The 2013 Whale Shark Season has officially started in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula! Beginning May 15th and ending September 1st,  whale sharks migrate from around the world to the warm, tropical waters of the Mexican-Caribbean Sea.

The start of the season is always highly anticipated because it means that adventurers have the opportunity to swim and snorkel with these giant creatures in their natural habitat.  Although whale sharks are the largest fish in the world and grow to be over 40 feet in length and 15 tons heavy, they pose absolutely no threat to humans. They are slow moving, docil animals that feed mostly on plankton, completely harmless to those that join them for a swim.

The waters surrounding Isla Mujeres, Isla Holbox, and Isla Contoy are known to have some of the densest populations during this period. In 2011, Mexico recorded the largest aggregation of whales sharks ever, with more than 400 gathering in one place to feed!

If you’re thinking about swimming with whale sharks this year, here are some tips:

When: While May through September is the official season, the largest congregations are in July and August. The fifth annual Whale Shark Festival is scheduled to take place on Isla Mujeres, July 11-14, and will share local cuisine, music and raise awareness to environmental education and preservation of whale sharks.

Where: We recommend staying at Casa Sandra on Isla Holbox. This beautiful boutique hotel is located on a small island north of Cancún, where the Caribbean Sea converges with the Gulf of Mexico. It is part of a ecological reserve which provides nutrient-rich water that attract large gatherings of whale sharks.

Who: Anyone from a beginning swimmer to a professional snorkeler can join the adventure of wading with whale sharks.

How: Journey Yucatan (a brand of Journey Mexico) can provide you with a tour to swim with these amazing fish. We can arrange anything from a group tour to a private yacht encounter. For a full itinerary, check out our Swim With Whale Sharks and Visit Ancient Ruins Trip.

Casa Sandra

Casa Sandra

Los Angeles to Cancun and Huatulco:
Aeromexico is now offering new nonstop flights from Los Angeles to Cancun and Huatulco, Mexico. The Cancun service will operate June to September on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Huatulco Service will operate June to mid-August on Fridays.

Los Angeles to La Paz:
Aeromexico will begin offering a nonstop route between Los Angeles, California to La Paz, Baja California Sur starting June 20. The service will operate on Thursdays and Sundays.

Nashville, TN to Cancun:
AeroMéxico inaugurated low-frequency seasonal services between Cancun to Nashville, TN last February.Weekly flights will be offered until 11 August.

Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas to Cancun
Spirit Airlines, expanded its network on April 25, with a new service connecting Dallas/Fort Worth, TX (DFW) with Cancun (CUN) three times weekly.

Dalls/Fort Worth, Texas to Hermosillo and Zacatecas:
On June 12,  American Eagle will begin service from Dallas-Fort Worth to two destinations in Mexico;  Hermosillo and Zacatecas.

Austin, Texas and Los Cabos:
Southwest Airlines will launch daily service between San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur and Austin, Texas, on June 2. Southwest’s AirTran  will operate the flights.

Domestic Flights from Toluca, Mexico:
VivaAerobus commenced operations on two domestic routes from Toluca (TLC), the capital of the state of Mexico, on 8 April. Thrice-weekly flights to Tampico (TAM) and twice-weekly to Villahermosa (VSA) are the airline’s first destinations from the airport.

AeroMéxico returned to Toluca (TLC) on 25 February with three domestic routes operated by AeroMéxico Connect. The airline now operates services to Cancún, Guadalajara and Monterrey with daily, twice-daily and thrice-daily frequencies respectively.

Mexico City to Merida:
Volaris continues the expansion of its domestic network with the launch of services from Mexico City to Mérida in the Yucatán Peninsula. Volaris’ CEO, said: “In 2013, we want to strengthen our presence in the south-east of the country, helping our passengers to reduce travel times in tune with their wishes.”

Mexico City to Chiapas:
Volaris now offers services to Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas and a major transportation hub for tourists visiting Chiapas. Twice-weekly flights operate from Mexico City.

Chihuahua to Cancun:
The Chihuahua Tourism Board has shared the news that there is a direct flight between Chihuahua (CUU) and Ciudad Juarez through Cancun, Mexico. This direct flight opens up emerging markets, specifically Russian tourists.

The information above includes re-posts from Airline Network News and Analysis and AeroMexico

Journey Mexico, the leader in Mexico Travel offering unique luxury, adventure, natural and cultural tours, is pleased to announce that its Magical Mexican Migrations—Pacific Whales and Highland Butterflies tour has been selected as one of National Geographic Traveler’s “50 Tours of a Lifetime” and will be featured in their May 2013 magazine issue.

