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Insider Travel Tips for Mexico: Beyond Cancun
Jamie Jefferson asked:
The last time I was in Mexico, so was everyone else, or so it seemed. But it is possible to travel to Mexico and enjoy a white sandy beach and some peace and quiet at the same time. All you need to know is where (and, in some cases, when) to go.
The last time I was in Mexico, so was everyone else, or so it seemed. But it is possible to travel to Mexico and enjoy a white sandy beach and some peace and quiet at the same time. All you need to know is where (and, in some cases, when) to go.
When to Go
November to April is widely regarded as the best time to visit. The summer months can get pretty hot. September and October is the peak of hurricane season, which actually stretches from November to June.
Keep in mind that the month of March tends to be very busy on the Mexico beaches with high school and college students on Spring Break. If it is a quiet vacation you want, you will also want to avoid the time around Christmas and Easter, as well as July and August.
Where to Go
There is a lot more to Mexico, and the Yucatan peninsula, than the city of Cancun.
Here are five favorite destinations that offer memorable Mexico vacations. Each of these spots can be reached by flying into Cancun. So if you would like to get a taste of the big city resort and then set out on the less traveled path, you will have the best of both worlds.
1. Isla Mujeres. Just 8 miles across the bay from Cancun, Isla Mujeres is a peaceful fishing village with restaurants, shops, and small, charming hotels. In fact, the whole island is cozy: The island itself is less than one mile wide and about five miles long. Downtown Isla Mujeres stretches only about six blocks. The signature turquoise waters and white sandy beaches make for great snorkeling and scuba diving. You can rent kayaks, snorkeling equipment and other gear right on the beach. Other activities to enjoy during your stay at Isla Mujeres include fishing, sailing, and swimming with the dolphins.
2. Riviera Maya stretches down the peninsula from Cancun to Tulum. Here, you will find white sandy beaches and water sports of all kinds, including scuba diving along the Great Maya coral reef, the second largest barrier reef system on the globe. Divers, and snorkelers may be rewarded with the sight of water life ranging from sea anemones, sponges and sea cucumbers to starfish and sea urchins, as well as underwater caverns. Sport fishing is a big business in Riviera Maya, as well. Other activities include golfing, spa going, and eco touring at the various ecological reserves in the region. Two highlights: the Xcaret EcoPark and the Sian Kaan bioshphere.
3. Playa del Carmen. About 40 minutes by car down the coast from Cancun, Playa del Carmen is growing into a bustling resort along Riviera Maya. If you like to shop, you will love Playa del Carmen. Boutiques in the town offer everything from cutting edge European fashions to crafts from local artisans.
During your stay, do not miss Quinto Avenida (Fifth Avenue). It is the heart of Playa. There are no cars, you can stroll the Avenue and be entertained by street performers, including artists and musicians. Playa del Carmen also features premiere dining, as the majority of the restaurants in the Riviera Maya are here, and quite a few of them are on Fifth Avenue itself. The bars and nightclubs are hopping on into the evening, so bring your dancing shoes.
4. XelHa. XelHa is an archeological site and eco park, located between Playa Del Carmen and Tulum. This destination offers adventures for all ages and mesmerizing ecological sights, as well as water sports, such as diving and snorkeling. You can swim with the dolphins here, as well. XelHa is particularly friendly for families and is bound to be an education in both Mayan history and ecology for the entire family.
5. Tulum. Drive a bit further south down the Mayan coast and you will find the small town of Tulum. Tulum is perhaps best known for its Mayan ruins, high on the limestone cliffs. These cliffs offer scenery you will not soon forget of the Caribbean alongside a picture perfect coastline. Tulum is the starting place for eco tourism and adventure travel, so make sure to look into nearby day trips and local attractions.
For an ideal and well rounded vacation, try a few days exploring the gradeur of Riviera Maya, then take some time to shop and play in the bustling Playa Del Carmen and another day or two visiting the Mayan ruins, and taking in the sites, of Tulum.
The word is out about these magnificent resorts, so you will not be able to avoid the crowds completely, but by striking out and having fun off the beaten path, you will find a good balance, and learn a lot about ecology and ancient Mayan culture.
Family Adventure Holidays in France
Marty Davis asked:
Whether you fancy white water rafting, horse riding, mountain biking or hiking, these are just some of the adventure holidays on offer in France, and with so many different activities on offer your holiday can range from the extreme sports to the more sedate, through to adult only adventures, what ever you decide this sort of holiday is never going to be boring, plus all the family can be involved together, which can also make for a great learning experience.
Whether you fancy white water rafting, horse riding, mountain biking or hiking, these are just some of the adventure holidays on offer in France, and with so many different activities on offer your holiday can range from the extreme sports to the more sedate, through to adult only adventures, what ever you decide this sort of holiday is never going to be boring, plus all the family can be involved together, which can also make for a great learning experience.
Complete package holidays are a good way of getting the holiday you want without the hassle and these can be catered specifically for your needs, yet you can also choose to book specific activities for a day here and there whilst on your holiday. And when booking your adventure holiday, you would normally be in a reasonably small, informal group of around three to five families, or a social group of around 15 to 30, which would be headed by a trained tour leader and representative. You will also find that this can be a great way to meet other like minded families and individuals, whilst enjoying yourselves and, of course, testing yourselves to the limits along the way.
