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 Travel & Outdoors
Hurricanes Expose Flaws in Idyllic Cancun
 Greg Brosnan
In the mid-70s, a once-deserted strip of Caribbean sand previously known only to a few fishermen became a world-famous resort with bars, hotels, a golf course and an international airport earning Mexico floods of hard currency. But, the resort sits on a hurricane route.more »»»
Fabled Las Alamandas Resort Offers Mother's Day Retreat to Paradise in Mexico
 PRNewswire
Las Alamandas Resort on Mexico's Pacific Coast is offering a special Mother's Day package designed to provide ultimate seclusion and coddling for mothers who never seem to find the time to take care of themselves.more »»»
No More Cheap Shrimp Cocktail
 Matt Richtel
They are coming to blow up a lonely outpost of low-cost Las Vegas. Before daybreak on May 9, an explosives team plans to demolish the Boardwalk Hotel and Casino, a recently closed budget oasis on the Strip with a giant clown face on its facade and signs advertising $1.99 shrimp cocktails.more »»»
Machu Picchu Shows Wear of Being on Must-See List
 Patrick J. McDonnell
Machu Picchu, one of the most storied archeological sites in the Americas, has become a victim of its own astounding success and now faces threats from overcrowding, landslides, erosion, fire — and greed.more »»»
Viviendo en México - Real de Catorce
 Korah Winn
Real de Catorce is unlike any city I have ever been too. We explored old buildings and the open-air market, but the highlight of the trip was the horseback ride up to the top of a mountain called Cerro Quemadmore »»»
Dream Trip: Inca Ruins of Machu Picchu
 Laura MacNeil
Every year, half a million tourists head to a remote Peruvian ridge to visit the 15th-century ruins of Machu Picchu. One visit to this legendary mountaintop city and you'll realize why the Inca believed their gods lived high in the Andes.more »»»
Viviendo en México
 Korah Winn
I realize that most of my recent articles have been about traveling to different places while in Mexico. My family is probably thinking, "I thought she was supposed to be studying, not traveling all around Mexico."more »»»
Almost Free RV Camping Caravan to Mexico Offered
 PRNewswire
New RV travelers to Mexico will now get a chance to drive with experienced rv’ers south of the border without spending thousands of dollars on the services of professional caravans, starting in late October of 2006 from Nogales Arizona to La Peñita Nayarit Mexico.more »»»
Officials: Cancun Beaches will be Fully Replaced Following Hurricane
 Jorge Dominguez
The famous white beaches of Cancun, which were devastated by Hurricane Wilma last year, will be fully restored more than two weeks ahead of schedule, officials said Wednesday.more »»»
Viviendo en México - Guanajuato, Day Two
 Korah Winn
The whole experience of visiting Guanajuato was so unique for me. In all the time that I have lived in Mexico, I have never seen a city like it. Actually, I have never seen one like it in my entire life.more »»»
A Cruise to the Mexican Riviera
 Spud Hilton
By midnight, the party on the Aloha Deck on the Diamond Princess was jamming across the Sea of Cortez at 20 knots faster than the ship itself. Mai tais rose and fell with the ocean and, as I watched the rowdy partiers at the railings, my thoughts turned to culture: Is an authentic Mexican fiesta supposed to have male strippers?more »»»
Viviendo en México - Guanajuato, Day One
 Korah Winn
During one of my very first Spanish classes here in Mexico, my teacher Cynthia told me that Guanajuato was a must see. So, it's no wonder that I suggested to Philana that we go to Guanajuato after I found out she was also interested in traveling.more »»»
Colombia Cleaning Up Drugs-and-Violence Image
 CNN.com
When it comes to tough sells for a vacation, it doesn't get much tougher than Colombia. The South American country has a well-earned reputation for gun-toting guerrillas, cocaine kingpins and the world's highest kidnapping rate. But after decades of being shunned as too dangerous for travelers, the country is riding an unprecedented tourist boom.more »»»
Baja for Beginners
 Heidi Julavits
