Dia de Muertos Group Trip Highlights: Mexico City & Oaxaca

Dia de Muertos Group Trip

Ever since I began guiding trips through my own business, Wanderlust Group Trips, it was a huge goal of mine to host trips to Mexico for Dia de Muertos.

Having celebrated the holiday twice in the past, I was incredibly eager to bring a group back with me to experience first hand just how incredible this holiday really is!

It’s such a beautiful cultural experience.

You can watch the full recap of our trip here:

Day 1: Arrival

We kicked off the group trip in lively, festive Mexico City!

For those who arrived early, we went to the stunning Aztec canals of Xochimilco.

We spent the day on the water, shopping from vendors in little colorful boats and sampling different Mexican sweets and snacks.

That evening, once everyone had arrived, we went for our welcome dinner at Lugar del Mariachi where we were serenaded by a traditional mariachi band.

Although it was difficult to talk over such a rousing band, it was great getting to connect and meet everyone at that initial dinner!

In the evening, we went for a churros (a must have in Mexico City!) and a drink near our hotel.

The night owls stayed out to salsa dance for a bit before turning in for the night!

Day 2: Mexico City

The second day began with a full day tour of Mexico City!

Starting in the historic centro, we checked out the Aztec ruins, the cathedral and the stunning display of Catrinas and traditional ofrendas for Day of the Dead.

And it was fun capturing photos of everyone at the iconic Palacio de Bellas Artes.

This famous building makes for stunning photographs in downtown Mexico City!

Once we wrapped up our mini photo shoot, we boarded the bus to go to the Jamaica market for lunch.

Our local guide brought us through the twisting, weaving aisles of the colorful and chaotic market to several of the best taco stands in the area.

Here we pulled up seats next to the locals and dug in! The tacos did not disappoint.

And as we went further into the market, we came upon the flower market and WOW! Never in my life have I seen such an explosion of colorful flowers piled on top of trucks, cars, people… they were piled high to the ceiling! And many massive bouquets were priced about $2-$3.

I purchased an enormous bouquet of marigolds to use in our Catrina photos the following day. The dazzling gold flowers are EVERYWHERE this time of year in Mexico and they are beyond stunning.

After the flower market, we had some downtime before our taco and tequila night! Some of the ladies got their face painted, other shopped and wandered the neighborhood by hotel.

That evening, we boarded a bus and went to some of the must-try taco places in downtown!

Some tried the famous “taco al pastor” that Mexico City is known for while others had the amazing shrimp tacos.

The group ordered micheladas, a particularly tasty concoction of beer, lemon and spices.

Once we had devoured all the tacos, we were on our way to the second taco stand. A tasty hidden gem off the main road. A total hole in the wall eatery. It was fantastic.

We tossed back a shot (or in some cases) several shots of tequila before opting to head back to the floating gardens of Xochimilco.

It was Halloween night after all! So we decided to spend the evening on a candlelight boat on the eerie and calm waters. The market had closed for the day but a nearby liquor store provided us with plenty of snacks and drinks for our evening.

Although there weren’t nearly as many boats out on the water, we had a blast.

This group was SO much fun. Between the games, snacks, drinks and amazing conversation, the evening flew by!

Day 3: Coyoacán

The following day, a local make up artist came to the hotel to give us the classic Day of the Dead makeup for the festivities.

Once everyone had their faces done up, we headed to my favorite neighborhood in Mexico City, the colorful Coyoacán.

Highlights here included the insanely vibrant market where we had lunch, the amazing artists sailing their work in the park, friendly vendors with beautiful pieces.

After some free time in the area, we headed to the Frida Kahlo house so we could see where this legendary icon of Mexico, the art world and pop culture lived and died.

Once we finished in Coyoacán, we were off to the little town of Tlahuac!

I can’t even begin to describe how special this night was, it was simply unforgettable to spend Day of the Dead in a small village where the tradition is alive and well.

From the moment we arrived in this small rural town outside of the typical tourist route, we could tell we were in for a special evening. The atmosphere was incredible. Parades in the street everywhere! Countless people with their faces painted or dressed up.

As we wandered the cobbled streets, our group got swept up in a passing by parade! The sound of drums, trumpets and joyful shouting filled the air.

As I looked across the street, I saw members of our group dancing in the crowd and it was a real “pinch me” moment. My cheeks hurt from smiling as the spontaneous parade danced past.

Eventually our local guide brought us to the home of a local family who welcomed us into their home to see a traditional ofrendas for their dead. It was a beautiful sight to see. Colors everywhere, flowers galore and plenty of food offerings!

But the real highlight was seeing the cemetery. I truly have no words.

Families everywhere celebrating their loved ones. People singing to graves, chatting, hanging out, cracking a beer… then there was the graves themselves! Piles and piles of flowers! Colors like you wouldn’t believe. Decorations made with such love and care. All illuminated by candlelight.

We were totally overcome by the beauty and the emotion of it all. I teared up more than once witnessing families snuggled around the graves, singing to their loved ones… waiting for their soul to return that evening.

All their favorite things waiting for them..favorite snacks or drinks gathered around the graves just waiting for all those departed souls.

Following the cemetery visit, we weaved our way through the lively town until we reached a home on the outskirts of the celebrations. Here a family had prepared for us a dinner of tamales. One sweet and one savory. They were delicious.

After thanking our hosts and heading out, we began the walk back to our bus. Thoughtful, joyful and so content with the night we had just experienced.

Day 4

Unfortunately our flight to Oaxaca was cancelled and we were moved to an early flight time. So it meant a really early start on our 4th day! But as a silver lining, we had the WHOLE day in the beautiful mountain town of Oaxaca.

So we dropped off our luggage at the hotel and went for breakfast. Afterwards, we were caught up in a massive street party of live music and dancing! There were festivities breaking out all over the city!

Shortly after, we hopped in our transportation to head over to the ruins, Monte Albán, just outside of the city. It was a gorgeous sunny day to explore these historic ruins.

After our tour at the ruins finished, we went for tacos in the local market.

We came back and checked into our stunning hotel right in the heart of the city. Everyone took some much needed down time after such an early morning and day spent out in the sun.

So we napped, swam in the rooftop pool and hung out before dinner that night.

