Many apartments4you resorts in Mexico include everything you need for a week or more
of family fun: water slides, swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, restaurants-even
access to sailboats, sailboards, scuba and snorkeling equipment. This is especially
true along Mexico's Gulf Coast, where the sandy beaches are perfectly white and the
warm, clear ocean waters are impossible to ignore.
Cancun sits where the Gulf Coast ends and the Caribbean Sea begins. Revered for its
combination of easy access, American-style environment, grand accommodations and,
let's not forget, those bleach-white fantasy beaches, Cancun has become Mexico's No.
1 tourist destination. Here you can spend your days reeling in a trophy fish, exploring
a spectacular ocean reef or mangrove estuary, or examining the backs of your eyelids
as you sit poolside with a frozen drink.
Farther up the Gulf Coast, Veracruz offers the opportunity to explore Mexico's rich
history-and exhilarating river rapids. Here the water moves swiftly, but the pace
of life goes a little slower, even by Mexico standards, allowing you time to enjoy
all this "door to Mexico" has to offer. Just a bit inland, Colonial Puebla provides
a must-see historical district and serves as the ultimate destination for authentic
Mexican cuisine.
Other popular Gulf destinations include Merida's nightlife, the famous ruins of Chichen
Itza and the flamingo sanctuaries at Celestun and Rio Lagartos.
All information is provided as a guide only. You must make your own enquiries with
local tourist offices and other agencies. Top Resorts and Top Things To Do are suggestions
only and do not reflect any specific agenda. Distances are approximate.
All information is provided as a guide only. You must make your own enquiries with
local tourist offices and other agencies. Top Resorts and Top Things To Do are suggestions
only and do not reflect any specific agenda. Distances are approximate.
Eat...
La Dolce Vita (Cancun). Of the more than 350 restaurants in Cancun, this one ranks
as one of the best-and most popular. Enjoy a variety of pastas with fresh seafood.
Set sail on a dinner cruise (Cancun). Cruising options include family-style dinners
with a show, and more romantic excursions where lobster and wine highlight the menu.
Enjoy fish Veracruz style. Pescado a la Veracruzana is a famous fish dish-often Gulf
snapper-with a zesty sauce that includes tomatoes, onions, garlic, capers, olives
and chiles.
Play...
Scuba dive Cancun's shallow reefs. Divers here can explore the northern tip of the
largest reef in the Western Hemisphere, which offers a dazzling display of colorful
marine life. Several sunken ships also await divers' discovery.
Go white water rafting (Xalapa). Outfitters offer river rafting on three rivers north
of Veracruz. No experience is necessary, just the desire to ride the rapids.
Explore...
Cancun's always-public beaches. Although hotels seem to gobble up every stretch of
Cancun coastline, no beach is private, meaning you can wander to your heart's content,
regardless of which resort you call home.
Mexico's highest volcano. The towering Pico de Orizaba, or Citlaltepetl, reaches more
than 18,000 feet above sea level and is just a short drive from Veracruz.
El Acuario (Veracruz City). Latin America's largest aquarium surrounds visitors with
15 saltwater and 9 freshwater tanks so that they feel as though they are underwater
themselves.
Shop...
Cancun's duty free shops. Purchase European goods at prices that can't be matched
stateside. Several mall-style shopping venues can be found throughout the city.
Talavera earthenware (Puebla). This unique hand-painted pottery was developed by the
Moors and perfected in the Spain town of Talavera. Although no longer practiced in
Spain, the Talavera method is practiced in many shops in the Colonial town of Puebla.
See it being made at Uriarte Internacional.
All information is provided as a guide only. You must make your own enquiries with
local tourist offices and other agencies. Top Resorts and Top Things To Do are suggestions
only and do not reflect any specific agenda. Distances are approximate.