If a vacation is a defining microcosm of family life at its presumed artificial best, then it will forever encapsulate your attitude of giving up, or giving in, or putting up a fight, usually at great cost to your nerves and sleeping schedules.more »»»
Drug Violence Hits Tourist-Heavy Acapulco
 Ioan Grillo
In the past, the granddaddy of Mexican tourist towns was hardly touched by the gangland carnage seen elsewhere in the country. But this year, the city of more than 720,000 has been shaken by 15 execution-style slayings, four grenade attacks on police stations.more »»»
Hoteliers Want to Refine Cancun's Image
 Julie Watson
Classical music wafts through the Zen-like lobby of Le Blanc Spa Resort, a luxurious hotel where guests are greeted with fresh fruit drinks and a scented, moist towel. It's a far cry from what some may consider to be a typical Cancun hotel - teeming with the hollering, drunken U.S. college students who helped turn this Caribbean resort into Mexico's No. 1 foreign-tourist destination.more »»»
San Pancho Could Become Mexico's Next Hot Stop
 Alfredo Corchado
Maybe it was the impossibly bright orange sunset over the Pacific Ocean, the sound of waves crashing onto the shore, briefly disturbing the peace and the silence around us. Or it may have been the eclectic crowd – old hippies, yuppies and the ultrarich – enjoying the isolated innocence on an unspoiled Mexican beach.more »»»
The Tide is Turning for Cancún
 Laurence Iliff
Along Cancún's northern beaches, bulldozers spread fluffy new sand where Hurricane Wilma had left rock bare last fall. Farther south, renovated nightclubs await spring breakers and remodeled hotels plan their grand reopenings.more »»»
Crowded Coconuts - Hawaii Nearing Capacity
 Jaymes Song
Visitors to Hawaii topped 7 million for the first time last year, and the tourism industry is talking about making the islands a little more exclusive. In 2005, the islands welcomed 7,457,297 visitors who spent a record $11.5 billion, according to the latest state figures.more »»»
Travel Guide Speaks in 'Code'
 Carol Memmott
For the first time in its 70-year history, the publisher of more than 300 travel books is bowing to the gods of popular culture and publishing a book tied to an already popular travel trend: visiting the destinations in Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, one of the best-selling novels of all time.more »»»
Two Week Escape: Spanish Immersion in South America
 Sara Kugler
A language immersion program, where students attend morning classes and often stay with a local family, sounded perfect. Lodging and meals are cheaper, you improve your language skills and it's a safe way for a woman to travel alone.more »»»
Welcome to the Sheraton; Ignore the Red Stickers
 Héctor Tobar & Carlos Martínez
The swank Sheraton Maria Isabel Hotel aspires to be many things, but a symbol of U.S. imperialism is not one of them. But such has been the case since Feb. 3, when staff at the U.S.-owned hotel just across from the American Embassy politely suggested that 16 visiting Cuban officials check out.more »»»
Brazil Bishops Say Go Easy On Carnival Sex, Booze
 Reuters
Brazil's Roman Catholic Church urged revelers last week to abstain from reckless sex, too much alcohol and violence during the country's Carnival celebrations. "We are not against people having fun but caution them against hurting others or abandoning good customs," said Cardinal Geraldo Majella Agnelo.more »»»
Oman, Anyone? More Ships, More Ports of Call
 Amy Gunderson
There are excursions that whisk passengers farther and farther away from the ship and cruises that stop in far-flung ports in the Middle East and Asia, for those who want to mix, say, a little archaeology with their rest and recreation.more »»»
Llama Sacrifice Kicks Off Bolivia's Carnival
 Helen Popper
Every day, miners in the Bolivian city of Oruro emerge from the underground gloom with dusty, grimy faces. On Friday, they emerged dressed in ceremonial ponchos, their faces smeared with the blood of sacrificed llamas.more »»»
Acapulco's Loss of Innocence
 S. Lynne Walker
This seaside resort was once a place of fairy tales, where the world's rich and famous vacationed in villas while their yachts bobbed on the waves of Acapulco's bay. Even Mexico's drug traffickers played a role in the illusion. But a broad-daylight shootout between drug traffickers and police shattered the last vestiges of its idyllic image.more »»»
