Location & Directions

BY LAND:

From Tucson take I-19 south to Nogales, Arizona. Before Nogales at the border take Exit #4 for Hwy 189 South, Mariposa Road. This is the truck border crossing and is much faster than going through the Mexican town of Nogales. It is important to note that the truck border crossing is only open from 6 AM to 10 PM. So if you are crossing before 6 AM or after 10 PM follow the signs to Nogales Centro, and then Mexico/USA Border.

You will see many signs that lead you to the Truck Route Crossing.

Follow the signs to Hermosillo like the photo to the left. “Puerto Fronterizo,” translates as “Border Crossing.” Cross the border and stay on Mexican Hwy 15 towards Hermosillo.

There are a few checkpoints and toll stations as you cross the border and enter Mexico. The first checkpoint you drive through, right past the border, will either give you a green light, “pase,” which means you are free to drive through without stopping, or you can get a red light, “alto,” which means you have to stop to talk to an agent and they may search your vehicle.

The first toll booth is 4.5 km past the border and most recently cost $37.00 PESOS. You can pay in dollars, though you’ve really got to check your change, which they will always return to you in pesos. It is easiest if you go into Mexico with enough pesos to pay the toll booths. Expect at least $115 pesos for all tolls. Pesos exchange at 10 pesos to 1 dollar outside of banks.

The second stop is about 10 minutes down the road, known as the 21-kilometer checkpoint. The picture to the left shows the sign, where you must stop to pick up your visas. Park, and walk to the breezeway. Enter the first building on the left, where you will get your visas for the Mexican state of Sonora. Mexico has a new expedited system for travel in Sonora. There is usually no charge for the visa depending on what you are bringing into Mexico and how long you plan to stay. If you tell them you are going to San Carlos for the weekend, it should be easy. The officials speak English, but appreciate any Spanish you can contribute. Be patient.

You should expect not to pay any bribes – Mexico has become very strict in prohibiting it. You must have a vehicle title showing you as the owner of your vehicle(s). This will apply to any boat/ATV/trailer, etc. you may bring. Current registration is important to have, but is probably insufficient without the title.

You will need Mexican auto insurance since your U.S. coverage will only extend a short distance into Mexico. We buy insurance before leaving for vacation, but there is a Mexican insurance vendor at the 21-kilometer checkpoint going into Mexico. It is located in the small building left of the building where you pick up your visas.

Do not bring guns or ammunition into Mexico. It will result in big problems.

After you get a visa for all the passengers in your vehicle, you will drive through another red light/green light checkpoint, the same as the first border stop.

From here follow the signs to Hermosillo. It’s about 3 hours.

There are 2 toll booths before you reach Hermosillo. One is located in Magdalena de Kino, a town with a very interesting history and large cathedral. The Magdalena toll is $19.00 pesos. Shortly after this toll there are cliffs to the left of the highway with a large mural of the Virgen de Guadalupe, pictured here.

The last toll booth is just before you enter Hermosillo. The fare is $59.00 pesos.

There is a new bypass route for Hermosillo. There are many twists and turns, so pay close attention to the signs for Hwy 15 and Guaymas. If you get lost, don’t worry, the locals are friendly and helpful.

After Hermosillo, it’s only 70 minutes to the condos. In between Hermosillo and the condos there is a military check point (“revision military”). Usually they wave through Americans, but sometimes they stop you and check your vehicle. No big deal as long as you aren’t carrying anything illegal. There can also be temporary check stations at any point, but like this one, they will usually let Americans go through without any problem.

Gas is easy to find at the numerous Pemex stations along the highway. “Magna Sin” is unleaded. “Lleno,” pronounced “yeah-no,” means full. Gas is sold in liters (3.78L = 1 gallon). Only cash is accepted and there is no self-service. Most stations close by 10pm. Make sure you top off near the border, as it takes almost a full tank of gas to drive to San Carlos.

Before you reach Guaymas, you will see the turn off to the right for San Carlos. You will make the turn and then find yourself on a divided highway headed for San Carlos with its distinctive, very scenic mountain known colloquially as "Titas de Cabra." Another common name for the mountain, which comes from the Yaqui Indians, is "Tetakawi."

Here is the tricky part of the drive: Travel about 3 miles towards San Carlos. At the first traffic circle, turn left around the circle to head back in the direction you just came. Before you leave the traffic circle heading eastbound, merge quickly to the right hand lane and prepare to turn right. Make a quick right at the 1st turn-off. Once off the main road, stay on the paved access road until you reach a stop sign. Turn right at this t-intersection.

Now you can see the Condos Pilar and Condos Delfin on the horizon towards San Francisco Bay. Delfin is the group of units to the right hand when you are facing the beach/bay. Follow the signs to the Condominios. You may also see signs for the Condos Pilar, which is the group of condos next door to Delfin. The signs for Pilar are good for directions to Delfin.

As you approach Bahia Delfin the main road bears to the left towards Pilar’s entrance. You will want to take a RIGHT here onto a road following the wall of Delfin to the main entry gate.

Upon arriving at Delfin’s main gate, you will be greeted by a security guard, who will request your name, unit number, vehicle license, etc. The guard will place a sticker on your windshield. He will then direct you to the office where you will register your length of stay and the unit you will be staying in. You will receive the keys, and proceed to the condo. This process is made faster if you bring a copy of your rental authorization to show to the guards and front desk.

If you arrive before 8:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. M-Sat, or after 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, the office will be closed. In this case, you must present your confirmation letter to the security guard. He will let you into the condo, but will not give you a key. The next morning, go to the office to register, and they will provide you the key.

Impact fees and maid service are collected at the time of registration. Upon departure, check out and return the keys.

There can be a long wait at the border northbound. The average wait time is 2 hours, but this varies from day to day and in holiday seasons. If you arrive at the border after midnight, it will increase your chances of crossing quickly.

BY AIR:

It is easy to fly commercial or private to Bahia Delfin, since the Guaymas airport is only a 15 minute drive from the condos. The General Jose Maria Yanez Int’l airport services are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

US Airways (America West) provides service to Guaymas with one flight arriving from Phoenix and one flight departing to Phoenix each day.

Flying your private plane into the Guaymas airport is a great option. There is a one-time fee for any aircraft entering Mexico, of about $45.00 dollars, unless you buy an annual permit for $75.00 dollars. You pay by the hour for parking, which can be paid at the time of departure. A landing fee based on weight can be expected to be $8.00 dollars for single-engine aircrafts, and $12.00 dollars for multi-engine aircrafts. There may be additional gas taxes if your wingspan is over 44 feet. Contact +52 (01)622 1-0044 for more information.

An immigration fee of $15.00 per person is standard and remains valid for 180 days.

From the airport it is easy to catch a taxi for a standard rate of $30.00 to Bahia Delfin, or rent a car at about $70.00 dollars a day.

BY SEA:

The trip to San Carlos is beautiful by sea no matter where you are coming from. Sail your own boat right into the Marina in San Carlos, or take a cruise to Guaymas. You can contact the Marina Real of San Carlos at marinareal@prodigy.net.mx or visit their Sonora Bay website. Holland America cruise line has just added Guaymas as one of their cruise destinations. Check out their website. You can also visit the Port of Guaymas’ website, which can inform you of all 10 cruises booked for the port so far.

[Home] [Accommodations] [Activities] [Location] [Terms] [Apply] [Contact] [Top of Page]