When it comes to Mexican touristic destinations, it’s almost a given that places like Cancun, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, or Acapulco are the first that come to mind.

But Mexico offers more than beaches in paradise. And so when beaches become the touristic norm, a place like Monterrey all of a sudden stands out!

And I’ll show you why Monterrey is a destination you’ll want to consider next time you visit Mexico.

I love Monterrey because there is truly something for everyone in this one-of-a-kind city in Mexico. Whether you are adventuresome and love the outdoors or whether you enjoy world-class museums, modern shopping malls and dining at fine restaurants, you have many options.

First of all, reaching Monterrey is as easy as can be. Its unquestionable status as the Industrial Capital of Mexico has Monterrey connected to top US airports with daily non-stop flights to cities like Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, and Chicago.

Also known as the Sultan of the North, Monterrey is located in the northeastern part of the country embraced by beautiful mountains.

One of them is the city’s most famous landmark, the Cerro de la Silla or Saddle Mountain (see photo above).

Being surrounded by mountains means the scenery is not only spectacular but outdoor activities are pretty much endless.

Outdoors

I particularly love to hike in Chipinque Ecological Park, located in the south part of the city in the majestic Sierra Madre Mountains. Chipinque has over 15 miles of hiking trails for all levels with its highest peak at approximately 7,000 feet.

The views of the city from Chipinque are breath-taking and the park enjoys a wealth of bird and plant species.

But there’s more in the surrounding areas. You can water-ski at La Boca Lake, hike to the Horse-Tail Falls, and rock climb or mountain bike at La Huasteca Park, among other great opportunities to enjoy nature.

Downtown Monterrey

When it comes to city life, Monterrey’s colorful downtown area offers rich history and culture around the Macroplaza (the main square). With an area of 400,000 square meters, the Macroplaza is the second largest city square in the world, just behind Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

You can easily spend an entire day (or days) exploring the Macroplaza and its surroundings.

It is also a great way to see the day-to-day lives of the people of Monterrey.

Some monuments hard to miss are the heroes’ esplanade, the Monterrey Cathedral, the neoclassic Government Palace, and the Faro del Comercio, a modern light-house monument by artist Luis Barragán which shoots a green laser around the city at night.

But also lookout for some unique cultural and artistic sculptures, such as Horse by Colombian artist Fernando Botero (see photo), Homage to the Sun by Mexican artist Rufino Tamayo, an authentic Canadian Inukshuk by Inuit artist Bill Nasogaluak, and La Lagartera by Francisco Toledo.

A few steps away from the Macroplaza are two world-class museums you don’t want to miss.

First is the Museum of Mexican History, which has done an excellent job of showcasing the general history of Mexico in a fun and interactive way.

The other is MARCO, one of the leading contemporary art museums in the country and my absolute favorite museum in Monterrey.

The permanent collection in MARCO features Latin American paintings, but it has exhibited international artists such as William Kentridge, Alberto Giacometti, Claudio Bravo, Henry Moore, and Frida Kahlo just to name a few.

A top attraction that has become an icon in Monterrey is the Santa Lucía Riverwalk, an artificial river that connects the Macroplaza and the Fundidora Park.

You can either walk the whole way (about 2.5 miles roundtrip) or take a motor boat and enjoy the scenery. Along the river there are restaurants and a few shops.

Speaking of shopping, if you are looking to buy traditional Mexican arts & crafts, you should head to the Mercado de Artesanías located on Morelos, a pedestrian street adjacent to the Macroplaza.

Sports

If you are visiting Monterrey and love sports, you should definitely go to a soccer match. It is an exciting way to savor the culture and I promise it will be an unforgettable experience.

Monterrey has two teams in the Mexican Soccer League: Tigres and Rayados.

They both have lots of die-hard fans, which means you should get your tickets ahead of time.

Of course, if you are lucky enough to actually see the derby Tigres Vs Rayados, you’re in for a very special event. The entire city goes crazy for this match!

