Mexico

One look at Cancún's aquamarine Caribbean waters and it makes perfect sense why planners back in the 1970s were so eager to develop the area as Mexico's next big resort destination. With about 19km of powdery white-sand beaches in the Zona Hotelera and a quieter 15km stretch of coast north of downtown, Cancún is a beach bum's haven. You'll find some of the most swimmable waters on the Zona Hotelera's north side, between Km 4 and Km 9, while north of Cancún Centro, Isla Blanca beckons with its long stretch of relatively undeveloped coastline.

When most people think of Cancún, wild party town comes to mind. But rest assured that you can also soak up some Maya culture in between the fiestas. The Museo Maya de Cancún, a world-class museum with some 400 Maya artifacts on display, is a must-see and it's adjoining San Miguelito archaeological site is well worth checking out as well. For a day of ruins-hopping, head about 2km south to El Rey, known for its small temple and several ceremonial platforms. Cancún's Maya sites may not have the wow factor of say, a Chichén Itzá, but they provide intriguing historical context when paired with the museum visit.

From Yucatecan comfort food and atmospheric downtown taco joints to Michellin-starred haute cuisine in the Zona Hotelera, Cancún's diverse culinary scene keeps your tummy thoroughly content. Classic Yucatecan menu items such as cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork with achiote and orange juice) and panuchos (bean-filled fried tortilla snacks) rank among Mexico's most iconic dishes, while thatch-roofed restaurants serving high-quality fresh fish and seafood add yet another facet to the varied dining experience. A growing number of establishments specializing in contemporary Mexican cuisine draw on Caribbean and indigenous Maya recipes to create innovative regional dishes.

Outdoorsy types and children will truly appreciate the activities on offer in Cancún. Great diving and snorkeling sites are nearby, including a famous underwater sculpture museum, and in addition to ocean dives, you can hook up tours to explore nearby cenotes (limestone sinkholes) and their fascinating underwater cave systems. Nature enthusiasts will enjoy a day trip from Cancún to Isla Contoy, an uninhabited island that provides great hiking, bird-watching and snorkeling opportunities. And, of course, there's the beach, where water activities range from swimming and kayaking to kiteboarding.

Starting from Cancún Centro in the northwest, all of Isla Cancún’s beaches are on the left-hand side of the road. (The lagoon is on your right; don't swim in the lagoon because of crocodiles!) The first beaches are Playas Las Perlas, Juventud, Linda, Langosta, Tortugas and Caracol. With the exception of Playa Caracol, these are Cancún's most swimmable beaches. When you round Punta Cancún the water gets rougher (though it's still swimmable) and the beaches become more scenic as white sands meet the turquoise-blue Caribbean, from Playa Gaviota Azul all the way down south to Punta Nizuc at Km 24. Playa Delfines, at Km 18, is about the only beach with a public parking lot big enough to be useful; unfortunately, its sand is coarser and darker than the exquisite, fine sand of the more northerly beaches.

Most of Cancun's activities involve water-related fun in the great outdoors. Among the many things to do are snorkeling at a unique underwater sculpture museum; swimming with enormous whales sharks off the coast of Isla Contoy; ocean and cenote diving; birdwatching and hiking on an uninhabited island; and boat tours through mangroves.

The city has a variety of accommodations ranging from budget to mind- and budget-blowing. Almost all hotels offer discounts during ‘low’ season, but many have up to five different rate periods: Christmas and New Year are always at a premium, with high rates sometimes running from December through US spring break in March, and again in July and August (when locals have their summer vacation period). Many places have great online promotions.

Where you go to eat often is based on where you are staying: the hotel zone or the city center. Each place has a range of options, though meals are (not surprisingly) pricier in the hotel zone.

Many clubs and restaurants are open for drinks for much of the day. Cancún doesn't offer much in the way of a gay and lesbian scene but downtown has a few nightspots.

