Holidaying in Mexico

fannyanna

Hubby and I are thinking about having a holiday in Mexico but we're a bit clueless about when to go and also which resort to go to.

Any ideas.

Oh another thing. I have a really bad phobia of spiders and although I've been told by people who have been to Mexico not to worry surely they're going to have big nasties. Perhaps I should just stick with Europe!

poe.tuesday

you don't like spiders and you are thinking about Mexico - hum....I would not go then but it will be a real shame as it is an amazing place but there are lots of spiders and if you go into the jungle then you will see tarantulas and you need to go into the jungle if you want to see sites such as coba etc

if you can get over your phobia or think you could cope with the big beasties then look at resorts out of cancun, such as playa del carmen and places around there - we stayed in tullum at the dreams hotel

fannyanna

Will most definately not be walking through any jungles because as you said I will come across the big boys.

We're thinking about a beach type holiday - just sit by the pool and relax. I'm convinced that there will be spiders (of the quite large variety) but family members who have been have said they didn't see any. In my opinion they were just lucky. I'd be the first one to spot one.

soil_2

fannyanna wrote: »

Hubby and I are thinking about having a holiday in Mexico but we're a bit clueless about when to go and also which resort to go to.

Any ideas.

Depends what you want.

By far the easiest thing is to fly to Cancun (charter and direct flights - try skyscanner), rent a car for 2/3 weeks and tour the Yucatan peninsula. You can for instance do a week in a resort hotel and then a week or more travelling around seeing the sights. Please don't just do the resort, there are many other attractions besides AI hotels, if you just want that go to the Dominican Republic or something.

Oh another thing. I have a really bad phobia of spiders and although I've been told by people who have been to Mexico not to worry surely they're going to have big nasties. Perhaps I should just stick with Europe!

The major nasties in Mexico are the drug bandits. Border areas with the US are considered very dangerous and ruled by drug lords. The Yucatan peninsula is safe however.

The attractions there are the cenotes (freshwater pools) and the extensive Mayan remains (pyramids).

It's best to avoid Cancun itself, it's Benidorm for Americans, while Cozumel island is rather missable. If you want a resort look at Playa del Carmen.

We stayed at the Mayaland hotel within the world famous Chichen Itza site, it's very dated but the location is fantastic.

There are some 'eco' theme parks in the area, didn't visit them don't like such things, http://www.xelha.com/ http://www.xcaret.com/ for example. Try Yal-Ku Lagoon instead.

The ruins of Coba and Tulum are worth seeing, as are other remains.

As Cozumel is past it, Holbox Island is now the place to go http://www.holboxisland.com/ There is boutique accommodation and small-scale developments, good beaches and very few motor vehicles.

You do need a car to do Mexico properly.

You can go any time, BUT summer is quite hot for pyramid touring etc., there is a slight hurricane risk in summer and temperatures are coolest December/January, so this is peak season. Hotel rates will be lower in summer so it's not all bad news.

soil_2

poe.tuesday wrote: »

you don't like spiders and you are thinking about Mexico - hum....I would not go then but it will be a real shame as it is an amazing place but there are lots of spiders and if you go into the jungle then you will see tarantulas and you need to go into the jungle if you want to see sites such as coba etc

if you can get over your phobia or think you could cope with the big beasties then look at resorts out of cancun, such as playa del carmen and places around there - we stayed in tullum at the dreams hotel

I didn't really notice any beasties under than mosquitos (numerous). Didn't like the Dreams Tulum at all, too many Americans. The Riu resorts get more Brits.

Chrissy1981

We stayed at the Riu Yucatan in Playa del Carmen last September and had a fantastic time. Ventured out of the resort to the town and also to Chichen Itza and a cenote and thankfully didn't see any bugs!

Mr_Wang

Fly to Cancun and then travel independently the Peninsula. It offers breathtaking scenery, beaches and history/temples.

poe.tuesday

soil wrote: »

I didn't really notice any beasties under than mosquitos (numerous). Didn't like the Dreams Tulum at all, too many Americans. The Riu resorts get more Brits.

Hardly any americans when we were there as most of them go to cancun as they can basically step off the plane and be at their resort, the ones that were at dreams were chilled out ones and tbh, I don't want to holiday with a hotel full of brits, much prefer to have a mixture of nationalities which we got at dreams

i second the whole getting out and seeing mexico, it really it amazing but if you want to stay in a resort and sun bathe that's cool too - it's your holiday afterall

as for xel-ha it was amazing and not tacky like I expected it to be, one of the most amazing experience days I have had

soil_2

poe.tuesday wrote: »

Hardly any americans when we were there as most of them go to cancun as they can basically step off the plane and be at their resort, the ones that were at dreams were chilled out ones and tbh, I don't want to holiday with a hotel full of brits, much prefer to have a mixture of nationalities which we got at dreams

When I was there they were drunk and obnoxious due to the AI alcohol, they took dollar bills into the swimming pool to tip the barstaff (totally unnecessary but Americans like tipping for everything), and they had some kind of comedian who started his act with 'Is anyone from Iowa?'. I don't mind Americans in America, but I don't want to go to Mexico for that.

neilbond007

soil wrote: »

When I was there they were drunk and obnoxious due to the AI alcohol, they took dollar bills into the swimming pool to tip the barstaff (totally unnecessary but Americans like tipping for everything), and they had some kind of comedian who started his act with 'Is anyone from Iowa?'. I don't mind Americans in America, but I don't want to go to Mexico for that.

You mean you went to Mexico and expected not many Americans? Do you go to Spain and not expect to see any Brits?
It isn't a case of 'liking' to tip. It's a way of life. Taking the $ in to the pool is probably what they thought was the right thing to do.

As for the original question, I've been to Cancun twice. Once about 10 years ago for 2 weeks (Blue Bay Getaway) and then last year for a week at a resort I don't even remember the name of (it was meant to be 5*. It wasn't). I went each time simply for $$ reasons. Great deals. I wouldn't recommend Cancun. Great if you're young. Not so great when you're not so young. The resorts of Playa del Carmen do look superb however.

Enterprise_1701C

We stayed at Playa Del Carmen and it was wonderful - it is basically a resort city, peaceful and well guarded. We stayed at the Viva Azteca with it's own beachfront and guards at either end of the beach. Take into account this was in 2004, but it was a good clean hotel, good food, free bottles of water available everywhere (very important - go nowhere without water, even shopping, we frequenty saw people fainting through dehydration at ruins).

If you go to Mexico you have to go swimming with dolphins (we went to Port Aventuras), we also went to Xcaret (eco theme water park) and Xel-Ha (massive natural acquarium you you can swim in)- great for swimming, and cooling down a little.

I do not recall seeing any spiders at the ruins, or anywhere come to that, except in the jungle.

When we were there they were VERY hot on safety - you had to wear a life vest even to go snorkelling, and one of the above parks has a very long underground river that you can swim in, again life vest are insisted on (although grateful for it that time, it is VERY long!!)