Mexico Destination Wedding – Review of Destination Weddings in Mexico

Mexico offers a multitude of destination wedding options for couples seeking unforgettable memories.  From the sexy Caribbean coast resorts to magnificent Pacific coast and interior Mexico resorts you are only limited by your own imagination.  Mexico offers couples true diversity in their choice of destinations and experiences.

Let’s review some of the facts surrounding your choice of Mexico as your dream wedding destination.

The marriage requirements in Mexico tend to vary from state to state with each jurisdiction setting their own marriage license rules for foreigners.  What is standard is that you will need your passport and tourist card (provided by the airline when you arrive).  If you drive into Mexico you will need to get your tourist card yourself upon arrival.  You will probably also need your birth certificate translated into Spanish and certified.

There is a two to three day waiting period for marrying in Mexico dependent on which state your wedding will be.  You must plan for a period of three days prior to the wedding to insure that you have your paperwork ready.

Your marriage is not legal unless it is a civil ceremony performed at a local Civil Register Office.  You can then hold the religious or symbolic wedding with or without guests at the resort to experience the dream wedding you have in mind.

The mandatory blood test is also alive and well in Mexico.  You need to allow a couple of days to have that completed.

Needless to say, it is not totally painless to be married in Mexico but you must adhere to the rules of state in order to have a valid marriage.  Using an experienced travel agent will insure the success of your plans as well as the legality of your marriage.

We often suggest to clients that they have their wedding in Mexico with all the trimmings and then when they return home to the US, they make it legal here by a civil marriage in front of the Justice of the Peace.  We advise having the ceremony performed after the wedding in Mexico so that you do not have the problem of getting your drivers license and passport changed to reflect your new name.

Now for the up-side to all of this, Mexico is an extremely romantic and beautiful country to exchange vows with the one you love.  Many, if not most, resorts feature the use of a wedding coordinator to make your wedding dreams a reality.  These coordinators are often free of charge and if you are traveling with a group of guests, it is possible to receive a “free” wedding.  Resorts love to book groups and the larger your group the larger the benefits your travel agent will be able to secure for you.

As a couple your biggest concern should be who you are inviting, where and what type of wedding you desire.  Do you want a beach-side wedding?  Or maybe a close intimate wedding alongside a beautiful cenote’ in the jungle?  Or, what about a classic wedding in a Spanish influenced cathedral?  Are you scuba divers and want to marry beneath the waves? All of these options are available and more.  Wherever your imagination takes you, it can be done in Mexico.

When you add all of this to the fact that a destination dream wedding could cost you less than half what a home church wedding costs, it’s no wonder they are becoming a top choice for many new couples.

As a travel agent specializing in Mexico and romantic travel I understand how confusing it can all be.  A wedding is something we girls dream about, right?  Well, wouldn’t you want someone to take care of those things for you and work for you to insure that your dream wedding is not a nightmare?  That is what you get with a travel agent.  We KNOW which resorts cater to the type of wedding you want, which ones fit your budget and how to get you the best deal for the best price.

I am happy to answer any questions you have or provide you with more information. Please contact me with any questions.

Edwina Parker

Mexico Specialist

http://www.yapanow.com

Food Lovers Dream – Mexico

When we venture into another country or even a new area of our home country, one of the first things we notice is the difference in the food from what we are accustomed to.  I admit it, I am a foodie at heart.  I love trying new restaurants, local cuisines and cooking up a new recipe for the family.

Many of us from Texas and others parts of the US have come to believe Mexican food is equal to “Tex-Mex“.  Not the same!!!  True Mexican cuisine will largely be based upon the region of Mexico in which you find yourself.  Fresh seafood is abundant, as you might imagine, along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts whereas, in the interior of Mexico you will find more land based proteins served with frequency.   You can often find outdoor spots along the coastal roads occupied by a family owned restaurant serving fresh grilled fish with homemade tortillas.  In Mexico, it seems as though the standard has been to use fresh local ingredients.  That concept is now becoming full blown in the US.