Cancún Centro's clubs and bars are generally mellower than those in the rowdy Zona Hotelera. Stroll along Avenida Yaxchilán or Avenida Náder and you are sure to run into something (or somebody) you like.

The club scene in the Zona Hotelera is young, loud and booze-oriented – the kind that often has an MC urging women to display body parts to hooting and hollering crowds. The big dance clubs charge around US$55 to US$75 admission, which includes open-bar privileges (ie drink all you want). Most don’t get hopping much before midnight.

Cancún Centro has an abundant offering of bars and clubs staging live music, while in the Zona Hotelera it's more along the lines of movie theaters and pirate ships.

Shopaholics will enjoy downtown's colorful markets and the Zona Hotelera's modern open-air malls. Locals head to either Mercado 28 or Mercado 23 for clothes, shoes, inexpensive food stalls and so on. Of the two, Mercado 23 is the less frequented by tourists. If you’re looking for a place without corny T-shirts, this is the place to go.

Shopaholics will enjoy downtown's colorful markets and the Zona Hotelera's modern open-air malls. Locals head to either Mercado 28 or Mercado 23 for clothes, shoes, inexpensive food stalls and so on. Of the two, Mercado 23 is the less frequented by tourists. If you’re looking for a place without corny T-shirts, this is the place to go.

Same-sex marriage is legal in Quintana Roo and Cancún is considered to be one of the state's most progressive cities. Gay Cities website (http://cancun.gaycities.com) lists bars and gay-friendly hotels in Cancún and www.gaymexicomap.com has some good recommendations as well. Most locals have open-minded views about sexuality and gays and lesbians rarely attract open discrimination and violence.

, now one of Quintana Roo's largest cities, ranks right up there with Tulum as one of the Riviera's trendiest spots. Sitting coolly on the lee side of Cozumel, the town’s beaches are jammed with super-fit Europeans. The waters aren’t as clear as those of Cancún or Cozumel, and the sand isn’t quite as powder-perfect as they are further north, but still Playa grows and grows.

Avid beachgoers won't be disappointed here. Playa’s lovely white-sand beaches are much more accessible than Cancún's: just head down to the ocean, stretch out and enjoy. Numerous restaurants front the beach in the tourist zone and many hotels in the area offer an array of water-sport activities.

Aluxes (a-loosh-es) are Yucatecan forest sprites, and many of the Maya still believe they can bring good or bad luck, even death, to those around them. Therefore, when forests are cleared, whether to make a field or build a house, offerings of food, alcohol and even cigarettes are made to placate them. Judging from the pace of development, though, the little sprites must be pretty hopping mad.

Playa del Carmen makes a good base to explore the Riviera Maya's many cenotes, most of which are set in gorgeous jungles. Water activities at cenotes include swimming, snorkeling and diving in caves or caverns. Cave diving, which can be very dangerous, is for certified divers only and must be arranged through a dive shop.

Ocean and cenote dives get top billing in Playa. Diving & Snorkeling In addition to great ocean diving, many outfits offer cenote dives. Prices are similar at most shops: two-tank dives (US$100), cenote dives (US$160), snorkeling (US$30), whale-shark tour (US$190) and open-water certification (US$450).

A bike outing is a great way to discover outlying neighborhoods or visit a nearby cenote.

Playa used to be a fishing village, and you can still go out on small skiffs in search of kingfish, tarpon, barracuda and maybe even a sailfish. April to July is the best time.

Affordable budget and mid range hotels can be found within several blocks of the beach, and a number offer dorm-style lodging. High season runs from January to April, while 'super-high season' is around Christmas (when prices spike by as much as M$1000). Many rates are set in US dollars, and hotels should state the current exchange rate (tipo de cambio).

For cheap eats, head away from the tourist center, or hit the markets for some homestyle regional cooking.

You’ll find everything from mellow, tranced-out lounge bars to thumping beachfront discos here. The party generally starts on Quinta Avenida then heads down toward the beach on Calle 12.

Avid shoppers will find plenty of options here, from large open-air malls to handicraft stalls along Quinta Avenida. Maya artisans sell crafts every third Saturday of the month at Parque la Ceiba.

