American Express La Gran Plaza, at Costera 1628 between Parque Papagayo and Diana Glorieta (Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-3pm; tel 7/469-1100). Will hold mail, but has awful exchange rates.

Banks and exchange Banamex (exchange Mon-Fri 9am-5pm), on Costera has the best rates and hours. Nearby there's a casa de cambio, but rates are poor. If you miss the bank, it's far better to head to the hotel zone along Costera, where several places offer good rates for US and Canadian dollars and much worse ones for European currencies: try Money Express (Mon-Fri 9am-9pm), opposite the Fiesta Americana hotel.

Buses The first-class Estrella de Oro terminal at the corner of CuauhtA©moc and Wilfrido Masseiu (city buses marked "Cine RA­o" from opposite the zA?calo) handles hourly buses to Mexico City (5hr) and three services daily to LA?zaro CA?rdenas (6hr). The much larger Central de Autobuses (aka Estrella Blanca; tel 7/469-2028; city buses marked "Ejido") handles the unified services of several companies; don't be surprised if you find yourself on a bus that doesn't match the company named on your ticket. The "Informes" booth in the middle of the line of ticket-sellers will point you in the right direction for your particular queue. Buses to Mexico City leave continually day and night in five classes: turistar plus and primera are the ones to go for, as the spacious seating and free drinks of the expensive executive-style buses fail to justify the extra expense. Second-class, avoiding the autopista, is very slow. You can also get to Chilpancingo and Taxco, while first- and second-class buses run to Zihuatanejo, half of them continuing on to LA?zaro CA?rdenas. Buses also leave hourly for Puerto Escondido until 6pm, after which there are three overnight services, which fill early.

Car rental A car is more of a liability than a help in Acapulco, though for heading along the coast or shooting up to Taxco it may be worthwhile. Try Alamo (tel 7/484-3305), Avis (tel 7/466-9190), Budget (tel 7/481-2433) or Hertz (tel 7/485-8947).

Consulates Canada, Centro Commercial Marbella, Diana Glorieta (tel 7/484-1305); UK, Las Brisas Hotel (tel 7/484-6605); USA, next to the Hotel Continental Plaza , Diana Glorieta (tel 7/484-0300).

Emergencies Cruz Roja tel 7/485-4100 or 485-4101; Emergency IMSS Hospital tel 7/486-3608 or 486-3620; tourist police tel 7/485-0490, or visit the 24hr emergency desk operated by the tourism office in the Centro Acapulco.

Flights Frequent flights leave Acapulco for Mexico City and numerous other Mexican and US destinations. For up-to-date details, contact any travel agent (see below) or the airlines. To get to the airport you can take an expensive taxi or contact the Shuttle service (tel 7/462-1095). They'll pick you up at your hotel at a pre-arranged time and take you to the airport for US$7.50. Cheaper still is to take a town bus to Puerto MarquA©z, then another from there to the airport.

Internet A  Ikernet , upstairs at Carranza 14 (8.30am-midnight; US$2 per hr). There are a few internet facilities along the Costera but they charge astronomical prices.

Laundry Automatica Azueta, Azueta 14, two blocks from the zA?calo. (Mon-Sat 9am-7pm; four kilos for US$4).

Pharmacy Plenty of 24hr places in the hotel zone along Costero; plus Botica de Acapulco, Carranza 3, just off the zA?calo.

Phones Long-distance and collect calls can be made from Caseta Alameda (Mon-Fri 9am-9pm, Sat & Sun 9am-2pm), on La Paz, next to CafA© Los Amigos .

Post office On Costera, two blocks east of the zA?calo (Mon-Sat 8am-6pm).

Travel agents About the nearest to the zA?calo is Las Hamacas (tel 7/482-0034), about 1km east. A number of other agents are interspersed between the hotels along Costera.