The numbers are in - and Mexico is booming

The beginning of Mexico's high season begins on Thanksgiving weekend. Although things may be slow in the US, Mexico tourism continues to flourish. The high numbers of tourists also translate to many people purchasing vacation homes.

To read more of the article, visit:
High-Season Numbers Point to Promising Year for Tourism and Real Estate in Mexico

A Golfer's Paradise

If you love to golf and love luxury, then check out the Capella resort in Punta Maroma, Mexico.

More info here

Useful website for information on Mexico

If you want to find out about all Mexico has to offer, the Mexican Board of Tourism has a great site with tons of information. The website is offered in a number of languages, which allows people from all over the world to access the site.

The website has in depth information on a number of cities and activities.

Check it out: Visit Mexico

Good News for Puerto Peñasco

For all of those Southern Californians who love going to Rocky Point (Puerto Peñasco) but hate to drive I have good news. Aeromexico has announced it will be offering flights from LAX to Puerto Peñasco on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. These flights will make the once sleepy fishing village more accessible to travelers from California. The increased tourism will also have a positive impact on the local economy.

Flights to Mexico on Volaris

For those of you who live in Southern California, you now have a new option when flying to Mexico. Volaris, a Mexican airline that entered the market in 2006, is offering low fares and exceptional customer service. The airline offers a shuttle service from the Santa Fe Depot (train station in Downtown San Diego) to the airport in Tijuana.

The airline possesses one of the youngest fleets in Mexico. Their planes are clean and spacious. The service is top-notch. Passengers are offered snacks and beverages during the flight and have the option of watching tv or listening to the radio.


I have personally flown Volaris several times and I must say that it has been a great experience every time. One of the best parts about Volaris is that if they arrive late, they will give you a free ticket for your next trip. How great is that?

To check out fares visit: Volaris

SPOTLIGHT: Manzanillo

Today we are highlighting one of the most spectacular places on the Mexican Riviera, Manzanillo. Manzanillo is located in the state of Colima,
Manzanillo is one of Mexico's most important ports, receiving the largest volume of cargo in the country. The city is also well known for its fishing and many call it the "Sailfish Capital of the World".

The Las Hadas Resort, made famous by Bo Derek in the movie "10", is one of the most exclusive resorts in Mexico. The white Moorish-style resort is perched high on a hillside and has sweeping views of the bay.

The city, with one of the lowest crime rates in Mexico, has attracted people from all over the world. Manzanillo isn't as well known as some of Mexico's other resort towns, but residents say that is part of its charm. Manzanillo's beaches, Salahua, Las Hadas, Miramar, La Boquita, La Audiencia and Santiago are perfect for those looking for swimming or surfing.

There are plenty of good restaurants in Manzanillo. Some favorites are Bigotes, Juanitos, Oasis, and L'Recif.

Travel Articles about Mexico

Mexico has long been a favorite vacation spot for honeymooners and people looking for relaxation and pampering. These travel articles highlight various resort destinations in Mexico and are sure to give you that extra motivation you need to book your flight and hotel and head south of the border! You might like it so much, you decide to stay. :)

Travel + Leisure

Go World Travel

Conde Nast Traveler

American Way Inflight Magazine

Green Retreat in San Miguel de Allende

By Alia Mansoori

Turning right off the road linking the colonial Mexican towns of San Miguel de Allende and Dolores Hidalgo, I headed into the mountains. The smooth pavement of the two-lane highway ended abruptly, and my tiny green-and-white taxi struggled over thick rocks and through even thicker clouds of dust from the arid road, toward the plateau nearly two miles away.

To the right, enormous sprinklers watered verdant patches of alfalfa for a wealthy rancher's prized horses to feed on. To the left, a leathery-skinned old man pulled a sleepy donkey along a desiccated soccer field bordered by enormous cacti.

We passed the village of Morroquin, where colorful paper flags on strings — remnants of a fiesta — blew in the light breeze, toward the smaller village of Mesita. But the nearly intolerable ride was a small price to pay for the oasis that awaited.

On 15 acres of rural Central Mexico mountainside sits the eco-conscious Sagrada Wellness, a boutique hotel and yoga retreat, where guests are immersed in everything from holistic health and cooking classes to yoga, Spanish classes, spa treatments, art and horseback riding. Architect Scott Currie and his wife, Eva Inglizian, a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, created the Sagrada after living in San Miguel de Allende for a year and yearning for a peaceful refuge to call their own and practice their crafts: sustainable architecture and Eastern medicine.

"There's really nothing like this around here," says Inglizian, sitting in the outdoor dining area, as we ate a lunch of yellow rice, beans, sliced nopales (cactus) salad with fresh cheese, homemade corn tortillas, fresh salsa and guacamole, all made with locally grown, organic ingredients.

Touring the Sagrada grounds with Currie and Inglizian is more than a welcome tour you might get at any small hotel; it's an ode to the Earth and the marriage of the past and present.

To read more of the story, please visit:
Green Retreat in San Miguel
http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/travel/09/16/0916mexicospa.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=48

SPOTLIGHT: Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, known to locals as "Playa", is home to some of the Riviera Maya's most amazing beaches. It is a great choice for vacationers who love watersports as scuba diving and snorkeling are only a short boat ride away. For the more adventurous traveler, Playa is home to amazing freshwater rivers and caves called cenotes.

The Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue) boasts an array of shops where one can find all kinds of souvenirs, candy, clothing, Mexican handicrafts, and jewelry. The shopping area is located one block from the beach and is closed off to cars, giving vacationers the freedom to stroll along and shop.

As far as lodging goes, your best bet is one of Playa's small boutique hotels. Here are a few hotels that you might check out:

Hotel Deseo

Mosquito Blue

Illusion Boutique Hotel

Acanto Hotel

Playa del Carmen is the perfect spot for those looking for a relaxing beach vacation without all the craziness of Cancun. Playa draws a more international, laid-back, bohemian tourist as opposed to its neighbor to the north, Cancun, whose tends to draw in Spring Breakers and young families.

Passport Requirements for Mexico

Today I'm going to tackle another confusing issue for Americans traveling to Mexico: passport requirements. Many people have seen the news reports in the past year stating that it is now a requirement for U.S. citizens to have a passport when traveling to Mexico. The news reports caused vacationers to cancel their trips and caused a serious backlog of passport applications in the State Department.

Up until recently, all that was required for travel to Mexico was a birth certificate or a drivers license and a travel visa (obtained at the airport or port of entry). Beginning October 1, 2007, there will be no intercontinental flying without a passport. There is one exception to this rule--U.S. citizens traveling to certain countries, such as Canada, Mexico, the Carribean and Bermuda will be able travel if they can show proof that they have applied for a passport.

As of January 1, 2008, all U.S. citizens traveling by land or sea will be required to present a passport upon their return to the United States.

If you are planning on traveling anytime soon, apply for your passport now! Don't wait!