Vacation in Mexico

I recently took my family to Mexico on vacation. Other than the security hoops to jump through at airports, the entire trip was wonderful! We stayed at the Iberostar Quetzal hotel (4 1/2 star) in Playa del Carmen. That's about 25 miles south of Cancun on the Yucatan peninsula. The room was nice, the food great, the beach clean and well maintained and the staff was friendly and helpful. I heartily recommend this resort. They took us out to Cozumel to do some snorkeling on the reef. It was beautiful with astonishingly clear water. There were many varieties of fish to see. I saw several sea turtles and got within about ten feet of a barracuda! Later, a shark swam by underneath us. The guide said not to worry; that it wouldn't bother us. We're all still here, so I guess he was right.

I do have one recommendation for you though. This is an "all inclusive resort" so the drinks are free. If you are going to partake of adult beverages, have the lady of the house go to the bar to get them. This isn't because I'm a lazy pig. It's because the mostly male bartenders make much stronger drinks for the ladies. If they are blonde, it seems that's even better.

Oh, and you might want to leave young children home if you are puritanical in nature. Many Europeans seem to vacation here. There were about 15-20 topless women on the beach every day. Not a problem for me, but some might balk. I did see one guy dress right on the beach too. Different cultures, I guess.

Be sure to get a passport for international travel. It's REQUIRED after the first of the year. It'll probably take one or two months to get also.