Mexico is one of the most popular destinations for Spring Breakers who flock to Cancun where the party never stops. Cancun boasts bargain holidays with state-of-the-art hotel facilities, cool clubs and bars, some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and offers non-stop

Spring Break 2013

entertainment from daytime parties to night events. During the daytime Spring Breakers can enjoy yard parties, Spring Break contests and beach activities or just spend some time relaxing on the beach before heading off to the Cancun nightspots to dance the night away.  Acapulco and Los Cabos are also very popular spring break destinations. Acapulco was Mexico’s main beach resort from the 1950′s until the development of Cancun in the 1980′s. Spring Breakers can enjoy Acapulco’s famous discos, watch the amazing cliff divers at La Quebrada, try the fresh seafood and see the spectacular sunset from Pie de la Cuesta or take a sunset cruise to escape the hectic days and nights of the Spring Break. Los Cabos, on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, is becoming more and more popular for the spring break season. Party the night away at the Cabo San Lucas hotspots Cabo Wabo, The Giggling Marlin or El Squid Roe. Days can be spent on a whale watching tour, enjoying a round of golf at one of the six major Los Cabos golf courses, take a glass-bottom boat tour, go deep-sea fishing or enjoy the popular activities of scuba diving, snorkelling and parasailing.

Cancun Spring Break

If you can tear yourself away from all the partying there are some great day trips to enjoy on the Riviera Maya. These include the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chichen Itza, the temples of Tulum, the archaeological site of Coba, Xcaret Eco Park and Sian Ka’an nature reserve.

Holiday deals offering a vast array of Cancun hotels are available to suit all pockets. Visitors can choose from resorts with all-inclusive hotels and cheaper more cost effective accommodation to suit their budget. You will experience beautiful beaches, great locations with amazing views and a huge choice of dining options wherever you choose to stay. Click here for great offers to Mexico from holidays4mexico.co.uk.

A Spring Break in Mexico will guarantee to create memories and experiences that will last for a lifetime.

Whale Shark

Divers and snorkellers are treated to a magical experience when they come eye-to-eye with these mesmerising creatures known as ‘pez dama’ or domino by the Mexican people due to their very distinctive spotted skin.

Apart from whale sharks there is lots more to discover in the Mexican seas. The whole family will love a snorkelling cruise or a catamaran trip to the peninsulas reefs where they will discover a wealth of

Underwater World

marine life.  The Yucatan also has several eco-waterparks where you can snorkel in an underground river, snuba (surface supplied diving) and sea trek (experiencing the ocean floor without learning how to scuba dive), see a turtle conservation area and swim with dolphins and manatees.

Swimming amongst these intriguing creatures is something not to miss when visiting Cancun on you holidays. The resort of Cancun on Mexico’s Riviera Maya is a lively place with restaurants, bars, clubs and shops and is the ideal choice for families and couples. Check out this great holiday offer we found for adult-only Luxury Secrets Resorts from holidays4mexico.co.uk.

Xcaret

golf, archery, shuffleboard and children’s clubs to name just a few amenities to make your travel deals to Mexico perfect. There are several golf courses in the area for golfers to enjoy.

A wealth of wildlife and stunning scenery await you on your direct holidays to Xcaret. Whilst visiting the Yucatan Peninsula, families, couples and groups will love the Xcaret eco-archaeological theme park. Based around a lagoon hidden in the jungle, the park has attracted visitors to its natural water features, Jaguar Island, marine centre, zoo, botanical gardens, orchid farm, butterfly pavilion, mushroom farm and Mayan ruins since 1992. Visitors can also go scuba diving, snorkelling, pony trekking and horse riding at the park. The park also boasts a sandy beach area, freshwater lakes, lagoons, rivers, underground caves and verdant tropical jungle to explore. Crocodiles, marine turtles, manatees, flamingos, monkeys, deer, bats and tapirs all live in the park. However the ultimate experience of swimming with dolphins is probably at the top of most people’s wish list when they visit the park. Being a dolphin trainer for the day at the park is a memorable experience where you interact with fully-grown dolphins and their offspring and see their performances up close. At night the park offers enactments of an ancient Mayan ball game and a traditional Mexican song and dance show in the open air theatre.

