01_787426 ffirs.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page iii
Mexico’s Beach Resorts FOR s DUMmIES‰
3RD EDITION
by David Baird and Lynne Bairstow 01_787426 ffirs.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page vi 01_787426 ffirs.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page i
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Mexico’s Beach Resorts FOR s DUMmIES‰
3RD EDITION
by David Baird and Lynne Bairstow 01_787426 ffirs.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page iv
Mexico’s Beach Resorts For Dummies®, 3rd Edition Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permit- ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, 317-572-3447, fax 317-572-4355, or online at http:// www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. Frommer’s is a trade- mark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the prop- erty of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
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For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002. For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Library of Congress Control Number: 2006927782 ISBN-13: 978-0-471-78742-6 ISBN-10: 0-471-78742-6 Manufactured in the United States of America 10987654321 3B/QU/QY/QW/IN 01_787426 ffirs.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page v
About the Authors
Lynne Bairstow now considers Mexico to be more her home than her native United States. After living in Puerto Vallarta and explor- ing Mexico for most of the past 17 years, she’s developed not only an appreciation but also a true love for the country and its com- plex, colorful culture. Her travel articles on Mexico have been pub- lished in the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Luxury Living, Frommer’s Budget Travel magazine, and Alaska Airlines Magazine. In 2000, the Mexican government awarded Lynne the Pluma de Plata, a top honor granted to foreign writers, for her work in the Frommer’s guidebooks to Mexico. David Baird is a writer, editor, and translator who feels uncomfort- able writing about himself in the third person (too much like writ- ing your own obituary). Now based in Austin, Texas, he has spent years living in various parts of Mexico, Brazil, Peru, and Puerto Rico. But whenever possible, he manages to get back to the Yucatán’s turquoise-blue waters because he thinks he looks good in that color and because he’s excessively fond of the local cooking. 01_787426 ffirs.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page vi 01_787426 ffirs.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page vii
Dedication
This book is dedicated to my many friends in Mexico who, through sharing their insights, anecdotes, knowledge, and explorations of Mexico, have shared their love of this country. In particular, Silver, Ricardo, Santiago, and Carlos have shared with me and have shown me what a magical place Mexico is and how much more I have to discover and enjoy. — Lynne Bairstow To my brother John, whose sheer willpower overcame my objec- tions and forced me to take the vacation many, many years ago that first brought me to the Caribbean shores of Mexico. — David Baird
Authors’ Acknowledgments
Many thanks to all the many people who helped me gather the information, tips, and treasures that have made their way into this book. I am especially grateful for the assistance of Cecilia Mendicuti, her valuable ideas and contributions, and her tireless work in ensuring that the information in this book is correct. — Lynne Bairstow I would like to acknowledge my indebtedness to the irrepressible Desiré Sanromán, a Cozumeleña who knows her island and who befriended me for reasons that aren’t quite clear. (Sympathy? Pity? Concern for all the readers I may mislead?) I also thank that most capable of guides, Claudia Hurtado Valenzuela, who opened the doors of the Riviera Maya to me, and whose views on all matters touristic were well worth hearing. — David Baird 01_787426 ffirs.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page viii
