shubha_r

Hello Fodorites,
Back from summer vacation and need to start thinking about Spring break We are looking at no more than 5-6 nights at end of March, traveling with 2 kids, ages 7 and 11. They both are very well traveled.

Since we did a a big Europe trip in Summer we would like to do a beach get away. But my kids (and us) love to do some adventure stuff, excursions, i.e. zip lining, snorkeling and any other activities they are allowed to do.

Also, we would love to be able to rent a villa this time (preferably part of a resort) to have a different experience.

Here are the places we have been to already:

Bahamas,
Anguilla,
Aruba,
PV, Mexico
St. Thomas and St.John.

Honestly, I didn't like the beach in PV at all, but loved the excursions.

Loved the waters in Anguilla and St.Thomas, but we want to try something new.

Any ideas? I am thinking about Puerto Rico, Belize, Costa RIca (although beach doesn't seem to be that great) and may be different part of Mexico if the water is better than PV.

Are there any other places in Mexico that has better beaches than PV and shorter flights ? (not Cancun in spring break

Thanks a lot for your help,
Kush

JeanH

Belize isn't a world class beach destination either. I think better than Costa Rica, but, certainly not in the class of Anguilla. It does have great snorkeling, zip lining, cave tubing, Mayan ruins, waterfalls and other fun things to do.

Or, fly into Cancun and head south. Lots of rentals all along the coast, I'd probably look into something around Puerto Morales or Tulum, since I like being close to towns. Or, Playa del Carmen, if you don't mind a city.

Patty

<i>Are there any other places in Mexico that has better beaches than PV and shorter flights?</i>

Where are you flying from?

I agree about heading south from Cancun to the Riviera Maya. The beaches and water here would rival the Caribbean islands.

Belize does have great snorkeling but not the best beaches. Costa Rica doesn't have great snorkeling or beaches.

In Puerto Rico, I would consider heading to Vieques or Culebra. Many beaches on the "mainland" are more of a golden color and the water clarity isn't great.

Was it the sand, the water or both that you didn't like in Puerto Vallarta?

suze

Sure, if you fly into Cancun then head south to Playa del Carmen, Akumal, Tulum areas of Mexico you will find nicer beaches, sand, water (because it's the Caribbean) rather than Puerto Vallarta (which is the Bay of Banderas, Pacific Ocean).

shubha_r

Patty, we are flying from NYC. We didn't like the sand and water in PV

Suze, thanks for the response.

I will look into the places you mentioned. Hope we can get good beaches & activities.

Kush

zootsi

There are many places on the Riviera Maya, which stretches from Cancun to Tulum, that would meet your needs. The beaches here are second to none - miles of powdery white sand - the food is great, and there are lots of things to see and do with a family. Look at Akumal, Tulum and Puerto Morelos which don't attract the spring break crowds. the locogringo.com website is an excellent place for research.

RAC

Tulum has perfect white sand beaches, gentle waves, and offers far more historical/cultural and ecological touring opportunities than any Caribbean island.

Puerto Rico has fantastic beaches--especially on Vieques.

shubha_r

Ok. I just saw Fodor's recommendation for Belize. 2 places and resorts caught my mind.

1. Victoria House in Ambergris Cay

2. Turtle Inn in Placencia

Any thoughts or feedback on these? Are beaches pristine in these locations?

Thanks
Kush

Patty

Speaking generally, Ambergris has shallow stretches of white sand beach. There is often seagrass just offshore making it not ideal for swimming/snorkeling from the beach. The reef is close by but still requires a short boat ride. If you want adventure excursions of the non-water variety you'll have to back to the mainland for that which is why many people do a split stay between the mainland and caye.

Placencia has wider stretches of more golden colored sand beach. The reef is farther from shore as your travel south in Belize so requires a longer boat ride. You're on the mainland so it may be easier to do inland excursions from here.

Hope someone who has stayed at these two properties will chime in. I personally love Belize and the water is clear and beautiful but the beaches aren't going to compare to Anguilla, USVIs, etc.