Scuba diving, snorkelling, snuba (a combination of diving and snorkelling) and sea treks (underwater walking) are on offer in Xcaret. Visitors can swim in the beautiful warm Caribbean Sea, in the freshwater lagoons, at the inland cenotes and even in the underwater caves. Interactive shark tours and river rafting are available for more adventurous visitors looking for excitement.

Chichen Itza

There are many ancient Mayan ruins within easy reach at Chichen Itza, Xel-Ha, Tulum and Coba. Xcaret itself was once a major city and ceremonial centre.

Just a short ferry ride from Playa del Carmen is the island of Cozumel which offers some of the best scuba diving and snorkelling in the world.

If you are looking for some lively nightlife you will need to head to the popular beach resort of Cancun in the north of the Riviera Maya.

Xcaret’s main tourist season starts in November when the resort sees 6 hours of sunshine a day and enjoys temperatures around the 30C mark. In the winter months temperatures hover around 28-29C with daily sunshine hours increasing to 8 hours by March. Humidity is lower and more comfortable from December to February, starting to in March until it reaches its highest levels in April. The sea is ideal for swimming and interacting with dolphins during the winter when its temperature ranges from 26C to 28C.

Grand Xcaret Hotel

Click here for a great all inclusive holiday we have found from holidays4mexico.co.uk to the Grand Xcaret Hotel which sits adjacent to the Xcaret Ecological Park.

The AAA (formally known as the American Automobile Association) Diamond Award is one of the most thorough and trusted rating systems for restaurants and accommodation in the US. The AAA began in 1902 as an independent motor club, appointing it’s first hotel and restaurant

Cancun Hotel Zone

inspectors in 1937. In 1963 the association started to award properties with ratings from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’, these ratings for lodgings became known as the AAA Diamond Ratings System in 1977 (the associations diamond anniversary) and started to include restaurants in 1989. All properties must meet the AAA’s basic requirements before being evaluated by one of the AAA’s inspectors. Once the property has been evaluated it is assigned a rating of One to Five Diamonds which are based on its facilities, amenities and service. The Five Diamond status is the highest award level possible.

Cancun is situated in the northern part of Mexico’s south-eastern state of Quintana Roo. It is the country’s most popular tourist destination and is known world wide for its glorious beaches, natural beauty and breathtaking crystal-clear azure waters. Check out this website

Cancun Beach

for some great holiday offers to this amazing country.

Cancun’s AAA Five Diamond Award Winning Lodgings:

The Ritz-Carlton Cancun

This is the only Ritz-Carlton property in Mexico and is the perfect choice for a luxury Caribbean ‘get away from it all’ holiday. The hotel offers world-class hospitality and amazing restaurants for both families and couples alike.

Le Blanc Spa Resort

This adults-only resort offers its guests a stylish all-inclusive luxury experience with three outdoor pools, including two infinity pools with swim-up bars which overlook the beautiful Caribbean Sea.

JW Marriott Cancun Resort and Spa

Located in the heart of Cancun’s Hotel Zone, this Mayan-inspired spa offers guests an unforgettable experience with reinvigorating treatments, breathtaking views and a luxurious ambience.

Cancun

Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita

Set in 14 acres in Puerto Morelos, the Zoetry has its own private beach and is one of Mexico’s most exceptional boutique resorts.

Cancun’s AAA Five Diamond Award Winning Restaurants:

Fantino, Located in the Ritz-Carlton

This restaurant offers the finest Mediterranean cuisine with natural flavours and creative presentation which is complimented with live piano music.