Publisher’s Acknowledgments We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/. Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Editorial Composition Services Editors: Suzanna R. Thompson, Project Coordinator: Michael Kruzil Production Editor; Marc Nadeau, Layout and Graphics: Development Editor Carl Byers, Joyce Haughey, Copy Editor: Doreen Russo Stephanie D. Jumper, Cartographer: Guy Ruggiero Lynsey Osborn, Heather Ryan, Julie Trippetti Senior Photo Editor: Richard Fox Proofreaders: Leeann Harney, Cover Photos Jessica Kramer, Front: Cancún, Quintana Roo Christine Pingleton, Techbooks (© Michael Melford/Getty Images) Indexer: Techbooks Back: Chichén Itzá, Yucatán Peninsula (© Panoramic Images/ Getty Images) Cartoons: Rich Tennant, www.the5thwave.com
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel Publishing for Technology Dummies Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User Composition Services Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page ix
Contents at a Glance
Introduction...... 1 Part I: Mexico’s Beach Resorts...... 9 Chapter 1: Discovering the Best of Mexico’s Beach Resorts ....11 Chapter 2: Digging Deeper into Mexico...... 22 Chapter 3: Choosing Where to Go in Mexico’s Beach Resorts ...... 35 Chapter 4: Deciding When to Go ...... 48 Part II: Planning Your Trip to Mexico’s Beach Resorts...... 53 Chapter 5: Managing Your Money ...... 55 Chapter 6: Getting to Mexico’s Beach Resorts ...... 66 Chapter 7: Booking Your Accommodations ...... 74 Chapter 8: Tips for Travelers with Special Needs or Interests ...... 80 Chapter 9: Taking Care of the Remaining Details ...... 89 Part III: Cancún ...... 107 Chapter 10: The Lowdown on Cancún’s Hotel Scene ...... 109 Chapter 11: Settling into Cancún ...... 124 Chapter 12: Dining in Cancún ...... 132 Chapter 13: Having Fun on and off the Beach in Cancún ...... 143 Part IV: Cozumel and the Riviera Maya...... 169 Chapter 14: Cozumel ...... 171 Chapter 15: Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya...... 192 Part V: Puerto Vallarta and the Central Pacific Coast...... 211 Chapter 16: The Lowdown on Puerto Vallarta’s Hotel Scene ...... 213 Chapter 17: Settling into Puerto Vallarta...... 228 Chapter 18: Dining in Puerto Vallarta ...... 236 Chapter 19: Having Fun on and off the Beach in Puerto Vallarta ...... 250 Part VI: Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo...... 281 Chapter 20: The Lowdown on the Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo Hotel Scenes ...... 283 Chapter 21: Settling into Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo...... 294 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page x
Chapter 22: Dining in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo ...... 300 Chapter 23: Having Fun on and off the Beach in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo...... 306 Part VII: Acapulco...... 317 Chapter 24: The Lowdown on Acapulco’s Hotel Scene ...... 319 Chapter 25: Settling into Acapulco...... 330 Chapter 26: Dining in Acapulco ...... 336 Chapter 27: Having Fun on and off the Beach in Acapulco...... 344 Part VIII: Huatulco and the Southern Pacific Coast ...... 363 Chapter 28: Bahías de Huatulco ...... 365 Chapter 29: Puerto Escondido ...... 379 Part IX: Los Cabos and Southern Baja...... 397 Chapter 30: The Lowdown on the Hotel Scene in Los Cabos ...... 399 Chapter 31: Settling into Los Cabos...... 413 Chapter 32: Dining in Los Cabos ...... 421 Chapter 33: Having Fun on and off the Beach in Los Cabos ...... 432 Part X: The Part of Tens ...... 455 Chapter 34: Ten Top Mexican Moments ...... 457 Chapter 35: Ten Myths and Misconceptions about Mexico ....460 Chapter 36: Ten Most Deliciously Mexican Dishes ...... 464 Part XI: Appendixes...... 467 Appendix A: Quick Concierge ...... 469 Appendix B: Glossary of Spanish Words and Phrases...... 482 Appendix C: Authentic Mexican Cuisine ...... 488 Index...... 494 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xi
Maps at a Glance
