[fishboys]

Well tell me what you know, I have to take my wife somewhere.After being together 15years I guess she should get a trip out of the deal ,I have only been to Seattle,BC,and that dreaded state south of us.Thats it, my idea of a vacation is not going to the beach to show off all the hard work I have put into my beer belly.or to be around more people.But since she has put up with me all these years she shall get her wish.please include travel tips, things to watch for,do's and dont's, I have not been there and done that. thank you.

 

[TundraIII]

Mexico blows..........Mexico is an international flight so you must have all paperwork ready before you fly. Passports will be REQUIRED by Jan 1st. You can get by with a birth certificate until then. If you go to Mexico, visit your doctor first and get some antibiotics. Regardless of what folks say....you cannot avoid ingesting the water there even if you are religious about drinking bottled water. 6 of my family were in Cabo last week and 3 of us got sick....and it aint fun. Dont expect much when you get there and it might be alright for you. Find a nice resort near or at the Marina and stay on the grounds. The Marina Finestria is very nice and the food is good....should be around 175 a night for a studio that sleeps 4. The beaches are gorgeous and almost entirely vacant...you will not find crowds of g-string clad women and speedo sporting dudes on the beaches there so you dont have to worry about your beer belly :grin:
Most of the ocean front is considered unsafe for swimming so hence...no crowds on the beaches at all. Be prepared to breathe in the stench of human feces no matter where you stay. Mexico has 3rd world sanitation and it shows. The smell of raw sewage is EVERYWHERE and it cannot be avoided.
I cannot feel good about suggesting Mexico as a destination for anybody....with the customs hassles because it is a international flight it just doesnt make sense anymore to spend that kind of money and stress to hang out whiffing someone elses crap all week...and Cabo aint cheap anymore. The prices there are the same or more expensive than what you will find here at home...and once again..its a crapshoot because the sanitation is so horrible. Go to Hawaii and call it good...the food is better...it's cleaner....the beaches are wonderfull... and you dont have to walk by scary Federalies sporting sub-machine guns just to get something to eat.

 

[FishiinShawn]

Mexico blows..........Mexico is an international flight so you must have all paperwork ready before you fly. Passports will be REQUIRED by Jan 1st. You can get by with a birth certificate until then. If you go to Mexico, visit your doctor first and get some antibiotics. Regardless of what folks say....you cannot avoid ingesting the water there even if you are religious about drinking bottled water. 6 of my family were in Cabo last week and 3 of us got sick....and it aint fun. Dont expect much when you get there and it might be alright for you. Find a nice resort near or at the Marina and stay on the grounds. The Marina Finestria is very nice and the food is good....should be around 175 a night for a studio that sleeps 4. The beaches are gorgeous and almost entirely vacant...you will not find crowds of g-string clad women and speedo sporting dudes on the beaches there so you dont have to worry about your beer belly :grin:
Most of the ocean front is considered unsafe for swimming so hence...no crowds on the beaches at all. Be prepared to breathe in the stench of human feces no matter where you stay. Mexico has 3rd world sanitation and it shows. The smell of raw sewage is EVERYWHERE and it cannot be avoided.
I cannot feel good about suggesting Mexico as a destination for anybody....with the customs hassles because it is a international flight it just doesnt make sense anymore to spend that kind of money and stress to hang out whiffing someone elses crap all week...and Cabo aint cheap anymore. The prices there are the same or more expensive than what you will find here at home...and once again..its a crapshoot because the sanitation is so horrible. Go to Hawaii and call it good...the food is better...it's cleaner....the beaches are wonderfull... and you dont have to walk by scary Federalies sporting sub-machine guns just to get something to eat.

Or you could just stay in one of the all inclusive resorts on the carribean side. They are very nice.

 

[Hogmaster]

Another vote for the "all inclusive" if you go to Mexico.

And, no offense, but to suggest Hawaii is not going to cost a LOT more than Mexico is just not true. It is VERY expensive.

But here is a vote for Puerto Rico. Went there about 4 or 5 years ago, found the people friendly, the costs slightly less than the mainland (to much less if you are willing to take on the local food) and the climate great, and some of the snorkling was outstanding (diving too, we just don't dive). Old San Juan was really crowded and touristy, so the wife will like all the shopping, but there are many places to get away as well. Several of the resorts there have package deals.

