Mérida Tourist Office: Calle 60, two blocks north of the Plaza Mayor. Phone (99) 24-92-90 or 24-93-89

Gran Hotel: Calle 60 between Calles 59 and 61. Phone (99) 24-77-30

Hotel Trinidad: Calle 62 between Calles 55 and 57. Phone (99) 23-20-33

Los Almendros restaurant: Calle 50A between Calles 57 and 59. Phone (99) 21-28-51

Car rental: Most major chains, including Avis, Budget, Hertz and National, are represented in Mérida. You often get a better price when you book in advance from home. Check with your credit card company to see if it offers free rental car insurance, so you can opt out of the pricey loss-damage waiver. (American Express covers overseas rentals; Visa and MasterCard may, depending on the issuing bank).

A word of advice on driving: Do as the Yucatecans do, and avoid the expensive toll highway (cuota) that begins at Kantunil, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of Mérida. The old surface road (libre) is perfectly adequate, and you'll save $10 or more on the trip to Chichén Itzá. Huge signs will try to direct you to the high-priced white elephant -- they're designed to trap tourists, who will find the freeway otherwise empty. Just follow the local traffic and drive right under the overpass.

Flights: Delta offers direct flights to Mérida from Miami (code-share with Aeroméxico); Continental flies direct from Houston. Most other flights connect through Cancún or Mexico City.

Health: The worst menace you'll probably face is traveler's diarrhea; be prepared with over-the-counter remedies like Pepto-Bismol and Imodium. Don't drink tap water (most restaurants and hotels provide "agua purificada"), and avoid uncooked fruits and vegetables that you don't peel yourself. You may also wish to take a malaria preventative such as chloroquine, though most parts of Yucatán are not considered high-risk for the disease. Mosquito repellent is a good idea in any case.