The Best of Mexico by David Baird, Lynne Bairstow, Juan Cristiano & Joy Hepp
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05 285619-ch01.qxp 7/22/08 10:51 AM Page 7 1 The Best of Mexico by David Baird, Lynne Bairstow, Juan Cristiano & Joy Hepp Across Mexico, in villages and cities, in mountains, tropical coasts, and jungle set- tings, enchanting surprises await travelers. These might take the form of a fantastic small-town festival, delightful dining in a memorable restaurant, or even a stretch of road through heavenly countryside. Below is a starter list of our favorites, to which you’ll have the pleasure of adding your own discoveries. 1 The Best Beach Vacations • Puerto Vallarta: Spectacularly wide nightlife. See “Puerto Escondido,” in Banderas Bay is graced by 42km (26 chapter 11. miles) of sandy beach. Some, such as • Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo: These side-by- Playa Los Muertos—the popular side resorts afford beach-goers the public beach in town—abound with best of both worlds: serene simplicity palapa restaurants, volleyball players, and resort comforts. For travelers and parasailers. The beaches of Punta seeking to get back to basics, the best Mita, the exclusive development and most beautiful beach is Playa La north of Vallarta, have white-sand, Ropa, close to Zihuatanejo. The wide crystalline waters, and coral reefs just beach at Playa Las Gatas, with its offshore. Others around the bay nes- restaurants and snorkeling sites, is tle in coves, accessible only by boat. also a great place to play. The high- Puerto Vallarta is the only beach rise hotels in Ixtapa, on the next bay town in Mexico with an authentic over from Zihuatanejo, front Playa colonial feel as well as first-rate resort Palmar, a fine, wide swath of beach. amenities. See “Puerto Vallarta,” in See “Northward to Zihuatanejo & chapter 10. Ixtapa,” in chapter 11. • Puerto Escondido: The best overall • Cancún: Cancún and the coastline of beach value in Mexico is principally the Yucatán state of Quintana Roo known for its world-class surfing are home to Mexico’s most enticingly beach, COPYRIGHTEDPlaya Zicatela. The surround- beautiful MATERIAL beaches, with powdery ing beaches all have their own appeal; white-sand and water the color of a colorful fishing pangas dot the central Technicolor dream. Cancún also has town beach, parked under the shade the widest assortment of luxury of palms leaning over so far they beachfront hotels, plus more restau- almost touch the ground. Puerto rants, nightlife, and activities than Escondido offers unique accommo- any other resort destination in Mex- dations at excellent prices, with ico. See chapter 14. exceptional budget dining and 05 285619-ch01.qxp 7/22/08 10:51 AM Page 8 8 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF MEXICO Mexico TijuanaTijuana MexicaliMexicali UNITEDUNITED STATESSTATES UNITED STATES EnsenadaEnsenada 2 BAJABAJA CiudadCiudad CALIFORNIACALIFORNIA JuárezJuárez NORTENORTE PuertoPuerto NogalesNogales PenascoPenasco SanSan 2 QuintinQuintin See Chapter 18 45 1 SONORASONORA 15 10 OjinagaOjinaga HermosilloHermosillo CHIHUAHUACHIHUAHUA GuerreroGuerrero ChihuahuaChihuahua 18 Piedras Negras IslaIsla NegroNegro 16 CedrosCedros GuaymasGuaymas 16 CiudadCiudad