Between all the boating outings, water-related theme parks, swimmable cenotes and snorkeling on shallow beaches kids stay thoroughly entertained in Quintana Roo. What's more, you'll rarely have problems finding accommodations and dining options for the whole family, especially when staying in the larger tourist centers.

Same-sex marriage is legal in Quintana Roo and most residents hold open-minded views about sexuality, even more so in big cities like Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, where you'll find the highest concentration of gay bars and LGBT-friendly accommodations.

Diving or swimming in a cenote is a Tulum highlight.

You'll find many shops offering their services for reef dives, as well as cavern and cave dives (a big draw in Tulum's surrounding areas). Keep in mind that cave diving can be extremely dangerous and should only be attempted with proper certification. Even with certification, always dive with professionals who are familiar with the cave systems.

The biggest decision, aside from budget, is whether to stay in the town center or out along the beach. Both have their advantages: most of the daytime action happens at the beach or ruins, while at night people tend to hang at restaurants and bars in town.

Unless you're up for a long walk, if you stay in the town center you'll have to take a taxi, bike or colectivo to the beach. If you crave sand and surf, consider staying along the Zona Hotelera. Many hotels and hostels have a morning beach drop-off shuttle, but getting back you'll probably have to grab a cab or colectivo.

Gone are the days when you could bring a hammock and string it up in a hut for less than M$80. You can still find rustic, but it comes with a non-rustic price tag. Quality and price are so varied here that it’s best to look before you decide.

Tulum has everything from cheap tourist food to high-end cuisine. Be aware that many of the restaurants in the Zona Hotelera cannot accept credit cards because they're off the grid. Most hotel restaurants welcome non guests.

Tulum is a happening spot with a nightlife and bar scene that lasts to the early morning hours. Much of the action unfolds on Calle Centauro, but you can find several bars on Avenida Tulum and in the Zona Hotelera too.

Avenida Tulum is lined with shops offering many items, including hammocks, blankets and handicrafts.

Tulum lies 131km south of Cancún and is spread out over quite a large area. Approaching from the north on Hwy 307, the first thing you reach is Crucero Ruinas, where the old access road heads in a straight line about 800m to the ruins’ ticket booth. About 400m further south on Hwy 307 (past the gas station) is the new entrance for vehicles going to the ruins; it leads to a parking lot. Another 1.5km south on the highway brings you to the Cobá junction; turning right (west) takes you to Cobá, and turning east leads about 3km to the north–south road (or T-junction) servicing the Zona Hotelera, the string of waterfront lodgings extending for more than 10km south from the ruins. This road eventually enters the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, continuing some 50km past Boca Paila to Punta Allen.

To visit the region's most beautiful spot that's not on the coast, head south for some quiet time at Laguna Bacalar. Known as the 'lagoon of seven colors,' the peninsula's largest lagoon is truly a color palette of blues and greens unlike anything you've ever seen. With a lovely cenote nearby, some great kayaking and birdwatching opportunities and an 18th-century fortresses that houses a history museum, you'll have just enough things to do here to keep you busy for several days.

Riviera Theme Parks Always a big hit with children, there are several theme parks between Cancún and Tulum, many of which have fantastic scenery – truly some of the most beautiful lagoons, cenotes and natural areas on the coast. Sure, some will find these places too cheesy, but the kids couldn't care less. Some parks are pricey but their websites often offer pre-sale online discounts.

While it's easy to think the Riviera Maya is entirely top-end type lodging, there are plenty of hostels and lower cost places too, making it entirely doable for those on a tight budget.

You will find the prices here are higher than the more rural regions, but the quality is higher too. For those craving the comfort of Western chains this may be your last chance before entering the 'wilds' south- and westward.

Between all the boating outings, water-related theme parks, swimmable cenotes and snorkeling on shallow beaches kids stay thoroughly entertained in Quintana Roo. What's more, you'll rarely have problems finding accommodations and dining options for the whole family, especially when staying in the larger tourist centers.