The Club Grill, Located in the Ritz-Carlton

Well known for its Continental cuisine featuring the best cuts of meat and a diverse wine list, all accompanied by entertaining live jazz music.

Le Basilic, Located at the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Cancun Resort and Spa

A very casual, relaxing restaurant with a colourful Bohemian atmosphere which serves wonderful French cuisine.

Take a look at holidayholiday.co.uk for some great holiday offers to Cancun and other destinations in Mexico, you won’t be disappointed.

Cancun consists of two distinct areas; the residential area of Cancun City and Cancun Island (Tourist Zone).

Cancun

Connected to the mainland by two bridges, the island of Cancun is home to the main tourist district which is located on the 8 mile Yucatan Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea. All along the coastline of the peninsula you will find beautiful soft sandy beaches with the best located in the north. Although Cancun is a very busy resort you will always be able to find a peaceful stretch of beach due to the resorts extensive coastline. Facilities at the beaches of Cancun are second to none with a wide choice of hotels, many of which are along the seafront, all offering a variety of different accommodation and board choices.

The waters of the Caribbean Sea are ideal for water sports including scuba diving, snorkelling, jet-skiing, windsurfing, parasailing and fishing while the calmer waters of the huge sheltered lagoon, Laguna Nichupte, are perfect for water-skiing.

Cancun has several golf clubs with scenic locations which are considered to be some of the best courses in Mexico. These clubs also offer health

Cancun coastline

clubs, spa and fine dining restaurants in picturesque settings.

Renowned as a non-stop party town, Cancun offers a variety of entertainment including nightclubs, discos, traditional Mexican bars, quieter piano bars, cabaret and beach bars. For more cultural evenings there is ballet and traditional Mexican music and entertainment.

When it comes to dining out, the resort offers an endless choice of restaurants with everything from fast-food outlets to traditional Yucatan cuisine.

Shoppers will not be disappointed as Cancun has more than twenty ‘American-style’ shopping malls and no end of traditional markets selling everything from duty-free perfume to designer clothes to locally produced handicrafts.

There are just a few archaeological sites in Cancun but you will have to travel further afield for the best in the Riviera Maya. These sites include the famous pyramid at Chichen Itza and the ancient civilization of Tulum which has a jungle setting on the coast. Cancun is an ultra modern

Chichen Itza

resort where nature lovers will love the natural beauty and range of habitats in the area. You will be amazed as you journey through the dense jungle and mangrove by speedboat, taking in the sights and sounds of the wildlife, hopefully spotting crocodiles, pumas and jaguars on your way. Don’t forget your camera to catch some awesome photo opportunities.

I found this site very useful and worth a look at for more information about Cancun.

Not to be missed on your holidays to Cancun is a visit to the beautiful island of Mujeres. Lying just off the coast the Isla Mujeres is a stark contrast to the lively resort of Cancun. On this sleepy island you discover brightly painted Caribbean clapboard houses and a protected turtle sanctuary. This is also one of the best places for scuba diving and snorkelling after which you can stroll around the island visiting the many local cantinas for a spot of lunch and some tequila or take in some of the local shops where you will find some original and unique Mexican and Guatemalan folk art works.

Cancun enjoys a Caribbean style climate with hot sunny weather throughout the year with hardly any variation between seasonal temperatures. Winter sun holidays to Cancun are great for escaping the cold of the UK as the weather is cooler and drier and more comfortable for most people.

The hotels will blend Hard Rock’s spirit of rock ‘n roll with luxurious style and surroundings. These two hotels together with the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic will be the only all inclusive Hard Rock Hotels in the world. In 2013 the Aventura Palace Hotel will be re-branded to the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera to increase the total of the All Inclusive Collection to four hotels.

