Gadling’s “The Other Mexico”

Last week, the popular travel blog Gadling published a series of posts called The Other Mexico, dedicated to bringing you first hand accounts of the beauty, the culture, and the safety of Mexico. Below are descriptions of each area covered by Gadling with a link to the full article.

San Cristobal de las CasasSan Cristobal de las Casas – Located in the highlands of Chiapas at approximately 7,000 feet above sea level, San Cristóbal is named after a Spanish priest who defended the rights of the indigenous people and who eventually became the first bishop of Chiapas. Found in the temperate Valle de Jovel, pine tree forests envelope this colonial town that houses numerous indigenous and budding artists’ communities. Laden with cobblestone streets, quaint cafes, and lively markets, San Cristobal is a highlight on any trip to southern Mexico. Read Gadling Article >>

Mayan Ruins at PalenqueMayan Ruins at Palenque – Located Chiapas and defined as one of the most important cities of the storied Maya, Palenque offers a glimpse into the ancient worlds of times past, creating a sense of transportation to an era lost among the towering Ceiba trees and mythic gods of the Maya. Because of the quality of hieroglyphic inscriptions found at Palenque, historians now have a long record of Palenque’s history and of its greatest ruler, Pacal the Great, whose tomb has been found in the Temple of Inscriptions (shown in the picture to the left). Read Gadling Article >>

Cooking in OaxacaSlow Food in Oaxaca – Nestled in the mountains of Southwest México, Oaxaca’s rocky landscape and crystalline skies create vistas and landscapes that are found nowhere else in the world. The unique blend of tropical forests and temperate zones allows for perhaps the most biologically diverse state in Mexico. The famed culinary traditions of Oaxaca undoubtedly played a large role in Mexico being one of the first two countries to ever have its national cuisine awarded with UNESCO World Heritage status. Read Gadling Article >>

Mexico City48 Hours in Mexico City – The pulsating megalopolis of Mexico City lies nestled in the Valley of Anahuac between the dramatic peaks of two snow-capped volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl.  Built on top of the famed Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, Greater Mexico City is now one of the most populous modern cities in the world, home to over 22 million people and a rewarding location to vacation in Mexico. Read Gadling Article >>

Ask JM: Guanajuato or Oaxaca

ask journey mexicoIn this Ask Journey Mexico, Director of Operations, Matteo Luthi, addresses a question from The Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree Forum asking about which would be a better destination for travel with a 11 year old – Guanajuato in the Colonial Heartland or Oaxaca.

*Note – Matteo forgot to address this in the video, but Journey Mexico staff members travel to Oaxaca frequently and do not find the region to be smoggy at all*

Mexico Tourism Update

Mexican Tourism UpdateJourney Mexico team members brought a few issues of The Tianguis News back from the recent Tianguis trade show in Acapulco, and the Saturday, March 26th issue has an interesting article about the current state of Mexico’s tourism sector.

Travel enthusiasts will be happy to hear that according to the Word Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and in spite of a slumping global economy, the travel industry (world-wide) grew by 3.3% in 2010 and is projected to grow by another 4.5% in 2011, injecting $1.8 billion into the global GDP and providing 3 million more jobs in the industry around the world.

Lovers of Mexico will be happy to hear that the number of foreign tourist arrivals to Mexico in 2010 was 22.4 million – a 7% increase from 2009 and 2% more than in 2008, which was one of Mexico’s best years in history. 2010 grossed $11.87 million, which was a 6% increase over 2009 but still remained 7.6% below 2008’s $13 million.

Competitively, Mexico advanced from number 51 to number 43 in the World Economic Forum‘s ranking of 139 countries in 2010. Regionally, Mexico surpassed both Costa Rica and Brazil, ranking as the number 2 country in all of Latin America and the Caribbean.

In the nature category, Mexico ranked number 10 out of all the countries in the world, scoring a 4.9 out of the maximum 7 points. Culturally, Mexico scored a 5.3 out of 7, boasting 31 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a World Heritage Cuisine, and one of the 7 New Wonders of the World (the Kukulkan pyramid at Chichen Itza in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula).