Mexico ...... 12 Accommodations in Isla Cancún (Hotel Zone) ...... 113 Accommodations in Ciudad Cancún ...... 115 Isla Cancún Dining ...... 135 Ciudad Cancún Dining ...... 137 Cancún & Environs ...... 145 Isla Mujeres (The Island of Women)...... 152 Tulum Ruins ...... 155 Chichén Itzá Ruins ...... 157 Cancún Area ...... 163 Cozumel Island ...... 173 San Miguel de Cozumel ...... 175 Playa del Carmen ...... 197 The Riviera Maya ...... 201 Puerto Vallarta Hotel Zone Accommodations ...... 219 Downtown Puerto Vallarta Accommodations...... 221 Marina Vallarta Dining ...... 239 Downtown Puerto Vallarta Dining ...... 241 Puerto Vallarta Area ...... 251 Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa Area Accommodations ...... 287 Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa Area Dining ...... 303 Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo Area ...... 307 Acapulco Bay Area Accommodations ...... 322 Acapulco Bay Area Dining ...... 338 Acapulco Bay Area ...... 346 Bahías de Huatulco...... 367 Puerto Escondido ...... 381 San José del Cabo Accommodations ...... 403 Cabo San Lucas Accommodations ...... 405 The Corridor Accommodations ...... 407 San José del Cabo Dining...... 423 Cabo San Lucas Dining...... 425 The Corridor Dining ...... 427 Los Cabos ...... 433 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xii 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xiii
Table of Contents
Introduction ...... 1 About This Book...... 2 Conventions Used in This Book ...... 2 Foolish Assumptions ...... 3 How This Book Is Organized...... 4 Part I: Mexico’s Beach Resorts...... 4 Part II: Planning Your Trip to Mexico’s Beach Resorts...... 4 Part III: Cancún...... 5 Part IV: Cozumel and the Riviera Maya...... 5 Part V: Puerto Vallarta and the Central Pacific Coast ...... 5 Part VI: Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo...... 5 Part VII: Acapulco ...... 5 Part VIII: Huatulco and the Southern Pacific Coast ...... 6 Part IX: Los Cabos and Southern Baja...... 6 Part X: The Part of Tens...... 6 Part XI: Appendixes ...... 6 Icons Used in This Book...... 6 Where to Go from Here...... 7 Part I: Mexico’s Beach Resorts...... 9 Chapter 1: Discovering the Best of Mexico’s Beach Resorts...... 11 The Best Beach Vacations...... 11 The Best Luxury Resorts ...... 15 The Best Good-Value Accommodations...... 16 The Most Unique Places to Get Away from It All ...... 17 The Best Active Vacations ...... 17 The Best Dining Experiences...... 19 The Best Shopping...... 20 The Best Nightlife...... 21 Chapter 2: Digging Deeper into Mexico...... 22 Introducing Mexico...... 22 History 101: The Main Events...... 23 Pre-Hispanic Civilizations ...... 23 The Conquest ...... 26 The Colonial Period...... 27 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xiv
xiv Mexico’s Beach Resorts For Dummies, 3rd Edition
Independence...... 27 The Porfiriato and the Revolution...... 27 Modern Mexico ...... 28 Building Blocks: Local Architecture ...... 29 Pre-Hispanic Forms...... 29 Spanish Influence...... 30 Religion, Myth, and Folklore...... 30 Taste of the Yucatán: Local Cuisine...... 31 Background Check: Recommended Books and Movies....33 Books...... 33 Movies ...... 34 Chapter 3: Choosing Where to Go in Mexico’s Beach Resorts...... 35 Understanding the Lay of the Land ...... 36 Picking the Right Beach Resort...... 36 Choosing Cancún ...... 36 Diving into Cozumel ...... 38 Exploring the Riviera Maya ...... 39 Playing in Puerto Vallarta ...... 40 Introducing Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo ...... 41 Getting acquainted with Acapulco ...... 42 Hanging out in Huatulco ...... 43 Kicking back in Puerto Escondido...... 44 Lazing in Los Cabos...... 45 Chapter 4: Deciding When to Go ...... 48 Forecasting the Weather ...... 48 Considering Mexico’s Travel Seasons ...... 49 Mexico’s Calendar of Events...... 49 January/February/March...... 50 April/May/June...... 51 July/August/September...... 51 October/November/December ...... 51 Part II: Planning Your Trip to Mexico’s Beach Resorts...... 53 Chapter 5: Managing Your Money...... 55 Planning Your Budget...... 55 Calculating your hotel cost ...... 56 Totaling transportation costs ...... 56 Estimating dining dollars...... 57 Tipping tips...... 58 Sightseeing...... 58 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xv
