Monterrey Life and Visitor Travel Tips

(Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico)

Monterrey is a vibrant and wealthy city, boasting many large companies and plenty of entertainment for tourists. Life in Monterrey varies greatly depending on where you stay and what you plan to do, with both natural and man-made attractions for everyone, including plenty of amusement parks.

Two small tourist offices are located at the bus station and offer basic travel tips and maps. However, Monterrey's official tourism outlet is the Infotur Tourist Office and this outlet is far more comprehensive.

Useful Contact Details

At the Infotur Tourist Office you will find staff completely fluent in English and extremely knowledgeable when it comes to information about the city and the state of Neuvo León.

The office contains a large amount of city maps, leaflets and information about any upcoming events around the Monterrey area.

Infotur Tourist Office
Address: 3rd Floor, Edificio Elizondo Paez, 5 de Mayo 525 Ote, Monterrey, Mexico, MX
Tel: +52 81 8345 0870
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 09:00 to 18:30

Aventur Travel Agency
Address: Avenida San Pedro, Col de Valle, Monterrey, Mexico, MX
Tel: +52 81 335 1435

Gema Travel Agency
Address: Bernado Reyes 5700, Monterrey, Mexico, MX
Tel: +52 81 8125 8900

Geo Ecoaventura
Address: Alamilla 302, Monterrey, Mexico, MX
Tel: +52 81 8374 5271

Language and Dialect

Widely spoken in Monterrey by virtually everyone, Mexico Spanish is based upon Castilian Spanish, which is the language of Spain. Whilst it is never hard to find an English-speaking local in Monterrey, locals will appreciate any attempts to speak to them in their native Spanish. Therefore, do consider packing a Spanish phrasebook. Here are some examples of Spanish phrases.

• Hi - hola
• I need a highchair - necesito una silla para bebés
• I would like to hire a car - quisiera rentar un coche
• What's up? - qué onda? (slang)
• I'm looking for a youth hostel - estoy buscando un albergue juvenil
• What time does the city bus arrive? - a qué hora el camión llega?
• Could you help me please? - me puede ayudar, por favor?
• Excuse me - disculpe
• I'm lost! - estoy perdido!
• I am looking for the ATM - estoy buscando el cajero automático
• Do you accept US dollars? - aceptan dólares americanos?
• Please - por favor

Dos and Don'ts

• Internet Access - various cybercafes can be found in Monterrey. The city's public library is located on the eastern side of the Gran Plaza and offers free access to the web
• Mexican Tourist Cards - tourist cards are obtained upon arrival in Mexico, after completing a fairly brief form
• Money and Banks - many centrally located banks will be able to exchange cash and traveller's cheques, while local 'exchange houses' (casas de cambio) in Monterrey are concentrated along the Ocampo
• Post Office - the main post office in Monterrey is located on the northern side of the Gran Plaza, along Washington and close to Zaragoza
• Smoking - the state of Nuevo León has started to restrict smoking in some areas, including many restaurants, although this ban is currently often overlooked and relaxed. However, you are not allowed to smoke on most forms of public transport
• Tap Water - the majority of hotels in Monterrey will supply bottled water if the tap water is not considered safe to drink. Bottled water should be drunk in preference to tap water, which is not pure and can contain harmful bacteria
• Toilet Tips - do not put toilet paper down any toilet in Monterrey where there is an adjacent wastepaper bin. Instead, always put used toilet paper in the bin, to prevent blockages