With President Felipe Calderón’s declaration of 2011 as the Year of Mexican Tourism, the President’s commitment to international tourism, and ATTA choosing Mexico as the destination for the 2011 Adventure Travel World Summit, Mexico is poised to have a record year in 2011!

Mexico Takes Four of Trip Advisors Top 25 Beaches in the World

Trip Advisor Travelers ChoiceToday’s Trip Advisor Members’ Update included their Travelers’ Choice results for “Top 25 Beaches in the World” for 2011. With more than 5700 miles of coastline in three distinct coastal regions, it’s no surprise that Mexico took four of the top 25 spots – more than any other state/country on the list save for Florida, which also has four.

Mexico’s winners are:

Tulum, MexicoTulum on the Riviera Maya – Tulum is one of the most visited ruins of the Mayan world, welcoming over $2 million visitors each year. The stunning contrast between the ancient stones of the Mayan ruins and the crystal waters of the Caribbean coast make the site a photographers favorite. The rich history of the site as one of the only cities never conquered by the Spaniards make it even more significant and although you have to brave the crowds, it is well worth the visit.

Isla Mujeres just off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula – This tiny island off the coast of Cancun was an ancient Mayan religious site dedicated to the goddess, Ixchel (the guardian of fertility and childbirth). Today, the island is a small fishing community and a string of small hotels with one town center, El Pueblo. The tourist infrastructure of the island has grown rapidly in recent years but it remains a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of its neighbor, Cancun.

Playa del CarmenPlaya del Carmen also located on the Mayan Riviera – Once a fishing village and pristine deserted beach, Playa del Carmen has turned into one of the hottest holiday destinations in Mexico. Smaller than Cancun, “Playa” offers the nightlife and dining of a city with the charm of a seaside beach town – all with the same crystalline waters of Cancun.

Cancun located in Cancun, obvio – The sun shines over 240 days a year along the strip of fine, white sand called the hotel zone. With an average daily temperature of 80 degrees, this resort town is one of the most temperate and pleasant Caribbean destinations. The city boasts lively nightlife, high-end shops, and world class restaurants in addition to its pristine beaches and proximity to Mayan ruins.

Punta MitaWhile we agree that Tulum, Isla Mujeres, Playa del Carmen, and Cancun deserve their spots on the Top 25 Beaches of the World list, we would also argue that several other beaches in Mexico also deserve international recognition. Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific Coast is one of the most unique beach towns of the world as the city has maintained its deep cultural heritage as it’s grown into its role as the most sought after retirement destination in the world. The beaches of Punta Mita, just a half hour north of Puerto Vallarta, are also some of the most breathtaking beaches you’ll ever see.

Further south on the Mexico’s Pacific coast lies Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca. This exceptional area consists of numerous beaches and small towns that have been a popular spot for surfers for some time. Lined with great hotels and restaurants, you will also find numerous palapas (thatched roofs for hammocks) and personalized seafood stands.

Los Cabos hotelAcross the Sea of Cortez are the legendary beaches of Los Cabos on the southern tip of Baja California. The beaches of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo have made the area a mecca for sport fishing or just a weekend getaway. Luxury resorts pepper the area and offer great locations to embark on activities ranging from hiking, golf, mountain biking, and whale watching to sea kayaking, surfing, dining out, and relaxing on numerous secluded beaches.

In addition to these internationally coveted hot spots, Mexico is home to hundreds, if not thousands, of smaller, more secluded beaches that would blow your mind. What is your favorite beach in Mexico?

Tianguis on the Move

Tanguis Turistico on the MoveGloria Guevara, Mexico’s Minister of Tourism, has announced that for the first time since its inception, the annual Tianguis Turistico will not be held in Acapulco next year. Tianguis is, hands down, the most important travel trade show in Mexico, providing a unique business arena where domestic and international purchasers are able to meet with over 500 Mexican tourism service providers.