Each of the hotels in Mexico have a beachfront location that features all-inclusive luxury accommodation including in-room double Jacuzzis, fine dining, top-shelf drinks, 24 hour room service, live entertainment and much more. Both hotels will offer Hard Rock’s signature Rock Star Suites and will display a large collection of authentic memorabilia from local and international artists and will also incorporate diverse music genres throughout. Also included will be the renowned Rock Spa and the groundbreaking Sound of Your Stay programme to enhance guest’s music experience during their stay. In keeping with the Hard Rock tradition, each hotel will host live concerts, celebrity events and other exciting on-site activities.

Hard Rock Hotel Cancun

Hard Rock Hotel Cancun
This all-inclusive hotel is ideally located on the white sand beach in the heart of the Cancun Hotel Zone. All 601 guestrooms feature private balconies with views of the ocean or lagoon, together with five restaurants including a Brazilian steakhouse, five bars and lounges, a spa with outdoor palapa-style massage, an expansive pool area and meeting facilities which include a convention centre. The hotel is just a short walk from Cancun’s main shopping and entertainment venues.

Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta

Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta
Located on the beaches of Bahia de Banderas near Puerto Vallarta, this hotel sits right in the heart of Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit. The hotel features 348 guestrooms, four restaurants, four bars, Rock Spa, two swimming pools and meeting facilities. The hotel offers amazing views of Mexico’s Pacific Coast with scuba diving, snorkelling, water sports, sailing and deep-sea fishing all available near-by.

Hard Rock Riviera Maya

Hard Rock Riviera Maya
The two adjacent Palace Resort properties, Aventura Cove Palace and Aventura Spa Palace will be combined to form the Hard Rock Riviera Maya. The Aventura Cove Palace will have 489 guestrooms, three restaurants including a dinner theatre venue, four bars, multiple swimming pools, water activities and family-friendly amenities which will include a unique teen club and gaming cabanas. The Aventura Spa Palace will become an adult’s only hotel with 777 guestrooms, four restaurants, four bars, numerous pools including a grotto pool which will become a night-time club experience and a top-rated spa which will feature an extensive menu of services.

Cozumel

Cozumel is the place to go if you are looking for modern facilities mixed together with a rich Mayan heritage. Offering top-class cosmopolitan hotels and restaurants visitors can enjoy the old traditions which blend nicely with the new. Holidays in Cozumel are available for all budgets and are usually centred on the islands numerous beaches. The Cozumel town of San Miguel has an excellent choice of international restaurants and shops which line its busy streets.

Surrounded by stunning natural beauty, this popular holiday destination is well known for its amazing beaches and first-class diving. Most of Cozumel is undeveloped with dense jungle which is home to exotic flora and fauna like parrots, macaws, deer and lizards. The west coast of the island is home to hotels and resorts and is popular as a cruise-ship stop-off point.

Cozumel beaches have fine white sand and crystal clear azure waters which are home to many coral reefs. The best beaches can be found on the islands sheltered south-west side which is also famous for its magnificent stretch of coral reef and the protected Parque Marino de Cozumel

Dolphins at the Parque Marino de Cozumel

which is excellent for diving and snorkelling. The beaches of Playa Corona and Playa Palancar can be found along this stretch but if you are looking for larger beaches you will need to visit Playa Sol and Playa San Francisco which are also popular with the cruise ships. All along the coast there are ‘beach clubs’ which serve food and drink and also offer sun beds and loungers for sunbathing. The Parque Chankanaab which has a shallow lagoon and sheltered children’s pool is very popular with families looking for a safe location for their children. The long beaches of Playa Santa Pilar and Playa San Juan are found in the north of the island and are lined with large resorts. The northern coast of Cozumel is also well known for its beautiful crystal clear lagoons. The unspoilt eastern side of the island faces the Caribbean and has wind-swept deserted beaches.

Ranked as one of the top five dive destinations in the world, Cozumel offers excellent diving and snorkelling opportunities as well as a range of

Cozumel diving

water sports, deep-sea fishing and sailing. The famous undersea explorer, oceanographer and film-maker, Jacques Cousteau, discovered the amazing coral reefs around the island and filmed his documentaries here in the 1960s. For a truly amazing experience swimming with the dolphins in the warm Caribbean waters is a must on your holidays to Cozumel.

