Travel Tips

The name of Cancun, Mexico has become synonymous with Spring Break and over indulgent partying and drinking. But the successful growth of the area and proliferation of family hotels and resorts has created a vacation destination that isn’t just a niche industry anymore. Vacationers of all tastes can find many fun and exciting activities to do in this tropical paradise.

Cancun is located on the western coast of Mexico and more specifically on the Yucatan peninsula. There are fourteen miles of white sand beaches that make up the beachfront of Cancun on the waters of the Caribbean Sea. As you would expect from any beach resort, all the usual activities from swimming to windsurfing to parasailing can be experienced there. If you are not the adventuresome type, you are perfectly welcome to just stretch out on a cabana chair and soak up the sun while you watch everyone else exert all sorts of energy.

For those of you who want to spend all of your time off of the beach and out on the water, you can charter any type of boat from small motorized crafts, power boats to large fishing yachts that will take you sport fishing, snorkeling, or scuba diving. The marine life near Cancun is quite diverse among the coral reefs that are just offshore and they can offer countless adventures viewing vividly colored fish and the corals themselves. Snorkeling and scuba diving are two of the most popular water sports to indulge in while you are in Cancun. The sparkling Caribbean waters offer some of the most beautiful underwater views. The network of lagoons in the area also offers a biodiversity of creatures, some of which you may have never heard of before.

Not far away are a plethora of archeological sites of Mayan culture that have become famous the world over. Places like Chichen Itza and Tulum provide the echoes of this ancient civilization that thrived hundreds of years before the Conquistadors arrived in the New World. While experiencing the crazy, party all night atmosphere of Cancun’s clubs it may be hard to believe that these sights exist so close. But, there are many diverse tours that can escort you to visit these wonders and treat you to an experience that will certainly leave you impressed with the innovations developed by the Mayan people.

If you crave a challenge, you might like to take on one of the nine challenging golf courses in the Cancun area. All of them have famous pedigrees by being designed by some of the world’s most famous names in course design, such as Nicklaus, Jones, Norman, and Dye. Especially thrilling are some of the courses built around some of the Mayan ruins, but whichever one you choose to tee off on, all of them have the most modern conveniences and features that one would expect from any private club in the United States.

Whether you are looking for a party, craving fun in the sun, or just looking for adventure, chances are you can find it in Cancun, Mexico. And it isn’t mandatory that you have to experience it only during Spring Break.

What To Do On Your Vacation To Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Have you ever heard someone say, “Once, when I was in Cabo….”? Cabo San Lucas, Mexico seems to get pared down to just “Cabo” by the people who love to vacation there. It is an affectionate nickname for a little piece of a desert town at the end of the Baja California peninsula that lives up to it’s own hype by being full of fun in the surf and sun.

When you begin to think about what activities you might expect to find on your vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, you will invariably start with the beach and ocean. Scuba diving with manta rays has become an unusual activity that could be a once in a lifetime type of encounter. Whale watching excursions are also popular and can provide a lifetime of memories to take home. And snorkeling expeditions can be exhilarating to undertake.

But what brings most visitors to Cabo San Lucas is the sport fishing industry. Marlin, Dorado, Tuna, and many other species of fish are caught year round in the waters surrounding Cabo. Fishing boats are available for charter and can cater to any whim you may have. You can tussle with these monster fish all day and be pampered with a catered meal once you’re done hauling them in.

Combining the desert, ocean, and mountains makes the Baja peninsula a beautiful and intriguing destination and provides the backdrop for many quaint villages and towns in the area that can be explored by taking day trips. Taking a drive or joining a tour to visit towns like La Paz and Todos Santos can give you a glimpse of village life in Mexico that still exists in this technological age. Exploring old church squares and local shopping areas can be a lot of fun.

Cabo San Lucas is quickly becoming the golf capital of Mexico. It has six championship courses that are very close to each other and they all share the beauty of the area. They all have ocean views and three of them have holes right on the ocean. And while you can take advantage of these great courses now you can also look forward to more courses that are now in the planning stage. So stay tuned!

If you fall so in love with Cabo San Lucas that you want to come back every year, you might want to look into getting a timeshare. Vacation ownership is a way that travelers can purchase time at a resort that they will, in essence, own however many weeks a year are purchased. This has many advantages, such as guaranteeing your same accommodations every year, allowing you to “give” your week to friends or family if you won’t be using it, or trading your week to be used at another resort(although this usually requires you to be a member of a timeshare trading cooperative).

Cabo San Lucas has earned the reputation as a “party town” especially with the unofficial endorsement of famous rock and roller Sammy Hagar, who has adopted the town and opened up his own nightclub and restaurant there. But never fear if you don’t like the all night party scene because there is plenty to do for everyone in this great vacation destination.

While it might not be as well known as Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, this southern coastal city called Mazatlan has become a popular vacation destination for those looking for a more laid back and sedate experience. It has been nicknamed the “Pearl of the Pacific” but not because there are pearls to be found off its shores. It is because as a gracious compliment to this friendly resort city, Mazatlan could thrive without any tourism at all due to its abundance of commercial fishing and the famous Pacifico Brewery. This gives the area the benefits of being an industrious town while at the same time keeping recreation activities in a more relaxed mode.

Because the city does not rely on tourism as its main source of income, it doesn’t seem as hectic with multitudes vying for every dollar as it does in some Mexican resort towns. The feeling in Mazatlan is as if time has stood still. The resorts’ staffs are very friendly, as is everyone in town, which makes Mazatlan feel like your hometown. Because of this, Mazatlan is a great place to come with your whole family. There is plenty for everyone to do.

Mazatlan has over 15 miles of beaches where you will find all sorts of water sports and activities, great waterfront restaurants, and most of the area’s resorts. You will find the waters teeming with windsurfers, Hobie Cats, wave runners, and parasailing. If those types of heart stopping sports activities aren’t your style maybe you would just like to take a dip and then soak up the sun while “people watching”. Either way, the sun and sand provides a beautiful getaway from your normal weekly grind.

Sport fishing has been a landmark in Mazatlan long before many of the other notable Mexican resort destinations were even thought of. The charter companies in Mazatlan have their fleets spread out, some at the harbor by the lighthouse and some in the marina. All of them can provide services that will enable you to go out for an amazing adventure and catch the “big one”. Later, you can have your Marlin, Tuna, or Grouper prepared for your dinner!

Shopping is a great attraction in Mazatlan. There are many fine shops and even a couple of modern shopping malls spread throughout the area of the more “touristy” part of the city called Zona Dorado, which when translated means “The Golden Zone”. With a name like that, who wouldn’t want to shop there? On the other end of the spectrum, you can never go wrong by visiting the Mercado located in the middle of Old Mazatlan. This is true shopping in the old Mexican tradition with everything from leather goods and jewelry to hanging meats.

One of the most enjoyable parts of any vacation is dining at traditional, local restaurants and Mazatlan has its fair share. A big benefit of being an ocean side city is that the eateries serve the freshest seafood. Being as large as it is, Mazatlan has a large and diverse collection of dining establishments to choose from.

If you would like to visit Mexico, but want your vacation to be a little more low-key and relaxed, maybe Mazatlan would be the perfect fit for you. It is an interesting city that seems to have a bright future.