Day 5: Oaxaca Free Day

After a fun night out, we slept in slightly before heading out to enjoy a free day in the colorful city.

We had such a fun time taking pictures, day drinking in the main square and shopping for art and souvenirs.

More drinks were had a rooftop bar overlooking the cathedral before everyone met up for dinner. It was such a fun night with far too many laughs!

Day 6

The next morning, we shopped for art at the markets before attending a mezcal tasting in a scenic bar with mountain views.

After our mezcal tasting, we met with a local chef who brought us to a market to prepare a home cooked meal.

We gathered in his beautiful home and together, made one of the most delicious meals we had in Mexico! It was a total culinary delight. I couldn’t believe how well everything turned out with his expert guidance.

After our fabulous Mexican cuisine dinner, some of us headed out for one last farewell drink! It was so hard saying goodbye to this especially wonderful group.

Day 7

In the morning, we all departed for home! Thank you to everyone who made this trip so special and wonderful. It was such a joy traveling with this amazing group of humans.

Plan on attending the festivities one year?
Here are my top tips for celebrating Day of the Dead as a foreigner:

Dia de Muertos Group Trip

More on Mexico travel:

• TULUM ON A BUDGET
• THE BEST DAY TRIPS FROM TULUM
• VISITING THE COBA RUINS IN MEXICO – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
• MEXICO CITY MINI GUIDE
• VISITING CHICHEN ITZA FROM TULUM
• AVENTURAS MAYAS: AVOID THE CROWDS WITH THIS ADVENTUROUS TOUR COMPANY IN RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO!
• THE BEST HOSTEL IN TULUM DEPENDING ON YOUR TRIP!
• TOP SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO MEXICO
• ATV EXCURSIONS IN CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO
• SWIMMING WITH WILD WHALE SHARKS: 10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Shop my Amazon storefront for all my travel gear and photography equipment!

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Mexico City Mini Guide

This sprawling, incredible city is sure to delight and surprise you.

But with it’s enormous size and overwhelming amount of options, there’s a few essential tips you should know before your first visit.

Choose the Right Neighborhood

Best neighborhoods to stay are Condesa (cute art-deco buildings & very safe) or Roma (very hip: tons of street art, bars, museums) but avoid Doctores.

Try all the street food

Especially tacos al pastor, so good! For street food, always eat where it’s busy, avoid ice in your drinks and don’t eat anything that looks like it’s been sitting there for awhile

Not a walkable city – use Uber!

Mexico City is huge (22 million people!!) and very spread out.

It’s not a very walkable city so plan your itinerary wisely or you’ll spend a lot of time driving back and forth.

Ubers are super cheap (way less than taxis) but you’ll need cell data to call Ubers and access maps.

Get an e-sim for data

You can get a cheap e-sim plan with Airalo so you have data.

You’ll avoid high roaming charges, not need to fuss with a physical sim/change your number.

Don’t miss the Frida Kahlo Museum

Located inside her old house, “the Blue House” is popular and gets crowded but still is worth the visit. Just get your ticket in advance, they sell out!

Cruise the waterways in Xochimilco

These colorful boats will take you through “the venice of Mexico”. Many of the tours serve Mexican food & play live music.

Don’t drink the tap water

Travel with a filtered water bottle and mindful of ice cubes in drinks!

Favorite Mexico City Hotel: Orchid House Polanco

This hotel is so dreamy. I absolutely loved my stay here. The vibe is laid-back yet luxurious.

Top 3 Mexico City Instagram Spots

All three of these locations are within walking distance of each other and make for a great photo shoot route.

1. Cactus Garden next to the Mexico City Cathedral

2. Palace of Fine Arts

This iconic building of Mexico City is a must see!

3. Casa de los Azulejos or “The House of Tiles”

The oldest part of the building was originally constructed as a small palace in the late 1500’s by Don Damian Martinez. This historic building is absolutely stunning!

If you want to come back to Mexico City with me for Day of the Dead, you can sign up here.

Shop my Mexico favorites:

Cut-Out Print Maxi Dress

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SuperStay Matte Red Lipstick

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Tropical Set

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The post Mexico City Mini Guide appeared first on The Wanderlust Rose.

Tulum On A Budget

Tulum On A Budget

If you’re planning a trip to Tulum, Mexico you might have heard how expensive this beach paradise has become in the past few years. Tulum was once a sleepy little beach town but now has grown into a trendy destination for celebrities and influencers to take beautiful Instagram photos, eat vegan food and party at expensive beach clubs.

While I still love Tulum very much, it doesn’t have the same chill or laid back vibe like other parts of Mexico. And it certainly has higher prices!

Here’s everything you need to know to visit Tulum on a budget.

Where to Stay: Beach vs Downtown

It depends what trip you want to have. If you plan on relaxing by the ocean everyday then you might want to stay by the beach.

If you’re a working expat who wants to travel around Mexico while you’re there, then I would suggest staying in downtown for better Wifi, prices and accessibility to transit.

Downtown: much cheaper, better Wifi, great restaurants, easier to take the bus to other towns, easier to rent cars from here for day trips, easy traffic & parking

Beach: More expensive, really bad traffic along main beach strip, difficult parking but right along the ocean

*It seems backwards right? Downtown sounds like it would have bad traffic and parking but actually the main beach stretch is so popular and there is only a single road that accesses the beach. If you plan to go on day trips or take the bus anywhere, it’s less of a headache to be in downtown.

Resorts, Jungle Huts, Hostels

Have a look on Airbnb for Tulum because you’ll find one dreamy property after another for ridiculously low prices. They even have a number of cute jungle huts that really allow you to disconnect from the hustle & bustle of downtown/the main beach for a super affordable price.

But if you’re traveling Tulum on a budget, you simply cannot beat the price of the hostels!

And Tulum is full of incredible hostels with luxurious pools and boutique rooms for dirt cheap. Many are just $12-$14 a night!

Check out this blog post for my complete list of hostel recommendations in Tulum.

Favorite Tulum hostels include:

• Mimosa Tulum
• Meteora
• Mayan Monkey
• Che
• Maka

Stay at Mimosa Tulum for just $12-$14 a night

I came to this hostel for 2 days and ended up staying for 10 nights. I love Mimosa Tulum, it really felt like home to me. It’s the perfect mix of boutique and budget. It felt fancier than any hostel I’ve stayed at across the world. And it had a nice chill social environment.

