Ideas for our 2 weeks in Mexico over the Festive Season?
 

We are flying into Mexico City arriving at 7pm on the 23rd December - we are in Mexico for 15 nights; we have been to Mexico for the last 2 years over the Xmas Season for 3 weeks each time, this time we are there for a week shorter - we have been to Mexico City, Oaxaca, Puebla, Puerto Escondido, Tlaxcala, and Queretaro previously - this time I am thinking of a choice of 2 or 3 areas to see and would appreciate any advice:-

1) Guadalajara (maybe Guanajuato too) Morelia, Patzcuaro, maybe Collina and Puerto Vallarta etc - any thoughts on this route would be appreciated - our only reservation is we heard about a hotel being held up in Puerto Vallarta (I think it was) and guests being held hostage, what is the story on that? I realise that generally tourists are not the intended victims of drug cartels. We are thinking of flying ex Mexico City to Guadaljara at the beginning of our holiday. We shall travel by bus.

Just a general note - as it is such a short time there (like the last times) we like to treat these visits more as holidays than as travellers may - so we want to stay in nice hotels and one of the reasons we like Mexico so much is the food, so that is important. (We do love doing cultural things too, hahah!). That is why we took in Oaxaca, Mexico City and Puebla twice each previously: great food. We're kind of sad that we may be travelling to places where we may not necessarily be able to avail ourselves of such great eating, often fine dining, in these other intended areas.

2) The Yukatan - I know it seems crazy flying in to and out of Mexico City but there is a stopover flying to Cancun and we don't like stopovers (also, for example, if one flies with British Airways, a favourite, if the journey is broken up, one ends up travelling most of the time with Iberia, hmmm!) - also we haven't made up our minds where to go and it is urgent to book flights early to get a decent deal ex London. My reservations re the Yukatan is I think it may be more expensive particularly hotels; even though it will be the middle of winter I think it may be hot (Puerto Escondido was too hot for us - can't travel comfortably, or do as much as one wants to). But we would obviously fly in either to Cancun or Merida I suppose, and try and see Valladolid, Chicken Itza, Merida, the Ruta Puuc (would this be more or less just a 1 day trip), Campeche, Calakmul, Chetumal, Tulum, Palenque - would this be too much for a fortnight, also one would have to back-track on oneself, it looks like? Also, I assume one would have to book hotels ahead, maybe even now it is too late? Although we are tempted to drive, we probably will take buses - would this be too much for a fortnight? Again I would appreciate any thoughts, advice. San Cristobal de Las Casas?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated, thanks.

IIRC I think it was a restaurant in PV where the gang holdup/kidnapping happened.

PV is distinctly too popular, expensive and full of North Americans over holidays, precisely because it's easy to get there nonstop by plane.

<<our only reservation is we heard about a hotel being held up in Puerto Vallarta (I think it was) and guests being held hostage, what is the story on that?>>


It was drug cartel related and did not involve any tourists or foreign visitors. Here is the story:

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-w...rant-in-mexico

<sad that we may be travelling to places where we may not necessarily be able to avail ourselves of such great eating, often fine dining>

Puerto Vallarta has an amazing and diverse restaurant scene.

amazing and dicverse..if you like burgers and "continental" cuisine targeted to North Americans.

Certainly nothing like the indigenous specialties in Oaxaca or PUebla.

Once again only illustrating that you don't know what you are talking about specific and current to what is happening in Puerto Vallarta these days.

When was the last time you dined out off the beaten path in Puerto Vallarta?

There most certainly are "indigenous specialties" served in many of the local restaurants.

If you go to the Yucatan you need to drop a few places especially if trying to get around via bus. Drop Chetumal, stay in Lake Bacalar instead, the Mayan museum in Chetumal is worth it, otherwise not an interesting city. I'd also drop Calakmul, long drive via bus and difficult. I'd also drop Palenque, nice as it is you just don't have enough time. Plenty of stuff to see and do in the states of Quintana Roo and Yucatan. Campeche is interesting if you can fit it in.

Very sad and unfortunate, but I believe that PV is on the same track as Acapulco...
The Yucatan is the place to be nowadays... who knows, maybe in 20 years Playa del Carmen will find itself in the same situation !

Pray tell us what they are suze, and repost the list of your recent restaurant experiences..hamburgers included.

Fact is ~3.7 million tourists visit Puerto Vallarta each year. Of that 2.2 are domestic (nationals from other parts of Mexico) and 1.5 are foreign (mainly USA, Canada, and Europe). Vallarta does not have the issues that Acapulco did/does.

My list of favorite restaurants is still posted from my most recent PV trip, I don't need to repost it.

I spend enough time in Puerto Vallarta I don't feel the need to prove anything by where I do or don't eat. Yes there are great hamburgers available.

My personal choices do not reflect the variety of authentic, regional cooking that is available there.

<Pray tell us what they are suze>

What do you want to know?

What the indigenous specialty dishes are in the state of Jalisco?

Or which local restaurants serve them?

Why do you care so much what I eat on vacation? That's the part I don't understand.

Your fascination with me and your stalking behavior towards me on this forum are completely and totally bizarre.

I have been going to Puerto Vallarta once or twice a year since the early 90's, so try to help answer question about it when newbies ask. I have nothing to prove to you or anyone else.

Over & out.

To the OP.
Are you planning on flying into Mex City and out of Cancun or Merida?

<obvious that you yourself do not have any experience other than inside the confines of PV to report>

Probably why I never said I did.



<where'e the sense of adventure?>

You haven't a clue what goes on for me in PV.



<or are you not able to tear yourself away from Fredy's and zumba?>

Zumba is a fantastic way to meet locals and be a part of their community. What's wrong with that?

We're talking about Puerto Vallarta now, Rohelio. I've been there ~30 times.

Geez, and I thought stew and I could get testy.
Guadalajara is not my favorite big city, YMMV.
I could see something like this:
CDMX, Morelia/Patzcuaro/Uruapan plus time in the towns near Patz. Then maybe backtrack somewhat to Guanajuato. From there, time in Leon and maybe a day trip to San Miguel. Fly out of BJX to PV instead of GDL.

You have to wonder how mlgb knows what I do when I am in Puerto Vallarta?

Phew, I feel like my thread has been hijacked!
Cybor, I am flying return London Mexico City London unfortunately. But can catch a flight back to Mexico city on Interjet os somesuch.

Thanks Baldone, ahh - so then not Guadalajara?!

Jamie, thanks for your advice - that is what I am looking for! Shall take it on board, thanks again.