Suggested must try’s:  stuffed poblano’s, anything with chipotle (my all time favorite pepper), fresh grilled fish, amazing fruit juices, Mexican breakfast and anything from the small family owned eateries!  Don’t forget the tequila!  There are so many varieties of tequila it is hard to choose a favorite.  If, like me, you don’t care for the sweetness of some of the tequila’s try Mescal instead.  Beware the worm!

Culinary tours are available as part of a vacation package or as an entire experience.  These tours offer a taste of authentic Mexico as well as the opportunity to learn how to prepare the dishes at home.  We have information available for the tours and areas offering them.  Let us know if we can help you plan a culinary adventure in Mexico.

Edwina Parker

Mexico Specialist

http://www.yapanow.com

 

Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita – A Review

If you have have never enjoyed one or ever considered a “boutique” hotel, The Paraiso de la Bonita is a must do!  This Zoetry resort is situated along the Caribbean shores of the Riviera Maya.  The close proximity to everything in and around Cancun makes it a great place to explore from.  The only problem with this resort is that you may not want to leave even to explore the many day trips available.  Yes!  It is that fabulous.

This is a fantastic resort for couples.  It’s all about the romance and the luxury.  This is not a family resort although Zoetry has many options available for family travel.

Luxury can be defined by the amazing extras this resort provides.  To name a few: champagne and fresh fruit every day, 24 hour room service, a welcome bottle of tequila (it is Mexico after all) and maid service 3 times a day.  With ninety private ocean front terrace suites, no matter whether you are in a one and two bedroom you feel special from the moment you see your rooms.  Some suites even have private plunge pools and outdoor honeymoon showers.  The rooms are beautiful, the beach spectacular and the service exceptional.

The one hour catamaran cruise is something I strongly advise you take the opportunity to do.  This is just one more of the amenities offered by this incredible resort.

The Thalassotherapy Center & Spa located at the resort is the first certified Thalasso Center & Spa in North America.  For those now familiar with it, Thalasso is basically hydrotherapy with sea water.  The minerals in sea water have a very healing and rejuvenating effect on the human body.  The treatments at the spa will leave you feeling refreshed and oh so uplifted.  I highly recommend the skin analysis and following treatment.  Awesome!

Let’s not forget about the food.  It is everything you would expect from such a luxurious, romantic resort!

All in all, I would recommend this for any couple who want to get away from it all.

Edwina Parker

Mexico Specialist

http://www.yapanow.com

Hacienda Tres Rios in Riveria Maya, Mexico – Review

Looking at the canal

Hacienda Tres Rios is an all-inclusive resort located 6 miles north of the town of Playa Del Carmen in the Riviera Maya, Mexico.  This area is known for it’s beautiful beaches, numerous day trips and amazing resorts.  Hacienda has all of this and so much more.  The resort sits on a 326 acre eco reserve.  The park encompasses tropical jungle, mangrove forests and coastal dunes.  of teh 326 acres 150 are a protected area with three rivers and ten cenotes leading down to white Caribbean beaches.

Through the mangroves

Hacienda Tres Rios is the only resort in the Riviera Maya that was “born green”.  The entire resort was developed and constructed by strict environmental standards.  The resort draws all of its water from the ocean and then purifies through a desalination process rather than pumping water from the aquifers.  They use cold water from deep wells to pre-cool the air conditioning system then captures that warm water from the air conditioning to warm water within 10 degrees of the temperature needed for showers.  The dedication of the resort to being eco-friendly while offering true luxury accommodations in the all inclusive arena if phenomenal.

The resort was developed to remind you of a family hacienda.  They boast 273 spacious suites with regional mahogany, classic Mexican marble floors and luxury bathrooms.  They strive to provide all the comforts of home with internet access, flat screen tv’s, Egyptian cotton sheets, in room bar, robes and slippers.

Suite view

Hacienda Tres Rios also took special care with the two lagoon style pools.  The pools are each beautiful and make you feel like the resort was built around them.  Whether you want to relax poolside or stroll the beach, you will find plenty of water time.

