Except for too-long airport visits, it had been a while since I’d been to Mexico, but now I seem to be a regular visitor.
The end of 2017 brought three lovely visits to Cabo and to the Riviera Maya, and 2018 brought me to Puerto Escondido, Puerto Vallarta, and to one of my new favourite places, La Paz. For 2019, my trips were to San Miguel de Allende, the area north of Cancun called Puerto Mujeres, back in Cabo, and back to the Cancun area. For 2020, I was in Huatulco when the pandemic hit.
Almost all of these trips were press trips, but the views expressed here are, as always, my own, and no one except the editor of the publication reviewed my article. Articles so far:
For Forbes:
- This spacious Cabo resort was practically designed for social distancing, about Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas with its immense lagoon pool, empty beach and spacious luxury.
- Gained a COVID 19 or 20? Five Mexico vacations to get you back into shape: ideas for post-pandemic active holidays.
- about the World Travel & Tourism Council’s new COVID standards and certification for several Mexican destinations, COVID-safe travels: Stamp of approval for Mexico.
Mexico City’s Airport
While this chilly and busy airport does get better every time I pass through, it’s far from my favourite airport in the world. I wrote tips for Fodor’s at How to survive a long layover in Mexico City. There’s a more detailed version here on TravelEater.net.
La Paz
On the Sea of Cortez, about two hours north of Cabo San Lucas is lovely La Paz with incredible animal encounters:
- Lavanya Sunkara quoted me in her Forbes article, Marvel at rare encounters with gray whales these images from Mexico, one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had amongst my many amazing experiences.
- Best places for swimming with whale sharks, for Readers Digest (including both La Paz and Isla Mujeres, off Cancun in the state of Quintana Roo).
- For Reader’s Digest, 11 whale shark facts you probably didn’t know, about the biggest fish in the world, including how to swim responsibly with them (spoiler: La Paz, Mexico is one of the best and most ethical places in the world to do it).
- For World Nomads, Whale and sea turtle encounters on the Mexican coast, about some of the most amazing animal encounters I’ve had.
- Five fabulous fun-filled family summer holidays, a Boutique Travel roundup where my recommendations are La Paz (plus the Buenaventura Golf & Beach Resort south of Panama City, Panama and Schlitterbahn water park outside San Antonio, Texas).
- For Bon Voyage Travel, Educational adventures disguised as fun: including La Paz and Mexico’s coasts plus Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Cambodia and two US cities.
- In this article by Janna Graber, my video of grey whales approaching our boat and a few photos are included: Humans and whales meet in Magdalena Bay.
- Mexico vacations in the Sea of Cortez, highlighting the water wonders in both La Paz and Los Cabos, for USA Today
- Whale watching in Baja, Mexico, the grey whales and whale sharks are absolutely amazing! For USA Today.
- Fishing in Baja, for USA Today.
- Snorkeling and beaches in La Paz, Mexico, for USA Today.
- All-inclusive vacations in Baja, Mexico, for USA Today.
- Mexico vacations in the Sea of Cortez, for USA Today.
- The best places to go for vacation in October, for USA Today, including La Paz, plus the fall harvest in Madison and Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin; the college and culinary city Ann Arbor, Michigan; golfing in Panama at the Santa Maria in Panama City or at the Buenaventura south of the city; and the South Pacific paradise of Tahiti.
- Warm places for a vacation in March and April, for USA Today, featuring Mexico’s coasts including the Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and La Paz; plus Central America to Panama or Belize; and the Caribbean islands of Grenada, Turks and Caicos, or a cruise, perhaps with Princess Cruises.
San Miguel de Allende
- San Miguel de Allende: Best city in the world? for Taste & Travel International (PDF from April-June 2019 issue).
- Review of Live Aqua Urban Resort San Miguel de Allende (forthcoming).
- For Canadian Traveller’s trade publication Key Notes on Travel (KNOT), Resort report: Here’s what’s new on the scene in Mexico and featured in the KNOT newsletter.
The Cancun Area
- For Canadian Traveller’s trade publication, Key Notes on Travel (KNOT):
- For Forbes Travel Guide, features on:
- Hotel Xcaret Mexico.
- Hotel Xcaret’s Muluk Spa.
- Best places for swimming with whale sharks, for Readers Digest (including both La Paz and Isla Mujeres, off Cancun in the state of Quintana Roo).
- Review of TRS Coral Hotel, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, Puerto Mujeres, north of Cancun).
- Review of Grand Palladium Puerto Mujeres (forthcoming).
- Your dog will love these hotels just as much as you, featuring six hotels in Canada, the US and Mexico which welcome pups as guests, including NIZUC Resort & Spa (for Perspectives by Scotiabank).
- For Taste & Travel International, a roundup of beach hotels with good food, including Hotel Xcaret Mexico, Grand Residences Riviera Cancun, TRS Coral Hotel and Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres, all in the Cancun-area:
- On the beach: Where surfside dining gets a makeover (web version).
- On the beach: Where surfside dining gets a makeover (PDF version, April-June 2019 issue).
- For Canadian Traveller’s trade publication Key Notes on Travel (KNOT), Resort report: Here’s what’s new on the scene in Mexico and featured in the KNOT newsletter.
- A roundup for Boutique Travel: Five not to be missed hotels for food lovers, including — yes really — a Mexican all-inclusive resort, Hotel Xcaret Mexico (plus Cape Town’s Table Bay Hotel, and Panama City, Panama’s The Bristol).