Patty

Take a look at Hopefulist's recent trip report http://www.fodors.com/community/mexi...and-belize.cfm She has pics of both Placencia and Ambergris for comparison. She stayed at Tranquility Bay on Ambergris which is on the north side and apparently does have good snorkeling from shore (Victoria House is on the south side).

Katie_Valk

Both VH and TI are great options. I think VH is one of the best on the beach in Belize. TI behind by by a nose. Ambergris is our most visited destination, but still laid back by most standards and less than a mile from the reef. Placencia appeal is better beaches, quaint village, more laid back and less developed and is 19 miles from the reef but much closer to the mainland for easier travel for less $ to mainland attractions. You will be thtilled and pleased with either of these two

Patty

I disagree that Placencia has better beaches. In the sense that they're longer and wider stretches, yes. But for those of us who have a bias for white sand beaches, no.

shubha_r

Thanks Patty and Katy.

You say that beach is not good for swimming by VH, so can we use the beach at all ? Otherwise there is no point

And how far is the mainland from VH ? I like the idea of splitting between mainland and Ambergris. Any suggestions on where to stay in mainland and activities to do ?

Thanks a lot
Kush

Patty

I don't know specifically about swimming in front of VH. I was speaking generally.

Most people choose the Cayo region for their inland stay. There's quite a bit to do in the area - Mayan sites, caves, waterfalls, canoeing, horse riding, etc. We've stayed at duPlooys. It's 2+ hours drive from Belize City and Ambergris is about a 20 min flight or 1.5 hour boat ride from Belize City.

Stewbear

The beaches in Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa are far better than PV's. Not the pure white Carribean sand of say the Virgin Islands but very nice.

hopefulist

I didn't pipe up before - I think "rent a villa" was the kicker since we are normally budget to midrange travelers. Shubha - Tranquility Bay might already be booked for your time frame but you should consider it. You can go to my trip blog below for a few pictures - the beach is gorgeous and being able to snorkel and flyfish from shore was a big selling point for us. We loved our cabin and the staff was really outstanding imo.
http://hopefulistinlatinamerica.blogspot.com/

I agree with the split idea in general but "no more 5-6 nights" makes that trickier. Maybe stay a night somewhere nice closer to the airport for a day trip to Lamanai and then head to the beach? The zoo is pretty special, too. You can check out both in my 2009 Belize collection which has blog and travleogue links on the main page.
www.belizezoo.org
http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections

I hope you find just what you're looking for!

JeanH

Many resorts on Ambergris have docks/piers with loungers and hammocks on the end, along with stairs to get into the water. That way you're out in deeper water rather than having to wade. In some places, it's shallow for a long ways out. Several resorts have also built small, artificial reefs off their docks. The snorkeling doesn't compare to the reef, but, we've seen lots of neat things and you can't beat the price.

I walk by Victoria House often when I'm on the island. It's where I've always said I'd stay if I was going to 'splurge'. It seems to have the feel of a colonial plantation. It's lovely.

I've also wandered through Turtle Inn a couple of times. The beach front units look beautiful. Downside is the on site restaurant seems to get consistently bad reviews....

shubha_r

Thanks hopefulist and Jean.

Hopefulist, I will check out your travelogue , in the meantime, what are some cool activities for kid that we could do from mainland ?

I am still comparing Belize and Riviera Maya to see which seves our purpose best..

Thanks
Kush

RAC

Belize has more rainforest/wildlife and small, boutique hotels. Riviera Maya has more/better beaches and a somewhat drier climate, with both smaller places as well as large, full service resorts.

One distinction is that you can stay at one place in the Maya Riviera whereas in Belize it's usually necessary to stay in two different locations to get the best balance of land and sea activities.

hopefulist

We've had some great trips to Riviera Maya, too - you can check them out at my same link, above. In addition to the zoo and the Lamanai Maya site trip (includes a river trip with crocodiles and monkeys) a big favorite for adventurous sorts is the ATM cave trip:
http://pacztours.net/actun-tunichil-muknal/

There are also options for canoing, hiking, ziplining, and cave tubing - inner tubing on underground rivers.

Have a great trip, whatever you decide!