Mexico Travel

Wondering where to go? In the Caribbean travel and life, that is no big problem. Just scroll down below to find whatever it is you are looking for balmy weather, clear blue skies, glorious seas, luxurious lodgings, fine food, sports, sights, entertainment, and even lazy days for lovers, all under the warmth of the sun.

Textual Map

Well, it is a bit difficult to describe the place in geographic terms. Just know that the region is actually a group of islands, territories, and countries located just south and east of the Gulf of Mexico and right in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. The following are the islands that are favorite travel and life destinations since time immemorial. Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Arubam, The Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cancun, Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba and St. Eustatius, St. Barthelemy, St. Kitts Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten and St. Martin, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Island, and U.S. Virgin Islands

Activities

There are many exciting activities available to you throughout the Caribbean. In fact, this is one of the reasons why this travel and life is so popular among visiting tourists. Because when you are on the islands, it does not matter who or what you are the islands always have something to offer for everyone.

This travel and life offer all inclusive resorts where you can enjoy everything for a single price. One of the popular places that offer all inclusive travel and life is Sandals, located in the Castries area of the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia.

The resort offers two properties St. Lucia Regency Golf Resort and Spa, a couples only resort of over 200 acres of rolling hills and a beautiful half mile beach, and the Sandals Halcyon, another couples only resort. This travel and life all inclusive packages are geared towards awesome beaches, a great scuba diving program, water sports, and fitness centers.

If you like casino gaming, Caribbean travel and life offers you that as well. Head on over to Belize, Puerto Rico, Jamaica where the groovy beats of the island makes for excellent island flavored nightlife. Play a game of chance and feel like you are re in Las Vegas as you pit fortunes with the house and maybe win a few chips here and there over a round of roulette. Then quench your thirst with a few glasses of sparkles as you laugh and talk and socialize to your hearts content.

Besides fun and socializing, this travel and life also offers you a chance to get closer to nature. The offers several ecotourism where a guide takes you into the deepest rainforest reservoir where you can experience first hand some of the rarest and oldest species of flora and fauna found on earth.

Other activities you can enjoy in a Caribbean travel and life include, Children programs, Cuisine, Golf, Health and fitness spas, Meeting and conventions, Participation sports, Sailing and charter boats, Scuba diving, Spectator sports, Water sports and Weddings and honeymoons.

If you are interested in adding new intriguing and exciting destinations to your travel itinerary, don't miss the opportunity to spend your holiday in South America. By choosing to travel to this magnificent continent, you will have the chance to discover remarkable cultures and civilizations with a great history behind them, driven by the temperamental but also very welcoming Latin spirit. Some of the most prominent and important countries in South America, representing true symbols for the South American continent, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Panama have a very well-developed potential for tourism, attracting overwhelmingly large numbers of tourists each year.

These magnificent countries have known great progress and development in the last few decades, despite their struggled historical past, dominated by political conflicts and interests. Nowadays, these splendid countries on the South American continent are among the most requested holiday destinations, enchanting visitors with a wide variety of tourist sites and resorts, both old and modern remarkable architectonic structures, large and imposing metropolitan areas, all revealing the ingenious, innovative and hard-working character of their inhabitants.

The remarkable economic achievements of these major countries in South America are direct proportional with their high potential for tourism. Thanks to their great history, culture, music, as well as the amazing beauty of their urban and rural establishments, and not to mention their accomplishments regarding the much-treasured Latin passion - football, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela and Panama have become extremely popular worldwide. Their continuously increasing popularity has determined a pronounced development of their tourism, drawing millions of tourists towards their borders.

If you decide to travel to Brazil, you will be amazed by the staggering beauty of this great South American country. Among the most requested Brazil travel destinations are its capital, Brasilia, and major cities such as Sao Paulo, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro. Famous for its majestic carnivals, magnificent natural resorts, tropical climate and the exuberance of its inhabitants, Brazil is a highly requested holiday destination. Renowned as an important center for tourism of the South American continent, Brazil attracts overwhelmingly large numbers of visitors each year. Brazil has a well-developed and extended network of airports, air travel facilitating the visiting tourists' access to major cities and various other locations between or beyond the borders of the country. Thanks to modern infrastructure and the variety of airports present here, flights to Brazil are the quick and comfortable way of traveling to this intriguing region of South America.