The “50 Tours of a Lifetime” are National Geographic Traveler’s selection of the most authentic, most innovative, most immersive, best-guided, and most sustainable tours. This is the third year in row that one of Journey Mexico’s trips have made the list, with the first being Copper Canyon Semana Santa Trek and second, Chiapas: A Journey Through Mexico Less Visited. This year’s theme was tours that ‘capture the spirit of exploration.’ National Geographic Traveler’s executive editor Norie Quintos said “[the tours] push the boundaries of mainstream tourism, whether taking travelers to the far corners of the globe, or helping them dive deep into the culture of familiar destinations.”

With that said, it is no surprise that our  Magical Mexican Migrations—Pacific Whales and Highland Butterflies tour stood out to the editorial team. This tour immerses you in the circle of life, as  creatures ranging in size from 3-4 inch featherweights to school bus-sized 30-40 ton giants make their way to Mexico by air and sea. The trip visits both the World Heritage highland forests of Michoacán and the marine enclaves of Baja California, delighting and mystifying human observers.

Journey Mexico is pleased to offer this tour of a lifetime, so that explorers can experience both of these extraordinary congregations of wildlife.  We invite you to join Monarch butterflies and eastern Gray whales in their annual sojourn and learning about conservation issues that threaten the future of these precious ecosystems.  Explore historic Morelia, kayak the Sea of Cortez, and snorkel with wild sea lions.  Along the way, expert naturalist guides will reveal many charms of Mexico, proven here to draw repeat visitors from great distances.

Just another day on the job! After hand crafting the perfect custom-made surf vacation to Huatulco for three travelers, Journey Mexico’s Founder, Zachary Rabinor took it upon himself to personally guide them during their excursion.

The 5 day adventure was no ordinary surf trip. It included accommodations at the elite beachfront VIlla Bocana, a local guide, personal chef, independent transportation, personal photographer and videographer, and private yacht.

Check out the video from their Huatulco surf trip:

Mexico’s annual Tianguis Turistico will be held in Cancun next year. Tianguis is the most important travel trade show in Mexico, providing an important platform for travel industry professionals to meet with hundreds of  Mexico tourism service providers. Unlike other travel trade shows, the three day event is entirely focused on one destination and topic: the promotion of Mexico.

For 36 years straight, the event was held in Acapulco, Guerrero before making its first move to Puerto Vallarta in 2012. Deciding which city to host the event after 36 years was not an easy task; destinations had to submit proposals as to why they should be host and prove they have the infrastructure required. It is clear why Cancun was chosen for 2014; it has over 32,000 hotel rooms (70,000+ if you include the Riviera Maya), several AAA  4 and 5 Diamond properties, the largest Latin American international airport with the most connectivity and high quality services and framework.

Cancun has already started preparations for Tianguis Turistico. The Mexico Tourism Board is making an initial investment of 40 million pesos, while federal and state government in Quintana Roo will invest 80 million pesos. In an interview with MexicoNews.Travel, Robert Borge Angula, Governor of Quintana Roo, said, “We are already preparing and doing very well with the first arrangements, regarding the productions of such a important event, while also evaluating all the areas of the event. We are very well prepared and we would like to have at least two venues for the fair.”  Later it was announced that the main host for the event will be the Moon Palace Resort on the southern part of Cancun’s Peninsula.The Cancun Center and Xcaret are also being considered as a venue for opening and closing ceremonies.

The event dates are still not set, but it is speculated to be held in May instead of March or April.
Juan Carlos González Hernández, Minister of Tourism for Quintana Roo, is requesting this change because he says “[March through April] is a period in which hotel occupancy rates are an average of 92%, which would complicate the touistic festivities.” Cancun is also setting expectations for attendees; while 2013 Tianguis Turistico in Puebla was record breaking, Cancun is expecting to surpass it with at least 45 different countries present. Angula commented on the goal, ”[Quintana Roo] is a very well positioned state not only in Mexico, but also in the whole Caribbean as well as Latin America…”

If you’re anticipating to attend this travel fair, you can get more information on their website http://tianguisturisticomexico.com.mx/, or by staying tuned on our blog. If you plan on visiting Cancun/Riviera Maya for any reason, give Journey Yucatan a call. We can help you choose the best accommodations for your stay and give you valuable inside information about the best things to do in this lovely part of Mexico.