Modern Puebla still revolves around the city’s old town, with the large, leafy zócalo and Mexico’s tallest cathedral at its heart. The centro histórico is home to most of the attractions, hotels and restaurants of interest to international travelers. Most are within a few blocks of the main plaza.

Puebla’s hotel scene is competitive, with a huge range at all budgets and high standards in many boutique three- and four-star hotels. The Municipal Tourist Office on the zócalo provides flyers for budget hotels with prices. It’s worth searching online for last-minute rates.

Puebla’s culinary heritage, of which poblanos are rightly proud, can be explored in a range of eateries throughout the city, from humble street-side food stalls to elegant colonial-style restaurants. However, given the city’s renown as a culinary center, it’s surprising how few truly excellent high-end restaurants there are.

Justly famous for its incredible cuisine, Puebla also offers an array of seasonal, local delicacies that adventurous eaters should not miss.

During the day students pack the sidewalk tables along the pedestrian-only block of Avenida 3 Oriente, near the university. At night, mariachis lurk around Callejón de los Sapos – Calle 6 Sur between Avenidas 3 and 7 Oriente – but they’re being crowded out by the bars on nearby Plazuela de los Sapos. These rowdy watering holes are packed on weekend nights, when many of them become live-music venues.

The Zona Esmeralda, 2km west of the zócalo, is a stretch of Avenida Juárez with chichi boutiques, upscale restaurants and trendy nightclubs.

A number of shops along Avenida 6 Oriente, to the east of Avenida 5 de Mayo, sell traditional handmade Puebla sweets such as camotes (candied sweet-potato sticks) and jamoncillos (bars of pumpkin-seed paste).

Puebla has plenty of shops selling the colorful, hand-painted ceramics known as Talavera. There are several good stores on Plazuela de los Sapos and the streets around it. Designs reveal Asian, Spanish-Arabic and Mexican indigenous influences. Bigger pieces are expensive, delicate and difficult to transport.

Oaxaca is a famously attractive city, but its beauty is made infinity more palatable by the lack of city center traffic. The dearth of cars is thanks, in part, to the efforts of local businesses such as Mundo Ceiba, a bike-rental shop responsible for organizing regular communal bike rides designed to cut pollution and push alternative means of transportation. The so-called Paseos Nocturnos en Bicicleta began in 2008 as a once a week jaunt around Oaxaca’s cobbled core, but they quickly became so popular with both locals and tourists that they now run four times a week on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Cyclists meet at 9pm on Calle Alaclá outside the Templo de Santo Domingo. The ride, which is leisurely and highly sociable, runs for 11/2 hours and covers 8km. A customized tricycle pedals at the front playing galvanizing music and looking out for errant drivers. On special days and festivals, riders have been known to don fancy dress. There isn’t a better way to see after-dark Oaxaca while communing with the locals.

Oaxaca is a dreamland of beautiful non-franchise accommodations loaded with authentic local charm. There’s a good stash of cheap but well-kept hostels in interesting old houses, some brilliant B&Bs, an extravagant array of boutique hotels and plenty of evocative historic nooks. ‘Spoiled for choice’ would be a huge understatement.

Surely one of the world’s great food cities, Oaxaca is a gastronomic powerhouse full of fabulous creative restaurants, big-name chefs, cooking schools and curious local dishes (grasshoppers anyone?). You can eat grandly or cheaply any night of the week without complaint. The selection is dizzying.

Mezcal is the (sometimes slurred) word on most people's lips when ordering a drink in Oaxaca. This once poor man's alternative to tequila is now officially trendy, as exemplified by the city's large and growing cache of divey-hip mezcalerías. Craft beer is also making inroads.

The state of Oaxaca has the richest, most inventive folk-art scene in Mexico, and the city is its chief marketplace. You’ll find the highest-quality crafts mostly in smart stores, but prices are lower in the markets. Some artisans have grouped together to market their products directly in their own stores.