Away from the beaches and the sea Cozumel has many historic sites to explore, including the Mayan temples such as Castillo Real and San Gervasio. Take a ferry trip to Mainland Mexico and visit the resort of Playa Del Carmen to explore the famous Mayan ruins. Golf enthusiasts can play a round or two at the 18-hole golf course at the Cozumel Country Club or the championship course at Playacar which is just a short ferry ride from the island.

Cozumel is surrounded by the warm Caribbean Sea which is warm all year round, the temperature of which rarely falls below 25C. With a sub-tropical climate the island is perfect for sun worshippers with temperatures around the 28C mark and humidity levels eased by the cooling sea breezes.

Gray Whale

Every year thousands of gray whales make the 5,000 mile journey from the cold Arctic waters of Alaska’s Bering Sea to the warm water lagoons of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula where they mate and then give birth to their calves. Whale watching is becoming very popular in the Sea of Cortez (also known as the Gulf of California) where visitors can see blue whales, humpback whales, sperm whales, orcas, finback whales, minke whales, pilot whales, schools of dolphins and many more marine creatures. Marvel as the whales return to the ocean surface after deep dives to expel air from their blowholes, watch the humpbacks repeatedly jumping out of the water and be amazed by the fin whales performing barrel rolls on the surface.

Visitors can stay at the ‘Whale Cabanas’ on the shores of the protected bays of San Ignacio

Cabo San Lucas

Lagoon (Laguna San Ignacio), Scammon’s Lagoon (Laguna Ojo de Liebre) or Magdalena Bay (Bahia Magdalena) from where they can explore the lagoon in small boats (pangas) and marvel at the amazing gray whales. Just imagine getting that close to these amazing thirty ton gentle giants with baby in tow. Truly an experience you will never forget.

At the southern end of Baja, near Los Cabos, whales are frequently spotted near the beaches of Todos Santos. On the gulf side, near the city of La Paz, the waters are visited by whales around Isla Espiritu Santo and Isla Cerralvo which was renamed ‘Jacques Cousteau Island’ by the Mexican government in 2009 as the famous explorer and conservationist referred to the area as ‘the world’s aquarium’.

Isla Cerralvo

Mexico’s Baja Peninsula consists of the states of Baja California Norte (North) and Baja California Sur (South). Covering an area of over 55,000 square miles, the 680 mile long Baja California Peninsula is an area of beauty with endless beaches, colourful deserts and unexplained rock formations. Apart from whale watching there is so much to do here on your direct holidays to Mexico, including diving, snorkelling, windsurfing, surfing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, golf and much more. Carnivals and fiestas in Baja are an amazing experience and should not be missed when visiting this amazing place.

The Baja Peninsula can generally be divided into two weather zones with the northern half experiencing weather similar to that of South California and the southern half experiencing weather like that in Arizona. The northern half of the peninsula has dry summers with consistent winds along the Pacific coast while the southern half has its rainy season during the summer.

For the trip of a lifetime take one of the last minute holiday deals to Mexico and experience everything the Baja Peninsula has to offer.

Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa

available at the Palladium Hotels & Resorts and The Royal Suites of Palladium. Due to a high demand for religious ceremonies, the new developments will also include a colonial style chapel which is to be inaugurated at the Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico.

The wedding and honeymoon packages are based on the mood and natural surroundings of each of the unique wedding venues. The packages are designed to suit a range of budgets and imaginations. Couples can include their wedding in their holiday packages to Mexico and enjoy a stunning ceremony in an intimate chapel or on a cliff top overlooking the beautiful Caribbean Sea. The packages offered by the Fiesta Group Hotels in Punta Cana and the Riviera Maya allow couples to personalise their wedding with less restrictions than other Caribbean resorts.

