ, get a taxi to take me to Cascadas/Hong Kong, book my room, drop off my luggage, have fun for 2 nights, take taxi to airport and fly home. I now know to take some more precautions.
Thank you for the help. Other than point 3, I have answers.
Okay I see the geography. It's almost 30 minutes from San Diego to TJ.
I see that the trolley makes the most sense if coming from San Diego. It still doesn't explain why you can't just have your flight end in at TJ airport.
TJ airport has pretty bad connections from most US cities and usually much higher prices as well but if you can find good flights it is a pretty decent way to get there and avoids what can be a long wait at the pedestrian border crossings. It is still a fair distance in a taxi from the Zona Norte clubs but the fare can be much cheaper, get a price from the driver before you get in, it will be lower and I have never seen a meter in a TJ taxi. Flying to San Diego and riding the train to San ysidro border crossing is very clean and quite safe but can take up to a couple hours if you’re not familiar with the process. Uber can have you at the pedestrian crossing in well under an hour, very few Ubers will take you across the border and that would add significantly to the cost if available. Best advice I can give is if your first time try to travel so that your crossing and trip to the club is in daylight hours. One other thing you mentioned is that you required a “real ID”. Unless they have changed things you can fly and cross borders with only the passport. In fact if you ordered a passport card along with the passport book and you are walking across the border, that is the only ID you need, and it is much more convenient than carrying the passport book.
I haven't bothered with the real ID driver's license because I do have the passport card and book and Global Entry. Most the time I walk across the border and don't bring my driver's license with me at all... nor my passport book. I use the passport book only for flying... (And that's been only one trip so far.)
@owlyoung: that’s really good advice @justinyoo provided. I would add that in terms of how you dress, don’t dress up like a typical tourist w/fancy clothes and/or jewelry. A polo, tee shirt, or Hawaiian-style short sleeve shirt is perfectly fine, but I wouldn’t dress up in a suit and/or tie - no need for it. Nor would I wear any fancy or expensive shoes. Gym shoes or comfy loafers are ideal.
The point is that you don’t want to draw attention to yourself in the ZN by dressing like a rich or flashy guy. In other words, if you dress like the locals would, you shouldn’t have any problem.
Sounds like you got great advice on this thread.
One thing I would add: many mongers bring a bankroll with them across the border because getting dollars from ATMs in the Zona Norte is expensive. Usually like 15%. So if you pull out $1000 from an ATM it might cost $1,150.
There are cheaper ATMs in Zona Revolución nearby, but that involves the inconvenience and cost of a cab.
Personally, I think it’s worth the risk to carry versus getting cash there but to each his own.
Let us know what unanswered questions you have left. I’m always stoked to help a fellow monger make his first journey to Mecca.
I use the ATMs on Revolución. They are just a few dollars in fees. However, they are closed at night and sometimes Sundays and holidays. I consider the small bank fee cheap insurance compared to risking your entire bank being taken by the bandits with badges.
Passport counts as real ID. No need to upgrade your driver's license unless you want to just to have two real ID's.
Thanks Everyone.
I'm getting the Real ID because it's going to be required by multiple states by May 15 2025. I may as well get it since I'm preparing to travel more often this year anyway.
Personally I think it's just another way to fleece Americans for more government spending. The only good thing about it is that it can be used as 2nd form of primary identification.
I don't understand what you mean by being required by multiple states. a passport is real ID. And if you already have a valid passport NO need to pay more money for a real ID driver's license.
^ I don’t think there’s any upcharge to your drivers license, at least here in Florida your renewal license is automatically upgraded to the new Teal I. D.
^ Real I. D. Not Teal I. D.
@Jascoi, honestly I'm getting it because it's going to be standardized before the year is over anyway. I can use it instead of carrying a passport (except for airline travel).
My driver's license is expiring in almost a year, which is probably the most apparent reason I need to get one.
Walking into Mexico is still technically requiring a passport.
@ Jascoi, I am not losing my passport. The passport will be for foreign travel, the Real ID (just a more sophisticated driver's license) is for domestic purposes (and the cops will inevitably charge people for not having it in a few years, it's in their nature).
Real ID is an enhanced driver license that is only available to people who can prove they belong in the USA.
I was there last year early February, the day after Super Bowl and it was good. Plenty of chicas.
Regarding, ATMs, they are in English but it was easier for me to cross the border to use the banks in the US since I didn't want to use by bank card when I misjudged. There are banks at Revolution that many use which is easier but I just crossed since I had time late morning and didn't want to deal with potential safety issues. If you bring enough cash, you don't need to pay the high fees in the club ATMs or worry about cash in general. There is a safe in the rooms.