- For Boutique Travel, Three unique locations for the perfect spring break, including my pick: Hotel Xcaret Mexico, near Cancun.
- My pick for romantic hotels: Where to find your perfect romantic escape, the Grand Residences Riviera Cancun, in Puerto Morelos, Mexico, for Boutique Travel.\
- Enjoy the calm of the Caribbean at Grand Residences Riviera Cancun (PDF), about a member of The Leading Hotels of the World in the fishing village of Puerto Morelos, between Cancun and Playa del Carmen.
Grand Residences Riviera Cancun: The Calm of the Caribbean without the crowds of Cancun, for La Carte.
- For World Nomads, Whale and sea turtle encounters on the Mexican coast, about Quintana Roo’s turtles, whale sharks and other great Mexican wildlife locations.
- Review of Grand Residences by Royal Resorts, a member of Leading Hotels of the World (Peurto Morelos, between Cancun and Playa Del Carmen), for Luxury and Boutique Hotels.
- Review of Hotel Xcaret Mexico (just outside Playa del Carmen) — brand new for December 2017, this luxury all-inclusive resort also includes access to six eco-archeological parks in the area, including Xcaret Park, for Luxury and Boutique Hotels.
- Underwater and above in Cancun, for USA Today.
- Snorkelling in the Riviera Maya, Mexico, for USA Today.
- How to snorkel in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, for USA Today.
- Warm places for a vacation in March and April, for USA Today, featuring Mexico’s coasts including the Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and La Paz; plus Central America to Panama or Belize; and the Caribbean islands of Grenada, Turks and Caicos, or a cruise, perhaps with Princess Cruises.
Los Cabos
- This spacious Cabo resort was practically designed for social distancing, about Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas with its immense lagoon pool, empty beach and spacious luxury.
- Your dog will love these hotels just as much as you, featuring six hotels in Canada, the US and Mexico which welcome pups as guests, including Las Ventanas al Paraiso, a Rosewood Resort (for Perspectives by Scotiabank).
- Desert Bliss: Grand Solmar Land’s End, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for Boutique Travel.
- Review of Grand Solmar at Land’s End, a desert paradise next to El Arco (Cabo San Lucas), for Luxury and Boutique Hotels.
- All-inclusive vacations in Baja, Mexico, for USA Today.
- Whale watching in Baja, Mexico, for USA Today.
- Mexico vacations in the Sea of Cortez, for USA Today.
- For World Nomads, Whale and sea turtle encounters on the Mexican coast, about Cabo’s whales other great Mexican wildlife locations.
Puerto Vallarta
- Review of the Hacienda at Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort, for Luxury and Boutique Hotels.
- Review of the Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort, for Luxury and Boutique Hotels.
- Snorkeling in Puerto Vallarta, for USA Today.
- What’s the difference between the Hilton Hotel and Hilton Garden Inn, featuring the Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort, for USA Today.
- Warm places for a vacation in March and April, for USA Today, featuring Mexico’s coasts including the Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and La Paz; plus Central America to Panama or Belize; and the Caribbean islands of Grenada, Turks and Caicos, or a cruise, perhaps with Princess Cruises.
- For World Nomads, Whale and sea turtle encounters on the Mexican coast, about Vallarta’s turtles, whales and other great Mexican wildlife locations.
Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca — A quiet area on Mexico’s Pacific coast known for its surfing, quiet beaches and food.
- Review of Vivo Resorts, for Luxury and Boutique Hotels.
- For World Nomads, Whale and sea turtle encounters on the Mexican coast, about releasing just-hatched baby turtles on the beach at Vivo Resorts, plus other great Mexican wildlife locations.
- For Taste & Travel International, a roundup of beach hotels with good food, and including Vivo Resorts:
- On the beach: Where surfside dining gets a makeover (web version).
- On the beach: Where surfside dining gets a makeover (PDF version, April-June 2019 issue).
Multiple locations
- FOr Canadian Traveller’s summer 2019 issue, Snapshots, with blurbs on travel news from around the world.
- For Taste & Travel International, a roundup of beach hotels with good food:
- On the beach: Where surfside dining gets a makeover (web version).
- On the beach: Where surfside dining gets a makeover (PDF version, April-June 2019 issue).
- For Canadian Traveller’s trade publication Key Notes on Travel (KNOT), Resort report: Here’s what’s new on the scene in Mexico and featured in the KNOT newsletter.
- For Bon Voyage Travel, Educational adventures disguised as fun: including Mexico’s coasts and especially La Pax, plus Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Cambodia and two US cities.
- For USA Today, Mexican cruises from San Diego.
- The best Mexico beaches in August (or, really, anytime!), for USA Today.
- Weekend trips to Mexico, featuring two new luxury resorts I’ve just discovered: Cabo San Lucas’ Grand Solmar Land’s End and Grand Residences Riviera Cancun in Puerto Morelos, for USA Today.
- Warm places for a vacation in March and April, for USA Today, featuring Mexico’s coasts including the Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta and La Paz; plus Central America to Panama or Belize; and the Caribbean islands of Grenada, Turks and Caicos, or a cruise, perhaps with Princess Cruises.
- Mexico vacations in the Sea of Cortez, highlighting the water wonders in both La Paz and Los Cabos, for USA Today.
- For World Nomads, Whale and sea turtle encounters on the Mexican coast.