For 36 years, Tianguis has been held in the beautiful Port of Acapulco but beginning in 2012, the event will become a traveling show to be held in a different city in Mexico each year. The change brings about mixed emotions as when one thinks of Tianguis, one naturally thinks of Acapulco; however, many see the relevancy for the event to be mobile, offering participants to experience different regions and cultures of Mexico each year.

When asked about the decision to hold Tianguis in different locations around Mexico, Zachary Rabinor, founder and president of Journey Mexico, said, “I’ve attended Tianguis Turistico since 2003, so I’ve been attending for 8 years now.  I believe that it will be a great benefit to Mexico as it will allow Mexico to showcase its diverse destinations to both Mexican and International attendees!”

Have you been to Tianguis Turistico before? What do you think about the decision to take the event on the road? Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

Zachary Rabinor Awarded as Condé Nast Villa Specialist for 2011

Conde Nast Villa Specialist AwardJourney Mexico is proud to announce that founder and president Zachary Rabinor has recently been awarded as one of the World’s Top 44 Villa Specialists, representing Mexico for 2011 by Condé Nast Traveler. The list was created by top travel authority Wendy Perrin and team, who take great care and pride in their travel recommendations.

According to Condé Nast Traveler, “Six years of putting villa rental agents through their paces—renting from them, accompanying them on villa inspections, interviewing them, hearing feedback from readers—have produced this list of the experts best qualified to match you with the right property. The agents on these pages have visited every home they represent (all handpicked for their authentic sense of place), have slept in many of them, and reinspect them at least annually.”

This Villa Specialist Award comes in addition to Zach’s recent achievement of being chosen as one of the World’s Top 135 Travel Specialist by Condé Nast Traveler. You can view Zach’s profile on Wendy Perrin’s Truth.Travel site, which was created to bring trusted travel insight to the discerning traveler.

Be sure to pick up the hard copy of this month’s issue of Condé Nast Traveler containing the Top 44 Villa Specialist list (on page 103) at your local newsstand today!

Tianguis Turistico

Tianuis 2011

Tianguis_2011

Journey Mexico’s Zachary Rabinor, Matteo Luthi, and Rene Rivera recently returned from the 36th annual Tianguis Touristico event in Acapulco, Mexico. Reports are that the event was a huge success as representatives from 22 global markets were represented including China, Chile, Czech Republic, and Poland.

Travel Weekly posted a nice review of the event. Below are some standout quotes:

  • Mexico is targeting 26 million visitors this year, up from the 22.4 million in 2010, according to Secretary of Tourism Gloria Guevara.
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  • Visitor figures for January point to a 1.7% increase over January 2010 and solid advance bookings heading into the Easter period and beyond, according to Guevara.
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  • Mazatlan tourism officials urged travel agents, tour operators, airlines and wholesale partners to “have confidence in us” in the face of a cruise line pullout earlier this year.
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  • Officials are working with the government to develop a strategic master plan for tourism growth and said talks with cruise lines are ongoing in an effort to gain the return of the lines for the next cruise season.
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  • Carlos Berdegue, vice president of the Mazatlan Hotel Association, pointed to the launch of American’s daily service from Dallas on June 9, the planned development of a new resort area called Teacapan 60 miles south of the Pacific coast city and a new TV campaign featuring testimonials from U.S. visitors to reinforce the message that “there is an appetite for Mazatlan. We need tourism to revitalize our economy.”
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  • Guevara outlined details of the recently launched “I Am A Tourist” program designed to increase domestic tourism, and cited the increase in seat capacity and frequency by U.S. carriers serving Mexico. She said that Air France’s launch of nonstop service three times a week between Paris and Cancun Oct. 21 “reinforces the strength of Mexico for the European market. Airlines follow demand.

 

A Weekend in Guadalajara

Chase Buckner is the webmaster for Journey Mexico

Zona Rosa on a Sunday

I had the pleasure of taking a weekend visit to Guadalajara last weekend and I must say that every time I visit, the city steals a little piece of my heart. Being from Philadelphia, I appreciate Guadalajara’s “big but not the biggest” feel – it’s central area is easy to navigate but big enough to contain obviously distinct areas, each with their own vibe and charm.