Every month, the Journey Mexico Newsletter features two luxury hotels that are currently offering promotions to travelers. We also work hard to present to our readers exclusive promotions available only to travelers who make their arrangements through Journey Mexico.

Thus far in 2013, we are excited to offer the following exclusive promotions in Baja California Sur and Mexico’s Pacific Coast:

One & Only Palmilla - Cabo San Lucas
Welcome Margaritas for two.
Valid for travel through December 2013. Offer can be combined with Sunny Escapes or Retreat promotion.

Hacienda San Angel – Puerto Vallarta
Complimentary bottle of Hacienda selected wine in room.
Upgrade guests to next room category.
Valid for travel through December 2013.

Other standard promotions include:

Maroma Resort & Spa Riviera Maya: Full daily breakfast, welcome margarita  & more.

Hotel Esencia Riviera Maya: Third or fourth night free, full daily breakfast for two & more.

Esperanza Los Cabos Daily breakfast at Cocina del Mar, complimentary nights  & more.

Capella Ixtapa: Full daily breakfast, complimentary nights or resort credits & more.

If you wish to take advantage of these exclusive promotions, do not hesitate to contact Journey Mexico today.  To receive the latest information and offers such as these in your inbox, subscribe to our mailing list below!

The most important event in Mexico’s tourism, Tianguis Turistico, continues to grow as expectations in terms of buyers and attendance have exceeded and broken record the past two years. Being held for the first time in Puebla, the 38th edition Tianguis Turistico was the largest in terms of countries represented — with over 42 present. For the 25,000+ attendees, events, parties, lunches, and tours were held all around the city. Puebla dazzled and delighted its visitors during the four day event showing off their cultural and historical highlights that warrants the recognition to be named a  UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here are some of the places highlighted in Puebla during Tianguis Turistico:

Civic Center Cinco de Mayo
The Puebla Convention Center is located on the foothills of the Cerro Los Fuertes de Loreto y Guadalupe, which is where the Battle of Puebla on May 5 (Cinco de Mayo) took place back in 1862. Today, the Civic Center Cinco de Mayo remains as a place of major importance in the history of Mexico and is commemorated by memorial monuments, the old fort structures Fuerte de Loreto and Fuerte de Guadalupe,  and interactive museums of military history and talavera.

Centro Historico
The Historic Centre of Puebla, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987, preserves over 2,500 monuments distributed across 391 blocks making Puebla the city with the largest number of monuments in the Americas. In the Historic Centre of Puebla, colorful, colonial architecture dominates and is strewn with unique cathedrals and churches, world-renowned gastronomy, bazaars and artisans.

Museo Nacional de los Ferrocarriles
An important piece of history, the Ferrocariles Mexicanos (Mexican Railway) Train Station was close to being demolished in the 1970s but was rescued for its declaration as cultural heritage. It later turned into a museum that today demonstrates the importance of its construction and locomotive engines that helped the development of the railway system in Mexico.

La Purificadora
Located in the Historical Center of Puebla, La Purificadora has converted from a late 19th-century factory once used to purify water for the production of ice to a trendy, boutique hotel. The hotel offers one of the best views of Puebla, overlooking San Francisco Church and beautiful gardens.

Cholula (Archaeological Site)
A newly recognized Pueblo Magico (Magical Town), Cholula is best known for its grand pyramid on which rests the large yellow church, Iglesia de los Remedios with a dramatic backdrop of the Popocatépetl Volcano. The pyramid, which is the largest pyramid in the world, is made up of sever overlaid pyramids built over a six century period. Today, the archaeological site includes ruins, tunnels, and a museum.

 El Mural de los Poblanos
Puebla is home to some of the most popular dishes in Mexican gastronomy and El Mural de los Poblanos restaurant is where you can find the some of these traditional Poblano treats. The house specialties are cemitas, chile relleno, and five kinds of mole all served up in an authentic and elegant way. They also have a wide selection of mezcales and tequila, mexican wines and cooking classes and workshops.

All photos taken from www.puebla.travel

Continuing its long-standing tradition of offering outstanding resorts and hotels, several properties in Mexico have recently been awarded by major international media publications for their excellence.

AAA Five Diamond Award - Mexico has a total of 13 Five Diamond hotels– more than the Caribbean and Hawaii combined! The properties can be found in Los Cabos, Mexico City, Nuevo Vallarta, Punta Mita, Cancun,  and the Riviera Maya.