Out of Guatemala Dump: Art, Hope, and Changed Lives
 Bernd Debusmann
It began with an assignment to photograph slum kids, which prompted the idea of letting children scavenging for a living in a municipal garbage dump take pictures of their world. The experiment, unique at the time, was meant to last for six months.more »»»
Tango Tourism Boom in Buenos Aires
 ABC News
Buenos Aires, Argentina, is the tango capital of the world. It's where the dance was born in the bordellos and immigrant neighborhoods in the late 1800s. The tango is improvised, aggressive and erotic. Every move symbolizes el amor y la passion - love and passion.more »»»
Cancun on Slow Comeback Trail
 Bill O'Brien
Scores of travelers come to Betsy Williams for advice on where to go for spring break - and this year for tips on where not to go. Williams got a first-hand look last month at the damage left behind in Mexico's popular Cancun area by Hurricane Wilma in October.more »»»
Viviendo en México - A Visit to Mazamitla
 Korah Winn
This past weekend I was offered the chance to go to Mazamitla, Jalisco with two women from my school. Kathy is an adventurous person who lives in Tacoma, WA. She has been traveling in Mexico on and off for several years with her husband.more »»»
Mexico's Newest Luxury Hospitality Brand
 XTVWorld.Com
A trio of hidden treasures will be unveiled along Mexico’s Pacific Coast with the 2006 launch of Tesoro Resorts, an exciting new resort brand that aims to take all-inclusive vacations to new heights.more »»»
A Novel Cruise Concept: Authors Gone Wild at Sea
 Michael Coleman
Top-selling writers are scheduled to bring their prose to life on a week-long "Authors at Sea" Mexican Riviera cruise aboard Carnival Pride, roundtrip from Los Angeles (Long Beach, CA), from April 2 to 9, 2006. Port calls include Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.more »»»
Hooters Hotel Opens in Las Vegas
 Tedd Florendo
Hooters may be best known for its chicken wings and waitresses but it may soon be known for its hotel casino. The Hooters Hotel in Las Vegas opens this week. But some question whether their hotel and casino can keep up with the bigger neighbors on the Las Vegas Strip.more »»»
In Sleepy Sayulita, It's Mexican Paradise Down a Rutted Road
 Michael Virtanen
Last summer, GQ magazine put Sayulita on its short list of couple's getaways for its surf culture and the inexpensive but opulent rooms at Villa Amor. We'd certainly go back — it was romantic, the hotel pleasurable, the surfing accessible. But you had to be OK as gringos in a rutted-road paradise.more »»»
Can you Cancun? Will Cozumel be Cozy?
 Judy Wiley
Spring break is fast approaching, and everyone knows that Mexico's Caribbean coast got hammered by hurricanes Emily and Wilma last year. So what's in store for travelers who want to go back to that favorite resort or villa?more »»»
Celebrate Romance at Villa Bella
 Denise Derameé
This Valentine's Day, why not treat your sweetheart to a romantic getaway at Villa Bella Bed and Breakfast Inn in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico? La Cruz is a picturesque fishing village with all of the ingredients for a peaceful, relaxing vacation - and Villa Bella is the perfect place to indulge the senses, relax and enjoy a unique romantic escape.more »»»
For Surfers, All Waves Lead to Hawaii
 Julia Chaplin
Spending time on the North Shore of Oahu, just 30 miles from the urban sprawl of Honolulu, provides a crash course in the hang-10 lifestyle. Old surfboards serve as signposts for the driveways of wooden bungalows, the fronts of shops and the turnoff points for restaurants at this fabled surf Mecca.more »»»
Hacienda San Angel: Romantic Hotel in Puerto Vallarta
 David Tomlin
What began as a simple remodeling project for a private vacation home took a wildly romantic turn along the way and blossomed into one of the most enchanting boutique hotels anywhere.more »»»
Mexico Offers Great Wonders
 Francisco Zermeo
Did you remember to walk around the block with your suitcases on New Year's Eve? If you did, you will travel in 2006. Also, now that you may be taking up a language — and hopefully it will be Spanish — how about a trip to Mexico for some really great sites?more »»»
