Travelers Advantage....

MEXICO IS MUY MAGNIFICO

There are many great Mexico destinations, including Cancun, the Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Acapulco, Los Cabos, Cabo San Lucas, and more. Lots of special events (please see ‘Calendar of Events’) provide even more reasons (and perfect times) to plan a trip!

It’s hard to beat Cancun, which remains Mexico’s most popular tourist destination for good reason. With a varied choice of more than 25,000 hotel rooms, beautiful beaches, lots of dining and shopping, and one of the country’s hottest nightlife scenes, Cancun can provide an ideal Mexico vacation to many visitors.

Just south of Cancun is the Riviera Maya, a scenic 300-mile shoreline of quiet beaches, archaeological sites, and small resorts and villages. Riviera Maya highlights can include: Tulum, featuring seaside Mayan ruins; nearby eco-archaeological theme parks; popular ‘cenotes’ (underwater cave systems for scuba divers and snorkelers); and a part of the second largest barrier reef in the world that draws smart divers and snorkelers. In addition, Playa del Carmen is one of the country’s fastest-growing tourist destinations.

Just a short ferry ride or flight away from the Mexican mainland--as well as frequent direct flights from the U.S.-- Cozumel continues to draw visitors with world-renowned diving and snorkeling, varied beaches and resorts, surprising history, and more. Long a diving hotspot, the island is growing in popularity with all types of Mexico visitors.

To the west, Puerto Vallarta is a Pacific seaside resort city that’s convenient to the U.S., varied, and very fun. In many ways, the Puerto Vallarta area provides a microcosm of all that’s great about Mexico. A long list of visitor highlights might include: great beaches and watersports; golf; exploring the highlands of the Sierra Madre; learning folkloric dance and art; sampling local cooking; taking a day trip to archaeological digs; visiting a turtle preservation camp.

North of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan draws many Mexican visitors with great golf, beautiful beaches, and a number of excellent resorts. To the south of Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco remains a Mexican favorite, thanks to its long history as a tourist destination and a host of modern resorts.

Finally, located at the end of the world’s longest peninsula (Baja California), Los Cabos is a fast-growing destination with a history and diversity as rich as all of Mexico. Whether romantics or outdoors enthusiasts, Los Cabos visitors will enjoy the selection of hotels (budget to luxury) and the wealth of activities (sunbathing to marlin fishing) found in this picturesque destination surrounded by the sands of both desert and sea. To the north, Cabo San Lucas has similar possibilities for visitors and the additional draw of a great jazz festival (see below)!

All of these Mexico highlights and more can be reviewed by visiting www.visitmexico.com, calling the Mexico Tourist Board at 800-44-MEXICO, or calling your Travelers Advantage travel specialist.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Mexico is a country renowned for its colorful festivities and celebrations of its rich history. Throughout the country, the combination of rich pre-Columbian history, stirring religious pageantry, and an endless array of unique local cultures blend together to provide visitors with a variety of reasons to plan a trip.

July 19-Aug 3 - Feria Nacional de Sarape (National Serape Fair) - Santa Ana Chiautempana, Tlaxcala:
The renowned rectangular “sarape” shawls, one of Mexico’s traditional textile handicrafts, are spotlighted at this annual fair.

July 22-25 - Cabo Jazz Fest - Cabo San Lucas: This second annual event will feature some of the world’s top named in jazz on Sunset Beach, one of the most pristine beaches in Cabo.

August 1-10 - Fiestas de la Vendimia (Wine Harvest Festival) - Ensenada, Baja California: A food and wine festival where local dishes marry the fine Baja California vintages of local wineries.

August 2-16 - International Chamber Music Festival - San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato: Every year, this colonial town marks the end of summer with a large classical music festival. This year marks the 26th annual event.

September 15-16 - Mexican Independence Day - nationwide: Virtually the entire country is closed for two days as Mexico celebrates its declaration of independence from Spain in 1810.

September 19-21 - Fall Equinox at Kulkulcan - Chichen Itza, Yucatan: The pyramid of Kulkulcan, also known as El Castillo, is the site of a mystical annual experience courtesy of Mexico’s ancient Mayan ancestors. From about noon to 5pm on the day of the of the equinox, the sun darkens virtually the entire giant pyramid--all that remains is a bright and glowing ‘zigzag’ strip. Thousands of people flock to see this and enjoy festivities.