The new colonial style chapel at the Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa will seat up to 100 guests and is part of a wider development to convert the Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa into the Grand Palladium Resort & Spa. This will include a complete renovation of all the guest rooms, a new a la carte steak house restaurant, sauna area and massage cabins for couples at the spa. This five star all inclusive resort is surrounded by the dramatic Pacific Ocean and is already popular for overseas weddings.

Riviera Nayarit, Mexico

Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Western Sierra Madre Mountains, with it’s southern border just 10 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta International Airport and its northern border just 40 minutes west of Tepic International Airport. With a backdrop of lush green mountains and nearly 200 miles of golden beaches, the Riviera Nayarit is an ideal location for romantic get-aways, weddings and honeymoons. There are always plenty of cheap holidays

humpback whale

available to this beautiful part of Mexico where you can enjoy a sub-humid climate and an annual average temperature of 25°C. Nayarit’s amazing coastline winds it’s way through Banderas Bay, Compostela, San Blas, Santiago and Tecuala. The small towns and villages along this coastline are brimming with culture and history and have a wealth of sights and attractions for visitors. Visit Banderas Bay, one of the most beautiful bays in the world, during the winter and you will see humpback whales who visit the bay to give birth. This is an amazing sight and the memory will stay with you forever.

Beach

missed Mayan archaeological and geological sites, tiny villages and holiday resorts. Named after the ancient Mayan civilisation, the Mayan Riviera is 100 miles of beautiful coastline stretching from Playa del Secreto to Punta Allen. All along the Mayan Riviera there are luxury hotels and smaller cheaper properties which all offer great hospitality and entertainment for the whole family on their holiday packages to Mexico. Cancun is a popular resort with hotels to suit all budgets, with the resorts of Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Morelos and Felipe Carrillo Puerto to the south also being popular with tourists.

What better way to unwind than to laze on the stunning white beaches before taking a swim in the crystal clear Caribbean Sea. A variety of water sports are available including snorkelling, scuba diving, jet-skiing and windsurfing. Snorkelling and scuba diving are popular here due to the amazing Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System which is the second largest coral reef in the world.

Cenote

Cenote diving is also very popular here; when diving in these inland underwater caves you will need a local guide.

Away from the sun-kissed beaches there is so much to do and see. A jeep safari will take you into rainforests and mangrove swamps or you can take a boat trip to the island of Cozumel for snorkelling and scuba diving on the island’s spectacular coral reefs. With many coral reefs all along the Mayan Riviera it is no wonder the area is regarded as a snorkellers paradise, especially at Xel-Ha. The whole family will love a day out at the 1.3 million acre eco-tourism site at the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. The site features tropical forests, lagoons and a colony of turtles. Other activities include hiking, cycling, horse-riding, paragliding and you can even swim with dolphins or visit a crocodile zoo. Before the Spanish conquest of Yucatan, the Maya civilisation dominated the region, hence the many Mayan archaeological sites in the area. These sites can be found at Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Tulum and Coba.

Mayan Ruins Tulum

Evenings can be spent enjoying the lively Mexican-style nightlife or by relaxing over some traditional Mexican cuisine of tortillas, tamales, enchiladas and re-fried beans. Sit back and enjoy a Tequila or two whilst watching the entertaining Mariachi bands in action.

Generally speaking the Mayan Riviera is the hottest part of Mexico although there are still seasons when it is best to visit the area. It has a sub-tropical climate and is hot and humid all year round, with the summer months seeing the highest levels of humidity. Temperatures reach the mid 30′s during the summer season which is also the rainy season. However, the coast usually just has short bursts of heavy rain in the afternoon which doesn’t stop visitors from getting a good tan during the morning sunshine. September and October see more wind and rain but the region still enjoys enough sunshine to keep families on the beach. Mayan Riviera nights see cooler weather but the days still enjoy high temperatures. Late deals to the Mayan Riviera are available at any time of the year, especially as spring approaches and the temperatures start to rise for the summer season.