There are some people that would think of white water rafting or sky diving as extreme adventure sport, whilst others would think of cycling to one place, then going on horse back to another as a great adventure. But the truth is, there is an adventure holiday available to suit all tastes and some are more strenuous than others, so please do always check the itinerary thoroughly and make sure it is going to be suitable everyone.
You can also choose from activities such as canoeing and rafting in the Ardeche, canyoning, tubing and mountaineering in the Alps, horse riding in Brittany, paragliding and climbing in the Pyrenees, or why not go to Chamonix which is a real mountain town, full of history and is popular for skiing holidays, but also provides amazing summer mountaineering and with the diverse terrain it is mostly suited to the experienced for some of the worlds best winter riding.
Why not visit the Gorge d’Ardeche is also known as the Grand Canyon of Europe and as the river winds its way past steep canyon walls and towering cliffs, this creates the ideal location for canoeing, climbing and walking both for the experienced and the novice alike.
The Alps Maritime is like discovering the true France and even though the Roya Valley is only around one hours drive from the Riviera, it is still very unspoilt, and the valley itself is renowned for its many canyons and with the fast flowing river and mountain scenery, this could be the perfect location for an exhilarating family adventure holiday with lots of different activities to choose from, so you could never become bored, just possibly exhausted!
Also, France has lots of lakes and miles of coastal water suitable for water skiing and other water sports, although the areas in the South of France are far warmer, which gives it an added advantage.
Also this country has some of the finest terrain for mountain biking, which is probably why France has been able to produce some the best mountain bikers in the World, but there are also lots of other adventures that might take your fancy, which could include pony trekking, kayaking, scuba diving, wind surfing, hiking, rope courses, caving, abseiling, thrilling jumps into pools, quad biking and much, much more.
Just make sure that whatever type of adventure holiday you are looking for, you think of everyone that is in your party, as some activities are not available for children under certain ages, so you do need to consider what will be appropriate, after all if you like cycling but have a heart condition, then mountain biking is not going to be beneficial!
There are some trips that will cater for the experienced, such as rafting down rapids or ice climbing for the experienced rock climber, whereas a novice or for instance someone that has never even been in a canoe or on a horse before, would need to look at having some tuition incorporated within their holiday before they could attempt some of the activities on offer.
Also, do confirm the equipment, if any, that you will need to take with you along with any specific clothing requirements, such as hiking boots or your own life jacket, just as we had to get a life jacket for our daughter due to her age, as there were not any available in very small sizes and the last thing you want is to get to your destination and realise you cannot participate in the activities you were so looking forward to.
So for anyone who is interested in outdoor adventure travel then this type of holiday can really show you the real France by taking you off the normal beaten track and into the heart of this remarkable country.
Cruise Ships - The Perfect Spring Break Cruise Vacation
Alex Stewart asked:
As a college student who pinches pennies and studies hard all year, you have earned a break - especially after the long, dark and harsh winter that was piled high with exams, mid-term papers and snow. So, why not take a cruise this year?
As a college student who pinches pennies and studies hard all year, you have earned a break - especially after the long, dark and harsh winter that was piled high with exams, mid-term papers and snow. So, why not take a cruise this year?
Typically, most students choose standard “Spring break hot spots” to visit, like Daytona Beach, Cancun in Mexico, South Beach or even Panama City. Granted, all these cities have buzzing night lives, sunny weather and expanses of beach. But, they’re also overcrowded and overdone. Spring break cruising is a great way to enjoy an all-inclusive holiday, hit multiple beaches on one trip, see more of the world and always be just “steps” from your hotel.
Most students might think of a cruise as something only for the elderly, the newlywed or families full of kids. But, as the market of young cruise travelers grows, cruise ship companies are responding with cruise vacations that are tailored specifically toward young adults and students who are looking to have fun and enjoy themselves during a break from schoolwork.
That said, to find the right cruise ship vacation - particularly one geared toward the “Spring break” market, you will need to do some research. Don’t worry, this research will be a lot more fun than the eighteen hours you spent in the library for your psychology thesis! The cruise line market has exploded during the past couple of decades, so the options are plentiful and the availability of their information is easily obtained on the Internet.
Start by looking at individual cruise lines and the homepage of their web sites. Are they geared toward seniors? Do they mostly advertise family vacations? Typically, a cruise line like Disney is going to offer exclusively family-oriented cruises. Meanwhile, other cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises and Oceania tend to offer youth-driven or adults-only cruises.
You will also want to review what some cruise lines consider to be the “adult age.” Some lines require that all passengers under 21 be accompanied by an adult over the age of 25, while other cruise lines require one adult for ever five minors, and others consider everyone over the age of 18 to be an adult. For example, Carnival Cruises typically requires every unmarried guest under the age of 25 to be sharing a room with an adult over the age of 25.
You also need to check the cruise ships’ alcohol policies. Some cruises allow a drinking age-of-majority of 18, while others are stricter and enforce a 21 and up policy only. The drinking age can also depend on the departing port, what port you’re docked in and the flag that your boat is flying. Be sure to verify all this before you book your trip, especially if you’re under 21.
Overall, some of the best youth-drive cruises are those tailored toward adventure travelers. A boat that offers lots of shore excursions that are active - like scuba diving, rock climbing, parachuting and other extreme sports - is more likely to attract an adventurous, fun-loving and young crowd.