It isn’t a party hostel but it is conveniently located near tw party hostels (Maka & Che) you could walk to for a drink if you wanted to party.

Breakfast included!

Each morning, you could choose between two options for breakfast. I always got french toast with fruit and coffee. For a small additional cost, you could order something else off the menu!

Things to note:

• Conveniently located within walking distance of a grocery store, car rentals and the main drag for food/drinks/nightlife
• Pack bug spray for the harmless non-stinging bees & mosquitos
• Bikes are available to rent

Pro tip: You can get a slightly cheaper price by paying cash at the property.

Book your stay here.

Walk next door to Maka Hotel
for $5 avocado toast or $7 poke bowls

If you’re staying at Mimosa Tulum, I highly recommend walking next door to Maka Hotel for delicious food!

The avocado toast is just $5. You don’t have be to a guest at their hostel/hotel to order breakfast by the pool.

And head on upstairs to their rooftop restaurant for amazing $7 poke bowls or delicious ramen.

Pro tip: On Wednesday nights, Maka has an expat meetup that is a ton of fun! I made a lot of new friends that night who showed me around Tulum in the days to come. Go mingle and meet other expats!

Or book a stay here.

Rent a bike for $5-$8 a day to get around

Most hostels offer bike rental. It’s the cheapest and easiest way to get around Tulum especially because traffic along the main beach is horrible. The road is full of potholes and many people wind up feeling carsick or simply frustrated from how long it takes to drive down the bumpy, poorly maintained road.

A bike for the whole day is likely to cost you less than a taxi ride one way.

If you’re staying in downtown, it will take you about 30 minutes to bike to the main beach stretch. But it will take you just as long in a car!

Also if you bring a rental car down to the beach, it’s really difficult and expensive to find parking.

The most stressful part of my time in Tulum was feeling like I was going to bottom-out or blow a tire in traffic on the horrible stretch of road to the main beach in our rental car. I found it so much easier to bike!

That being said, some people find biking on the main drag stressful with the amount of traffic. Truthfully, anything on the main drag is stressful. I thought biking was better in my opinion.

Pro tip: Biking home after dark can be difficult because the city isn’t well lit and there are hardly any street lights once you’re off the main road. If you are coming to Tulum and know you are going to be biking a lot, pack a bike light!

Find beach clubs that don’t charge an entrance fee or require a minimum spend

It’s easy to get stuck pay insane drink prices at the beach clubs. It’s more LA prices than Mexico prices unfortunately! Some places will require an entrance fee as well.

Skip the places with the crazy high entrance fee and opt for a beach club with no minimum spend. (Drinks will still be more expensive than in downtown Tulum!)

Here’s a list a free day clubs with no minimum right on the beach:

• Hip Hotel
• La Zebra
• La Eufemia
• Playa Maya
• Playa Santa Fe
• Aklin Beach
• Cinco Tulum

Explore the free art walk at Holistika

You don’t have to be a guest to enjoy the beautiful (and totally free!) artwalk at Holistika. It’s full of interesting outdoor exhibits and cute “Instagrammable” moments.

Just be sure to wear some bug spray on this walk through the jungle!

Take A Day Trip To Coba

A day trip to the Coba Ruins is a super inexpensive trip out of the city!

It’s only 80 pesos to visit.

And a tour guide/tricycle guide is only another 180 pesos.

The best way to get there? Get a group together from your hostel or hotel and all split a taxi! It’s about 45 minutes outside of Tulum.

Read: VISITING THE COBA RUINS IN MEXICO – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Eat at Burrito Amor

This place is fantastic and super cheap! The vibe is awesome and drinks are inexpensive as well. It’s located in downtown on the main drag.

Free Sunday salsa nights at La Zebra

These Sunday salsa nights have briefly been on pause with Covid but if you’re looking for a great weekend activity… check back on the La Zebra events page to see when they resume!

Read: TOP SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO MEXICO

Swim at Playa Paraiso

Playa Paraiso is Tulum’s public access beach which means it costs nothing to visit and there is no minimum spend.

It can be frustrating to find a spot a on the main drag beach that has room and doesn’t charge a fortune for entrance. But Playa Paraiso is always free!

Pack a picnic, swim in the ocean, sun bath… it’s a totally free day in Tulum!

Read: AVENTURAS MAYAS: AVOID THE CROWDS WITH THIS ADVENTUROUS TOUR COMPANY IN RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO!

Go to Batey for free live music & expertly made mojitos

Looking for great drinks at an affordable price downtown? The mojito bar at Batey is your place to go.

There is always great live music for free! And the mojitos are AMAZING for just $5 or $6.

This place is the main hub of activity in downtown.

Visit the Tulum Ruins for just 80 pesos

The ruins at Chichen Itza have an entrance fee of a whopping 497 pesos. Fortunately, the Tulum Ruins are still just 80 pesos. Skip the guided tours and skip the shuttle service to the entrance. (It’s totally unnecessary!)

Parking around the ruins can get expensive. Either bike or taxi. If you are driving a car, don’t get pulled into the first parking lot you see. There will be a lot of parking lot attendants who try to get you to park in their lot first and will charge you more.

Read: SWIMMING WITH WILD WHALE SHARKS: 10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Mateo’s Mexican Grill For Free Sunset Lounge
with 2 for 1 Drinks

We went to Mateo’s for dinner and drinks a number of times. They have amazing fish tacos, they aren’t located quite so far down the main beach road so it’s easier to access and they have a free sunset lounge!

The sunset lounge doesn’t have waiter service. Just order a drink at the bar below and walk up. It’s the perfect place for sunset without the cover charge!

Have any tips for visiting Tulum on budget? Let me know in the comments!

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The Best Day Trips From Tulum

Best Day Trips From Tulum

With so many things to do in and around Tulum, you might feel overwhelmed by options!

But if you’re looking for the best day trips to take you out of the city or away from the beach clubs for a day, here’s a list of my top recommendations!

Join me in Mexico in 2022 for Día de Muertos!

Snorkel with the sea turtles in Akumal

Distance from Tulum: 25 minutes

You might have not heard of this little town but it should be on your bucket list for a trip to Mexico given that it’s the best place to snorkel alongside wild sea turtles!