The newest addition to the list is Capella Pedregal Resort and Spa in Cabos San Lucas, joining others such as the Four Seasons in Mexico City and Grand Velas Riviera Maya. See the complete list here.

Capella Pedregal

Four Seasons Mexico City

About the Award – “Representing just 0.3 percent of the total 59,000 AAA/CAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants, this exclusive group of AAA Five Diamond hotels provides unique experiences chock full of leading-edge creativity and highly personalized hospitality to satisfy even the most savvy traveler.”

Condé Nast Traveler Gold List 2013 - Mexico has a total of 37 hotels and resorts listed on Condé Nast Traveler’s 2013 Gold List , a jump from last year’s 33. Seven new hotels have been featured on the list, including Rosewood and Hotel Matilda in San Miguel Allende, Cabo Azul Resort in Los Cabos, THE Royal and Playacar Palace in Playa del Carmen,  Le Blanc in Cancun, and Banayan Tree Marques in Acapulco.

In addition to being featured on the Gold LIst, Esperanza in Los Cabos, Ritz-Carlton in Cancun, Las Ventanas al Paraiso, One&Only Palmilla, Four Seasons Punta Mita, Maroma Resort and Spa, La Casa Que Canta in Zihuatanejo have all earned their way into the Platinum Circle (making the list for the past 5 years in a row)!

Hotel Matilda

Rosewood San Miguel Allende

About the list – “The 19th annual Gold List is the ultimate annotated guide to the word’s finest properties and cruise lines, as elected by more than 47,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers.The Gold List is truly a global representation of real quality, no matter how far-flung. ”

Tulum, a once “off the beaten path” destination on Mexico’s dazzling Caribbean Coast, is known for its picturesque Mayan archaeological site perched on a cliff overlooking the turquoise blue Mexican-Caribbean sea.  Today, as the region has grown into a world-class tourism destination, it is one of the most visited Mayan sites.  As increased visitation and development pushes down the coast from Cancun, Tulum has retained its bohemian, wild feel along with being home to some of the most spectacular beaches in the world; Tulum has evolved from a cross-roads trading post of the Mayan Civilization to a truck stop village into the type of “travelers place” that reminds us why we travel in the first place!

In the beginning Tulum was placed firmly on the backpackers map and had relatively little to no infrastructure for travelers.  The intrepid hung their hammocks between the swaying palm trees, pitched their tents, and quietly enjoyed the white sand beaches, crystalline waters, virgin cenotes with a few others and with nesting sea turtles and other abundant wildlife.  As the word spread of spectacular, secluded beaches and solitude, Tulum became a haven for nature lovers, yoga practitioners, divers, and those looking to escape the mass tourism that enveloped Cancun and then spread down the Riviera Maya.  Today Tulum continues its evolution and now welcomes trendy travelers with a full array of boutique hotels, unique restaurants, and even an organic and tranquil nightlife scene (except for Saturday nights when Papaya Playa pulses and brings in internationally renowned DJs!).  Still off the grid and with only sporadic cell phone coverage (at least on the beach), change has come quickly to Tulum  which now even has its very own chain supermarket; allegedly Wall Mart and Costco have their sites picked out for future development.

The strip of beach where the sought after hotels are located is still off the grid with no hard line power; while this has limited its growth until now, it has also made it vulnerable to environmental degradation as development continues.  Set on a strip of beach in front of the Caribbean and surrounded by the jungle to the east, Tulum archaeological site to the north, and Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve to the South, Tulum really is a finite resource.  While Tulum has gotten a name for itself as a sustainable or green destination, most hotels employ part or full time generators and few are taking sustainability seriously; hopefully that will change or it will begin to impact the very attributes that have lured travelers here from the outset.  One place in particular that is walking the environmentally conscious walk is Casa de las Olas, an innovative, completely sustainable guest house/villa owned and operated by the inimitable James Greenfield.  An array of new niche hotels has entered the area, and although there are a few all-inclusive resorts (Dreams Tulum being excellent for families), most people come for the smaller, boutique hotels.

