When
you’re talking holidays, Mexico comes in all flavours! Choose
Cancun
and Acapulco for beach living that’s contemporary
and cosmopolitan. Or opt for the Mexico of luxury, award-winning beach
hideaways or boutique-style romantic retreat – stylish, sophisticated and up
there with the best. Or you can dip into the Mayan mysteries of the Yucatan jungle . .
.
WHAT
TO SEE
Riviera
Maya
This
80-mile stretch of glorious Caribbean coastline runs southwards along the
Yucatan
Peninsula from Cancún. The
latter’s hotspots offer resort activities galore when the mood takes you – but
don’t overlook Playa del Carmen (‘Playa’) itself, a smaller but fast-growing
‘fun’ place with a dazzling beach, shops, restaurants and watersports. Nearby is
the elegant resort of Playacar, which also has some small Maya archaeological
sites. Don’t miss the famous ruins of Tulum - whose sandswept beaches and
turquoise seas may also detain you. From Playa del Carmen you can take the ferry
to Cozumel Island – while trips inland to the sacred Mayan city
of Chichen-Itza
are another possibility.
Cancún
Mexico’s
top international resort, vibrant Cancún boasts state-of-the-art hotels and the
coolest clubs, bars and malls, all just yards from the most beautiful beaches.
The Hotel Zone is where it all comes together, with Kukulcan Boulevard
the main and only thoroughfare. On the island’s west side is Laguna Nichupte, a
vast lagoon with marinas, waterfront restaurants, a couple of golf courses, a
few islands and inlets and glorious sunsets. At its heart is the ‘Party Zone’,
featuring the best nightclubs, bars, restaurants and shopping malls. ‘Downtown’
Cancún Centro offers a less glitzy (and less expensive!) alternative to the
Hotel Zone. El Rey archaeological site is worth a visit to see Cancún’s own and
surprisingly well-preserved Mayan ruins.
Los
Cabos
San
José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas to its south bracket the 20-mile Cabo Corridor
coast on the Baja
California peninsula, which hosts exclusive hotels and
superb beaches and golf courses. While historic San José del Cabo still
looks like the 18th century mission town it once was, Cabo San Lucas (where the
Pacific meets the Sea of Cortés at the great stone arch of El Arco) is a lively resort with shops,
restaurants, marina and nightclubs. See the San Jose del Cabo estuary, habitat
of many tropical bird species, and Cabo Pulmo with its coral reefs (unique in
this latitude). Interesting, too, are Los Frailes
Beach, the Sierra de la Laguna
Biosphere Reserve, Miraflores with its leather arts, the church of the Mission
of San Jose del Cabo, the Municipal Palace and the 1890 lighthouse Cerro del
Vigia.
Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo
is a quiet beach community close to its more modern and livelier neighbour,
Ixtapa. Main attraction is the picturesque bay, along which stretches lovely La
Ropa beach. Explore this wonderful setting and perhaps visit the local
archeological museum. Then that’s tranquil Zihuatanejo’s sights just about
done!
Acapulco
Take
the drive along Acapulco's 7-mile long coast highway, the
Costera Miguel Alemán, a palm-lined strip lined with countless hotels,
restaurants, bars, shops and night spots. For a glimpse into local history check
out the Guerrero Cultural Centre, housing an archaeological museum and art
gallery. Make a morning visit to the Municipal Market to meet the sights, sounds
and smells of everyday Mexico. From
the tree-lined main square, El Zócalo, opposite the busy fishing harbour, narrow
streets point you uphill to ancient San Diego Fort, built by the Spaniards and
now home to the Acapulco Historical Museum. Further afield are the Quebrada
cliffs where those famous dare-devil cliff divers perform by day and night.
WHAT
TO DO
Riviera
Maya
Watersports
are available at most beach resort hotels. In Playa del Carmen you’ll find
kayaking, snorkelling, scuba-diving, sailing, fishing, parasailing and
sky-diving. There’s also great shopping and restaurants along Playa del Carmen's
‘Quinta Avenida’ (5th
Avenue) pedestrian promenade – the place to see and
be seen. To watersports Playacar adds 18-hole golf, shopping at Paseo del Carmen and Plaza
Playacar and much more.
Cancún
Cancún’s
glittering beaches and top-notch watersports -
including scuba-diving, jet-skiing and parasailing, with waterskiing, sailboats
and more on the calm Nichupte Lagoon – dominate day-time lifestyles here. Boat
cruises operate to the beaches of Isla Mujeres for pirate or Caribbean shows. Cancún’s Interactive Aquarium is a ‘must
see’ – touch sea urchins, stingrays, sea turtles and conchs, and then swim with
dolphins. Take in a show by the Folkloric Ballet’s famous dance ensemble
performing colourful regional dances and music. Cancún is a duty-free zone so
its shops yield attractive prices for such items as perfume, spirits and fine
jewellery. After dark the resort overflows with nightlife, with the best
nightclubs in the Hotel Zone. Special effects and laser and other
state-of-the-art light shows provide a frame for non-stop music from rock and
reggae to salsa and techno.
Los
Cabos
The
beaches offer swimming, kayaking, snorkelling, sailing and surfing.
Sport-fishing is very popular and the area draws scuba-divers for its sand
falls, black coral and other rich marine fauna. In winter there are
whale-watching trips to see the pods of Pacific grey whales that come to give
birth in the nearby lagoons (to get really close take a flight to Magdalena Bay
for viewings by skiff).
Exploring the deserts and mountains off-road in a jeep is another top Cabo
pastime, as is horse riding, while golfers might never want to leave the superb
championship courses here. See
At a Glance section for more
information on scuba-diving and golf.
Shopping demands your time, too - brightly painted pottery, punched-tin mirrors,
hammocks and woven bags are on sale everywhere, though the real find is
bargain-priced silverware.
Cabo
San Lucas guarantees night owls a feast of bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
Often the latter won't get going until around midnight, and don't stop until the
sun rises.
Zihuatanejo
Main
attraction of Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa is the beautiful white-sand beaches - from
Zihuatanejo's Playa La Ropa to Ixtapa's Playa Palmar. You can go further afield
to explore Zihuatanejo's unspoilt coastline with its mango and coconut
plantation and local fishing villages. Shopping and dining (Mexican, seafood and
international) options are plentiful in both Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa – and
there’s golf to be enjoyed at Ixtapa’s two world-class courses. Watersports
range from snorkelling to parasailing, waterskiing and jet-skiing to
scuba-diving and sport-fishing. For nightlife head for lively Ixtapa – and be
prepared to see the dawn!
Acapulco
Watersports
of just about every kind can be found in Acapulco and much of your time will be spent
by, on or in the Pacific. For wider horizons take a boat trip on the beautiful
Coyuca Lagoon (setting of the film The
African Queen), dense with palms, water hyacinths and exotic flora. Or try
the Shotover Jet for a fun-filled ride at up to 40 mph on the Puerto Marques
lagoon. Golfers can tee up at five golf courses in the area, all with manicured
fairways set amid palm trees. Acapulco is great by day, but it really sizzles
at night – and the Costera Miguel Alemán is home to action 24/7. This area of
town is a people-watching paradise and a shopping Mecca for everything from souvenirs to fine
gallery art and fashionable clothing.