The small rural town of Akumal is just 25 minutes from Tulum. You can easily take a taxi round trip or take the local “collectivo” bus for only 45 pesos ($2.50 USD).

When you arrive, you’ll need to book a tour because parts of the reef are protected to ensure that people don’t touch or harass the turtles (which I fully support!!) so you can only access them with a local guide. Tours aren’t expensive and can be booked onsite!

Want to turn your day trip into an overnight visit?

Budget Hostel: El Padrino

Glamping: Akumal Natura Glamping

Resort: Akumal Bay Beach & Wellness Resort

Akumal is small but the beach is beautiful, the town is full of street art and you can visit some animal sanctuaries. I opted for an overnight trip here but many people just go roundtrip in a day from Tulum!

Chichen Itza Road Trip

Distance from Tulum: 2 hours

Chichen Itza is the most visited site in all of a Mexico and one of the Seven Wonders of the World! This Mayan civilization thrived around 600 A.D. to the 1200s and is home to the massive step pyramid, known as El Castillo or Temple of Kukulcan.

I recommend skipping on the group tour and renting a car for the day. The drive is super easy and then you can arrive before the tour buses do! Get there right when Chichen Itza opens to avoid the crowds and the heat.

When you’ve finished at the ruins, be sure to go cool off in a nearby cenote afterwards. I recommend Ik Kil & Oxman.

Drive back to Tulum via the colorful town of Valladolid. Just be off the roads by dark for safety!

Read: VISITING CHICHEN ITZA FROM TULUM

Ancient Coba Ruins

Distance from Tulum: 45 minutes

This ancient Mayan settlement surrounded by two lagoons makes for a fascinating day trip.

You can book a taxi round trip from Tulum, book a tour or rent a car to reach the ruins.

Once you arrive, you can hire private tour guides for a walking tour or for small fee you can have a guide show you around the ruins via a tricycle. I recommend the bikes, it’s a lot of fun!

Read: VISITING THE COBA RUINS IN MEXICO –
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Sian Ka’an Biosphere

Distance from Tulum: 40 min to Visitor Center

The stunning Sian Ka’an Biosphere is enormous but from Tulum to the Visitor Center it’s less than an hour.

This protected area is one of Mexico’s most pristine nature reserves. And visiting here from Tulum will be a full day trip!

I suggest booking a trip like this wildlife boat tour if you want to see dolphins, turtles and manatees living together in their natural habitat.

Snorkel, ATV, Zipline and Swim in Cenotes with Aventuras Mayas

Distance from Tulum: 35 minutes

The Aventuras Mayas main location is less than an hour from Tulum but they offer round trip transportation for their tours!

If you want to do all the of the classic Mexico excursions at once without the crowds, this is your chance!

In your tour, you get to snorkel through the most spectacular cavernous cenote I’ve ever seen, zipline over the jungle and drive your own ATV on a track totally suitable for beginners!

What was most remarkable about this tour was the private Cenote Estrella. Never in my life have I snorkeled in a cenote like this! I cannot recommend the experience enough.

Read: AVENTURAS MAYAS: AVOID THE CROWDS WITH THIS ADVENTUROUS TOUR COMPANY IN RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO!

Overnight Trip: Cozumel

Another great trip from Tulum is the island of Cozumel!

And while you could reach it in a single day, I would recommend booking a night on the island so you aren’t having to do the ferry crossing twice in one day/traveling back to Tulum after dark.

You can take the ADO bus or the local “collectivo” bus to Playa del Carmen which is just under an hour away from Tulum. Buy your ferry tickets when you arrive and go enjoy island life in Cozumel! The reef is incredible for diving and snorkeling.

Check the ferry schedule here.

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Visiting The Coba Ruins In Mexico: Everything You Need To Know

Coba Ruins in Mexico

Mexico is home to a number of remarkably well-maintained Mayan ruins. Chichen Itza is easily the most famous since it’s included in the Seven Wonders of the World and remains the most visited site in all of Mexico. But there is another lesser-known, cheaper to visit and equally as wonderful ruin site nearby, Coba!

Where are the Coba Ruins?

The Coba Ruins are located on Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.

40 minutes from Tulum

1 hour 30 minutes from Playa del Carmen

1 hour 50 minutes from Cancun

How To Get To The Coba Ruins In Mexico

There are a number of ways to arrive at Coba. You can book a tour but we enjoyed going by ourselves and hiring a guide onsite instead.

Rent a car

We chose to rent a car from Hertz for two days so we could visit Coba, Chichen Itza and nearby towns/cenotes.

Renting a car in Mexico can be problematic. Prices may vary a lot. And you may reserve a car online the night before only to show up at the car lot and they don’t have what you already paid for available. I’ve seen this happen a number of times.

We woke up early and went to the car rental lots first thing in the morning to ensure we got a car.

Make sure you get full insurance, roads in Mexico can be tricky to drive on. And always make sure you’re off the roads by dark.

This blog post does a great job explaining why driving around Mexico at night is unsafe.

Read: TOP SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO MEXICO

Take a taxi from Tulum

Another option- take a taxi from Tulum! Many drivers will have a set price for round trip to Coba and they will wait for you there until you’re done at the ruins and bring you back.

Round trip could cost as much as 1200 pesos ($60 USD) but it a full half day trip for your driver. You might be able to bargain lower.

And a great way to reduce costs? Get a group to go together and split the taxi fare! Hostels are an amazing place to meet other travelers. Ask around and see if anyone wants to go with you!

Looking for amazing hostels with a fun, social atmosphere in Tulum? Check out my recommendations here.

Pass through small, local towns along the way

If you rent a car, you’ll be able to stop along the way at some of the small local towns. Here you can shop for souvenirs at a better price than in Tulum. Plus your money goes directly to smaller villages/towns.

You can also stop for breakfast, lunch or a fresh coconut on the way!

Small fee for parking

If you drive yourself, have a small amount of cash ready to pay parking and your entrance fee.

80 pesos to enter

Unlike Chichen Itza which is 497 pesos to enter, Coba is a mere 80 pesos, just $4 USD!

Guides available for hire upon arrival

At the time of our visit, the guides said it was $25 per 40 minute tour. But that was per guide, not per person.

So if you are a family or group of friends visiting, a private tour guide could be quite cheap especially once split between multiple people.