Similar to Brazil, Argentina is also a major center for tourism in South America. The most popular Argentina travel destinations are its capital - Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata - the main tourist resort situated on the Atlantic Coast, La Plata, Santa Fe, Santa Cruz, Cordoba, Mendoza and San Juan. Combining the Latin mentality with European cultural influences, Argentina is a welcoming country for anyone who wishes to discover new interesting locations. Thanks to the well developed network of airports present here, the best way to travel around the country is by air. Apart from being very comfortable, Argentina flights have the benefit of being inexpensive as well. Travel to Argentina and you are guaranteed to have the time of your life!

Although they are much smaller in size than Brazil and Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela and Panama are also important tourist centers of the South American continent. Vacations in Colombia, Venezuela and Panama are exciting and intriguing experiences for both regular travelers and occasional visitors. The most requested Colombia travel destinations are Bogotá, Cartagena, Cali, Villa de Leiva, San Augustin and San Andres. Among the most desired Venezuela travel destinations are Caracas, Puerto la Cruz, Isla Margarita, Isla El Grand Roque, Isla La Tortuga, Merida and Puerto Ayacucho. Popular Panama travel destinations are Panama City, Bocas del Toro, Boquete, Isla Contadora, Guadalupe, Isla Bastimentos, Isla Taboga and Almirante.

Whether you decide to visit these countries for the beauty of their tropical landscapes, shores and beaches, for their ancient cultural resorts and the variety of historical tourist sites or simply to interact with the exuberating, welcoming locals, spending your vacations on the Latin American continent is definitely a remarkable and unforgettable experience!

So, if you want to find out more information about colombia flights or about colombia vacation you can click these links. Also you'll find valuable advices about venezuela travel.

A lot of people have heard that people from the U.S. can't buy property in Mexico. This isn't entirely true. In fact the only real regulations are on the near the border and coast. These areas are called the "restricted zone". The "restricted zone" is the area within 100 kilometers of any Mexican border and within 50 miles of any Mexican coastline.

Originally the "restricted zone" was created to protect Mexico from foreign attack. The goal was to keep any foreigner from owning land that could be used to bring in an army and launch an attack on Mexico. This was written into the Mexican Constitution in article 27. The constitution was signed in 1917 and made a lot of changes to who could own property.

From briefly look at this section of the Mexican constitution from 1917, it looks like it took a lot of land away from people. It changed the concept of land ownership to one where the government actually owns all the land and even though they sell it to individuals for use, the government can get it back if they want it. From what I've seen this doesn't happen very often and when it does it is similar to what happens in the U.S. when they put in a highway through an area that used to be private property-the government has to pay a reasonable price for the land.

Other than the "restricted zone" foreigners can own land subject to Mexican law. Just because you are a U.S. citizen doesn't mean the land becomes U.S. property. It is treated just like a Mexican citizen owned it.

If you are looking to buy property in Mexico keep in mind that there is no type of real estate license required. Anyone can sell real estate and there isn't any type of code of ethics that they all agree with. You will want to work with someone trust worthy.

If you want to purchase property in the "restricted zone" there are ways to do it. The Mexican government knows that selling land on the coast is a great way to bring in money not just for the sale of the property but for the local economy. U.S. citizens coming to Mexico and spending lots money are a great way for the country to profit financially. However since the law about the "restricted zone" is written into the constitution it would take a lot of political work to change.

The Mexican government came up with a way to work around the constitution. You can create a legal entity in Mexico and use it to buy the land. Since the land is owned by a Mexican entity, this fulfills the constitutional requirements. If this entity is a trust, a foreigner can be named as the beneficiary. The trust is administered by a Mexican bank which is obligated to act on the behalf of the beneficiary of the trust.

A Mexican corporation can own land and Mexican corporation can be 100% owned by a foreign investments. This should allow a corporation to buy land in the "restricted zone". However the corporation can only by land that is not for residential use and there are other restrictions on what the land can be used for. It appears that if you created a corporation and bought a shop that had living quarters above it, you might be able to live in above your shop, but I'm not sure.

If you are looking to buy land in Mexico make sure you find someone who you can trust who can help you through the process. Law change and just because something is legal to do doesn't mean it is the easiest way to go about purchasing property.

This morning another wonderful Mexican breakfast was in store: Vanessa had made "tlacoyos con nopales" (fried dough covered with fruits of the prickly pear cactus and melted cheese on top) which I really enjoyed. Around 9:30 we got going and Vanessa's sister dropped us off, right in front of the Angel de la Independencia, a monument erected in 1910 to commemorate independence from Spain, on the Paseo de la Reforma.