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Shopping ...... 59 Nightlife...... 59 Cutting Costs — But Not the Fun...... 59 Making Sense of the Peso...... 61 Choosing Traveler’s Checks, Credit Cards, or Cash ...... 62 ATMs and cash...... 62 Credit cards ...... 63 Traveler’s checks ...... 63 Taxing Matters...... 64 Dealing with a Lost or Stolen Wallet...... 64 Chapter 6: Getting to Mexico’s Beach Resorts ...... 66 Flying to Mexico’s Beach Resorts ...... 66 Researching and Booking Your Trip Online...... 69 Understanding Escorted and Package Tours ...... 70 Chapter 7: Booking Your Accommodations...... 74 Getting to Know Your Options ...... 74 Finding the Best Room at the Best Rate...... 76 Surfing the Web for hotel deals...... 77 Reserving the best room...... 79 Chapter 8: Tips for Travelers with Special Needs or Interests ...... 80 Traveling with the Brood: Advice for Families...... 80 Making Age Work for You: Tips for Seniors ...... 82 Accessing Mexico’s Beaches: Advice for Travelers with Disabilities...... 83 Following the Rainbow: Resources for Gay and Lesbian Travelers ...... 85 Traveling Solo...... 86 Planning a Wedding in Mexico...... 87 Chapter 9: Taking Care of the Remaining Details...... 89 Arriving In and Departing From Mexico...... 89 Getting a Passport...... 90 Applying for a U.S. passport...... 91 Applying for other passports...... 91 Clearing U.S. Customs ...... 92 Playing It Safe with Travel and Medical Insurance ...... 93 Staying Healthy When You Travel...... 94 Keeping the kids healthy ...... 96 Staying Safe...... 97 Renting a Car ...... 97 Finding the best car-rental deal ...... 98 Remembering safety comes first ...... 99 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xvi
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Staying Connected by Cellphone or E-mail...... 100 Accessing the Internet Away from Home...... 101 Keeping Up with Airline Security Measures ...... 103 Packing for Mexico’s Beaches ...... 104 Part III: Cancún ...... 107 Chapter 10: The Lowdown on Cancún’s Hotel Scene...... 109 Choosing a Location ...... 110 Cancún’s Best Accommodations...... 111 Chapter 11: Settling into Cancún ...... 124 Arriving in Cancún ...... 124 Navigating passport control and Customs...... 124 Getting to your hotel ...... 125 Hiring a taxi ...... 125 Renting a car...... 126 Getting Around Cancún...... 127 Taking a taxi...... 128 Catching a bus...... 128 Zipping around on a moped ...... 129 Fast Facts: Cancún ...... 129 Chapter 12: Dining in Cancún...... 132 Cancún’s Best Restaurants ...... 133 Chapter 13: Having Fun on and off the Beach in Cancún ...... 143 Finding Water Fun for Everyone...... 144 Basking on a Cancún beach...... 144 Skiing and surfing...... 146 Exploring the deep blue...... 147 Reeling in the big one...... 148 Swimming with dolphins...... 149 Enjoying Land Sports...... 149 Teeing off...... 150 Making time for tennis ...... 150 Galloping along ...... 150 Trailing away ...... 151 Traveling to the Island of Women ...... 151 Touring Ruins or an Eco-Theme Park...... 154 Seeing the archaeological sites...... 154 Exploring an eco-theme park ...... 157 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xvii
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Sightseeing in Cancún ...... 161 Shopping in Cancún...... 162 Discovering Cancún after Dark...... 165 Partying at a club...... 165 Hanging out after dinner...... 167 Enjoying a cultural event ...... 167 Part IV: Cozumel and the Riviera Maya...... 169 Chapter 14: Cozumel...... 171 Choosing a Location ...... 172 Evaluating the Top Accommodations ...... 172 Settling into Cozumel...... 178 Knowing your way around town...... 179 Getting around town...... 180 Fast Facts: Cozumel ...... 181 Dining in Cozumel ...... 182 Having Fun on and off the Island...... 185 Combing the beaches...... 185 Exploring the depths...... 186 Sailing away ...... 188 Catching a big one ...... 188 Hitting the links...... 188 Seeing the sights ...... 188 Taking in the shops...... 190 Enjoying the nightlife ...... 191 Chapter 15: Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya ...... 192 Deciding Where to Stay ...... 193 Evaluating the Top Accommodations ...... 195 Settling into the Riviera Maya ...... 200 Knowing where to go...... 202 Getting around the area ...... 203 Fast Facts: Riviera Maya and Playa del Carmen...... 204 Dining along the Riviera Maya...... 205 Having Fun on and off the Beach ...... 207 Scuba and snorkeling ...... 207 Swimming with dolphins...... 208 Gone fishing...... 209 Getting in touch with nature ...... 209 Teeing off and playing tennis ...... 209 Going shopping ...... 210 Enjoying the nightlife ...... 210 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xviii
xviii Mexico’s Beach Resorts For Dummies, 3rd Edition
