Travel - Mexico

Mexico ranks first in the Americas and 7th in the world by number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is also the most populous Spanish speaking country in the world. That being said, many Mexicans are also fluent in English as tourism is one of their country's largest sources of income. It is a common misconception that Mexico is a dangerous place to travel propagated by a small number of cases in which tourists have died. The truth is that it may be slightly more dangerous than the rest of North America, but if you don't go looking for trouble you should be fine. When searching for tour packages, always try to bargain. While bargaining is not practiced commonly in the rest of North America, in Mexico it is the norm. You can often get tour packages at least 50% cheaper than the advertised prices. I like to use the walking away strategy. For those unfamiliar with this strategy, it is simple, you just ask the price pretend to think about it then walk away, and each time you walk away the price gets lower.

Chichen Itza is located in the Yucatan region, about 2 hours away from Cancun. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico. Chichen Itza is also named one of the 7 New Wonders of the World. It was one of the largest Mayan cities and one of the few fully restored ruins. They no longer allow visitors to climb the ruins due to problems with vandalism.

Cancun and Playa del Carmen are known for their beautiful beaches and wild nightlife. They are home to many all-inclusive resorts ranging in prices from relatively cheap to ultra extravagant. Although if you are looking for a really cheap vacation, we recommend you look outside of the resorts. Even though all-inclusive packages may seem like a great deal, they don't compare to the cost of your vacation if you were to book outside of the all-inclusive resorts. Another thing you'll miss out on is the excellent authentic street food.

Cozumel is an island just off the coast of Playa del Carmen, famed for its scuba diving and snorkeling spots. For those of you who get motion sickness, we would definitely advise that you bring some sort of anti-nausea medication, because the boat ride there could be pretty rough.

Tulum is a Mayan walled city, situated on 12 metre high cliffs along the east coast of the Yucatan peninsula. It boasts one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The archaeological site of Coba is nearby and can often be booked in the same tour package. On top of the pyramid is the highest point in the Yucatan. Unlike Chichen Itza, it is open to the public to climb and it has 130 steps. As a warning, it is quite a steep climb but there is a rope to help people up and down.

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