The Paseo de la Reforma is an almost 4 km long tree-lined boulevard, connecting the center of the city with the Bosque de Chapúltepec. Various monuments adorn its glorietas, or traffic circles, and we had already seen one of the monuments, the Caballito, yesterday.

Right next to the Angel de la Independencia, an officer of the tourist police stopped us and asked us where we were going and if he could be of help. He was a very charming young man and pulled a laminated map out of his security jacket and pointed out all the major sights in Mexico City. We had seen quite a bit, but inevitably we were going to miss quite a lot as well since there was so much to see and there just was not enough time.

After a photo op with the tourist policeman we headed on and kept exploring the Paseo de la Reforma. From the Angel de la Independencia we continued on to the Diana Cazadora (Diana the Huntress) statue, which caused quite a stir when it was originally unveiled since it is a statue of a naked woman. The city authorities decided to cover up the statue for a while, but sanity prevailed and the shameful covers were removed after some time.

We continued our mid-morning stroll towards the Bosque de Chapúltepec, a former sacred ground for the Pre-Colombian cultures and now Mexico City's biggest park. Walking up to the castle, you first encounter a big monument called the Monumento a los Niños Héroes, commemorating the army cadets (the "boy heroes") who died defending the castle from an American attack in 1847.

From there we explored the Castillo de Chapúltepec, which was originally built in the 1760s, but is most well-known for having being the residence of the unfortunate Austrian-born emperor Maximillian, and his wife Princess Charlotte, who only governed Mexico for a few short years until 1866 when he found an unfortunate end by firing squad.

We slowly strolled up the castle hill, paid our entrance fee and started exploring the castle. In true Habsburg tradition, it is furnished with ornate, baroque style furniture, and the first thing you see are the royal "carrozas" (carriages) when you come into the first hall of the exhibition. From that point onwards you see a variety of rooms as they were used by the Habsburg monarchs - dining rooms, living rooms, a bedroom as well as a meeting room, that illustrate the extreme opulence that these royals enjoyed. No wonder the population, who was merely scraping by, got upset with the dominance and privilege of the aristocrats.

We then walked to the top level garden which is enclosed by glass windows. Right next to one of these glass walls on the ground we noticed a tiny "colibri" (hummingbird) that had flown against the glass enclosure and knocked itself out. Vanessa rescued it by taking it gently in her hand, we then walked downstairs and Vanessa set the tiny bird free on the grass. When she opened her hand, the bird had regained its wits enough to fly away back into freedom.

Then we explored the Museo del Caracol (the "Snail Museum", due to its shape), which also holds a museum on the history of Mexico (Galeria de Historia), featuring a series of dioramas depicting scenes from the fight for independence to the Mexican Revolution.

The view over the city from the castle hill is astounding and you literally enjoy a 360 degree panorama. Then we walked down the hill, past a whole series of street vendors, selling everything from Mexican snacks, to sun hats and visors, to disposable cameras, much of which is announced by promotionally shouting out the assortment of merchandise to the parade of visitors.

The Lago Chapúltepec is a popular weekend destination for Mexican families and features rowboats, swans, stages for theatre and ballet presentations and many beautiful spots to relax. We explored the Casa del Lago, an art centre run by Mexico's largest university, the UNAM. Right in front of the Casa del Lago people of all ages were painting, drawing, reading newspapers, and this location offers many free artistic and cultural activities to the local population.

Just after our visit we continued walking on the walkway with all the street vendors and saw a local artist who was producing miniature paintings, using his fingers, his fingertips, and the occasional brush stroke. He produced a variety of landscapes, including one with the well-known Mexican volcano Popocatépetl. I had a chance to take a video of his artistic endeavours and ended up buying 3 very colourful miniature paintings depicting typical Mexican scenes. While he was painting he was telling stories about the themes he was painting, and he cracked the occasional joke, which made the entire crowd of onlookers laugh.

Then we headed back onto the Paseo de la Reforma towards the Auditorio, Mexico City's famous outdoor concert facility. On the sidewalk beside the busy 6-lane road, there was a public art project: a whole series of life-sized cows that had been painted and decorated in very unique ways and provided great photo opportunities for the enthusiastic visitors. This public art campaign reminded me of Toronto's moose exhibits from a few years ago. I believe Chicago had a similar campaign with cows as well.

