Mexico is a land of endless diversity, beauty and is populated by friendly and happy people that come from many stations in life. Mexico is a combination of the old and the new with modern cosmopolitan cities, world-class resorts, ancient archeological sites and mountain and seaside villages where people live much as they have for hundreds of years. Those who come to Mexico are changed forever, most will return again and again and some will never leave.
Baja California
The Baja Peninsula is one of Mexico’s last frontiers and along its 900 mile length the stark landscape is ever changing. The Baja Peninsula shares a border with California to the north, a small slice of Arizona to the northeast; to the west is the Pacific Ocean and sandwiched between Baja and the state of Sonora is the Gulf of California or more exotically called the Sea of Cortez. The Sierra de Baja California Mountains divide the peninsula and delineate the climate. The western half enjoys the Pacific breezes and endless ocean swells and the Sea of Cortez side is sub-tropical, hot in the summer and the gulf waters are often as calm as a placid pond. The Sea of Cortez is an overwhelming aquatic playground with the greatest concentration of marine life on the planet and offers the visitor a marine wilderness area with some of the best sport fishing on earth for marlin, sailfish, dorado, tuna, yellowtail and grouper. Scuba divers from around the globe come to dive the crystal water and observe marine life from the minute to the magnificent. Mulege, Loreto, La Paz and the international party town of Cabo San Lucas provide the visitor with all they desire.
Pacific Coast
The west coast of Mexico is referred to as the Mexican Riviera and has been a preferred vacation spot for millions of people for decades. The Riviera begins in the north where the Sonoran Desert meets the Sea of Cortez. San Carlos Bay, the first stop on the Riviera, is a small resort area that is the home to many retirees, winter visitors, visiting fishermen and scuba divers and hosts excellent accommodations and exquisite dining in a laid back ambiance. Far to the south are the well known destinations of Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco. There are long distances between cities and there are many small, quaint, tropical hamlets such as San Blas and Barra de Navidad to get lost in and avoid the mega-resort’s hectic pace. Pacific waters rise into tropical jungles that are home to small villages along rivers and are amidst wildlife including colorful birds, jaguars, ocelots and crocodilians. The large resort destinations are lively with constant activity; restaurants, bars and discos display perpetual merriment and luxurious hotels pamper quests with excellent service.
Yucatan Peninsula
The Yucatan Peninsula is in the southeast corner of Mexico and boasts a long Caribbean coastline and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The interior of the peninsula is made up of forests, scrub, savanna and throughout there are open freshwater wells, or cenotes where the roof collapsed on the subterranean aquifers. Mayan temples and pyramids rise out of the forests and sites such as Chichen Itza and Coba host a multitude of visitors who are well rewarded by traveling to these magnificent ruins. The resort of Cancun is well known as a major cruise ship destination, a bastion for international sun worshippers and a “where it’s at” for spring break revelers. Luxurious hotels overlook beautiful beaches and water sports abound. Fifty miles south of Cancun and six miles off the coast lies the island of Cozumel. Cozumel is one of the major scuba diving destinations in the world and the massive reefs are overwhelming with a profusion of marine life. The Riviera Maya including the resorts of Playa Del Carmen, Akumal and the shore side Mayan temples of Tulum along the coast is developed for tourists with all the water sports and tours into the interior.
Although the most popular destinations are along the coasts, Mexico has an endless variety of attractions inland. Mexico City, once the site of the great Aztec empire, has archeological sites and museums to get lost in and those who brave the largest city in the world will not be disappointed. San Miguel de Allende is set in the mountains; it hosts beautiful Spanish architecture and is a destination for international students of art, language and history. Rivaling the Grand Canyon in the United States, the Barranca de Cobre is a geologic wonder and a train trip across the Sierra Madres offers overwhelming vistas and takes the visitor into the heart of indigenous culture.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_California
http://www.cozumel.travel/
http://www.locogringo.com/
http://www.barrancasdelcobrewebsite.com/