Part V: Puerto Vallarta and the Central Pacific Coast ...... 211 Chapter 16: The Lowdown on Puerto Vallarta’s Hotel Scene...... 213 Choosing a Location ...... 213 Nuevo Vallarta and the northern coast...... 214 Marina Vallarta ...... 214 Hotel Zone...... 215 El Centro Vallarta ...... 215 The southern shore ...... 216 Puerto Vallarta’s Best Accommodations...... 217 Chapter 17: Settling into Puerto Vallarta...... 228 Arriving in Puerto Vallarta ...... 228 Navigating passport control and Customs...... 228 Getting to your hotel ...... 229 Getting Around Puerto Vallarta...... 229 Taking a taxi...... 230 Catching a bus...... 231 Renting a car...... 231 Cruising around...... 231 Fast Facts: Puerto Vallarta ...... 232 Chapter 18: Dining in Puerto Vallarta ...... 236 Puerto Vallarta’s Best Restaurants ...... 237 Chapter 19: Having Fun on and off the Beach in Puerto Vallarta ...... 250 Hitting the Beaches...... 250 Northern beaches...... 252 Central and town beaches ...... 253 South-shore beaches ...... 254 Finding Water Fun for Everyone...... 255 Cruising Puerto Vallarta...... 255 Skiing and surfing...... 257 Exploring the deep blue...... 257 Sailing away ...... 257 Reeling in the big one...... 258 Swimming with dolphins...... 258 Enjoying Land Sports...... 259 Teeing off...... 260 Taking time for tennis...... 261 Trailing away ...... 261 Saddling up ...... 261 Enjoying an ecotour...... 262 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xix
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Sightseeing in Puerto Vallarta ...... 263 Shopping Puerto Vallarta ...... 265 Clothing...... 268 Contemporary art...... 268 Crafts and gifts ...... 269 Decorative and folk art...... 270 Jewelry and accessories ...... 270 Tequila and cigars...... 271 Embarking on a Side Trip...... 271 Mining historic San Sebastián ...... 272 Relaxing in Yelapa...... 273 Discovering Puerto Vallarta after Dark ...... 274 Taking in a cultural event ...... 275 Celebrating a fiesta...... 275 Enjoying the club and music scene ...... 276 Part VI: Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo...... 281 Chapter 20: The Lowdown on the Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo Hotel Scenes...... 283 Choosing Your Location...... 284 Ixtapa’s and Zihuatanejo’s Best Accommodations...... 285 Chapter 21: Settling into Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo.....294 Arriving in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo ...... 294 Navigating passport control and Customs...... 295 Getting to your hotel ...... 295 Getting Around Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo ...... 296 Fast Facts: Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo ...... 297 Chapter 22: Dining in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo...... 300 Finding Fast and Cheap Eats...... 300 Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo’s Best Restaurants ...... 301 Chapter 23: Having Fun on and off the Beach in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo...... 306 Hitting the Beaches...... 306 Finding Water Fun for Everyone...... 310 Skiing and surfing...... 310 Exploring the deep blue...... 310 Reeling in the big one...... 311 Cruising Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo...... 311 Enjoying Land Sports...... 312 Teeing off...... 312 Taking time for tennis...... 312 Galloping along ...... 313 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xx
xx Mexico’s Beach Resorts For Dummies, 3rd Edition
Sightseeing in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo...... 313 Shopping in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo...... 313 Taking a Side Trip...... 314 Discovering Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo after Dark...... 315 Part VII: Acapulco...... 317 Chapter 24: The Lowdown on Acapulco’s Hotel Scene...... 319 Choosing a Location ...... 319 Acapulco’s Best Accommodations ...... 321 Chapter 25: Settling into Acapulco ...... 330 Arriving in Acapulco...... 330 Navigating passport control and Customs...... 330 Getting to your hotel ...... 331 Getting Around Acapulco...... 331 Taking a taxi...... 332 Catching a bus...... 332 Renting a car...... 333 Fast Facts: Acapulco ...... 333 Chapter 26: Dining in Acapulco ...... 336 Acapulco’s Best Restaurants ...... 