I am planning a trip with my wife and her Mexican family (five of us in total), but I'm not sure yet of the destination (Huatulco and Zihuatenejo are my first ideas) or how to find package deals. We want to travel in late March and want to spend 4-5 days at a beach on the Pacific Coast. I'm hoping to go to a place which is as different from Cancun/Ixtapa as possible (authentic, low key, few tourists, nice beaches) which will be enjoyable to my wife's older Mexican parents. I have spent many months in Mexico but always as a budget traveller sleeping in my hammock under palapas so I am relatively clueless on how to go about this sort of trip planning. I would like to search for package deals with air and hotel (RT from Mexico City) but I'm not sure where to look online. Can someone recommend 1) a good destination, and 2) places to search for package deals?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions, insight, comments, etc.!
Last April I travelled down the Pacific Coast and found an awesome little town called Melaque in Jalisco. It is near another great little beach place called barra de navidad. I am thinking though the nearest airport may be in Puerto Vallarta - not sure about that though.
Melaque had a lovely beach and great little restaraunts - I dont think it is so commercial though as to offer any packages. There are some nice hotels there very reasonably priced.
I hope you have a wonderful vacation wherever you end up !
Are the inlaws in Mexico while you and wife are in the US? That would present a different approach if you are looking at flight from US + hotel packages for additional person not flying from the US. As far as finding flight/hotel packages to Mexico that should not be difficult at all, you can start with a Google search; "travel packages Mexico" worked for me. As far as Barra Navidad/ Melaque or another of the lesser promoted tourist areas is concerned, it might take more searching. BTW, you can get to Melaque via airport at Manzanillo which sometimes can be reached via tourist charters from the US. Sun Country Airlines, Worryfreevacations.com, Apple Vacations, Funjet Mexico are some leads. Buena suerte
Thanks for the tips.
Yes we will be in Mexico City for a few days before and after the beach trip. Most of the sites I've found online assume that you'll be starting the trip from the US, and I'm looking for deals originating from Mexico City.
Do you speak Spanish? Try a Google search for "aerolineas mexico" . I found this one which lists most of the Mexican Airlines. You can click on each one to see what kind of services they offer. I can't be specific but I know that there are vacation airlines in Mexico that cater to Mexicans (esp. DF) traveling to the coasts. buena suerte http://hoteles.com.mx/aerolineas/
Mexicana Airlines offers scores upon scores of package trips - from inside Mexico - through it's "VTP" travel program; every travel agent knows about them. Why not ask your wife's parents where they'd like to go?
Thanks for the good links and tips.
My hopes of avoiding an all-inclusive vacation have been squashed -- we have settled on a package deal to Huatulco which the in-laws found through an agent in DF. This is really going to be a change for me!
Anyone with experience at the Barcelo Resort in Huatulco I'll welcome your comments as to what to expect.
Monocongo, Well with the inlaws or those of other tastes, you will always have to compromise. Huatulco sounds like a really good choice in that light even with the all inclusive angle. You might even break away from the inlaws for a few day trips to Puerto Angel, Zipolite, Mazunte, or Puerto Escondido. The Oaxacan coast is beautiful, enjoy!
Huatulco's a beautiful place - nothing like Cancun, Los Cabos or Ixtapa, which are so much more highly congested. I hear only good things from people who've stayed at the Barcelo. You'll have the quietness of the resort property and the close proximity to smallish La Crucieta town. There are several people posting here regularly who are very familiar with that area and I think you'll get some good feedback from them when (if) they see your destination. The week or two leading-up to Semana Santa/Easter is, I think, relatively quiet there - as people wait to head to the beach for the holiday. So, this choice might be a happy medium.
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<hr>My hopes of avoiding an all-inclusive vacation have been squashed -- we have settled on a package deal to Huatulco which the in-laws found through an agent in DF. This is really going to be a change for me!<hr></blockquote>
The Barcelo is your typical 4-star resort complex. I would have recommended that you stay in town in La Crucecita instead of out at Tangolunda, but them's the breaks.
Taxis are plentiful and cheap in Huatulco; use them to escape the AI and explore. You and your spouse can hop on a bus and visit some of the beach sites between Huatulco and Puerto Escondido to see the "real Mexico" and avoid the AI-only experience.
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