My travel mates and I stayed in the Zona Rosa, which is an absolutely beautiful part of the city located around one of its most lovely avenues Chapultepec, which is lined with little restaurants, colorful trees, and squares with fountains and statues. The nightlife in this area is buzzing with bars and food stands on every block. On Sundays, several streets get shut down so that thousands of bikers, joggers, rollerbladers, skateboarders, and dogs can cruise the town. I’ll definitely be taking my bike with me the next time I visit.

Overlooking Mezcala Island on Lake Chapala

One of the nicest attributes of Guadalajara is its proximity to other areas of interest such as Lake Chapala and the town of Tequila. A friend of ours lives on the lake, so we drove down to Chapala on Saturday for a visit (which was about an hour drive). Reigning as the largest freshwater lake in Mexico, Chapala is breathtaking in size and color. Apparently in recent years, the lake had been drying up due to the fact that Guadalajara was using it to supply the city with water. Realizing what was happening, however, changes were made and the lake is again thriving.

It was interesting to learn that a little island on the lake, Mezcala, is famed for a series of battles in which Mexican natives held off several surges of Spanish troops. Although the natives eventually agreed to surrender the island in exchange for the right to keep their lands and cattle, Mezcala is known to be the only piece of Mexico never concurred by the Spanish. On the island is a pristine fort that remains much as it did during the time of battle, which visitors can tour.

The Exit of the Jose Cuervo Factory in Tequila

Leaving the lake, we enjoyed a night out in Zona Rosa then decided to stop in the town of Tequila on our way back to Puerto Vallarta. I’d not yet been to Tequila but have always been fascinated by the fact that like the use of the term champagne, you cannot put the term Tequila on a bottle unless its contents were distilled in the region and under approved conditions. There are four main distilleries in town (and about 50 smaller “local” distilleries), but we only had time to visit one so we went with Jose Cuervo.

JM Super Guide Tomas and I at Jose Cuervo

When we began the tour I was surprised to realize that we had joined a group being led by Journey Mexico guide Tomas Ebert! We had a blast catching up and Tomas added some great insight during the tour. The Cuervo factory is remarkable. Its colonial architecture makes it grand in nature and the details that catch your eye as you walk the distillery are amazing. The site is cleaner than you can imagine and the colorful walls shine through the ivy that covers much of the buildings. The tour was really educational, included several tastings, and ended with the tastiest margaritas I’ve ever had. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in Tequila.

If you’re interested in visiting Mexico’s Colonial Heartland, I strongly encourage you to have Journey Mexico build you a little weekend getaway to Guadalajara with day trips to Lake Chapala and Tequila. Trying to do all of this by bus in one weekend would have been a logistical nightmare, so I’d definitely suggest touring the region with a private driver/guide.

The Lonely Planet Likes Mexican Food (Who Doesn’t?)

foods of mexico

The Lonely Planet sent out an email today with a link to their article called The Best Countries for Food, in which they list Mexico as the number 6 country to visit for food. Here’s what they had to say:

Would you like some magic-realism with that enchilada? The Mexican sensibility for enchanting influences is also brought to the table in its food, particularly during celebrations. Mexican cuisine has an overriding Spanish influence, with a twist of French and African thanks to its history. Corn and bean-based dishes are prominent – prepared in a multitude of world renowned ways including tacos, enchiladas and quesadillas. And who could forget the worm that waits at the bottom of a bottle of Mezcal?”

Mexican cuisine has been on fire lately, no pun intended. Towards the end of 2010, UNESCO awarded Mexican cuisine World Heritage Status along with French cuisine, which was the first time the culinary traditions of a country had been awarded. Journey Mexico is currently offering several culinary trips highlighting the savory recipes of different regions in Mexico, including private cooking lessons where travelers can work hand-in-hand with local master chefs. Contact Journey Mexico for more info.

NY Times Names Puerto Vallarta an Easy Weekend Getaway

Pool Sunrise at the Westin in Puerto Vallarta

The New York Times recently published an article on their website called “14 Easy Weekend Getaways” in which they outline “14 top-notch escapes that require fewer than four hours in either a car or a plane from more than a dozen major cities.” Below is an except from the article where they reference Puerto Vallarta, located on Mexico’s Pacific Coast.