Spring Break For Grown-Ups
 Laura Siciliano-Rosen
Where else but the fastest-growing city in Mexico can you find, in the course of a 10-minute walk, authentic taquerias and upscale Italian restaurants, local markets and designer clothing shops, all just a stone's throw from the turquoise Caribbean Sea?more »»»
More Americans 'Discovering' Punta Cana
 Bill Nelson
A winter getaway in Punta Cana - on the sunrise side of the island - not only is a relaxing break from cold, dreary, snowy days in the north, it's a broadening experience. Not only do you hear languages different from your own, you get an opportunity to savor a variety of cultures and customs.more »»»
Atlantis Launches Four New All-Gay Cruises for Its Fifteenth Anniversary
 PRNewswire
Atlantis Events, Inc., the world's largest company specializing in all-gay and lesbian cruises and resort vacations, kicked off its fifteenth anniversary year by announcing four new all-gay cruises designed to give travelers more variety, choice and value than ever before. more »»»
Via Yoga Retreats for 2006
 Surfersvillage Global Surf News
There are six retreats left in Via Yoga’s 2006 season at Villa Amor in Sayulita. Via Yoga is the company created in 2003 by Kelly Kemp, an entrepreneur and passionate yoga practitioner, and Michelle King, a certified yoga instructor and licensed massage therapist, who set out with a plan to take yoga vacations to a new level of bliss.more »»»
Cancun Lags as Nearby Resorts Recover
 Will Weissert
Five-star resorts stand battered and broken, crawling with construction crews that hammer and bulldoze, weld and re-plaster long into the night. Two-plus months after Hurricane Wilma, Cancun remains a shattered, shadow of itself.more »»»
Casamagna Marriott Receives 2006 Distinctive H Award
 PVNN
Once again, international tourist industry experts have recognized the Puerto Vallarta Casamagna Marriott Resort for meeting high quality standards. In January, the resort was once again presented with the Distinctive H award - despite a surprise visit to its installations.more »»»
New Destinations For A New Year
 Beth J. Harpaz
While travel to perennial favorites like Los Angeles, Orlando and Las Vegas is always strong, some unexpected destinations - from Colorado and Arizona to Croatia and China - are showing up as hot spots for travel as 2006 begins.more »»»
Dawn Princess to Offer Extended 2006-07 Mexican Riviera Season
 Princess.com
Passengers interested in Northern California departures can now take advantage of an extended season of Mexican Riviera voyages as Princess Cruises has added 12 additional sailings of this popular itinerary to Dawn Princess' 2006-07 schedule.more »»»
Travelers Rediscover Vallarta as it Jumps into the Top 5
 PRNewswire
Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associates unveiled the 2006 results of their authoritative annual Travel Trends Survey, in which Las Vegas remains king of domestic destinations and Puerto Vallarta made an exciting leap into the top five from its 12th position in 2005.more »»»
Bountiful Bass
 Union-Tribune
A thin ribbon of blue-gray light illuminates the tips of the Sierra Madre mountains as we motor from the boat dock at Anglers Inn on what is a brisk morning for this tropical paradise. We are in the mountains on Lake El Salto, a massive body of water in size and for the population and girth of its Florida-strain largemouth bass.more »»»
Resort Helps Keep Watch Over Endangered Turtles
 Tom Uhlenbrock
A pair of ospreys patroled the cloudless sky above as I strolled the beach my first morning in Mexico. At the surf's edge, a gray lump about the size of a charcoal briquette with a ridged back and tiny flippers caught my eye. A baby sea turtle.more »»»
Potters' Town Booming in Northern Mexico
 Tim Gaynor
Almost every family in Mata Ortiz, a collection of 300 adobe houses and ranches several hours drive southeast of Tucson, Arizona, is making coil pots inspired by Paquime traders and artisans who once lived in a nearby city of two-story homes and open plazas.more »»»
If you have a great travel destination that you would like to share with our readers, or would like to suggest a location for a future feature story, contact Destinations@BanderasNews.com. |
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