Globetrotters of HORT - travel question for Mexico

[LuciousBDragon]

In the next year or so, our nest will be empty and we will be looking for some shorter trips for just the 2 of us. We have done the Playa area a couple of times, but would like to give Cabo a shot. I am a bit of a planner so I thought I would see what our rich and famous have to share to give us something to daydream about. Calling out @FSUTribe76 in the event you have anything - TIA!

Been to Cabo a lot and just like any other vacation spot all depends on:

- Activities/Interests?
- Time of year you plan to go?
- Do you want to party and like it loud or do you like it more quiet and serene to PIITB?

Personally, February-March is my favorite time to go to see the whales and budget money to spend on water excursions (catamaran cruise, skin diving, fishing charters). ATV’ing is big too. Golf is always an option.

There is the town Los Cabos and that is where the arch is and party zone. Small bay where a cruise ship or two will arrive and unload tourists. This is where you primarily catch boats/excursions.

But, along the highway from the airport there is a constant line of resorts between the airport (in San Jose del Cabo) and the actual town Los Cabos. These resorts tend to be nice and quiet. But, ocean swimming is usually a no go with near constant red flag/rip tides. These beaches tend to drop off quickly.

 

[ThorneStockton]

I grew up going to Isla Mujeres, probably ~20 times between 1996-2022. I have seen it change quite a bit from more of a sleepy slightly off the beaten path tourist destination to a well known and well trafficked tourist destination. Regardless of how the changes are viewed, as a destination it still has a lot of the things I want in terms of a beach vacation.

- Fly into Cancun, lots of options, competitive prices vs the rest of the Caribbean; yet hardly anymore difficult that Cancun. Just add a short ferry.
- Less Cancun-y, Isla Mujeres feels less like the mega-Resort, Americanized hotel zone in Cancun, it feels more like you're in Mexico. Don't get me wrong, Isla Mujeres is tourism centric, but the size/scale/style feel more authentic.
- Walkability, it feels less like Cancun because for the most part - there are options - the accommodations aren't set up to be all-inclusive don't leave the resort places. All the bar and restaurants you could need for a short stay are within easy walking distances. I'll often never get in a car during a week long stay. Yet leave the hotel grounds for most every meal.
- Terrific beach. The classic white sand blue water beach can be found here. The quality will fluctuate based on sand erosion, storms, things like that. But it's a legit beach if that's the type of thing you're looking for.
- It's an island, hasn't typically been impacted by sargussum, also gets nice sunset photos
- The eating and drinking. Since it's not resort based, there's a great independent restaurant and bar scene. Lots of good ones, on a lively stretch, great people watching. The beach bars. More on the rustic side.
- There are other things to do if you aren't just a chill on the beach, eat and drink person. Renting golf carts is a big thing. Can tour the whole island pretty easily by golf cart. Some nice views, photo points and even some cultural stuff. There's mid tier snorkeling/diving. Then think of the usual Caribbean 'excursions' in terms of fishing. I'll usually dive, and get a golf cart, but there's not a ton of activities. But I'd say enough for a handful of days.


You can find those sort of aspects in a lot of places, but I reckon rarely all together, of course a lot of people aren't looking for these either.

 

[bdg8]

Hate the Pacific side

 

[Tenacious E]

Been to Cabo a lot and just like any other vacation spot all depends on:

- Activities/Interests?
- Time of year you plan to go?
- Do you want to party and like it loud or do you like it more quiet and serene to PIITB?

Personally, February-March is my favorite time to go to see the whales and budget money to spend on water excursions (catamaran cruise, skin diving, fishing charters). ATV’ing is big too. Golf is always an option.

There is the town Los Cabos and that is where the arch is and party zone. Small bay where a cruise ship or two will arrive and unload tourists. This is where you primarily catch boats/excursions.

But, along the highway from the airport there is a constant line of resorts between the airport (in San Jose del Cabo) and the actual town Los Cabos. These resorts tend to be nice and quiet. But, ocean swimming is usually a no go with near constant red flag/rip tides. These beaches tend to drop off quickly.

Good insight. We're pretty boring in terms of late-night partying. We have fun but we find we get so tired being out and the sun and drinking during the day, we're wiped out by 10. We call it being "mexico tired" from our past trips there. So some liveliness but then PIITB and then sleep. During the day we'd be down for snorkeling and ATVs. I am a child so I also just like body surfing as the tide comes to the shore. Catarmaran cruise would be cool. I have seen more whales than I can shake a stick at over the years so that isn't a draw.

 

[Tenacious E]

I grew up going to Isla Mujeres, probably ~20 times between 1996-2022. I have seen it change quite a bit from more of a sleepy slightly off the beaten path tourist destination to a well known and well trafficked tourist destination. Regardless of how the changes are viewed, as a destination it still has a lot of the things I want in terms of a beach vacation.

- Fly into Cancun, lots of options, competitive prices vs the rest of the Caribbean; yet hardly anymore difficult that Cancun. Just add a short ferry.
- Less Cancun-y, Isla Mujeres feels less like the mega-Resort, Americanized hotel zone in Cancun, it feels more like you're in Mexico. Don't get me wrong, Isla Mujeres is tourism centric, but the size/scale/style feel more authentic.
- Walkability, it feels less like Cancun because for the most part - there are options - the accommodations aren't set up to be all-inclusive don't leave the resort places. All the bar and restaurants you could need for a short stay are within easy walking distances. I'll often never get in a car during a week long stay. Yet leave the hotel grounds for most every meal.
- Terrific beach. The classic white sand blue water beach can be found here. The quality will fluctuate based on sand erosion, storms, things like that. But it's a legit beach if that's the type of thing you're looking for.
- It's an island, hasn't typically been impacted by sargussum, also gets nice sunset photos
- The eating and drinking. Since it's not resort based, there's a great independent restaurant and bar scene. Lots of good ones, on a lively stretch, great people watching. The beach bars. More on the rustic side.
- There are other things to do if you aren't just a chill on the beach, eat and drink person. Renting golf carts is a big thing. Can tour the whole island pretty easily by golf cart. Some nice views, photo points and even some cultural stuff. There's mid tier snorkeling/diving. Then think of the usual Caribbean 'excursions' in terms of fishing. I'll usually dive, and get a golf cart, but there's not a ton of activities. But I'd say enough for a handful of days.


You can find those sort of aspects in a lot of places, but I reckon rarely all together, of course a lot of people aren't looking for these either.

You sir might have just made a sale.

 

[ThorneStockton]

Fair. It is just in my limited experience getting to/from island nations it is a pain in the ass with infrequent flights. So I feel like you need to tack on another day entire day at the beginning and end just for travel. this was especially true for Jamaica where we had a rather long and substantial bus ride from the airport to the resort. Whereas in my limited experience going to mexico, both times it was through Cancun with a shit ton of flights, and we could at least partially enjoy the travel day down there. But then again, maybe that was just a function of the size of our group and its members.

Gotcha, I believe I follow. No doubt some of those islands are especially inconvenient and/or costly to get to from Iowa and the midwest in general. That said, there's plenty that will have connections/travel time that are just as convenient as just about any destination in Mexico, just costly.

I certainly understand the desire to avoid the full travel day experience where it feels like a whole day was more or less wasted.

 

[ThorneStockton]

You sir might have just made a sale.

Really easy to just check the island out on a daytrip in the middle of a quick 4 day Cancun trip. I reckon that's how most people used to find out about Isla Mujeres, day trips from Cancun. There's a bunch of Catamarans that do daytrips from Cancun or sunset trips from Cancun. Tourists staying in Cancun, spend the day in Isla Mujeres then decide to spend the whole week next time.