CuauhtémocCuauhtémoc COAHUILACOAHUILA SantaSanta ObregónObregón RosaliaRosalia DeliciasDelicias Nuevo Laredo MulegéMulegé Jiménez HidalgoHidalgo MonclovaMonclova BAJABAJA deldel ParralParral CALIFORNIACALIFORNIA 49 30 SURSUR LoretoLoreto LosLos LoretoLoreto MochisMochis 57 Matamoros 45 Monterrey SINALOASINALOA TorreónTorreón 40 DURANGODURANGO SaltilloSaltillo CuliacánCuliacán NUEVO 1 LEÓN LaLa PazPaz 15 See Chapter 7 SeaSea ofof CortésCortés DurangoDurango TAMAULIPAS See Chapter 19 40 FresnilloFresnillo 54 Ciudad Victoria TodosTodos SantosSantos SanSan JoséJosé MazatlánMazatlán deldel CaboCabo ZACATECASZACATECAS CaboCabo SanSan LucasLucas ZacatecasZacatecas SanSan Ciudad Mante 15 LuisLuis PotosíPotosí Tampico TuxpanTuxpan Río Lagartos Isla See Chapter 10 AGUASCALIENTESAGUASCALIENTES SAN LUIS Mujeres SanSan BlasBlas POTOSÍ Progreso TepicTepic AguascalientesAguascalientes Valladolid Cancún IslasIslas San Miguel Tuxpan Celestún NAYARITNAYARIT LeónLeón de Allende MariasMarias Mérida Cozumel GuadalajaraGuadalajara QUERÉTARO Playa del PuertoPuerto VallartaVallarta GuanajuatoGuanajuato Poza Rica YUCATÁN Carmen For Guadalajara, GUANA-GUANA- HIDALGO Papantla Querétaro Campeche Punta See Chapter 9 JALISCOJALISCO LakeLake ChapalaChapala JUATOJUATO Pachuca QUINTANA Allen MoreliaMorelia Bay of BarraBarra dede NavidadNavidad UruapanUruapan Mexico City Xalapa ROO TLAXCALA Campeche Bacalar ColimaColima Toluca CAMPECHE ManzanilloManzanillo Tlaxcala Veracruz Majahual PátzcuaroPátzcuaro Cuernavaca Puebla Peninsula COLIMACOLIMA MICHOACANMICHOACAN PUEBLA Orizaba Catemaco Chetumal MORELOS TABASCO Escárcega 200 37 Tehuacán Taxco VERACRUZ Villahermosa LázaroLázaro Coatzacoalcos GUERRERO Palenque CárdenasCárdenas BELIZE San Cristóbal See Chapter 8 ZihuatanejoZihuatanejo Oaxaca Tuxtla & IxtapaIxtapa Gutiérrez de las Casas Acapulco OAXACA PACIFICP A C I F I C CHIAPAS Salina Comitan Cruz GUATEMALA OCEANO C E A N Puerto Escondido Huatulco Puerto Ángel HONDURAS Tapachula EL SALVADOR 0 150 mi N 0 150 km 05 285619-ch01.qxp 7/22/08 10:51 AM Page 9 THE BEST BEACH VACATIONS 9 Tijuana Mexicali UNITED STATES UNITEDUNITED SSTATESTATES Ensenada BAJA Ciudad CALIFORNIA Juárez NORTE Puerto Nogales Penasco San Quintin SONORA Ojinaga Hermosillo CHIHUAHUA Guerrero Chihuahua PiedrasPiedras NegrasNegras Isla Negro Cedros Guaymas Ciudad Cuauhtémoc COAHUILA Santa Obregón Rosalia Delicias NuevoNuevo LaredoLaredo Mulegé Hidalgo Monclova BAJA del Parral CALIFORNIA 85 Los D SUR Loreto MatamorosMatamoros Loreto Mochis MonterreyMonterrey SINALOA Torreón Gulf of Mexico DURANGO Saltillo 180 Culiacán NUEVONUEVO LEÓNLEÓN La Paz 85 See Chapter 15 Sea of Cortés Durango TAMAULIPASTAMAULIPAS Fresnillo CiudadCiudad VictoriaVictoria Todos Santos San José Mazatlán del Cabo ZACATECAS See Chapter 17 See Chapter 14 Cabo San Lucas Zacatecas San Luis CiudadCiudad MManteante Potosí TampicoTampico Tuxpan For Mexico City, RíoRío LagartosLagartos IslaIsla AGUASCALIENTES SANSAN LUISLUIS MujeresMujeres San Blas POTOSÍPOTOSÍ See Chapter 5 ProgresoProgreso Tepic Aguascalientes ValladolidValladolid CancúnCancún Islas SanSan MiguelMiguel TuxpanTuxpan CelestúnCelestún NAYARIT León dede AllendeAllende 180 Marias MéridaMérida D CozumelCozumel Guadalajara QUERÉTAROQUERÉTARO PlayaPlaya deldel Puerto Vallarta