The guides were extremely professional and spoke excellent English.

180 pesos for a tricycle ride

After you pass the first set of ruins, you will have the option of renting a bike to get around Coba or hopping on a tricycle being pedaled by a member of the local Mayan community.

Which to choose: Tricycles, bike rental or walking private tour?

The Coba Ruins are surprisingly large, you may not want to walk it all in the heat.

At first we almost skipped the bike because it seemed “lazy” not to walk ourselves. But really, it’s a great opportunity to give your tourism dollars directly to locals instead of just the mega resorts so many people stay at in Mexico!

In addition, you can only look at piles of rocks for so long if you don’t understand what you’re seeing.

Although the tricycle rides are meant more to be a bike service, our guide gave us tons of wonderful information as well! Less than a formal tour for sure but enough for us to appreciate what exactly we were seeing.

Not only was riding on the tricycles much more enjoyable than walking in the jungle heat, it was so fun to connect with someone local who could tell us about the jungle and life in Coba today.

If you go, be sure to tip your guide! Imagine pedaling grown adults through the jungle in the heat… with a mask on!! These guys are rockstars and so hard working!

Massive thank you to Manuel, tricycle 49!

More on Mexico

• SWIMMING WITH WILD WHALE SHARKS: 10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
• AVENTURAS MAYAS: AVOID THE CROWDS WITH THIS ADVENTUROUS TOUR COMPANY IN RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO!
• 25 PHOTOS TO INSPIRE YOU TO VISIT CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO
• ATV EXCURSIONS IN CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO

FOLLOW ALONG ON THE ADVENTURE…

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LOOKING TO BOOK A GROUP TOUR? CHECK OUT THE AMAZING DEALS ON TOURRADAR.

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The Best Hostel In Tulum
Depending On Your Trip!

Tulum is full of incredible hostels with luxurious pools and boutique rooms for a very affordable price. Many are just $12-$14 a night! So when you’re planning your stay, you’ll just have to decide what kind of environment you’re looking for!

Do you want to party? Or are you coming to Tulum to work remotely? Are you hoping to meet other expats? Then let me break down which of the hostels is right for you.

Things to note: Each of the hostels recommended below are located in downtown Tulum, not on the beach. However each hostel provides bike rentals and you can easily bike to the beach in 20-30 minutes.

It is cheaper to stay downtown and you’ll also be closer to access rental cars for day trips to Chichen Itza or to get taxis to Coba Ruins or swim in Gran Cenote.

However if you are coming to Tulum for just a short while and want to splurge for a beachside resort, go for it! But here’s where to stay on a budget or for an extended stay.

Best Coworking Hostel: Meteora

Why I love it: fast Wifi, great working spaces, laid back vibe

You can expect to find a lot of expats who are staying here for a month or more at a time! The wifi is excellent and there are a lot of great working spaces around the hostel.

The upstairs room also includes a large TV with Netflix.

No free breakfast but there is a coffee shop/restaurant inside.

This hostel was a slightly older crowd of nomads (think more like age 30 and work online!) instead of the super young crowds you see in hostels sometimes.

Book your stay here.

Best Relaxing Hostel: Mimosa Tulum

Why I love it: Stunning property, free breakfast, good Wifi, feels luxurious

I came to this hostel for 2 days and ended up staying for 10 nights. I love Mimosa Tulum, it really felt like home to me.

Each morning, you could choose between two options for breakfast. I always got french toast with fruit and coffee. For a small additional cost, you could order something else off the menu!

Book your stay here.

Best Food At A Hostel:
Maka Hotel Boutique

Located right next door to Mimosa Tulum, this boutique hotel has both private and shared rooms as well as a fantastic restaurant.

For breakfast, you can get fantastic avocado toast for just $5 by the pool!

And at 5pm, their rooftop opens for dinner and they serve fantastic ramen and fresh salmon poke bowls for just $7!

Pro tip: On Wednesday nights, Maka has an expat meetup that is a ton of fun! I made a lot of new friends that night who showed me around Tulum in the days to come. Go mingle and meet other expats!

Book your stay here.

Best Party Hostel: Hostel Che Tulum

Why I love it: Party atmosphere, bar with great drinks onsite, walking distance of bars downtown

I haven’t stayed at Hostel Che Tulum but I have gone there in the evenings to socialize and drink. It’s a great place to meet other travelers. The bar is busy and full on the weekends and often people start there to have a few drinks then walk into downtown Tulum.

Book your stay here.

Best Mix Of Party & Luxury:
Mayan Monkey

Why I love it: Social atmosphere, great value, beautiful pool area

The Mayan Monkey is a Tulum favorite and a chain of hostels in Mexico! The rooms here are really new and the coworking space is very impressive.

There is a bar and restaurant onsite making this social hostel a great mix of party and luxury!

Book your stay here.

Want more tips on Tulum?

• TOP SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO MEXICO
• VISITING CHICHEN ITZA FROM TULUM
• AVENTURAS MAYAS: AVOID THE CROWDS WITH THIS ADVENTUROUS TOUR COMPANY IN RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO!

Save “The Best Hostels in Tulum” on Pinterest!

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Looking to book a group tour? Check out the amazing deals on TourRadar.

The post The Best Hostel In Tulum Depending On Your Trip! appeared first on The Wanderlust Rose.

Visiting Chichen Itza from Tulum

Chichen Itza from Tulum

If you’re visiting the trendy, chic boho beach town Tulum, you are less than 2 hours away from the most visited site in all of Mexico and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza!

You could book a tour but we found it was super enjoyable to just do a daytrip ourselves. Here is everything you need to know to plan a successful day trip to Chichen Itza from Tulum (or anywhere in the Maya Riviera!)

Tips for visiting

Rent a car the day and make a day trip down

Pass on the tour bus and rent a car! We did the road trip in late November leading into busy season but with the pandemic, a lot of the cars had been sold off. So we arrived as soon as the rental car lots opened and had to walk to 5 different ones before we found a car. Finally we got one at Hertz for $65 with full insurance.

Other travelers have found better deals for rental cars in other Mexican cities but Tulum has slightly higher prices. And because we got the last car available, if we didn’t book it straight away, there was a line of people behind us who wanted the car.

