Mexico

Good evening SaintsWeb Forum travel gurus (mods: I still think a travel sub-forum would work well....)

Lady Trousers and I are contemplating a fortnight in Mexico this year - probably September/October time - and without any offspring for the first time in 18 years (hoorah!)

So, the usual plea for recommendations and tips from anyone who has been.

We're very much on square one planning wise but are thinking along the lines of a beach based hotel for one of the weeks and doing some kind of tour of the ancient sites the other week.

Much obliged!

Cozumel would be great for the beach based week.

if you get taxi and pay him with a note, then he goes Oi! and calls you back and says this note you gave me is fake, and when you look at it, it looks like a child has drawn it, do not give him another note, because it's a Scam, which will only occur to you like 10 minutes later

if you get taxi and pay him with a note, then he goes Oi! and calls you back and says this note you gave me is fake, and when you look at it, it looks like a child has drawn it, do not give him another note, because it's a Scam, which will only occur to you like 10 minutes later

I didnt know you had a taxi

yo i went there many years ago in September and was actually surprised by how clean the sea was in cancun, the beach was really nice and some real nice restaurants etc, also went to playa del carmen which was a more chilled out version of cancun but not far away.

When i went to chichen itza i decided to drive myself and to check when all the tour buses left, that way i made sure i got there about 30mins before the masses turned up, took some nice photos and appreciated it, it was hot as hell tho being in the jungle with no breeze, you could climb up the main temple when i was there but i heard they've stopped that now.

Also Mexico has flag inferiority complex which is not surprising since the us is next door, the biggest flag i have ever seen was in cancun.

Isla Mujeres just off cancun was ok but nothing too great, loads of septic's as well obviously.

Lived there for 2 years (hence username). Cancun/Cozumel bit too sanitised and generic resort for my taste.

If I were you I would fly to Mexico City then bus/plane onto Huatulco (Oaxaca) do beach for week/10 days. Pacific coast in Mexico is beautiful, rugged, loads of empty beaches. Then hit up Chiapas/Palenque for some ruins then head back to Mexico City via Veracruz/Puebla (and volcanoes). Could do that in 2 weeks but 3 would be better.

Depends how adventurous you are - you could get a cracking trip done in 2/3 weeks. Can understand the temptation of a lazy holiday in the Yucatan though.

Lived there for 2 years (hence username). Cancun/Cozumel bit too sanitised and generic resort for my taste.

 

If I were you I would fly to Mexico City then bus/plane onto Huatulco (Oaxaca) do beach for week/10 days. Pacific coast in Mexico is beautiful, rugged, loads of empty beaches. Then hit up Chiapas/Palenque for some ruins then head back to Mexico City via Veracruz/Puebla (and volcanoes). Could do that in 2 weeks but 3 would be better.

 

Depends how adventurous you are - you could get a cracking trip done in 2/3 weeks. Can understand the temptation of a lazy holiday in the Yucatan though.

Agree with this, We did a trip over three weeks last summer - two families including three under 10s. We spent a few nights in Mexico City (and took in the fantastic Teotihuacan with its amazing pyramids). Then we flew to the Yucatan and did beach for a few a few days before hiring a massive car and driving up to Merida and then Campeche (go swimming in one of the sink holes) before driving up to Pelenque (fantastic, sprawling ruins) and then on to San Christobal, where we went on a boat through the most amazing gorge. We didn't do the volcanoes or Oaxaca, but we thought about it - just a bit much with the kids. If you don't have kids, I'd say go there. We went back to the beach for a few more days before coming home.

The place is strewn with ancient ruins (if that takes your fancy). Most impressive to me were Palenque and Coba (near Cancun). You can also go to Tulum which is small but amazingly situated right on the coast. I'd say the most disappointing was Chichen Itza, which was pristine, full of coach parties and all roped off. At all the other sites, you're pretty much free to roam but everything is rather sanitized at Chichen.

If you do go to Mexico City, I'd recommend staying in the old quarter and taking in a visit to Museum of Anthropology which really helps in putting everything into context.

 

Lady Trousers and I are contemplating a fortnight in Mexico this year - probably September/October time

 

What!! And miss our opening group games in the Champions League?

driving up to Pelenque (fantastic, sprawling ruins) and then on to San Christobal, where we went on a boat through the most amazing gorge.

Palenque is very impressive. Get there early and listen to the howler monkeys. I'd forgotten I did the boat trip through the gorge too - some seriously big crocodiles in there.

Went to Punta Mita last year and that would be a fantastic week of hotel in the beach whilst being very different to Cancun.