Vicinities

There are a handful of great day trips to do from Monterrey. I recommend you visit the García Caves and Villa de Santiago.

About 20 miles west of Monterrey, the García Caves have become an international attraction.

Discovered by a priest in 1843, they were formed millions of years ago and today they offer spectacular rock formations in one of the largest cave systems in the country (see photo).

Villa de Santiago is a charming colonial-era village also located about 20 miles from Monterrey, but going south east. It is a nice place to go for those looking to escape the big city.

As you arrive in the central square, you almost feel you were transported to the past. Cobble-stone streets, a relaxing water fountain, and the sounds of birds all welcome you to admire this traditional town.

At the highest point in town you can’t miss the 18^th century Santiago Apostle Church. And just across you will find Las Palomas, a colorful and friendly restaurant offering live music and superb local cuisine.

Wine

If you are a true wine buff, you might be adventuresome enough to drive to Parras Valley in the neighboring state of Coahuila (about 2.5 hours from Monterrey).

Here you will find Casa Madero, the oldest vineyards and cellars of the entire American continent; its history goes back to 1574. Some of their best wines are the Casa Grande Shiraz Reserve, Casa Madero Semillon, and Casa Madero Cabernet Sauvignon.

Conclusion

There are many things to do in Monterrey and I would recommend visiting for at least a week to get a good flavor of this destination.

We understand visitors may have safety concerns due to the current situation in Mexico.

Although, at the time of writing, it is our opinion that the overall city feels safe, you should always take precautions, use common sense, and follow any travel warnings.

Have you been to Monterrey? What was your experience like? Please comment.

* Tigres Stadium Photo by Jorge Adrián

If you want to know when is the best time to travel to Mexico, the answer is now!

Really, Mexico is as beautiful as ever and there are so many great opportunities to explore the rich culture, history, and natural beauty of one of the most fantastic destinations on our planet.

Our feature destination is Chiapas, the southernmost state in Mexico and one of the most diverse and colorful in the country. Not to mention one of the safest places to visit.

Most people begin exploring this Mayan Territory as soon as their plane lands at Tuxtla Gutiérrez Airport, which is the capital city of the state.

Chiapas not only offers great Mayan archeological sites and beautiful indigenous culture, but a spectacular opportunity to enjoy the splendors of nature.

Warning: you will fall in love with Chiapas.

How much time should you spend exploring Chiapas? It all depends, but in one week you can at least see some of the main attractions:

The Sumidero Canyon

Close to Tuxtla Gutiérrez (about 20 miles), the Sumidero Canyon is a great place to start your Chiapas adventure.

The best way to admire the impressive cliffs is to take a fast boat ride on the Grijalva River, which takes you through the canyon on an adrenaline rushing journey.

Along the way you will witness a variety of wildlife, a couple of waterfalls, a natural cave, and of course, the colossal walls of this majestic canyon.

The canyon’s main silhouette also represents the loyalty and courage of the Chiapas people and it is portrayed in the state’s coat of arms.

After visiting the canyon you can head to Chiapa de Corzo, a nearby picturesque town with a beautiful square, artisan shops, and great places to enjoy the local cuisine.

San Cristobal de las Casas

Yes, go ahead and pinch yourself, San Cristobal is that beautiful!

The Mexican Tourism Board has included San Cristobal de las Casas in their “Magical Villages” program because of its natural beauty, its rich culture, and its historical relevance.

Located in the central highlands of Chiapas, San Cristobal is a place you want to use as a base to explore the village and nearby towns.

For people watching head to the square at the main church. Throughout the town you’ll notice the Tzotzil people in their traditional multicolored clothes.

These are indigenous people from the central highlands, mainly from the villages of San Juan Chamula, Zinacantán, and San Cristobal de las Casas.

With its colorful buildings and cobblestone-paved roads, San Cristobal is a great place to explore on foot.

There are many places around town you can buy handicrafts, but I strongly recommend you go to the open market.