Once arrived at the Auditorio we purchased a refreshing "nieve" (crushed ice, in this case flavoured with lime) and walked back on the Paseo de la Reforma towards the famous Museo de la Antropología. We explored the outside and the lobby, unfortunately we did not have enough time to explore the inside. The Museo de la Antropologia is one of the most famous and most extensive museums in Mexico. It was opened in 1964 and has various collections of artifacts from Mexico's various pre-Columbian cultures. Right outside the museum is a huge stone statue of the rain god Tlaloc.

Then we took a bus (a "pesera") to the another part of the Bosque de Chapúltepec, close to the Lago Mayor, where we exited near the Children's Museum and started exploring this portion of this huge park. We were in search of the restaurant overlooking Lago Mayor and had a bit of a hard time finding it first, since there is a Restaurante del Lago and a Café del Lago. Finally after Vanessa had asked several passers-by, we figured out we had to go to the Café del Lago and sure enough we found our lunch destination. The Café is an attractive looking structure overlooking the lake, and it features a buffet lunch every day. Fortunately we negotiated our way into just ordering a soup since we had already snacked on "chicharrones" (usually puffed and fried pork rinds, but these ones were made of wheat flour) and there was no way we could handle a full meal. I simply had a delicious chile poblano, a green soup made of chili peppers that was very tasty and creamy.

Then we made our way back onto the road where we hopped onto another "pesera" that would take us to the subway station at Los Constituyentes, where we descended about 3 or 4 major staircases downwards (we must have been about 40 or 50 meters below the surface) and caught three subway trains back into Vanessa's neighbourhood. After a quick and inexpensive stint (5 pesos, 70 cents) in an Internet café, Vanessa's parents and her sister picked us up to take us to San Angel, another beautiful neighbourhood in Mexico City with colonial buildings and cobble-stoned streets.

We started by exploring the Iglesia de San Jacinto, which features an inner courtyard with a rain chute to capture rain water, and a beautiful enclosed private garden in the back of the church. Inside a big festivity was taking place: a "quinceñera" - a ritual celebrating a 15-year-old girl's entry into adulthood. Then we explored the Plaza San Jacinto which had hundreds of street vendors, selling different types of artwork. San Angel is known as a city district that is home to many artists. It features numerous permanent galleries as well as the weekend "tianguis" or "mercado ambulante" ("walking market") with vendors that set up shop only on the weekend.

For dinner we picked one of the restaurants overlooking the square and had some traditional Mexican dishes. I had a "sopa de la fonda" (chicken soup with pico de gallo and avocado) followed by an "ensalada de berros" (watercress salad with diced tomatoes, onions and bacon). Vanessa's family had a variety of seafood dishes and "chile relleno" (chili peppers stuffed with minced meat, covered with a sauce made of cream, nuts and cinnamon).

At about 8 pm we had finished our dinner and since we had had a pretty exhausting day we headed back to catch up on some sleep and rest up for our departure day.

For the entire article including photos please visit
http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/mexico_city_5.htm

According to Jeni de Bernal, editor of InsidePV, (www.insidepv.com) the next generation of travel guides has arrived and it's in the form of a CD-Rom- the first to be released is none other than Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Aqua Odysseas (www.aquaodysseas.com) announces their latest project, a line of highly interactive CD's covering popular destinations across the world. The first to be released include California and Mexico destinations such as Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Catalina Island, with plans to release Caribbean hotspots shortly after.

The CD's provide a number of enhanced features, including a realistic 3D satellite map with geographic detail and GPS capabilities. With one click, users are virtually transported to their locale of interest where they can select flagged venues for travel information, colorful photos, even video footage and immediate access to web links to help build the perfect travel itinerary. Photos and information on popular attractions, lodging possibilities, dining, shopping, services and activities; everything is available at the click of a mouse.

Traveling to Puerto Vallarta and looking for a beach front dining experience? A single map click along Los Muertos Beach brings up information on La Palapa Restaurant and The Lazy Lizard Restaurant and Beach Bar, including entertainment features, menu, drink specialties and even beachside sunset photos taken tableside so users know exactly what to expect during their visit.