You may be able to shop around for a better deal, just know with Covid in Tulum that renting a car is slightly more difficult right now. Even people who made reservations in advance and showed up to collect their car were turned away. My best advice: wake up early and be the first ones at the car rental place to pick up a car!

2 hours from Tulum:
A super easy drive following the road signs

Many roads in Tulum are full of potholes and very difficult to drive on. After driving around Tulum the week prior, we were nervous about taking the rental car 2 hours away if the road conditions were similar. Fortunately the drive to Chichen Itza is very easy! Even when our google maps stopped working, we were able to easily follow the signs on the highway to reach Chichen Itza.

It’s a wonderfully easy drive and you’ll pass through a number of cute small towns full of beautiful shops selling hammocks, dream catchers and crocheted gifts.

Entrance fee is now $25 USD/ 497 peso

When I visited Chichen Itza with my family for the first time back in 2010, it wasn’t $25 to enter. In fact, Mexican officials doubled the price in 2019.

Other ruins in Mexico are just 80 pesos to visit. We were shocked by the steep jump in price- over 400 pesos more for this set of ruins! Yes it’s worth it but there are a lot a blogs that don’t have the updated/accurate prices listed.

So just be prepared to budget your day accordingly!

Masks required to enter

You will need a mask to enter the site so don’t forget it at your hotel. Once you are inside, you can also buy lovely embroidered masks from most of the vendors. I paid $3 USD for my mask from Chichen Itza and it’s stunning!

It’s the most visited spot in all of Mexico so go early to avoid crowds & the heat

It’s no secret that this New Wonder of the World gets a lot of attention. And while I find other ruin sites like Coba equally as interesting/incredible, Chichen Itza is the most visited spot in the entire country!

Arrive as soon as it opens to avoid the crowds.

And the longer you wait, the hotter it will be. There isn’t a lot of shade at the ruins, so expect to be out in the hot sun.

You can hire English speaking guides at the entrances to explain the ruins

No need to book a tour ahead of time, there will be guides waiting at the entrance who will offer to give tours in a variety of languages.

Wear bug spray & sunscreen

You’re in the jungle, so expect a lot of bugs. My ankles and knees were covered in mosquito bites whenever I forgot to put bug spray on in this region of Mexico.

As I mentioned earlier, there isn’t a lot of shade at the ruins. To avoid leaving with a sweltering sun burn, be sure to apply some sunscreen before you go!

Visit cenotes nearby: Ik Kil & Oxman

Many people visit Ik Kil after Chichen Itza to cool of and go for a swim! With the pandemic, some cenotes have been closed (or flooded with hurricane season!) but we knew from a fellow traveler that Oxman cenote was open and still in perfect condition!

This cenote is different from others I had swam in and is incredibly deep. It’s more like a natural well with tree roots hanging down from high above. It’s 150 peso to enter and I highly recommend it!

Drive through the colorful town of Valladolid

As you head back to Tulum or wherever you’re staying, it’s a nice little visit to drive through Valladolid. It’s only a few minutes from Cenote Oxman and it’s nice to see what Mexican cities look like outside the tourists hubs of Cancun, Playa or Tulum.

This also makes for a great place to have lunch after your morning at Chichen Itza.

Be off the roads by night for safety

Unfortunately, driving at night (especially as a tourist) isn’t recommended. Non-local license plates and rental cars are more likely to be the target of organized crime.

This blog post does a great job explaining why driving around Mexico at night is unsafe.

Read: TOP SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO MEXICO

Have any questions about visiting Chichen Itza? Feel free to reach out!

More on Mexico

• SWIMMING WITH WILD WHALE SHARKS: 10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
• AVENTURAS MAYAS: AVOID THE CROWDS WITH THIS ADVENTUROUS TOUR COMPANY IN RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO!
• 25 PHOTOS TO INSPIRE YOU TO VISIT CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO
• ATV EXCURSIONS IN CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO

Follow along on the adventure…

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Aventuras Mayas

Cenotes, ziplines, ATV tracks and snorkeling are popular tours in Mexico. But often you’ll have to navigate huge tour buses, shuffling crowds wielding selfie sticks and over commercialized shops. However, Aventuras Mayas is a tour company that provides great tours without the crowds.

They privately own an epic zipline course, an ATV track and a jaw-dropping cenote. Because they can only be accessed by booking a tour with Aventuras Mayas, you can expect small group sizes and a much more personal, intimate feeling tour.

Get ready for a full half day of non-stop activity! My guide picked me up at 7:30am in Playa del Carmen and we were busy having fun until around 1:00pm. I chose to stay in the area and head to Tulum instead of riding back to Play del Carmen with my guide. Here’s a recap of our amazing day!

Zipline into a Cenote

We began our adventure at a scenic and (totally private!!) cenote. Even thought it was raining, it was a beautiful way to start the day. You can leap off from the platform and into the cenote below or grab hold of the zipline and zip in!

While you’re there, your guide will provide you with snorkeling gear. Keep your eyes peeled for the freshwater crawfish that are a deep vibrant blue!!

It was just myself, my guide and the photographer the entire time we were there. Talk about avoiding the crowds!

And have you ever had one of those pedicures where the fish eat the dead skin off your feet? It’s a popular beauty treatment. Well here, these fish live naturally! So if you sit still for more than a moment, your pedicure from Mother Nature will begin, ha!

Book your tour here.

Snorkel in Cenote Estrella

This second cenote was an absolute highlight of my time with Aventuras Mayas! After we finished at the first, it was about a 30 minute drive to our next stop. Alejandro provided me with cold water and a towel to dry off.

When we arrived, I was able to put anything I needed in a locker and we set off! The first moment I saw Cenote Estrella, I was totally taken back. Pure beauty! We took a few photos then put on our snorkel gear and waded into the crystal clear water.

And again, it was only Alejandro and I in the massive underground, closed cenote. (Again, when do you ever have a cenote to yourself in Mexico?!) The stalagmites and stalactites were mind blowing!

At some points, we had a lay flat and wade through openings to avoid hitting our heads or feet on the unique rock formations.

As we went along, Alejandro point out sink holes above and beautiful, deep openings below in the crystal, clear water.

I’ve swam in cenotes before but I’ve never experienced anything like the beautiful and unique Cenote Estrella.