A very unique place to visit in San Cristobal is the Museum of Traditional Costumes, operated by Don Sergio Castro. Don Sergio is a humanitarian hero who has helped the community for over 45 years.

Other places to visit are the Huitepec Ecological Reserve, the Mayan Medicine Museum, Na Bolom Cultural Center, and the Amber Museum.

San Cristobal also has great coffee shops (after all, Chiapas produces some of the best coffee in the world).

When it comes to restaurants, I recommend La Casa del Pan; it offers a variety of mouth-watering options for vegetarians and live music.

Zinacantán and San Juan Chamula

Katie hand-weaving in Zinacantán, Chiapas

Close to San Cristobal are these two colorful Tzotzil towns you don’t want to miss.

Both have lively Tzotzil traditions with vibrant parties throughout the year full of fireworks and dances.

For centuries, trade has allowed the Tzotzil people to live with some degree of prosperity selling their hand-crafted goods and flowers in markets.

However, in recent years they have also depended heavily on tourism.

I would suggest a visit to Zinacantán if you wish to buy traditional arts and crafts like paintings, baskets, pottery, wood sculptures, hand-woven wool blankets, and amber jewelry.

But at San Juan Chamula you should go to the main church for a unique religious experience. I promise it will be something you have never seen before.

From the outside, the Church of San Juan looks like a regular small town church.

But inside there are no benches and no priests giving sermons.

It’s very mystical; the natives practice a local form of Catholicism blended with Mayan rituals.

Figurines of saints with mirrors adorn the walls and the floors are covered with pine needles.

Many families bring cans of soda, candles, and sometimes even live chickens to sacrifice as they chant their prayers.

It’s unlike anything else you’ll ever experience, but you’ll have to see for yourself since  there is no photography or video allowed.

Beautiful Water: Montebello Lakes, Agua Azul Falls, and Misol-Ha Falls

A trip to Chiapas wouldn’t be complete without visiting and admiring the spectacular presence of water in its versatile facades.

And the Montebello Lakes (see photo) are proof of the beautiful expression of nature in Chiapas. I would devote a day trip to explore this site.

Just admiring the breathtaking scenery of the many lakes with its bright turquoise blue tones reflected on the water and the green surroundings of the forests is worth the experience.

If you want to go for a swim there’s good news, you are allowed to dip in. And there are small boats for rent too.

On your way to the archaeological sites from San Cristobal you should take advantage and explore both Agua Azul and Misol-Ha falls.

The Agua Azul Falls consist of a sequence of cascades in a stair-like formation.

Although the water flows fast, there are areas where you can go for a swim.

However, if you’d rather enjoy the beauty and look for picture-perfect spots, you can walk a path that takes you to an observation deck were you can enjoy a beautiful view of the falls.

Misol-Ha is only a short drive from Agua Azul and offers a spectacular 115ft waterfall surrounded by lush green jungle (see photo).

The main trail to get there is easy and you can actually walk behind the waterfall and underneath the rocks.

If you are a Hollywood buff, the Misol-Ha falls were featured in the movie Predator.

Hey, I didn’t say it was a good movie.

Archaeological Sites: Palenque, Bonampak, and Yaxchilán

Palenque is perhaps the most famous of all archaeological sites in Chiapas mainly because it contains very well preserved buildings with fine stone carvings produced by the Mayans.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Palenque was a Mayan city that flourished in the 7^th century and its most celebrated ruler was Pakal the Great.

The central feature of the complex is the Main Palace with its four-story tower and bas-relief sculptures.

But also important are the Temple of the Inscriptions, the Temple of the Skull, the Temple of the Red Queen, and the Temple of the Cross.

Bonampak is another ancient Mayan archaeological site. At first, their buildings might not seem that impressive and, in fact, they are even smaller than other sites.

But the fascinating thing about Bonampak has to do with the original Mayan paintings inside three rooms in one of the buildings.

These paintings are one of the most valuable treasures of ancient Mexico (see photo).