Buy it once, and never have to buy it again! The information provided is fully internet updated, guaranteeing the latest and most specific details possible, regardless of the point of purchase. What makes 3D Travel Guides even more valuable is that all the information is provided directly by local businesses, ensuring both popular attractions and off the beaten path hot spots. Whether you're planning a family vacation, romantic getaway, destination wedding, or even a great escape, Aqua Odysseas has developed the ultimate opportunity to plan the perfect retreat.

Aqua Odysseas 3D Interactive Travel Guides is available for purchase through retail outlets such as Barnes and Noble, Target, Costco, CompUSA, Amazon.com, and Borders Bookstores to name a few. At an affordable $19.99, these guides promise to change the way travelers plan and the way destinations are seen.

The last time I was in Mexico, so was everyone else, or so it seemed. But it is possible to travel to Mexico and enjoy a white sandy beach and some peace and quiet at the same time. All you need to know is where (and, in some cases, when) to go.

When to Go

November to April is widely regarded as the best time to visit. The summer months can get pretty hot. September and October is the peak of hurricane season, which actually stretches from November to June.

Keep in mind that the month of March tends to be very busy on the Mexico beaches with high school and college students on Spring Break. If it is a quiet vacation you want, you will also want to avoid the time around Christmas and Easter, as well as July and August.

Where to Go

There is a lot more to Mexico, and the Yucatan peninsula, than the city of Cancun.

Here are five favorite destinations that offer memorable Mexico vacations. Each of these spots can be reached by flying into Cancun. So if you would like to get a taste of the big city resort and then set out on the less traveled path, you will have the best of both worlds.

1. Isla Mujeres. Just 8 miles across the bay from Cancun, Isla Mujeres is a peaceful fishing village with restaurants, shops, and small, charming hotels. In fact, the whole island is cozy: The island itself is less than one mile wide and about five miles long. Downtown Isla Mujeres stretches only about six blocks. The signature turquoise waters and white sandy beaches make for great snorkeling and scuba diving. You can rent kayaks, snorkeling equipment and other gear right on the beach. Other activities to enjoy during your stay at Isla Mujeres include fishing, sailing, and swimming with the dolphins.

2. Riviera Maya stretches down the peninsula from Cancun to Tulum. Here, you will find white sandy beaches and water sports of all kinds, including scuba diving along the Great Maya coral reef, the second largest barrier reef system on the globe. Divers, and snorkelers may be rewarded with the sight of water life ranging from sea anemones, sponges and sea cucumbers to starfish and sea urchins, as well as underwater caverns. Sport fishing is a big business in Riviera Maya, as well. Other activities include golfing, spa going, and eco touring at the various ecological reserves in the region. Two highlights: the Xcaret EcoPark and the Sian Kaan bioshphere.

3. Playa del Carmen. About 40 minutes by car down the coast from Cancun, Playa del Carmen is growing into a bustling resort along Riviera Maya. If you like to shop, you will love Playa del Carmen. Boutiques in the town offer everything from cutting edge European fashions to crafts from local artisans.

During your stay, do not miss Quinto Avenida (Fifth Avenue). It is the heart of Playa. There are no cars, you can stroll the Avenue and be entertained by street performers, including artists and musicians. Playa del Carmen also features premiere dining, as the majority of the restaurants in the Riviera Maya are here, and quite a few of them are on Fifth Avenue itself. The bars and nightclubs are hopping on into the evening, so bring your dancing shoes.

4. XelHa. XelHa is an archeological site and eco park, located between Playa Del Carmen and Tulum. This destination offers adventures for all ages and mesmerizing ecological sights, as well as water sports, such as diving and snorkeling. You can swim with the dolphins here, as well. XelHa is particularly friendly for families and is bound to be an education in both Mayan history and ecology for the entire family.

5. Tulum. Drive a bit further south down the Mayan coast and you will find the small town of Tulum. Tulum is perhaps best known for its Mayan ruins, high on the limestone cliffs. These cliffs offer scenery you will not soon forget of the Caribbean alongside a picture perfect coastline. Tulum is the starting place for eco tourism and adventure travel, so make sure to look into nearby day trips and local attractions.

For an ideal and well rounded vacation, try a few days exploring the gradeur of Riviera Maya, then take some time to shop and play in the bustling Playa Del Carmen and another day or two visiting the Mayan ruins, and taking in the sites, of Tulum.

The word is out about these magnificent resorts, so you will not be able to avoid the crowds completely, but by striking out and having fun off the beaten path, you will find a good balance, and learn a lot about ecology and ancient Mayan culture.