Guanajuato PozaPoza RicaRica See Chapter 13 YUCATÁNYUCATÁN CarmenCarmen GUANA- HIDALGOHIDALGO PapantlaPapantla 180 QuerétaroQuerétaro CampecheCampeche PuntaPunta JALISCO Lake Chapala JUATO PachucaPachuca 180 QUINTANAQUINTANA AllenAllen Morelia BayBay ofof Barra de Navidad Uruapan MexicoMexico CityCity XalapaXalapa ROOROO TLAXCALATLAXCALA CampecheCampeche CAMPECHECAMPECHE BacalarBacalar Colima TolucaToluca TlaxcalaTlaxcala MajahualMajahual Manzanillo Pátzcuaro VeracruzVeracruz CuernavacaCuernavaca PueblaPuebla 261 PeninsulaPeninsula COLIMA MICHOACAN 186 PUEBLAPUEBLA OrizabaOrizaba CatemacoCatemaco ChetumalChetumal MORELOSMORELOS TABASCOTABASCO EscárcegaEscárcega TehuacánTehuacán VillahermosaVillahermosa TaxcoTaxco 95 VERACRUZVERACRUZ 186 See Chapter 16 Lázaro 190 CoatzacoalcosCoatzacoalcos GUERREROGUERRERO D 175 PalenquePalenque Cárdenas BELIZEBELIZE See Chapter 6 186 SanSan CristóbalCristóbal Caribbean Zihuatanejo OaxacaOaxaca TuxtlaTuxtla & Ixtapa GutiérrezGutiérrez dede laslas CasasCasas Sea AcapulcoAcapulco OAXACAOAXACA P A C I F I C 200 CHIAPASCHIAPAS SalinaSalina ComitanComitan CruzCruz GUATEMALAGUATEMALA O C E A N PuertoPuerto EscondidoEscondido HuatulcoHuatulco 200 PuertoPuerto Gulf of See Chapter 11 ÁngelÁngel Tehuantepec HONDURASHONDURAS TapachulaTapachula See Chapter 12 ELEL SALVADORSALVADOR 05 285619-ch01.qxp 7/22/08 10:51 AM Page 10 10 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF MEXICO • Isla Mujeres: There’s only one main want more variety, you’ll find that beach here—Playa Norte—but it’s ancient Mayan ruins, Cozumel, and superb. From this island, you can the megaresort of Cancún are near dive El Garrafón reef, snorkel off- enough to round out your beach shore, and take a boat excursion to vacation. See “Playa del Carmen,” in the Isla Contoy national wildlife chapter 16. reserve, which features great birding • La Paz: This state capital borders a and a fabulous, uninhabited beach. lovely beach, dotted with colorful See “Isla Mujeres,” in chapter 15. playgrounds and lively open-air • Tulum: Fronting some of Mexico’s restaurants. Take a cue from the local best Caribbean beaches, Tulum’s residents, though, and pass on swim- small palapa hotels afford guests a lit- ming here in favor of the exquisite tle slice of paradise far from crowds beaches just minutes from down- and megaresorts. The bustling town town. La Paz’s beaches and the islets lies inland; the coast is quiet and just offshore have transformed this should remain so, because all the tranquil town into a center for div- hotels there are small and have to ing, sea kayaking, and other adven- generate their own electricity. If you ture pursuits. See “La Paz: Peaceful can pull yourself away from the surf, Port Town,” in chapter 19. you’ll find nearby ruins to explore • Los Cabos: Dramatic rock forma- and a vast nature preserve as well. See tions and crashing waves join forces chapter 16. with wide stretches of soft sand and • Playa del Carmen: “Playa” is Mex- rolling surf breaks. Start at Playa ico’s hip beach destination with a Palmilla and work your way down pronounced mañana attitude. Above the Tourist Corridor to the famed all, it’s easy and low key. You walk to Lovers’ Beach at Land’s End. Some the beach, you walk back to the hotel,