This resort is all inclusive and offers exceptional value.  The food alone will keep a smile on your face.  Not only do you have a choice of dining options ranging from Italian and Mexican to French and Asian, but you also have the option of 24 hours room service and in-room dining options.  For those who enjoy learning new cuisines, there are cooking classes available as well.  Try the cocktail lessons for a fun opportunity to learn to make the regional cocktails made by their bartenders.  Two other classes are the Sushi Lessons and the Cocina Natura where the chef teaches you to make food using the regional favorites and natural ingredients.  I highly recommend taking the opportunity to enjoy at least one of these classes.

All in all, this is just a fabulous resort.  The property is well maintained and cared for by a friendly staff.  The resort itself offers so much variety on the property that you may not want to venture out.  Playa Del Carmen is just a short ride down the road with it’s fun shopping, restaurants and night-life.  There are also an abundance of other day trips and excursions available.

Hacienda Tres Rios is a good match for many types of travelers.  It is a family friendly resort as well as a very romantic destination.  The resort offers wedding and honeymoon packages for couples.  As a destination wedding specialist I love recommending the unique wedding packages, beach side or at the edge of a cenote.  Marvelous!

The Yucatan Holidays group often runs specials on their properties in the Yucatan area.  Let us know when you would like to go and we will check the latest specials for you.  It is definitely a vacation destination you will want to visit.

Edwina Parker,

Certified Mexico Specialist

http://www.yapanow.com

Fun Day Trips from Cancun, Mexico – Part 2

In our second installment to Fun Day Trips from Cancun, I would like to tell you about an area just South of the hustle and bustle of Cancun.  The city of Playa Del Carmen lies approximately 45 minutes south of the Cancun airport down highway 307.  If you are staying in Cancun, you can either rent a car, travel by bus or hire private transport.  My recommendation would be to definitely rent a car for the day or week depending on how adventurous you are and how much of the area you would like to explore.

The beach areas in “Playa” (as the locals call it) are beautiful white sand with the expected palm tree shade.  Both swimming and snorkeling are wonderful.

The most enjoyable shopping in Playa is along Quinta Avenida, or 5th Avenue.  It is an entire street lined with all types of shops from beach wear to fine jewelry and authentic Mayan artisan shops.  Vendors often set up shop in alleys between stores.  I wouldn’t advise travelling too far down an alleyway but there are often great deals to be had on the same merchandise you just saw 3 doors down.  The open air vendors are also more than happy to bargain with you.  As you are strolling and window shopping, don’t forget to stop in one of the open air restaurants for a bite to eat and a margarita.  The people watching alone is worth the trip.

After dark in Playa you have several opportunities for nightlife.  Whether you are interested in “older” music, 70-80-90′s, newer rock or something in between you can find it in Playa.  Some of our favorites are: Senor Frogs, Coco Maya Beach Club and Coco Bongo.

All in all, Playa Del Carmen is a fantastic outing to get away from the hotel zone in Cancun. If you find time on your hands the trip is well worth it.

Of course, we have more information if you need it.  Just let us know.  We can also help you plan your excursions and get them booked for you ahead of time.

Edwina

Update on Mexico – No fear of travel

As a travel agent who specializes in Mexico I follow the news and trends of this niche closely.  While Mexico continues to be the vacation destination of many, the reports of violence have had travelers questioning the safety of their vacation choices.  I was disheartened to see that the State of Texas has issued a travel advisory for Spring Break travelers.  The reality is that traveling to the tourist resort and historic destinations in Mexico are safer than many other countries.  The violence and gang battles are occurring in border towns along the Mexico and US border.  The vacation destinations such as Cancun, Riviera Maya and Riviera Nayarit are safer than many of the large US cities.

While news media may tell you to beware, in the first 10 months of 2010, Mexican officials say, the country received 8.2 million international visitors.  That figure jumped 17.8 percent from 2009. The number of Americans totaled 4.9 million.   2011 looks to be an even larger year for Mexican tourism.  There are many new hotels and resorts slated to open in this year and the deals are available year round.

