About Ensenada

The meeting will be held in the Ensenada campus of the UNAM's Instituto de Astronomía (maximum 100 people in person). This division of the Instituto is responsible for the operation of the Observatorio Astronómico Nacional en San Pedro Mártir.

Spanish is the official language in Mexico, but since Ensenada is a touristic city, and close to the border, people will most likely speak English. Remember that the local currency is the Mexican Peso (MXN), which has a conversion rate of approximately 20 MXN for 1 USD. Dollars are accepted in most places as well, but Euros are mostly inconvenient, remember to plan ahead!

Note that, for electronic devices, the Mexican electrical outlets are the same as in the USA. Buses and taxis in Ensenada are an easy way to get around the city. We recommend to have cash at hand, since most taxis don't take other forms of payment. The auditorium has advanced audiovisual equipment and teleconference facilities. Several meeting rooms, a terrace overlooking the ocean and other gathering places are also available for informal discussions.

Hotels

The conference will take place within UNAM's Instituto de Astronomía. Several hotels are located nearby and are available to participants. We recommend the Hotel Coral y Marina. This hotel is located across the highway from the meeting venue.

Other hotels include Hotel Punta Morro, Posada Rey del Sol, and Hotel Lucerna, and Hotel Cortez-Baja Inn.

Getting there

The easiest way to get to Ensenada is to fly to Tijuana or to San Diego, and to take land transport from there (also recommended for the amazing view on the scenic road from Tijuana/San Diego, that goes along the coastline). This can be achieved by car, bus or taxi from either city. Take note that you are required to go through the border security (immigration and customs) if arriving from the US.

Note that there are 3 very convenient hotels located in the Mexico City airport in case it is necessary to spend the night in Mexico City before taking the connecting flight to Tijuana. They are NH Collection, Camino Real, and Hilton.

Coral Marina Shuttle service from San Diego airport to Ensenada 60 USD (van 4-10 pax).