From the New York Times:

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

EASY GETAWAY FROM Los Angeles; San Diego; Phoenix; Denver; Houston.

WHAT YOU GET Miles of golden sand, sunsets on the Malecón, open-air dance clubs, whale watching.

WHY NOW Drug-related violence, concentrated mainly in the northern border region of Mexico, has cast a pall over the entire country and scared tourists away from popular Pacific coast resorts like Puerto Vallarta, which have remained safe for visitors. As a result, deals abound. “We have special offers available even in our most luxurious accommodations,” said Antonia Lavendar, director of commercialization for the Puerto Vallarta Convention and Visitors Bureau. If lounging poolside at an upscale hotel on the cheap, margarita in hand, isn’t enough, there are galleries and boutiques along the Malecón promenade, cobblestone streets to explore in the colonial Old Town zone, zip-line canopy tours in the nearby Sierra Madre Mountains, and whale-watching trips just offshore.

WHERE TO STAY The 14-acre Westin Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa is offering rates as low as $129 a night — a 20 percent discount. The Presidente InterContinental Resort dropped starting rates for its newly decorated oceanfront suites to $148 a night in March from $198 last year; in April, rates begin at $180. Villa del Palmar (villagroupresorts.com) offers 562 suites with balconies or terraces for as low as $85 a night with all-inclusive rates that begin at $211 per person per night for meals and many water sports.

Mexico Tourism Board Chicago on Safety in Mexico

In this video on the safety of Mexico, Rodrigo Esponda, the US Midwest Director of Mexico Tourism, does a great job of illustrating the fact that Mexico is a HUGE country and that the most popular tourist destinations are hundreds if not thousands of miles from the border towns where most of the drug related violence is taking place. You can find more information about the current status of affairs in Mexico at the Safety of Mexico section of our blog.

Photos from a Recent Whale-Watching Trip in Baja California

Each winter, the Gray Whales of the Pacific migrate from the cold waters of Alaska to the tropical waters of Mexico to breed from December through April. As we near the end of March, we prepare to say goodbye to the Gray Whales, thank them for the up close and personal encounters they shared with us, and wish them safe travels on their long journey back to Alaska.

This year’s whale watching season was, like always, magnificent. Below are some photos from one of our recent whale-watching trips in Baja California.

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Ask JM: Traveling to Mexico City with an Infant

Traveling with children can be difficult. In this episode of Ask Journey Mexico, we field a question from Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree forum about family friendly things to do during an eight day trip to Mexico City with a nine-month old.

If you have questions about travel in Mexico, send them to info@journeymexico.com

Campeche to be the New Star of the Yucatan

campeche city street

Colonial Architecture in Campeche City

Continuing in his efforts to make 2011 the Year of Mexican Tourism and to push Mexico further up the list of the word’s top international tourism destinations, Mexican president Felipe Caldéron has signed a National Tourism Agreement, committing to provide upgrades to infrastructure, highways, and commercial needs in order to attract further investment as well as more tourism to the state of Campeche in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Travel Weekly reports that improvements are already underway including a widening of the sidewalks in the capital city of Campeche’s historical center to create a pedestrian-friendly areas, the installation of multilingual signs at many of the city’s public monuments, the commissioning of bronze statues of a local fisherman and a shoeshine man, as well as the opening of several exhibits in churches and parks.

Calakmul in Campeche

Calakmul in Campeche

The city of Campeche already boasts many restored buildings and colonial structures, which helped earn the city UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1999. Campeche city adds a wonderful touch of colonial Spanish culture to any archeological Mayan tour of the Yucatan Peninsula. Outside of the city, fabulous archeological sites like Edzná, Becán, Balamkú, Xpuhil, and Calakmul (the largest of all the Mayan cities) have remained lesser known than other sites of the Yucatan Peninsula like Chichén Itzá even though the sites of Campeche are much older. Hopefully with the improvements made from this grant, more travelers will be interested in exploring the wonders of Campeche.