337 Chapter 27: Having Fun on and off the Beach in Acapulco ...... 344 Hitting the Beaches...... 344 Finding Water Fun for Everyone...... 349 Skiing and surfing...... 349 Exploring the deep blue...... 350 Reeling in the big one...... 350 Finding family fun ...... 350 Cruising Acapulco’s shores ...... 351 Enjoying Land Sports...... 351 Teeing off...... 351 Taking time for tennis...... 352 Galloping along ...... 352 Experiencing Acapulco’s Front Row Attractions ...... 352 Sightseeing in Acapulco ...... 353 Shopping in Acapulco...... 354 Taking a Side Trip to Taxco...... 355 Getting to Taxco...... 356 Exploring Taxco ...... 356 Staying a night...... 357 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xxi
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Dining in Taxco...... 358 Discovering Taxco after dark ...... 359 Discovering Acapulco after Dark ...... 359 Part VIII: Huatulco and the Southern Pacific Coast ...... 363 Chapter 28: Bahías de Huatulco ...... 365 Choosing a Location ...... 366 Evaluating the Top Accommodations ...... 366 Settling into Huatulco...... 370 Arriving in Huatulco by air ...... 370 Getting from the airport to your hotel...... 371 Knowing your way around town...... 371 Fast Facts: Huatulco...... 372 Dining in Huatulco ...... 374 Having Fun on and off the Beach ...... 376 Hitting Huatulco’s best beaches ...... 376 Cruising Huatulco ...... 376 Taking time for tennis or golf ...... 377 Sightseeing and shopping...... 377 Enjoying the nightlife ...... 378 Chapter 29: Puerto Escondido ...... 379 Evaluating the Top Accommodations ...... 379 Settling into Puerto Escondido ...... 384 Knowing your way around town...... 384 Getting around Puerto Escondido ...... 385 Fast Facts: Puerto Escondido ...... 385 Dining in Puerto Escondido ...... 387 Having Fun on and off the Beach ...... 390 An unusual spa experience...... 391 Embarking on an excursion...... 391 Planning a side trip to Puerto Angel and Playa Zipolite ...... 392 Shopping in Puerto Escondido...... 394 Enjoying the nightlife ...... 395 Part IX: Los Cabos and Southern Baja ...... 397 Chapter 30: The Lowdown on the Hotel Scene in Los Cabos ...... 399 Choosing a Location ...... 400 Best Accommodations in Los Cabos ...... 401 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xxii
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Chapter 31: Settling into Los Cabos ...... 413 Arriving in Los Cabos by Air...... 413 Navigating passport control and Customs...... 413 Getting to your hotel ...... 414 Renting a car...... 415 Hiring transportation ...... 415 Getting Around Los Cabos ...... 416 Touring around town...... 417 Taking a taxi...... 417 Considering a car rental...... 417 Fast Facts: Los Cabos ...... 417 Chapter 32: Dining in Los Cabos ...... 421 The Best Restaurants in Los Cabos...... 422 Chapter 33: Having Fun on and off the Beach in Los Cabos ...... 432 Hitting the Beaches...... 432 Cabo’s northern beaches...... 434 Corridor beaches...... 434 Cabo’s southern beaches...... 435 Finding Water Fun for Everyone...... 435 Cruising Los Cabos...... 436 Preferring a paddleboat ...... 437 Catching a wave ...... 437 Exploring the deep blue...... 438 Reeling in the big one...... 438 Enjoying Land Sports...... 440 Teeing off...... 440 Making time for tennis ...... 441 Taking Adventure and Nature Tours...... 444 Driving Tours...... 444 Sightseeing in Los Cabos...... 445 Shopping in Los Cabos ...... 445 Clothing...... 446 Contemporary art...... 446 Crafts, gifts, and jewelry ...... 447 Decorative and folk art...... 447 Other stores...... 447 Embarking on a Side Trip...... 448 Discovering Los Cabos after Dark...... 450 Enjoying a theme night ...... 450 Watching a sunset...... 451 Hanging out and happy hours...... 451 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xxiii
