Cancun has a reputation as a spring break favorite of fun-loving college students, but this Caribbean city actually offers much more than tequila shots, wet t-shirt contests, and all-night partying. In fact, Cancun is home to some of Mexico’s most luxurious and memorable all-inclusive resorts, restaurants, and historical sites, making it the perfect spot to spend a week with your significant other and learn a bit about Mexican history and culture.

Fast Facts:

• Time Zone: Central
• Climate: Semi-tropical; hurricane season from June 1st-November 30th; rainy season June-October.
• Language: Spanish
• Population: 600,000
• Electricity: 110 volts
• Business hours: 8am-9pm. Shops usually stay open until 10pm and restaurants until 12am. Some business close down for lunch between 12pm and 2pm.

Where to Stay. With nearly 30,000 hotel rooms, Cancun offers accommodation options at every price range. If you’re looking for a romantic, high-amenity, high-service lodging option with all the trimmings, head to the Le Blanc Spa Resort, the Sun Palace, or the Royal Cancun, all ideal for the couple looking to indulge in a bit of self-pampering.

Cancun’s hundreds of hotels often offer steeply discounted rates during the off season. Keep in mind that rates can sky rocket in January and December and during the summer months when Americans, Canadians, and Europeans usually take their vacations.

Where to Dine. Because of its popularity with international tourists, travelers to Cancun will find a wide selection of not only American-style restaurants, but Italian, Chinese, Indian, and even Thai eateries. Puerto Madero Buenos Aires Restaurant serves up high-end steak and fish dishes, Carlos & Charlie’s Cancun is a fun, Mexican inspired restaurant that doubles as a dance club, and La Habichela specializes in unique fish and beef dishes and has a Five Diamond rating from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.

While traditional Mexican dishes such as fajitas, burritos, and tacos are plentiful in Cancun, the real specialty here is the ceviche and other Caribbean seafood dishes. During high season, it’s wise to reserve ahead of time.

What to See and Do. If you’ve decided to fly out to Cancun, your number one priority is likely to indulge in a bit of fun in the sun. Blessed with beautiful white sand beaches, Cancun vacationers can enjoy water sport activities such as sailing, jet skiing, water skiing, diving, snorkeling, kayaking, canoeing, and swimming, or simply spending the day sunbathing and working on your tan with a good book in hand. More adventurous travelers can head out on a guided jungle walking or jeep tour or check out the Chichen Itza  ruins, located two and a half hours from Cancun and dating back to 600 AD. Parasailing, paragliding, and kitesurfing are all increasing in popularity. If your idea of vacation fun includes a bit more relaxation,  spend the afternoon getting a massage at your hotel’s spa or lounging by the pool while sipping a tasty tropical cocktail.

Your hotel will be able to arrange day tours, excursions, and activities for you.

How to Get There and Around. Many U.S. cities offer direct flights to Cancun, often starting as low as the $200s. Because of its popularity, competitive airline rates are relatively easy to find. I find that www.kayak.com provides the best prices and most selection, but you can also book with Expedia, Orbit, Cheaptickets, or directly through the airline. Tickets to Cancun tend to be cheapest in September, October, November and April and May when tourism is at its lowest.

Once in Cancun, visitors will be glad to know that the city’s tourist section is actually quite small, and most tourist attractions, restaurants and beaches are within walking distance. However, if you prefer to take a cab, they are plentiful and cheap.

By Patrick Connelly

With thousands of miles of coastline on both the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, the country is a sportfisherman’s dream. The fish are big. The prices are low. But deciding where to go – and who to hire – is difficult and can make or break a trip.

Lower Baja – Cabo San Lucas and Loreto

Despite being close together geographically, Cabo and Loreto are yin and yang in terms of fishing.  Cabo is famous for big gamefish – marlin, tuna, shark, and dolphin – that prowl the steep banks off shore.  The fishing can be crazy at times, especially when large schools of baitfish congregate on the dropoffs.  Additionally, the sportfishing industry is well developed and there is no trouble finding a boat; however, the quality varies widely.

Loreto, on the other hand, excels in light tackle angling.  Fishing here is good year-round, with yellowfin tuna in the winter months and huge numbers of dorado in the summer.  Larger game, such as marlin and grouper, can also be found, but Loredo is really a light tackle paradise.

Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan

Across the gulf and down the coast from Loreto is the billfishing mecca of Mazatlan.  Huge marlin congregate in large schools in the winter and spring months with sailfish, tuna, and dorado available year-round.  About every species of sportfish in the Pacific frequent Mazatlan’s waters at some point of the year, uncluding wahoo and roosterfish.

Similarly, Puerto Vallarta offers a buffet line of game fish species to target, from marlin to sailfish to tuna.  Any month of the year holds the possibility of landing a number of large fish in a day.  It may be a huge tourist resort town, but with so much competition among charter boats good deals can be found.

Cancun/Cozumel

Across the country on the Gulf of Mexico, the megaresorts of Cancun and Cozumel offer unsurpassed fishing in the gulf.  While the billfish are usually smaller than their Pacific counterparts, many people claim that their numbers are much higher in the gulf, with multiple hookups a day not uncommon.  Also, the smaller sizes of marlin and sailfish offer great opportunites to take these beasts on flyrods.  Speaking of fly fishing, the numerous islands around Cancun and Cozumel hold endless, virgin flats with tarpon, bonefish, barracuda, and permit.

photo provided by blackmarlinfishing at http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackmarlinfishingblog/2582943383/

Know of some other Mexican fishing hotspots? Reviews, tips, recommendations?  Share your knowledge below

By Patrick Connelly

With seemingly unlimited picturesque landscapes to work with – from cacti-strewn deserts to sandy beaches – the world’s most renowned golf course designers have made Mexico a playground for fans of the gentleman’s game.  Whether you think you are the successor to Tiger Woods or only use that $400 driver a dozen times a year, Mexico has stunning, challenging courses throughout the country.

Just as in the U.S., there are both private and public courses, with the former sometimes being extremely exclusive.  So if you aren’t willing to dish out half a million dollars on a resort condo to gain access to the links, public courses are the way to go.  But these are no coach-cabin second class fairways; conversely, Mexico has several top-notch public courses at decent values.

1. Cabo del Sol Golf (Ocean and Desert courses)

10% of every green fee goes to putting cool logos on golf balls

Located close to Cabo San Lucas, the Cabo del Sol courses are two of Mexico’s signature public masterpieces.  The ocean course, an 18-hole, 7,103 yard work of art borders the Sea of Cortez and has been named as one of the top 100 courses in the world. Designed by the famed Jack Nicholas, it has been the host of several Senior PGA tour events and ProAms in its 15 year history.  The course has also been described as the “Pebble Beach of Mexico”, albeit by Nicholas himself.  Regardless of the designer’s self-aggrandizing, the ocean course is a true joy to play and continually receives high marks in Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. The clubhouse itself worth the trip; a 40,000 ft. haven inspired by local architecture offers fine dining, stocked golf store, and much more.  With quality comes costs, however; prices range from $125 to $350 depending on the tee time and the month. http://www.cabodelsol.com/content/golf_ocean.html

The desert course, on the other hand, is dominated by sand, rock, and cacti (imagine that).  Designed by Tom Weiskopf, this 18-hole course rolls through 7,100 yards of intimidating elevation shifts and difficult bunkers.  While it may often be overshadowed by its older and more illustrious brother, the desert course has been ranked as high as #6 in Mexico by Golf Digest. Like its brethren, the course’s clubhouse is based on classic Mexican architecture and offers all the glossy amenities to make a visit memorable.  A round of golf among the dunes will run you anywhere between $85 and $220. http://www.cabodelsol.com/content/golf_desert.html

2. El Tamarindo (Jalisco)

Learning the Spanish word for mulligan will help at Tamarindo

The best golf courses connect the sport with the natural beauty, creating a synthesis that puts the golfer into another environment.  The Tamarindo golf course, set amidst a 2,000 acre nature preserve, is a great example of this technique.  Plus its a damn fine course, 6,750 yards bordering the rugged Pacific coastline and fringed by tall palms.  Located in Jalisco, about 130 miles from Puerto Vallarta, Tamarindo has been ranked as high as #2 in Mexico and is perfect for amateurs and seasoned pros alike. http://www.eltamarindoresort.com/en/index.shtml

3. Palmilla Golf Club, Cabo

Another one of Jack Nicholas’ creations, Palmilla is unique because of it offers 27 holes in three mini-courses.  The Arroyo (stream) Nine, the Ocean Nine, and the Mountain Nine are all pretty much self explanatory in what the terrain is like.  Much like its neighboring courses in Cabo del Sol, elevations shifts are the golfer’s main enemy.  At 6,369 yards, the course is a difficult challenge, but with several sets of tees to play from, all levels of skill are accommodated.  Palmilla routinely gets high accolades yet is less expensive than many comparable courses in Mexico; fees range from $60 to $220 per round of 27 holes. http://www.palmillagc.com/index.html

4. El Cameléon Golf Course ( Quintana Roo)

On the other side of the country in the heart of the Yucatan is the impressive El Cameléon course.  A 7,000 yard Greg Norman creation, this course does an impeccable job combining the man-made with the natural.  Its promoters note that the 18 holes wind through three different environments: mangrove forests, beaches, and hills.  The Mayakoba Resort, which houses this stunning course, is a mere 30 minutes from the Cancun airport, yet seems a million miles away from civilization. http://www.mayakoba.com/index.html

5. VistaVallarta (both courses) – Puerto Vallarta

Foliage is slightly different than your neighborhood course in Ohio

Mexico’s two seminal course designers, Nicholas and Tom Wieskopf, team up at the Vista Vallarta resort to create a double offering of sweet courses.  The Nicholas course is a 7,000 yard par 72 built on high elevation, providing golfers with incredible views of Puerto Vallarta below.  Wieskopf’s creation is an exercise in extremes; he brilliantly uses the area’s unique characteristics offer an immensely challenging 18 holes.  Rates vary between $130 and $195. http://www.vistavallartagolf.com/

cover photo provided by tdwhite63 at http://www.flickr.com/photos/toms-pics/106817290/

first photo provided by happygirljen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/happygirljen/727793153/

second photo provided by Jessica New at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessicanew/493938122/

third photo provided by stelter13 at http://www.flickr.com/photos/11383359@N03/2226482896/

If you are staying for a short trip you might want go for a vacation rental in Mexico or if you are looking for an extended stay you can see all types of Mexico real estate here.

Now that the holiday season´s started tons of people are still wondering where to spend their vacation. Well, here is my personal top three places you cannot afford to miss while visiting Mexico:

Cancun

By far, one of the best beach resorts in  Mexico, well known among foreign visitors, Cancun is a good place to start the new year laying down on white-sand beaches and surrounded by the kindest people in the country.

Tulum

Not so much into the sun and beach kind of vacation? Tulum is the place to go. Enjoy discovering the marvelous Mayan ruins and learning all there is to know about one of the most legendary civilizations in Latin America.

Los Cabos

Looking to have fun on the beach and not going broke in the process? Then Los cabos is the stop for you; with its great beaches, white sand, crystal clear water and the wildest nightlife out there Los Cabos will provide you with a lifetime experience at a relatively low cost.