Honeymoon HELP
 

My fiance and I will be getting married in November 2012 and plan to take our honeymoon in either November or December. We have never been out of the US and know nothing about Mexico. We don't know where to start. We have narrowed it down to Mexico because it's the most within our budget, but where in Mexico we have no idea. We would like an all inclusive resort on the beach. We would like to see the clear, beautiful tourqouse beaches and would love to try out snorkeling. We aren't much for golfers so that's not an important factor to us. We've heard of places in Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Maya, Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel. What's the difference and where do people reccomend? We are 23, would love to relax, maybe do a little sight seeing, but def. be able to relax on the beach.

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cancun.bookit.com Secrets Maroma Capri perhaps xel-ha.com best safe snorkel where cenote meets the sea. weather2travel.com perhaps rain some get trip cover or go to princeresortshawaii.com Hapuna Prince great deals on priceline.com for us last car hotel flight $1k per person
4 hour flight from LAX direct konaweb.com for less rain
what we do in fall.

Congrats!

You aren't going to get tourqouise water at Puerto Vallarta, it is on the east coast, not on the Caribbean.

You can't really snorkel, or even get in the water at all, in much of Cabo, bc there are strong currents, it isn't safe. And agin, it is not the clearest water, like the Caribbean part of Mexico.

To get really good snorkeling, clear turquoise water that you can actually get into, nice white sand beach, you need to go to the Caribbean of Mexico. For what you want and for your ages, I would conecntrate on all-inclusives in the southern Riviera Maya, where you can get to Playa del Carmen easily by cab or hotel shuttle (some of the AIs will get you to Playa del Carmen one way, then you cab it back).

If you get closer down to Playa, that puts you closer to the good snorkeling at Akumal (snorkel w/sea turtles right off the beach, plus coral reef and fish) or Xel-ha (which is a commerical operation, a park w/entrance fees). Personally I think the best snorkeling is at Akumal. Your AI will have tours to get you to Akumal to snorkel, or you can get there yourself.

I don't know if Akumal has AIs, you might want to check. It is a pretty laid back area.

Also check for AIs in Tulum, which has nice beach, ruins on the water, and a funky little town. But at your age I think if you have a week, you would want to be close to Playa del Carmen and be able to go there for shopping, some nightlife, a dinner, and Playa has a great selection of all of that, and has 5th Ave, the 1.5 mile pedestrian st. Many of the AIs are pretty quiet at night.

No AIs in Tulum, thank heavens, despite the name Dreams Tulum is not in Tulum proper but closer to Tankah. Akumal has one AI, the Akumal Beach Resort, 3 star hotel (although they have renovated a number of the rooms) but 5 star beach and fantastic snorkeling right off the beach. There is also the non-AI Hotel Akumal Caribe, another great choice. Have stayed at both and enjoyed both.

There are some other AIs near Akumal, about a 10-15 minute taxi ride such as Bahia, Grand Palladium, or the adults only Catalonia Royal Tulum.