Beginner's Guide to Mexico

Cancun

2006-05-04T21:09:16Z

If dancing the night away to salsa, mariachi, reggae, or hip-hop is your kind of vacation, then Cancun is where you will want to go. Cancun is a coastal city located in Mexico’s easternmost state of Quintana Roo.

This South of the Border city was just a small fishing village as recently as 1970 but has now become a city with a population of half a million people. Cancun receives approximately two million visitors each year. This is in part because of the tranquil turquoise waters off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula but there are many activities to be enjoyed in Cancun also.

There are two separate areas of Cancun: the commercial area downtown which includes the shopping and residential center and the zona hotelera (Cancun Island) which is where all of the tourist amenities are located.

In addition to tanning on the white sandy beaches of Cancun, there is parachuting, jet-skiing, scuba-diving, snorkeling, kayaking, shopping, nightclubs, golf, and even watching bullfighting.

There are day cruises to Isla Mujeres which generally include snorkeling and visiting the center of town with lunch provided. The Blue Waters Adventures tour company has daily cruises through Laguna Nichupte and to Isla on glass-bottomed boats. There are several companies offering day cruises from which you can choose.

If you enjoy sports, you will want to dine at Iguana Wana, a restaurant and bar that serves International cuisine while showing sporting events from around the world on big screen televisions in every corner of the restaurant.

Driving in Cancun is not recommended for tourist but it is the best way to explore the surrounding areas of the peninsula. Riding a moped is also extremely dangerous in Cancun.

Cozumel

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If scuba diving or relaxing in a hammock is your idea of a great vacation, then Cozumel may by the place for you. Cozumel is a tear-drop shaped island off of the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Cozumel, the largest island in Mexico, is known for its white sandy beaches and the clarity of the multi-hued blue Caribbean ocean.

In 1961 Jacques Cousteau declared Cozumel to be one of the most beautiful scuba diving areas of the world. The underwater wildlife in Cozumel is amazing and you do not have to be a diver to be able to enjoy it. Because of the clarity of the water you can see a lot of the wildlife by snorkeling. Cozumel is also known for its underground rivers that provide some of the best cave diving in the world.

Many cruise ships flock to the subtropical climate of Cozumel. The only town in Cozumel is San Miguel where you will find a good choice of hotels, restaurants, and nightlife all combined with the charming remnants of colonial Mexico. Be sure to join the locals at the Plaza Central in San Miguel on Sunday nights for music and dancing.

There is a five day Mardi gras celebration every year in Cozumel that begins the weekend before Lent. You will enjoy the parades, floats, and dancing in the streets that takes place at the festival.

Cozumel is believed to have been the home of Mayan goddess Ixchel. There are several archaeological sites where you can explore the ruins, among them is San Gervasio which is the biggest complex on the island of Cozumel. There are taxis waiting downtown that will take you to the ruins and wait to bring you back for about 470 pesos.

At Chankanaab National Marine Park you can visit the Dolphin Discovery Cozumel where you can see a sea lion show, visit a botanical garden, see an underground river, and much more.

Playa Del Carmen

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Located on the Mexican Caribbean coast, Playa Del Carmen is 40 miles south of Cancun. If you want to spend time visiting Cancun but stay away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded city, Playa Del Carmen is the place to stay. Ferries and buses run from downtown Playa Del Carmen to Cancun all through out the day. It is an hour drive to Cancun by car or bus.

There are miles of white sandy beaches for you to relax on while gazing out at the crystal clear Caribbean waters. Check out the “new” 5th which is a paved continuation of the “old” 5th Avenue. This area is where you will find hotels, bed and breakfasts, inns, restaurants, and shopping. This is also where you will find Cuban cigar and rum stores. This area is commonly referred to as, “Playa del Carmen’s Pedestrian Walkway.” At night people dress up and head to the clubs on 5th Avenue.

There are tours to the original jungle area where you can drive four wheel ATVs through the jungle, climb a Mayan temple, and explore a cave. There are also tours available to explore the Mayan ruins and culture.

Collectivos are full-size vans that drive up and down the highway that runs between Playa Del Carmen and Tulum and Playa Del Carmen and Cancun. The vans have air-conditioning and are generally in very good shape. The cost is 15 pesos or $1.50 in U.S. dollars. In order to catch the collective back to Playa Del Carmen, stand on the side of the highway and wait for a van to approach. The driver will normally flash his lights and if you wave he will stop.

Puerto Vallarta

2006-05-04T21:11:35Z

Puerto Vallarta is the second most popular destination in all of Mexico. It is a more sophisticated area than Cancun but without the hustle and bustle of Acapulco. Puerto Vallarta is bordered by the Sierra Madre Mountains and sandy beaches.

You will be entranced by the cobblestone streets and churches in the center of Old Town where every effort has been made to keep the character of the area intact. You won’t find glass buildings or neon signs and all houses are required to be painted white. Occasionally you may even see a pack mule going down the streets.

In Old Town there is an outdoor market where you can haggle over the prices of the inexpensive jewelry, pottery, and weavings. You will also find several shopping malls in Puerto Vallarta.

Puerto Vallarta became famous when the movie “The Night of the Iguana” was filmed there. Since then about two million people visit Puerto Vallarta each year.

Puerto Vallarta offers biking, hiking, whale watching, horseback riding, golfing, and four wheeling to visitors. With more than a thousand places to dine, Puerto Vallarta restaurants feature everything from casual family dining to award winning venues.

There is a large assortment of lodging accommodations in Puerto Vallarta including bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, inns, four and five star hotels, and luxurious villas.

There are small boats called pangas that will ferry you back and forth to the beautiful beaches and jungle towns that are located south of Puerto Vallarta.

Cabo San Lucas

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Cabo San Lucas is located at the southernmost tip of Baja, Mexico. Once a base for pirate ships, Cabo San Lucas is now known as the Marlin Capital of the World. It is not unusual to catch marlin weighing over 1000 pounds in Cabo San Lucas and there are more striped marlin caught there year round than any other place in the world. Cabo San Lucas is one of the best sport fishing destinations in the world where you can also fish for mahi-mahi, yellow fin tuna, and Wahoo to name a few. Cabo San Lucas has a hundred-boat sport fishing fleet and is home to some of the richest fishing jackpots worldwide.

Visitors in Cabo San Lucas also enjoy the snorkeling, whale watching, viewing the unbelievable rock formations where the barking sea lions and seals live, relaxing on the beautiful beaches, and scuba diving in the Sea of Cortes.

Cabo San Lucas is also among the world’s fastest growing golf destinations. There are five championship golf courses including the Jack Nicklaus golf course located at the Palmilla Golf Club which is part of the 900 acre Palmilla Resort. Visitors to the area could not ask for better scuba diving than in the beautiful Sea of Cortes.

Cabo San Lucas has all types of accommodations from which you can choose. There is everything from luxury resorts to bed and breakfasts. Most of the restaurants are casual and many offer outdoor seating. You will find every type of food from your typical American fast food to some of the best gourmet restaurants.

You will want to pick up some souvenirs at one of the main souvenir shops where you can haggle over the prices with the vendors. If you are looking for a little higher end shopping, head to San Jose del Cabo for better Mexican crafts.