ATV Excursion

The adventure continues! Once you arrive at the Aventuras Mayas property, they have Cenote Estrella, the ATV course and the ziplining course all onsite.

If you’ve never driven an ATV before, don’t worry. This course is simple enough to navigate and relatively flat. It’s a great introduction for first time drivers.

And keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. Alejandro and I saw a number of large, vibrant blue butterflies along the track!

Lunch Included

After all the adventuring, you’re going to be hungry. VERY HUNGRY! Fortunately, lunch is included onsite so we had a tasty meal of nachos, tortillas, pasta, mashed potatoes, beans and salad!

And after all the swimming and running around, I was quick to help myself to a plate of seconds.

Zipline over the jungle

We ended our time with Aventuras Mayas by soaring over the treetops on the adventurous zipline track.

I’ve ziplined before but this course was especially fun with it’s added options. You can try flying in a hammock or superman pose! Just be ready to run up a lot of stairs.

Bring home your photos

As you go from each activity to the next, there will be a professional photographer to take pictures of you at each stop!

It’s a great way to capture some truly memorable moments in Mexico. And if you’re a blogger, this is extremely helpful, ha!

Your photos will be available for purchase at the end of your tour.

Covid precautions

I was impressed with Aventuras Mayas covid protocols.

Masks were properly worn by staff at all times (unlike some tour operators in Mexico) and gear was sanitized between each use in eco-friendly sanitation chambers.

And because the tours are so small and private, there was no issue with crowds or large groups.

Outstanding staff

What truly made my tour with Aventuras Mayas memorable was the friendly, welcoming staff. Everyone went above and beyond to make sure the day was smooth, fun and adventurous.

Major shoutout to Alejandro who was a 5 star guide!

Thank you Aventuras Mayas for hosting me during my tour. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read: TOP SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO MEXICO

Follow along on the adventure…

More on Mexico? Read: SWIMMING WITH WILD WHALE SHARKS: 10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

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Top Safety Tips For Traveling To Mexico

Safety Tips For Traveling To Mexico

I never want to share safety information to discourage travel. Mexico is a beautiful country and I have had almost entirely positive experiences there. In the past few years, I’ve spent 3 months living and working in Mexico with tour groups, friends or expat bloggers.

So while I’ve been fortunate and haven’t had any major safety issues (aside from stolen credit cards) I have learned a lot of safety tips by helping run tours or through local expats.

Here’s the best advice that has helped keep me safe as a solo female traveler in Mexico.

Don’t walk alone at night

Pretty basic for any city life. Walk home in pairs. If you’re going to the bars, meet up with your friends while it’s still light out and go together. And always check in with people that they got home alright.

Join expat groups to find reliable taxis and friends

Find expat groups on Facebook by searching “Expats of ___” whatever city in Mexico you plan to live in or travel. These folks will be able to give you very updated safety advice for a specific location, even recommend reliable taxis you can call when you need a ride.

Taxis may rip you off

The most common crime that we dealt with in my time in Mexico was spring breakers being drunk, taking a taxi home and getting ripped off. Taxi drivers have been known to lock the doors until you give over more money or may even pull over and refuse to drive you to your destination until you give them your cash.

Drink in moderation. Otherwise day drink!

There is no denying that a lot of crimes in Mexico target drunk tourists. If you are heading to Mexico with plan to party, why no go during the day?

It’s safer to drink at a beach club during the day and get back to your location during the daylight.

Stay close to the area you want to visit or explore to cut down on taxi rides.

I don’t want to make you terrified of taxis. You may go to Mexico and have no issues with any taxi drivers. However they have been known to insist on more money before dropping you off, stealing your cash if you’re drunk, etc. As a general rule, I avoid taxis when possible.

My third time in Mexico, I didn’t take a taxi once. We were close enough to walk or bike to everything. Staying in a central location might be worth the additional cost to skip on taxis.

Carry some type of personal protection

If you’re staying at resort, this is probably unnecessary. But if you’re planning to live in a city for sometime, get something small to have on you.

While I was staying at an apartment in downtown Playa del Carmen, there was an uptick in crime. The expat ladies all carried some sort of personal protection whether that was a whistle, pepper spray or one of these kinds of rings.

Don’t use the ATMs on the street

Only go to an ATM in a bank in Mexico. ATM thefts are common and the ATMs on the street are easily tampered with!

Carry your purse on the shoulder AWAY from the road

While I was in Playa del Carmen, there were a number of thefts where a person on a scooter yanked the bag off the shoulder of a pedestrian and drove off. Carry your purse on the opposite side to easily avoid this!

Don’t buy drugs (obviously)

Going alone with a drug dealer into an alley is an easy way to get ripped off, scammed or seriously hurt.

Share your live location

If you are walking alone at night, tell someone when you’ve left and when you will arrive. Turn on and share your live location with them as well. Look after one another.

Don’t use the bathroom outside drunk in Cancun- it could result in a night in jail

I know I shouldn’t have to say “don’t pee on the streets” but you’d be surprised how often this happens.

When I was working the spring break season in Cancun, it was a common problem that guys would be drunk leaving a club and decide to pee somewhere outside discreetly. But if the cops saw it happening, they would take advantage of the situation and bring the drunk tourist to jail for the night knowing they could get money of them either to avoid being brought in. And ift they didn’t have money, the police knew their friends would when they arrived to bail them out.

In my first season in Mexico, this happened to three different guys staying at our resort. So just be smart and abide by the laws.

Don’t carry your passport, ID, cash and card all in the same place

Whenever you travel to ANY country, don’t carry everything in one spot. If you keep everything in your purse and lose it, you’re in for a whole headache of inconvenience.

Whereas if you only lose one card and the rest are safely stored back at your hotel- it’s not difficult to cancel that single card. Call your bank immediately.

If you’re unsure whether it’s stolen or simply somewhere in your luggage, many banks have a “freeze” option so if you find your card, you can just unfreeze it.

Leave your passport and ID at home when you can

Whenever possible, just leave your passport back at wherever you are staying. I’ve never once been asked for an ID at a bar or club in Mexico. Check before if you’ll need one for anything you have planned that day/night. But if you don’t, leave it locked up. Many passports get lost during a night on the town in Mexico!

