Naveron

After years of going to the Caribbean, my husband and I are ready to try Mexico. But I don't know where to start. We both like good food, nice hotels but we are not AI types and like to get out and see the sights. Where should we start? Caribbean side? Pacific side? Help!!

suze

Playa del Carmen on the east coast or Puerto Vallarta on the west coast would be my best suggestions of nice Mexican beach resort towns and good places for a 1st trip to Mexico.

nancy1652

We just returned from 2.5 weeks in Mexico. Our itinerary was:

3 nights in Mexico City: Hotel des Cortes, well situated and very comfortable, just be sure you get a room away from the main street, which is very noisy.

5 nights in Guanajuato: an apartment rented through [email protected], very comfortable and well located. This is a very picturesque town, quite different from San Miguel Allende but just as lovely.

5 nights in Tlaquepaque, a suburb of Guadalajara. Stayed in a fantastic B & B: Casa de las Flores (www.casadeslasflores.com). If you are at all interested in Mexican Folk Art, this is the place to stay. The town is full of craftsman, as well as the nearby town of Tonala. Lots to do, very good restaurants.

4 nights in Puerto Vallarata at a time share called Lindo Mar at Conchas Chinas beach, about 15 minutes south of the main part of P.V. We loved this place;our apt. had a view of the beautiful, small, quiet beach that was perfect for swimming and the restaurant had declious food. email: [email protected]
Enjoy!

KVR

If you will provide an idea of what type of vacation you are looking for, intrests and budget it would help in getting a response.

The Caribbean side of Mexico is going to have the better beaches and snorkeling if that is important to you. Playa del Carmen is closer to the Mayan Ruins and the eco parks. Be aware that most of the hotels in the Riviera Maya/Playa del Carmen area are all inclusive because that are set far away from the actual town of Playa del Carmen and there are no restaurants near many of them. If you don't want an AI hotel pick a hotel directly in the town of Playa del Carmen. 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen has tons of resturants, sidewalk cafes and bars.

If you like more of a party/nightlife atmosphere than Cancun would be a good choice. Most hotels there are AI, but there are several very nice upscale adult only resorts. Cozumel is great for diving and snorkeling. It's more laid back. If you just want to lay around on a beach then there's Isla Mujeres. There are many restaurants and bars there to choice from.

We've been to the Caribbean side of Mexico several times and returning in April. We tried Puerta Vallarta this past December. We enjoyed the laid back atmosphere and the day trips we took, but we found the beaches not very nice and unswimable due to being too rough. We enjoy nice beaches and snorkeling and PV is not the destination for that. PV has many very good resturants, so going AI there would not be advisable. Of all the destinations we've been to, we've found the time share dealers and vendors very bad in PV.

Naveron

Thanks for those starting points. I guess we like a combination of things to do/see and just relaxing/hanging out. We are not party animals so Cancun may be out. We prefer smaller hotels with good service and a great vista. This gives me somewhere to start.

suze

Zijuatenejo/Ixtapa might be good for your beach destination.

Little_Man

Depending on your budget, there are plenty of nice places in Cancun/Riviera Maya that aren't party places.
Check out Esencia and Maroma hotels, or the new Rosewood Mayakoba.
If those are too high, check out the Ritz Carlton Cancun or the Hilton or 1 of two Marriotts.
The Carribbean part of Mexico is wonderful. You have a combination of great beaches and places to visit like Chichen Itza and Tulum.

Just went to Zihuatanejo this summer for the first time. The bay is beautiful, though the water seems a little polluted, sadly. It is a great place to unwind, but not as much to see and do as in the Cancun area.