Agree with this, We did a trip over three weeks last summer - two families including three under 10s. We spent a few nights in Mexico City (and took in the fantastic Teotihuacan with its amazing pyramids). Then we flew to the Yucatan and did beach for a few a few days before hiring a massive car and driving up to Merida and then Campeche (go swimming in one of the sink holes) before driving up to Pelenque (fantastic, sprawling ruins) and then on to San Christobal, where we went on a boat through the most amazing gorge. We didn't do the volcanoes or Oaxaca, but we thought about it - just a bit much with the kids. If you don't have kids, I'd say go there. We went back to the beach for a few more days before coming home.

 

The place is strewn with ancient ruins (if that takes your fancy). Most impressive to me were Palenque and Coba (near Cancun). You can also go to Tulum which is small but amazingly situated right on the coast. I'd say the most disappointing was Chichen Itza, which was pristine, full of coach parties and all roped off. At all the other sites, you're pretty much free to roam but everything is rather sanitized at Chichen.

 

If you do go to Mexico City, I'd recommend staying in the old quarter and taking in a visit to Museum of Anthropology which really helps in putting everything into context.

Re chichen itza

it is an effing long way by coach. expect to be there around lunchtime with the masses

we chose to do a private tour by plane (mainly because the coach trip had sold out) 45 mins in a light aircraft with another couple and then met by a tour guide who took us around.

got there as it opened and pretty much had the place to ourselves for a couple of hours. We were leaving as everyone else was arriving and was safely back in the hotel bar as the coaches were starting there long journey back

if you dive, Cozumel is fabulous, so are the cenotes

Avoid Acapulco at all costs. A complete dump and without doubt my worst ever holiday

Avoid Acapulco at all costs. A complete dump and without doubt my worst ever holiday

Had a decent time in Acapulco, but it was many years ago. Puerto Vallarta was one of my best holiday destinations ever!

Cheers for all the info guys - really appreciated

we are going pacific coast of Mexico next week, will report back

Avoid Acapulco at all costs. A complete dump and without doubt my worst ever holiday

Acapulco is a bit of a hole but anywhere either side of it you've got endless beaches which are basically empty. Pie de la cuesta - 10 minutes in a taxi is stunning.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/central-pacific-coast/pie-de-la-cuesta

I was conceived in Acapulco, but think it's gone down hill since. I thought I'd let everyone know this critical information in this thread:

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?44354-Anyone-been-to-Mexico&highlight=acapulco#.VRAE046UcTo

but don't think my post worked. Avoid Chihuahua.

I enjoyed Cancun, great hotels and plenty to do re: trips to Mayun ruins. We also took a bus down to Tulum and Belize which was cool. Stayed at beautiful little island in the coral reef called Caye Caulker.

 

If you do go to Mexico City, I'd recommend staying in the old quarter and taking in a visit to Museum of Anthropology which really helps in putting everything into context.

Great place, also good to catch the bus upto Teotihuacan. We done that rather than a tour group, saved about $200. Depends how confident you are with your Spanish.

Loved the parts of Mexico we visited, Cancun I would avoid like the plague though as full of Yank students getting ****ed up (which could be good depending if you want that) ...Oh and was stung by a cop wanting a bribe just as we were driving back to the airport there

We just got back from a week at the Iberostar Resort (all-inclusive plan) on the south-west coast of Cozumel Island (off the north-east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula). Excellent place. Very good food. Excellent diving location. It was about 30 degrees C all week. (Got back home yesterday; it was -10 C!) An interesting mix of people: mostly Americans, Canadians, French and Germans. Primarily older couples (40s-60s), but also some young children and a fair amount of teenagers. I would recommend the place to anybody.

Great place, also good to catch the bus upto Teotihuacan. We done that rather than a tour group, saved about $200. Depends how confident you are with your Spanish.

 

Loved the parts of Mexico we visited, Cancun I would avoid like the plague though as full of Yank students getting ****ed up (which could be good depending if you want that) ...Oh and was stung by a cop wanting a bribe just as we were driving back to the airport there

Yep, we caught the bus up to Teotihuacan as well. Nice adventure for the kids and actually pretty easy - but then we do have pretty good Spanish and the friend travelling with us teaches Spanish so is fluent. She actually came in very handy when we got pulled over by a policeman trying it on for a bribe - she gabled away at him in Spanish giving him a load of **** and he looked so surprised that he just waved us on.

Cancun is indeed full of Yanks - I would advise staying outside the resort itself if you're going to the Yucatan.