The paintings depict several passages in Mayan history, their hierarchical structure, their rituals, battles, and other significant historical symbols.

The lost city of Yaxchilán was one of the most powerful Mayan cities along the Usumacinta River, which is on the Guatemalan border.

The archaeological site, which lies in the middle of the jungle, is one of the most fascinating due to its off-the-beaten-path location and very well-preserved stone carvings.

One of the great things about Yaxchilán is that it’s not as touristic as Palenque and therefore at points you feel like the only one in the complex (play Indiana Jones theme here).

When visiting the archaeological sites, I would recommend exploring Bonampak and Yaxchilán in one day and spending an entire day visiting Palenque (save the best for last).

After Palenque, it may be time to head back to Tuxtla Gutiérrez.

Las Pichanchas

The night before your departure from Tuxtla Gutiérrez, you should head to Las Pichanchas.

This is a colorful restaurant-bar with great food and live music. Sometimes they even offer traditional dances with masks.

It may be a bit touristy for the average adventurer, but still far from real tourist traps like Señor Frogs or Carlos and Charlies.

Besides, you do deserve a drink after exploring Chiapas tirelessly. Well, their signature drink is called Pumpo (see photo), a fruity cocktail served in a colorful carved gourd.

When the waiter brings the Pumpo to your table there’s a short ceremony where he rings bells and shouts PUMPO!!!

Conclusion

Enjoy Chiapas! It is really one of the most fascinating destinations in the world.

Learn from its rich history and culture, appreciate the beautiful colors of nature, and smile back at all the friendly people that welcome you to their magical land.

Have you been to Chiapas? Do you have any questions? Please comment!

On Monday, February 22^nd a Travel Alert was issued by the U.S. Department of State regarding travel to Mexico.

For the many tourists who have been loyal to visiting Mexico over the years, this news wasn’t cause for concern. However, Mexico attracts new visitors every day and this Travel Alert could have potential tourists feel a little worried about traveling to Mexico.

To begin, this is not a new Travel Alert, but an update from a Travel Alert dated August 20, 2009 and is reviewed every six months. The main revisions on this version have to do with a few additional border areas where extra caution is recommended.

If you read the document, you will see the U.S. Department of State mainly refers to cities like Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, and Nogales, where there has been an increase in violence along the U.S. – Mexico border.

Clearly, the Travel Alert has put an emphasis on the border area. But Mexico is a big country and fortunately the top touristic destinations are far from those border cities.

So what does it mean to travelers and how should we respond to this alert?

One of the things that we need to understand is that there is a big difference between a Travel Alert and a Travel Warning.

Basically a Travel Alert informs the public about short-term conditions, meaning U.S. citizens should take common-sense precautions (we hope you always use your common sense, regardless!).

On the other hand, Travel Warnings are issued to describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable.

So, it is very important U.S. citizens understand that this alert is not to discourage Americans from traveling to Mexico’s tourist destinations.

As I mentioned before, the top tourist destinations in Mexico are far from the areas included in the alert. For example, the distance from Cancun to Ciudad Juarez is 1,312 miles – approximately the same distance between New York and Miami (1,290 miles).

Other tourist spots like Los Cabos, Cozumel, Puerto Vallarta, and Acapulco, are about a two-hour flight away from the areas identified in the alert. In other words: no need to get up from your hammock, so relax and ask your waiter for another Margarita!

Putting things in perspective

Big fact: U.S. and international travelers continue to visit Mexico because they feel safe; they know the violence in the northern border cities is unrelated to Mexico’s main tourist areas.

Tourists who visit Mexico find the friendliness, warmth, and hospitality like no other place. Because of this, Mexico welcomed almost 22 million international tourists in 2009. In addition, over one million Americans choose to reside in Mexico.

Always remember: As with any other place in the world, you should always be a smart traveler, use your common-sense, be informed about the place you will visit, respect the local customs, and take any necessary precautions.