:cheers:

 

[RodRoss]

I love Mexico and so does my wife. We've been to the east side (Cozumel) where we rented a house and the west side (La Paz) where it was an all-inclusive, but not fancy by any means. My brother has been to Ixtapa/Zihuantenejo, my parents to Loreto and the East Cape as well, friends have been all up and down both coasts. Never once heard anything but positive experiences. A passport isn't a bad thing to have regardless of if you travel and now with Alaska Airlines flying to so many places in Mexico the costs are anything but prohibitive (and I'm a frugal travler). Plus, if you like to catch fish (tuna, dorado, wahoo, roosters, billfish, permit, tarpon, bonefish, and the list goes on and on), Mexico is rock-solid. PM if you want any ideas, places to stay, etc. I'm not saying the country is perfect by any means and every person has their own ideas about vacations, bu for me Mexico is right up near the top.

RodRoss

 

[Striper Club]

If you are going down the all-inclusive road I would highly recommend one of the many fine resorts in Jamaica, Grand Caimens or Grenada.

I stayed at the Grand Lido Negril in Jamaica five years ago and loved it. It is much more couples-oriented and not crazy drunken college style as the Hedonism resorts. (not that there is anything wrong with that!)

All-inclusive 4-5 star Jamaican resorts are a fraction the cost of a Hawaiian vacation. :smile:

 

[uhmw]

Go to maui get a condo W/cooking area rent a car(a must). Stop at costco get food and spirits cost the same as @ home. went last year-Way cooler than mexico or Puerto rico-maui is paridise- sucluded beaches if you want- get a jeep and go 4 wheeling along the coast. Free fishing no licence needed -You can get your gear at the rent all stores found all over maui very safe.
Mexico is third world beggers and stuff con artist and crooked cops- dirty but very different if you want somthing exotic try it I had fun a few years ago-one word WILD PARTY PEOPLE cabo- I tusseled with americans not mexicans, the fishing kicks butt. Puerto Rico is also very tough place more so than mexico in my opinion .I met a local and got filled in. Very nice country side the National parks beach and jungle are safe and very cool, a car is also a must ,there are casinos and if you stay near the tourist area in san juan it is fairly safe with a nice beach or two and tons of bars and people when 10 cruise ship dock in town each night. All the forgien locations including puerto are realy safe if you stay at the fancy pants resort- I cant sit still and go adventuring which has led to some harrowing and awsome times in mexico and puerto. If you go keep the guard way up and you will be fine., I wont go there any more ,been there survived it got kids now -maui all the way. I wont travel out side the USA/Canada unless I have to. there is alot in my own country I want to see.

 

[garyk]

Many folks seem to equate all of Mexico with their experience in Cabo.

We've never stayed in a place larger than LaPaz, and our trips have all been positive. Of course we were not looking for the mega-resort experience. So it all depends what you want - warm oceans? fishing? (or no fishing) 5-star resorts or do-it-yourself arrangements? The Mayan ruins on the Yucatan? Are you comfortable in places where they only speak a little English, but they still smile and try to accomadate your smidgeon of Spanish?

Personally, I like experiencing the local culture. It's something different - I even enjoy trying to read the ads and newspapers. But if that's not your style, one of the big resorts will suit you.

Passports are now an essential for all travel. I wouldn't even cross into BC without one.

PS. We've never been ripped off south of the border...I wish I could say the same for Canada.

 

[MacFish]

Like you, after not going anywhere for a long, long time we found ourselves in Mexico 3 times over the past year. Mazatlan and Peurto Vallarta were both fun, we liked Mazatlan better, maybe because we took the family for our 25th (and made a side trip to El Salto) but PV costs less. I'd go back to Mazatlan just for the shrimp. We visited our daughter who is studying in Queretero (150 miles nw of Mexico city) a couple of weeks ago and had the best time yet, it was fun to get away from the resorts and see a more historic Mexico. Never had a problem with getting sick, you have to eat at some pretty bad taco stands for that anymore, however, too much tequila, sun and partying can have a similar effect. air travel is a pain no matter where you go,passports and customs etc add to the burden but it's not that bad. Wherever you go, get away from the resort for a while because all you get there is what they want you to get and for what they want you to pay. If you decide on any of these places feel free to pm for details.

 

[TundraIII]

uhmw.......exactly!