Travelers who come to Tulum are generally looking for an off the beaten path, secluded, intimate experience with nature and a strong sense of place and community; the contrast from Cancun couldn’t be more stark!  The new wave of boutique hotels, restaurants and shops that have cropped up along the beach in and around Tulum embody the ethos of the destination with a small scale, authentic, down to earth look and feel that is more and more difficult to find.  Price points range from $20 (for a place to pitch your tent) to $1,000 dollars a night offering options for every traveler’s budget. Tulum and its unique community of backpackers, yoga enthusiasts, spiritual travelers, ‘green’ tourists, bo-ho hippes, A-List celebrities and fashion industry execs, would all agree that Tulum is the hot place to be. In fact, Ralph Lauren Magazine says “Tulum has emerged as a destination for the fashionable to decompress and spiritually recharge”

The most innovative new additions to the hotel scene include Coqui Coqui, Jashita, the newly remodeled Las Ranitas, Villa Casa de Las Olas, and  Be Tulum.  Papaya Playa is also making a stir with the consolidation of the former bungalows Prival, Papaya, and Copal.  Travelers looking for a unique Mexican beach vacation will find some of the best experiences at these hotels.

Las Ranitas

This photo of Coqui Coqui Tulum is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Jashita

Casa de las Olas

The beach is also dotted with some delicious and memorable culinary experiences; so much so that it’s difficult to even know where to begin; that said, be sure not to miss:  Puro Corazón is an artisanal restaurant fusing traditional regional Mexican food with contemporary and modern cuisine; el Tábano is a family run restaurant using local ingredients and knowhow; The Hartwood by signature Chef Eric Werner is truly extraordinary, again with the theme of using locally grown ingredients, solar powered, and artisanally crafted plates; a 3 star Michelin quality and creativity nestled deep in the beachside jungle of Tulum   Eric is also putting together multi-day culinary workshops that are a must for foodies!

Puro Corazon 

Parallel to the development on the beach, Tulum pueblo’s growth has been astounding; a sleepy little stop for gas, beer, ice, and some other essentials now boasts more than 30,000 inhabitants who work in and around the dynamically growing tourism industry. Tulum Pueblo straddles either side of the Mexico highway 307 and is teeming with the real deal in terms of restaurants, bars, and fun places to hang out.  Interestingly, some of the best restaurants in the area are found of the beach in Tulum Pueblo including the best  whole Red Snapper, towering portions of ceviche, and the Coconut Shrimp in town at El Camello Jr., unique mole and central Mexican dishes at Cetli, Rincon Italian with fresh pastas homemade sauces hidden local’s place, El Chiapaneco for tacos al pastor and a dizzying array of homemade salsas only open after 6 pm and many more!  For a cool locals late night hang out don’t miss La Gran Mosca Verde for cool cocktails, open air foreign film nights on Wednesday and Sundays, and the best Mojitos in town.

So what else is in Tulum beside eco-chic hotels and beautiful beaches? Tulum is also famous for its cenotes (fresh water sink holes that allow access to the amazing subterranean river system and caverns that criss-cross the Yucatan Peninsula). Cenotes are a big draw because in addition to offering the opportunity to refresh in their fresh and cool waters in the middle of a hot day, they harbor mysterious clues and vestiges of Mayan rituals and history.  Exploring by foot, swimming, snorkeling and even SCUBA expeditions for the truly intrepid (and certified!) are all options to literally scratch beneath the surface of this dynamic region.  Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve to the south offers one of the largest and most important protected areas in the Americas and offers the nature inclined traveler first class opportunities for bird watching, along with hundreds of other species, many of them unique to the region.  Don’t’ miss the sunset from the top of the Cesiak Eco lodge!  You can also visit the small but interesting Muyil archaeological site within the reserve and explore its labyrinth of channels and canals amongst the mangrove and wetland estuaries with local Mayan community members who are making good on the promise of ecotourism.  Nearby you have the impressive Cobá archeological site (only :40 minutes from Tulúm) and if you’re inclined to explore further you can head to Valladolid, a 500 year old colonial village in the center of the Yucatan Peninsula and its first capital city!

With so many options for natural, cultural, culinary, and adventure experiences it’s no wonder that Tulúm is the hot place to be these days.  Tulúm is holding true to its origins as a cross roads: between the intensive development to the north and pristine nature to the south; designer hotels and thatched roof bungalows; fashionistas and hippy backpackers, living the experience and being seen in the scene.  The contrasts all point to an almost metaphysical magnetism that Tulum has cast on the creative, the adventurous, and the spiritual, bringing it to the cutting edge of contemporary travel today!

Spring is in the air and @JourneyMexico will be co-hosting next Monday’s #MexChat to share our expertise about Mexico spring vacations!

We invite you to join the #MexChat party happening on Twitter on Monday, March 11th at 1pm EST. Just follow the hashtag– we’ll ask the questions and you’ll provide the answers. To RSVP, click here..

To get ideas flowing, these exciting destinations are perfect for spring!