If you have any questions about what places to visit in Mexico, contact the Mexico Tourism Board or go to www.VisitMexico.com

Getting to your travel destination is part of the fun. You can drive, fly, take a train, or go by boat.

But how about getting there by participating in a world-class regatta race?

Last Thursday I had the chance to attend the Kick-Off Party for one of the most popular regatta races in the western hemisphere: the Vallarta 2010 race. This event took place at the San Diego Yacht Club and it was sponsored in part by the Mexico Tourism Board.

The Vallarta Race is an annual competition that started back in 1953. It begins in San Diego, California and ends in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, covering a distance of 1,000 NMs down the coast of Baja California.

This year 12 boats will be competing; eleven of them representing USA and one team representing Mexico on boat Peligroso.

The boats are expected to cross the finish line and arrive in Puerto Vallarta between February 24 and 26, where there will be many celebrations and events. But you can actually follow the competition and track the race boats on real-time by clicking here.

Many people take advantage of this race event to travel to beautiful Puerto Vallarta and enjoy the many attractions of this beach paradise.

What to do in Puerto Vallarta

If you love the outdoors, Vallarta Adventures offers different tours and packages for everyone. From thrilling zip lines at their private canopy reserve to scuba diving, and from swimming with dolphins to exploring colonial villages, Vallarta Adventures is a great place to start exploring Puerto Vallarta and its surroundings.

As a bonus, Vallarta Adventures participates in many programs aimed at preserving the local wildlife and vegetation.

If you love shopping, you can find traditional Mexican arts & crafts, pottery, silver jewelry, beautiful indigenous masks, ceramics & hand-blown glassware, and even contemporary art where you can meet the artists in person at the many different art galleries in town.

When it comes to Mexican gastronomy, Puerto Vallarta has many top restaurants that offer the best in Mexican dishes with the excellent customer service that distinguishes Mexico.

Dance all night to the rhythm of the night or enjoy live music at the heart of town, El Centro. Also known as the Malecón, here you will find all types of bars and restaurants with something for everyone.

Vallarta Wine Fest

For the wine lovers, the 4^th Vallarta Wine Fest will be held on February 22 and last a week.

At the event you can expect all types of cultural and artistic expressions, wine tastings and wine pairings. The event not only promotes wine culture in a fun way, but also promotes Vallarta as a great travel destination.

For more information on Vallarta and other Mexican destinations, please go to www.VisitMexico.com

* Regatta photo courtesy of the San Diego Yacht Club

Last weekend we went to the 2010 Los Angeles Times Travel & Adventure Show!

Every year, this event draws crowds of people looking for the best travel deals, new vacation opportunities,  experiencing different cultures, and new wine destinations. In short, these people just want to have fun and travel!

Check out Part 1 of the LA Times Travel & Adventure Show below. We found a few places you won’t want to miss!

From the beauty of Mexico to a warm welcome in Japan, and from exotic Africa to experiencing the rich American lands, this video will give you an idea of what goes on at the LA Times Travel Show.

Travel booth highlights:

Visit Mexico – Because its beauty is endless. Expect great tropical beaches, fascinating archeological sites and a wealth of rich culture.

Visit Costa Rica – For its natural wonders, rain forest, volcanoes… a true eco-travel experience.

Scuba Schools of America – Learn scuba diving from the pros, and then join them on their domestic and international scuba diving tour expeditions.

Rankin Ranch – Enjoy the peace and real Western-style hospitality in a great ranch vacation that offers all types of outdoor activities for the whole family.

Visit Japan – Where traditions and modernity meet with spectacular results, Japan promises a vacation you will never forget.

Kansas – Discover a relaxing place with rich wildlife and award winning wines. You’ll have such a great time here that, on your return, the phrase “you’re not in Kansas anymore” will no longer be funny.

China – You can find great deals like this one if you plan your trip to China soon.

And there’s plenty more… so check back soon because TravelPlusWine has informative interviews on excellent deals to South Africa. Remember the World Cup 2010 is coming this summer and South Africa also has great wine!