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TOLL FREE 877 278 2142 USA
TOLL FREE 844 776 3727 USA & CAN
Every year Gray, blue and humpback Whales migrate away from the cold, to the warmer waters near Mexico to breed and bear their calves… They begin arriving in November and from December to the end of March each year, there’s an opportunity to catch glimpses of the amazing Whales …
Whale is the common name for marine mammals which belong to the Cetacean order, which also includes Dolphins and porpoises. Whales collectively inhabit all the world’s oceans and number in the millions, with annual population growth rate estimates for various species ranging from 3-13%.
This bay is nestled between the states of Jalisco and Nayarit, so Puerto Vallarta is a good point of departure. As these mighty whales reach 14 meters in length, it is possible to see them from the beach while they’re jumping in the sea, but there’s nothing compared to getting a closer view. A tour is advisable since the agencies are constantly monitoring the whale sighting spots and know exactly where to go. You will see dolphins along the way, so get on board and enjoy a photo safari.
From December to March, it is possible to see 11 different species of these enormous whales. The Mazatlan-Teacapan zone carries out activities for humpback whales. During boat tours, it’s possible to observe dolphins, sea lions, and even killer whales. Mazatlan also has a stunning beach, so take a few days to soak up the sun and visit the “Old Mazatlan,” the Malecon and Isla de la Piedra.
Looking for the right conditions for mating, the gray whales swim along Los Cabos in Baja California from January to April. There are different options of transportation, from a standard boat to a luxury trimaran. For a better view, a boat with a glass bottom will help you get a fuller view of these animals. Relax during the ride by watching the stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, and photograph the sea lions and exotic birds along the way.
To help you prepare for your whale watching excursion, we have some tips that will improve your experience.
You need to be in the selected spot in Mexico between December and March, which is when the whales can be found in Mexican waters.
Eat a good, wholesome, breakfast; porridge or cereals and fruits are ideal. Don’t go whale watching on an empty stomach; also, you are less likely to suffer from motion sickness if you have eaten than not. Avoid too much greasy food and avoid alcohol before and during your excursion.
If you are experienced with binoculars, bring them along. Most people will not find them much use: it’s an art using binoculars on a moving boat and the field of vision is quite restricted.
A good camera with a zoom or telephoto lens is ideal. If your camera needs batteries, bring additional ones.
Bring rubber-soled shoes that will support your feet and your ankles as the boat moves and the waves hit up against the side of the vessel causing shudders or sudden movements. Flip-flops and heels are not appropriate on a whale cruise boat.
If you have never been on a long boat trip before, you might like to take some motion sickness medicine with you. You could purchase this at home or from any pharmacy in Mexico. You will need to take the medications before you board the vessel; it’s no use taking it once you are on the water.
Be sure you pack a high-factor sunblock and a hat as there is little protection from the sun once you are out on the open waters of the Pacific (besides the boat canopy which may only provide partial cover). Over 50% of the suns rays bounce off the ocean’s surface and hit you – so you can burn even in shade. You can also sunburn under overcast skies as the sun’s UV rays can penetrate cloud. If you are traveling with children, be sure they are well protected from the sun with sunblock a hat.
Most Whale Cruise boats have two decks; an upper deck, which offers better distance visibility and a lower deck, which is closer to the water (and thus the whales, when they appear) but with restricted visibility at distances. It’s impossible to predict when or how the Whales will appear. There are very strict maritime guidelines about how a boat should approach and be maneuver around whales and the skipper may not be able to go in the direction that you think will offer you the best view.
A lot of time on a whale watching excursion can be taken up with waiting for the whales to appear. Children, especially young children, can get bored quickly with nothing to see or do. Bring crayons, coloring pads, books, and small games to keep your children entertained during the day. Also, pack a picnic lunch and bring plenty of bottled water.
From Caribbean beaches to Pacific cruise ports, destinations in Mexico offer optimal inexpensive getaways. Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point) and The Riviera Maya are just three vacation hotspots that won't wreck your wallet. Don't let pricey airline tickets ruin your vacation budget. With a few simple tips, save money you can spend instead on tours, souvenirs and enjoying Mexican culture.
Use the calendar
Use Southwest Airlines Low Fare Calendar online to view the cheapest times to fly to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City or Los Cabos. Enter your origination and destination cities and click on the month that you wish to travel. A calendar pops up showing the best deals for each day of the month. For example, airfare the day after Christmas and the weekend before Christmas is the most expensive time to travel during the month of December on a flight from Phoenix to Cancun. A flight costs less than half as much during the first 12 days of the month or after the first week of January.
Avoid Holiday Travel Times
Visiting Mexico during national holidays can be a festive and exciting experience, but you'll also pay a premium for airfare. Travel during times when school is in session and government and businesses offices are open to find the lowest rates. Mexican citizens tend to travel during the national holidays when many businesses close for one or more days. Airfare increases to Mexico for the Christmas holiday season beginning with December 12, the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Although the main focus of the festival is Villa de Guadalupe Hidalgo north of Mexico City, the national holiday gives citizens time to travel in all parts of the country. The winter holiday season ends with the New Year's holiday. The Easter season is another busy travel season in Mexico where Maundy Thursday and Good Friday just before the Easter weekend are national holidays. Other national holidays include:
Constitution Day, the first Monday in February
Benito Juarez's Birthday, the third Monday in March
Labour Day, May 1
Independence Day, September 16
Revolution Day, the third Monday of November
Price flights online
If you know when you want to go on your Mexican holiday, check out onsite price matching sites like JustFly or Google Flights. Although you might have to move quickly to snag the very best deal, take time to check out the details before you commit. Some prices you'll find online don't include taxes and additional fees, which can tack on more than $100 on a flight from Phoenix to Cancun, for example. Lower priced fares might add one or more stops, extending your flight time. For example, a 4.5-hour flight from Phoenix can turn into 15 hours of flying and airport layovers when you fly via Dallas to save a few dollars. Keep legroom in mind, too. Google Flights includes how much legroom you'll have which, if you're tall, can be worth paying more for to be comfortable for hours in the air.
With SQN Getaways, find the best accommodation packages and have an amazing time in paradise.
Source: (Usa today)
Take a vacation where you don’t have to worry about weather conditions, and where you can enjoy outdoor activities anytime of the day or night. The Riviera Maya is the kind of vacation spot where you can relax on white sand beaches or be active by snorkeling, diving, kayaking, and more.
Airplane Tickets
One advantage of traveling to this area is the airline access. With all the major carriers flying into Cancun (Delta, American, United, and so on), as well as direct flights from most major U.S. cities, getting here is easy and relatively affordable.
As with any vacation destination, demand will dictate flight availability. According to research from airfare tracking website Hopper.com, because Cancun is a leisure route, prices tend to be more stable and often fall until seven days before departure, though the difference between booking 35 days in advance and 10 days in advance is $8. But all that goes out the window at peak times—Christmas, spring break—when being an early bird pays off.
Visa
U.S. citizens visiting for less than 180 days don’t need a visa to enter Mexico. However, you will need to have a visitor’s permit, which can be obtained by filling out a form provided by your airline, travel agency, or at the point of entry in Mexico. Since 2007, a valid passport has been required to enter Mexico, whether you’re flying, driving, or arriving by cruise ship. Mexico requires that your passport be valid for at least 90 days following your departure date, but it’s a good idea to have six months’ validity on your passport at all times (not to mention unused passport pages for necessary stamps).
What to bring?
When you’re coming to the Riviera Maya, you might think there’s little more to pack than a bathing suit and flip-flops. But with its jungles to discover, ruins to climb, and underwater worlds to explore, this slice of the Yucatan Peninsula is a dream for adventurers. So depending on what activities you have planned, you might want to bring hiking shoes, diving gear, and outdoor clothing. And while it’s rare, the Yucatan can sometimes have cool nights in winter, so it’s always smart to bring a sweater, just in case.
The places you should consider if you're visiting Riviera Maya.
This walled city was one of the last built by the Mayans. The pre-Columbian cliff top ruins are among the best preserved coastal sites where you can see stunning ocean views. Tulum has been a favorite destination for yogis and surfers for many years, but more recently the stylish hippie town has gained a reputation with international foodies, too. Unleash your inner food-lover at Hartwood with its daily-changing chalkboard menu. The daily catch — including grouper, mahi mahi, and Caribbean octopus — is cooked over an open flame for a rustic sea-to-table feast. Another option is for you to visit one of the local favorites, Antojitos La Chiapaneca, for some addictive tacos. Keep your evening going at Gitano with excellent mezcal cocktails and an outdoor disco floor.
Playa del Carmen is one of the most popular places to stay in the Riviera Maya. This coastal town offers a relaxed environment and welcomes you to wander around the pedestrian-only Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue, that stretches 20 blocks. Here, you can enjoy many shops and bars. You can also walk a little further and enjoy beach-front hotels, restaurants, and clubs while taking in the beauty of the Caribbean Sea. Playa del Carmen is located in the center of the Riviera Maya which makes it a great home base for you to explore the historic ruins and natural wonders of the surrounding area.
Between Playa del Carmen and Tulum is this small beachfront community. Akumal translates to "place of turtles" in Mayan. You can see where the town gets its name each summer when hundreds of endangered sea turtles return to the shores to lay their eggs. You can scuba dive and check out the beautiful coral reefs that are home to countless tropical fish, or, if you're not scuba-certified, you can enjoy the ocean landscape by snorkeling. You also have the option to dive and explore the fresh water cenotes and shipwrecks. If you prefer to stay on the land, hiking the caves and zip lining at Aktun-Chen National Park is a great way to spend your vacation.
This mysterious Mayan city is surrounded by five cenotes, which is fitting because Cobá translates to "muddy waters." At this archaeological site, you can see the hub of an intricate system of paved stone causeways — called sacbes — that once connected Mayan city-states. Climb the steep steps to the top of the Nohoch Mul pyramid where you can survey the land. You can also purchase local crafts from artisans in the adjacent pueblo. Cobá isn't overly crowded because of its remote location, and many of the structures have not yet been excavated. This makes it a great option if you're looking for history without a lot of tourists.
Nature lovers will find peace and immense beauty in the "place where the sky is born," or Sian Ka'an in Mayan. This protected biosphere reserve, the third largest in the country, offers you days of swimming or rowing through picturesque lagoons and hiking into the jungle. You can spot 800 species of plants and 360 different animals, including monkeys, jaguars, ocelots, crocodiles, and turtles. The vibrant ecosystem is filled with a kaleidoscope of color and is still off the beaten path for most visitors — it will make you feel like you have the whole place to yourself.
SQN Getaways offers you the best lodging options whether you are traveling with your family or your special one.
Source: How to Travel to the Riviera Maya, The 6 best destinations in Riviera Maya
From the moment visitors arrive in Puerto Vallarta in Western Mexico, their travel radar picks up the signal that this destination is different from other big cities in the country. It’s a matter of the history, geography, culture, food and the very people who live in Puerto Vallarta that contribute to the differentiation.
The U.S. accounts for 75% of North American visitors to Puerto Vallarta. Overall American travel to Mexico increased by about 12% in 2016; for Canadians, Mexico ranks as the second most visited destination, after the United States, and before the UK and France.
While just about every visitor to Mexico has a favorite destination that resonates with their particular lifestyle, travel needs and safety concerns, here are some basic tips to tantalize your clients when it comes to getting the most out of a visit to Mexico and in particular, Puerto Vallarta.
1. Revealing the Magic
2. Iconic Experiences
With the emphasis on visitors wanting to connect with the destination, it’s important to know the bounties of not only what the towns or cities hold but also what each of the 31 states may offer visitors. In Jalisco, for example, Puerto Vallarta does not qualify as a Magical Town (due to the fact that it’s a city), but there are seven Magical Towns in the state and there’s a joint promotional program to enhance the Vallarta visitor experience with trips to nearby Guadalajara and Tequila. A new highway, scheduled to open in late 2018, will significantly reduce travel times to the towns. And the state itself promotes three icons: Tequila (the national drink, based in the area around the town of Tequila), Charro (the horsemen, and in fact there are Charro festivals/rodeos in Gauadelajara and Puerto Vallarta) and Mariachi (the music of Western Mexico) that can be found at festivals throughout the state (and the country).
3. Cruising into the Future
Construction has already begun on the Puerto Magico, a complex that will enhance Terminal One and turn it into a customer experience-based Hacienda Tequila with interactive opportunities related to the production of Tequila, Mining and Gastronomy, as well as shopping and the largest aquarium in Latin America. Unlike most Port facilities, the new terminal will be open to both the public and cruise passengers. All the major cruise lines stop in Puerto Vallarta as part of an itinerary that usually includes Mazatlán and Cabo san Lucas and according to Port Agent, Carlos Gerard, the number of cruise ships visiting Puerto Vallarta has increased steadily since 2013. In 2017 145-150 cruise ships will dock for the usual 12-hour visit.
4. Take a Walk in My Shoes
Puerto Vallarta is a very walkable destination. We stayed at the Villa Premiere, which was roughly 20 minutes from the Malecon, the downtown ocean-side boardwalk that’s a hive of activity both day and night. And once in the city, many of the streets are lined with shops, side-walk restaurants, bars and hotels. The Romantic Zone or Old Town, near the pier at Los Muertos has a beach, popular with ex-pats, tourists and pelicans. And “walking in my shoes” implies the friendly reception that visitors receive and the conversations that ensue, whether it’s an explanation of native Huichol beading techniques at Colectiva, an indigenous gallery, or the server at La Cerveceria Union explaining the ingredients of Aguachile, one of their star ceviche dishes, or the bartender at Los Muertos Brewing advising that the seven four-ounce glasses in the artisanal beer sampler may be a bit much to quaff without ordering food to absorb the alcohol.
5. Garden of Delight
Puerto Vallarta is chock-full of special (niche) travel interests. I spent a morning at the Botanical Gardens along with the Vallarta Birders who gather every Thursday morning to spot golden-cheeked woodpeckers, black-chinned hummingbirds, yellow-winged caciques and about 200 other species. The Gardens themselves include Orchids, Cypress, Bursara, Gondo Berries and more. It’s both a gardener’s and a photographer’s dream! Other special interests in the area include snorkeling, scuba, beach activities, zip line, horseback riding, motorcycling, Jeep safari, hiking, trekking, history, culture, architecture, art, and more.
6. Food Electricity
Award-winning chef Mikel Alonso explained that enjoyment of food stimulates an electrical charge in the brain that produces endorphins that are “the drugs of happiness.” Visitors to Puerto Vallarta tend to be pretty happy and star chefs such as Tintoque’s Joel Ornelas reinforce a searing passion for creative dishes made with the freshest ingredients. Even at Mike’s Beach Club on Playa Las Animas, we are told that we will “feel the flavor” of the dishes before we taste them. And they are right!
7. Smiling and Speaking English
Puerto Vallarta was not created to be a tourism hub. In fact some say that the customer service ethos of the city is in the blood of generations of Vallartenese who traditionally looked after the needs of the area’s industries: fishing, mining and agriculture. When the Mayor, Arturo Davalos Pena told me that ‘people smile in your face,” he was serious about the welcoming nature of the city. And North Americans can relax in a destination where most of the people they meet will be able to communicate with them in English.
Puerto Vallarta is a comfortable destination. There’s lots of connectivity with major centres in both the United States and Canada, there’s a great variety of accommodation in the city’s 22,000 rooms from luxury to budget, and it’s a destination where visitors can be as busy or as relaxed as they wish. It’s a place where clients can get the most out of their holiday, on their own terms.