I will advise my clients to stay away from the border towns like Tijuana and Metamoros and to stay away from lower economic areas of the cities and back alleyways in resort towns.  You wouldn’t want to take chances there any more than you would in decrepit areas of our large cities.  Bottom line is that Mexico is still safe for travelers and offers more than meets the eye for the well informed.

A well informed traveler is a happy traveler.  For more information contact us.

Edwina Parker

Yapa Now Travel

edwina@yapanow.com

Fun Day Trips from Cancun, Mexico – Part 1

When people think of Cancun, Mexico, they often think Spring Break and “party”.  Cancun and the surrounding areas have so much more to offer than just a party away from home.  Cancun is a fabulous destination in Mexico for anyone of any age.

The resorts in Cancun vary from moderately priced hotels to luxury resorts with a little bit of everything in between.  Whether staying at a beach or lagoon resort in the hotel zone or the charming hotels within Cancun proper, the day trips offered will certainly give you plenty to do.  I would like to share with you some of the fun day trips that can make your vacation extraordinarily memorable.

Our first day trip is to Isla Mujeres (Isle of Women).  Isla Mujeres is a short ferry ride from the Hotel Zone in Cancun.  The ferry service runs from the Embarcadaro Dock, Playa Linda pier, five times a day beginning at 9:00 am and ending about 4:00 pm.  I would recommend going as early as possible to be able to enjoy all the island has to offer.

Once arriving on Isla Mujeres you will want to rent a moped.  This is by far the easiest and quickest way to navigate around the island.  You will find moped rentals available just beyond the docks.  If you are hungry when you arrive, you will find restaurants offering everything from Asian, International, Cuban and authentic Mexican cuisine.  If you are there before lunch, try Elements of the Island for a fantastic breakfast or brunch to get your day started.  Another favorite of mine is La Cazuela M & J where both tourists and locals go to enjoy the atmosphere of the island and enjoy the fresh Mexican fare.

By moped you can travel around the entire island allowing you to stop at various destinations along the way.  You will come upon Tortugranja (Turtle Farm).  It is a nice little departure from the beautiful scenery along the coast and a real treat to see the different breeds of turtles of varying ages.  We were able to observe babies that were less than a week old.  They are doing a fantastic job of preserving the great turtle population.

As you travel along the island you will see signs for all types of diversions.  Frankly, some are worth stopping for and some are not.  We came upon a sign that said “Swim with a Shark”.  We stopped to check it out and it was a man in about 4 feet of water with a nurse shark that barely seemed to move.  Needless to say, we didn’t pay up to swim but we did step over to the cantina next door.  On a long open, wood fired grill, two men were cooking fish that had just been caught.  The price of a meal was very inexpensive and the opportunity to watch how they cooked was very entertaining.  While enjoying a Cerveza and relaxing to the jovial attitudes of the men cooking we were able to enjoy the scenery and look forward to our next find.

Garrafon Park is a must see if you have the time.  This could easily be an all day adventure in itself.  The park hosts an amazing reef formation which is one of the longest in the hemisphere.  There are several dive shops to choose from as well as restaurant, snack bars and bathrooms with showers.  From the park you can choose guided tours to Punta Sur and the “Blue Eye Cave”.  They also offer zip line flights and Caribbean bungee jumping.

If you are a diver or snorkeler, you must visit the Underwater Museum.  The museum was created by artist Jason deCaires Taylor.  There are an amazing 400 life size sculptures.  The underwater museum will help to create a man-made reef to aid the abundant marine life.  It’s just an exceptional outing.

The Isla Mujeres downtown area (Centro) is a mere 4 blocks by 6 blocks but has some great little shopping spots.  Everything from handcrafted Mexican items to jewelry, dive and tobacco shops.  The assortment of beach wear and cover ups is worth a stroll through the markets.

Isla Mujeres is a great day trip from Cancun.  You may even consider two days there to enjoy all that the island has to offer.  There are also hotels on the island and it is a very quaint area to stay.

I have information on all the excursions above as well as lodging.  If you are interested in more, please contact me.

Follow us next as we head south from Cancun for another day trip.

Edwina Parker

Yapa Now Travel