Read: 25 PHOTOS TO INSPIRE YOU TO VISIT CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO

Have a backup card and cash

Have some cash tucked away somewhere or have access to your cards online. You might still be able to use ApplePay in places like Tulum if your cards go missing.

When my cards were stolen in Mexico, I had to have my parents send me money via Western Union. There are way to get cash if you lose your cards but it’s highly inconvenient.

Get insurance for any adventure activities

Activities like ATVing are very popular in Mexico and often the insurance is only an additional $10-$15.

It’s worth it! Just get the insurance upfront.

Read: ATV EXCURSIONS IN CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO

Be wary of what you eat and drink

You can’t drink tap water in Mexico. And honestly, it’s best to just always travel with Imodium or an anti-diarrhea.

At some point, you might get sick from ice in your drink or fruit washed in tap water etc. It’s part of traveling to other countries.

Stay off the roads at night

Unfortunately, driving at night (especially as a tourist) isn’t recommended. Non-local license plates and rental cars are more likely to be the target of organized crime.

This blog post does a great job explaining why driving around Mexico at night is unsafe. Plan day trips. And if you need to get around at night, use a local taxi driver. You can find reliable, trustworthy taxi drivers from expat groups on Facebook.

Get a suitcase with a lock on it

I absolutely adore my new suitcase from Victorinox. And honestly, I don’t know why it took me so long to get a suitcase with a lock built into the design.

Especially if you plan to couchsurf or stay in hostels in ANY country, it’s great to have!

Read: COUCHSURFING: IS IT SAFE?

Make copies of important travel documents

Again, this safety tip applies to any country. Having a paper copy of your passport will make things easier should you lose yours and need a replacement.

Having a physical paper with your hotel address or flight info can be a life saver in the event your phone dies.

I was once lost in Egypt with no recollection of my hotel address and a dead phone. I couldn’t find anywhere to charge my phone, it was a disaster and incredibly stressful. If you have your hotel name and address written down, you can always just show it to a taxi driver even if you don’t speak the language!

Travel with a portable charger

There is no denying that a fully charged phone can be a huge asset to your safety.

You’ll need to access maps if you get lost and you’ll want to be able to call for help in the event of an emergency.

Always travel with a portable charger and better yet, get one that is solar powered! That way if you have a long day outside, with no access to a plugin, you could charge your phone and battery pack if they are both dead via the sun.

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And with any trip, don’t post your location on social media until after you’ve left

Especially to my fellow bloggers, sharing “wow I’m traveling solo in this beautiful Airbnb…” and then showing everyone online where they can find you is never a smart idea.

I post my stories a day late because it’s actually happened to me abroad…people have shown up trying to find me. And while their intentions were good, other people might not have the best intentions.

Join me in Mexico in 2022 for Día de Muertos!

Don’t feel intimidated, Mexico is amazing!

I love Mexico. And I wouldn’t spend one month every year there if I didn’t. Hopefully, this blog post doesn’t scare you away from visiting but instead allows you to be a more informed traveler. Have fun and stay safe!

Do you have any safety tips I missed? Let me know in the comments!

Read: SWIMMING WITH WILD WHALE SHARKS: 10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

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ATV Excursions in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

If you’re planning a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico- you most likely image yourself sipping margaritas on the beach at an all inclusive resort. But after relaxing and sunbathing for a few days, you might be looking for a bit of adventure! That’s where G Force Adventures comes in with a full line up of epic ATV excursions.

We opted to do the Sunset Desert and Beach Tour because this tour includes everything.

Not only do you get to drive the ATV’s on the beach, up a mountain and along the water as the sun was setting but it’s a full 2 hours through the desert landscape.

We flew past farms, cliffsides and donkeys as we wove and sped along the winding paths.

SUNSET ATV Desert and Beach Tour in Cabo San Lucas

Enjoy our new exclusive route that explores Los Cabos’ beaches, desert landscapes, sand dunes, mountains, and gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean. During the season, it’s possible to enjoy whale watching from the various rest stops we take.

• Duration: 120 Minutes (approx.)

ATV Tours include:

• Round trip transportation (Shared).
• Bottled water on the transportation and during the tour.
• Bilingual guide: English and Spanish.
• Safety equipment: Helmet, Goggles and Bandana.
• Beach and Desert Tour
• Box Lunch (only for the Baja Discovery Tour)

“Imagine the excitement of pressing your thumb to the throttle and then racing through beautiful areas of Los Cabos with some of the most skilled guides. Be a part of the most talked Cabo Activities TODAY!” – G Force Adventures

Single or Double Riders

If you’re nervous about driving one alone, you can opt to share a vehicle and alternate driving. My partner and I switched on and off but mostly I let her drive.

I found that my favorite part of the excursion was actually sitting on the back, feeling the wind as we raced past and taking in the scenery.

Even as a passenger, it was exhilarating! And while no experience is required to drive one yourself, I found some of the winding roads up the mountain difficult to drive on while others found the track to be a breeze.

It will depend on your driving capabilities and what you’re comfortable with but the guides were incredibly patient and helpful.

The group would sometimes split in two as the faster, more experienced drivers wanted to race ahead. Meanwhile another guide would bring up the rear with the slower drivers.

Stops Along The Way

Don’t worry, you won’t be driving two hours straight with no breaks. When we reached the top of the mountain, the group paused to take photos of the sunset with the larger than life ATV’s they have set up.

We stopped again when we reached the beach to chat, grab photos and take in the beautiful ocean views.

An unforgettable adventure

Driving ATV’s at sunset was easily one of my favorite things we did while in Cabo San Lucas. The company provides all the gear and round trip transportation making it a smooth and effortless excursion from Cabo.

If sunset doesn’t work in your schedule, they offer a variety of other ATV tour times- some that include lunch or drinks after!

Other favorite Cabo activities include swimming with wild whale sharks, feeding sea lions down at the marina and taking a water taxi over to Lover’s Island.

Book an ATV excursion in Cabo San Lucas here!

If you book an ATV excursion with G Force Adventures, tag me in your Instagram stories or post so I can reshare it on my page!

More on Cabo San Lucas, Mexico:

• SWIMMING WITH WILD WHALE SHARKS: 10 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
• 25 PHOTOS TO INSPIRE YOU TO VISIT CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO
• HOW TO FIND A PAID TRAVEL JOB IN PARADISE: SPRING BREAK STAFF

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