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Going dancing...... 452 Mens’ clubs...... 453 Part X: The Part of Tens ...... 455 Chapter 34: Ten Top Mexican Moments...... 457 Enjoying a Mexican Fiesta...... 457 Setting Sail at Sunset...... 457 Mixing It Up with Mariachi Music ...... 458 Sipping on Margaritas at Sunset...... 458 Strolling the Malecón...... 458 Feasting on Fresh Fish under a Palapa...... 458 Looking for Whales in Baja or Puerto Vallarta ...... 458 Watching Cliff Divers in Acapulco...... 458 Visiting Tulum...... 459 Shopping — While Sunbathing...... 459 Chapter 35: Ten Myths and Misconceptions about Mexico...... 460 Mexico Is a Desert, and It’s Hot Everywhere...... 460 Mexico Is the Land of Sombreros and Siestas...... 461 Mexico Has No Drinking or Drug Laws...... 461 If in Trouble, Pay a Mordida ...... 461 All Mexican Food Is Spicy ...... 461 Don’t Drink the Water...... 462 Tequila Is Best with a Pinch of Salt and Lime...... 462 A Jeep Rental Is Really $10 a Day...... 462 Going Anywhere in Just Your Swimsuit Is Okay...... 462 Mexicans Who Don’t Speak English Are Hard of Hearing ...... 462 Chapter 36: Ten Most Deliciously Mexican Dishes ...... 464 Café de Olla...... 464 Ceviche...... 464 Chilaquiles ...... 465 Licuados ...... 465 Mole ...... 465 Pescadillas ...... 465 Pescado Sarandeado or Pescado en Talla ...... 465 Pozole ...... 466 Tacos al Pastor ...... 466 Tamales ...... 466 02_787426 ftoc.qxp 7/18/06 9:21 PM Page xxiv
xxiv Mexico’s Beach Resorts For Dummies, 3rd Edition
Part XI: Appendixes ...... 467 Appendix A: Quick Concierge...... 469 Fast Facts ...... 469 Toll-Free Numbers and Web Sites ...... 475 Major car-rental agencies ...... 476 Major and select local hotel and motel chains .....477 Where to Get More Information ...... 478 Appendix B: Glossary of Spanish Words and Phrases...... 482 Appendix C: Authentic Mexican Cuisine...... 488 Knowing the Basic Dishes...... 488 Dishes made with tortillas...... 488 All about beans ...... 489 Getting to know tamales ...... 489 Understanding the chile pepper ...... 490 Eating Out: Restaurants, Taquerías, and Tipping ...... 490 Drinking in Mexico ...... 491 Glossary of Spanish Menu Terms...... 491 Index ...... 494 03_787426 intro.qxp 7/18/06 9:07 PM Page 1
Introduction
exico not only offers travelers some of the world’s best beaches, Mbut it also presents a rich, 1,000-year-old culture and amazing nat- ural wonders to explore. Whether it’s the desert caves of Los Cabos or the Caribbean reefs off Cancún and Cozumel, Mexico’s largely untouched coastline is a virtual playground for travelers. In addition to the many natural attractions, Mexico’s beach resorts have added golf, tennis, diving, and abundant watersports to their lures. But can the rest of your knowledge about this vast country fit inside a mango seed? For many people, Mexico is both familiar and a mystery, and some opinions of this land are influenced by inaccurate or outdated stereotypes. If you’re a traveler who’s more attuned to the culture, you may have visited one or two Mexican beach resorts, but you’re probably curious about some of the others.
How do you sift through the destination choices — and then all the hotel options — without throwing in the beach towel in a daze of confusion? How do you plan a vacation that’s perfect for you — not one that simply follows the recommendations of a friend or travel agent? You’ve come to the right place. This guide rescues you from both information overload and detail deficit — those annoying syndromes that afflict far too many would-be travelers. We give you enough specifics to plan the type of trip you want and steer clear of the type of trip you don’t want.
Sure, plenty of other guidebooks are available that cover Mexico and its beach destinations, but many of them may as well be encyclopedias: They include practically everything you can possibly see and do. When the time comes to decide upon accommodations, attractions, activities, and meals, you probably have a tough time finding the best options because they’re buried in with the rest of the mediocre to not-so-hot suggestions.
Mexico’s Beach Resorts For Dummies, 3rd Edition, is a whole new enchi- lada. In this book, we streamline the options, focusing on each vacation spot’s high points (and warning you about the low points). We leave out the less-visited, harder-to-reach beach resorts so that we can concen- trate on the most popular (and most exciting) destinations. With the straightforward tips that we offer — how to get there, what to expect when you arrive, where to stay, where to eat, and where to have big fun — arranging your dream vacation can’t be easier. 03_787426 intro.qxp 7/18/06 9:07 PM Page 2
2 Mexico’s Beach Resorts For Dummies, 3rd Edition About This Book You can use this book in three ways: