About Mexico
Mexico is really two coasts wearing one name. The Caribbean side runs turquoise and flat, backed by the reef that keeps Cancun, Cozumel and the Riviera Maya calm enough to wade into. The Pacific side, around Cabo and Puerto Vallarta, is bluer, punchier surf against granite headlands and desert hills.
What you are booking is a room at an all-inclusive resort in one of nine towns, meals, drinks and most activities already covered by the property once you check in. The Luxury Escape Offers part is getting you there at a real discount and handling the reservation end to end.
Nine bases means nine different trips. Cancun and Puerto Vallarta run big, full-service resort strips built for families and groups. Tulum and Loreto stay smaller and quieter, with fewer crowds on the beach. Cozumel is built around the reef itself. Pick the coast and the pace first, then the resort.
Photography shows the destination, not your specific accommodations. Your resort or condo is confirmed at booking.
What to do
Highlights of Mexico
Chichen Itza
The great Mayan step pyramid of Kukulcan, a day trip from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum. Go early to beat both the heat and the tour bus crowds off the coast.
El Arco, Cabo San Lucas
The rock arch at Land’s End where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez, reached by a short boat ride out of the Cabo marina. Sea lions haul out on the rocks nearby.
Cenotes near Playa del Carmen and Tulum
Freshwater sinkholes in the limestone bedrock, some open-air, some in half-lit caverns strung with roots, cold and startlingly clear against the warm sea just up the road.
Palancar Reef, Cozumel
Part of the Mesoamerican Reef system, with visibility that regularly runs past a hundred feet. A regular stop for snorkeling and dive boats out of Cozumel.
Whale watching, Loreto
The Sea of Cortez off Loreto draws gray and blue whales in season, with a national marine park just offshore that keeps the boat traffic and the water quality in check.
Your base
Where you'll stay
Cancun
The biggest resort strip in Mexico, a long stretch of Caribbean beach lined with all-inclusives. Easiest airport connections and the most family infrastructure of any base here.
Tulum
Smaller and more low-key than Cancun, with a laid-back beach town feel and Mayan ruins on a bluff above the water. Suits couples and travelers who want fewer crowds.
Huatulco
A cluster of nine bays on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca, quieter and less developed than the Caribbean side. Good for travelers who want beach without the strip.
Los Cabos
The resort corridor between San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, dry desert meeting the Sea of Cortez. Leans toward golf, spas and a calmer pace than Cabo proper.
Cabo
Shorthand for Cabo San Lucas itself, the marina, the nightlife and the boat trips out to El Arco. The livelier, more social end of the Los Cabos corridor.
Cozumel
An island off the Riviera Maya built around its reef. The pick for travelers whose trip centers on snorkeling or diving rather than the pool.
Playa del Carmen
A walkable beach town with a pedestrian strip, La Quinta Avenida, and easy access to cenotes and Cozumel by ferry. A good middle ground between Cancun and Tulum.
Puerto Vallarta
A full resort town on the Pacific with a real downtown and a long malecon boardwalk. Mountains meet the bay directly, a different look from the flat Caribbean coast.
Loreto
A small, quiet Baja fishing town on the Sea of Cortez, the pick for travelers after whale watching, snorkeling and open water rather than a big resort scene.
Good to know
Questions
Mexico FAQs
Do I need a passport to visit Mexico?
Yes. A valid US passport is required for air travel to Mexico, even for a short resort stay. A passport card alone is not accepted for flying, only for land and sea border crossings.
Is Cancun the same thing as the Riviera Maya?
Not exactly. Cancun is the resort city at the north end; the Riviera Maya is the stretch of coast running south from there through Playa del Carmen to Tulum. All three sit on the same reef-backed Caribbean coastline.
What does the Luxury Escape Offers package actually cover?
It covers your accommodations at the resort you book. Because these are all-inclusive properties, meals and drinks during your stay are included by the resort itself once you check in. Airfare, transportation and resort fees vary by property and package, so confirm the exact details with a specialist when you call.
How far is Cabo from Cancun?
Farther than most people expect. They sit on opposite coasts of Mexico, roughly a five hour flight apart, so this is not a place to plan on visiting both in one trip.
Are these resort areas safe for a family vacation?
The established resort zones in Cancun, Los Cabos, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta see heavy US family travel and are generally safe with normal precautions. Stay within resort grounds and organized excursions, and a specialist can flag anything specific to your dates or base.
Ready to book Mexico?
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