Mexico Tropical Fiesta Chapter 13

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 2

3 Mexico – why go? Beaches & Canyons Deserts and rain forests Weather Moderate prices Fishing & water sports Shopping Sun, sand, surf Culture History & Archaeological sites

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 4 Canadians need… Proof of Citizenship  Passport suggested Tourist cards Return ticket OR funds Minors  may NOT travel without permission  Notarized letter of consent required Check for updates 

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 5 Mexico is… Popular with Canadians  Caribbean side – Easterners  Pacific side – Westerners  Due to proximity ACA  over 50 years of popularity with the rich & famous Useful to know basic Spanish as English is not widely spoken outside main cities

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 6 Health Concerns Supplementary medical insurance is suggested  No vaccinations required UNLESS going into jungle or mountain areas Don’t drink the water  Bottled water  Montezuma's revenge Mexico City  Air pollution  Altitude sickness Sun  Protection against sunstroke and sunburns

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 7 Getting There Mexicana MX  Limited flights from Canada Scheduled service by Canadian & American carriers Charter service from most Canadian gateways  Serving: MEX, ACA, PVR, ZIH, CUN Cruises

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 8 When to Go Temperature varies due to altitude Mexico City  Warm summer  Cool winter  Evenings drop Beach areas  Hot summer  Warm & dry winters Baja cooler Hurricane season  June - Oct

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 9 Getting Around Inter city flights  Quick and relatively inexpensive Copper Canyon  First rate train voyage  Variety of tour operators Coach tours  Best way to explore Colonial Mexico Taxi  Negotiate rate before travelling

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 10 Copper Canyon Tourist Regions Baja Mexican Riviera Yucatan Colonial Tijuana La Paz Cabo San Lucas Los Cobos Mazatlan Puerto Vallarta Manzanillo Ixtapa Acapulco Huatulco Cancun Riviera Maya Cozumel Guadalajara Cuernavaca Taxco Oaxaca Chihuahua Los Mochis

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 11 Baja Tijuana  Border town  Easy access from San Diego  Day-trippers Los Cabos  ITCs from eastern & western Canada  Winter – Grey whales

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 12 Los Cabos Mega resorts Sport fishing Whales Golf courses Rough surf El Arco  a rocky arch formation considered a landmark

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 13 Mexican Riviera Pacific Coast Popular cruise itinerary ITCs popular  Mazatlan  Puerto Vallarta  Manzanillo  Ixtapa  Acapulco  Huatulco

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 14 Mazatlan Cruise port Fishing  Billfish, swordfish, marlin Mexican culture Colonial Craft centre Carnaval, Mardi Gras event

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 15 Puerto Vallarta November festivals Cobblestone streets, red tile roofs Scenery lush Beaches Restaurants > 1000 eclectic offerings Night of the Iguana Bullfights, Wednesdays 5pm Nov – May Watersports, golf ITCs popular

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 16 Manzanillo Las Hadas  El Salto  waterfall Golf ‘Sailfish Capital of the World’

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 17 Ixtapa Fonatur destination Sheltered beaches  Playa del Palmar  13 hotels 18 hole Robert Trent Jones  marina Zihuatanejo  Fishing village

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 18 Acapulco Grand old resort on Acapulco Bay  Classic hotels Some in need of refurbishing Careful of water currents Clubs and nightlife  Considered premier activity La Quebrada  Cliff divers

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 19 Huatulco 9 secluded bays clean, safe big waves, bodysurfing Snorkeling Golf course 70% ecological reserve Fonatur development 17 hotels

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 20 Yucatan Merida  Not popular as a tourist destination Cancun  Fonatur’s first development Cozmel  Island Riviera Maya  Newest upscale Archaeological ruins

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 21 Cancun ’70 Fonatur created turquoise blue water Fine white sand Hotel strip - >30km 144 hotels Modern shopping malls Bars, clubs & discos > 500 restaurants

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 22 Cozumel Island 19km off Quintana Roo  Mexico’s largest island Cruise port Lush jungle vegetation Coral reefs & marine reserves Scuba diving & ecotourism  Cenotes, pools in submerged caverns snorkelling

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 23 Riviera Maya (Mayan Riviera) Newest resort area  40 minutes S of Cancun  Mostly all-inclusive resorts  Close to Tulum, Xcaret, Xel-Ha Playa del Carmen  Cruise port  Beaches  Quinta Avenida Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, shopping

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 24 Mayan Ruins Uxmal  “Thrice built” Was the largest city of the Yucatan Tulum  Coastal ruins 6km along coast Only walled city 128km S of Cancun Kabal, Sayil, Labna, Dzibil Chatun

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 25 Chichen Itza Ancient Mayan Capital  120km e of Merida  2 hrs from Cancun  Was 2 cities  Blends Mayan & Toltec  4 sides – 365 steps  18 terraces  Observatory

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 26 Copper Canyon Start in Los Mochis  To see most dramatic sites daylight Chihuahua Pacifico Railroad  “Chepe”  Multi-day tour stops in villages and towns along route  Urique Canyon is crossed  Easily combined with Baja or Mexican Riviera holiday

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 27 Colonial Region Guadalajara  Colonial, parks, architecture  Cathedral, markets, shopping,  Condos and time shares  Mature clientele  Home of the ‘hat dance” Cuernavaca  City of Eternal Spring  Mature clientele  Cortés’s Palace houses the Cuauhnahuac Museum

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 28 Colonial Region (cont.) Taxco  “Silver City”  Shopping for silver and crafts  between MEX and ACA  Santa Prisca Cathedral Baroque architecture Oaxaca  Arts and crafts Swords, wool garments & black pottery  Santo Domingo

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 29 Mexico City >25 Million people polluted air, high altitude Chapultepec Park  Park, Zoo  Museum of Modern Art  National Anthropological Museum  Chapultepec Castle

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 30 Mexico City (cont.) Zona Rosa  touristy, filled with hotels, clubs, restaurants, bars Zocalo  2nd largest public square in world Floating Gardens  Xochimilco  flower growing area  Venice-like boating experience

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 31 … outside Mexico City Teotihuacán  50km NE of Mexico City  Pyramid of the Sun  Pyramid of the Moon  Temple of Quetzalcoatl,  on-site museum  Culture reached its peak between 3 rd & 4 th C A.D.

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 32 Border Towns Not true Mexican culture  Shopping mecca for Americans & others  Interesting day trip Shop, dine, drink  Cars parked on US side and walk over Tijuana (CA) Nogales (AZ) Ciudad Juarez (TX) Nuevo Laredo ( TX)

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited 33 Accommodations Club Med Las Brisas Fairmont Melia Barcelo Fiesta Americana Camino Real