West of the city center, where Avenidas Juárez and Federalismo meet, is the green comma of Parque Revolución, a haven for skaters and the focal point of Sunday's Vía Recreativa.

Don't Miss: The Southern Beaches A string of beautiful coves and beaches graces the bay south of central Vallarta, easily accessed by bus. Further around the southern side of the bay are three more isolated beaches – from east to west, Las Ánimas, Quimixto and Yelapa – all accessible by boat but not by road, though you can walk a trail to the first two from Boca de Tomatlán.

You’re spoiled for choice here. Vallarta’s cheapest lodgings lie inland, on both sides of the Río Cuale. Closer to the ocean, in the Zona Romántica, you’ll find several appealing midrange options. Prices listed here are for the December to April high season; low-season rates can be 20% to 50% lower. Negotiate for discounts if you plan on staying multiple nights; monthly rates can cut your rent by half.

There's a thriving culinary scene in Puerto Vallarta, with choices ranging from ubiquitous street eats to gourmet restaurants.

It’s ridiculously easy to become inebriated in a town where two-for-one happy hours are as reliable as the sunset, margarita glasses look like oversized snifters and day drinking is almost an obligation. Admission charges are normally waived early in the week; on Friday and Saturday nights they often include one or two drinks.

Vallarta is a delight for shoppers, with many shops and boutiques selling fashionable clothing, beachwear and crafts from all over Mexico. Tequila and Cuban cigars are also big business.

Mérida makes a great base for day trips to all kinds of interesting destinations in the countryside, from quiet coastal towns and fun swimming holes to Maya ruins and excellent birding locations. Here are some worthwhile trips.

Budget rooms generally have fans; spending the extra money for air-con is well worth it in the hotter months. Many places market themselves as boutique hotels, but in reality are very smart B&Bs with several luxurious rooms. Unimpressive cheapie hotels are within steps of the bus stations, but you'll find better options elsewhere.

This is a food city, with all kinds of cuisines and all kinds of budgets. You can dine on cheap, tasty street eats or on fine china. Don't miss 'Mérida en Domingo,' an all-day food and crafts market on the main plaza every Sunday. It's a great place to try a wide variety of regional dishes, and it's cheap, too!

You need not look far to find a friendly neighborhood bar. These range from traditional cantinas to more cutting-edge wine and cocktail bars.

Yucatecan hammocks are normally woven from strong nylon or cotton string and dyed in various colors. There are also natural, undyed cotton versions. Some sellers will try to pass these off as henequén (agave plant fibers) or jute, telling you it’s much more durable (and valuable) than cotton, and even that it repels mosquitoes. Don’t be taken in; real henequén hammocks are very rough and not something you’d want near your skin. Silk hammocks are no longer made, but a silk-rayon blend has a similar feel.

Ancient Palenque stands at the precise point where the first hills rise out of the Gulf coast plain, and the dense jungle covering these hills forms an evocative backdrop to Palenque’s exquisite Maya architecture. Hundreds of ruined buildings are spread over 15 sq km, but only a fairly compact central area has been excavated. Everything you see here was built without metal tools, pack animals or the wheel.

Prices given here are for the high season, which is mid-July to mid-August, mid-December to early January, and Semana Santa. Rates drop by up to 35% at other times.

The first choice to make is whether you want to stay in or out of Palenque town. While Palenque town hosts traffic and commerce, the surrounding area, especially between the town and the ruins, offers some magical spots where howler monkeys romp in the tree canopy and unseen animals chirp after dark. The compound of El Panchán is a traveler favorite, with low-key budget cabañas nestled in the stream-crossed jungle. Frequent daytime combis between town and the ruins will drop you off and pick you up anywhere along this road.

Palenque is definitely not the gastronomic capital of Mexico. There’s a decent variety of restaurants, though some are laughably overpriced. A number of inexpensive stands and sit-down spots can be found near the AEXA bus terminal and on the eastside of El Parque in front of the church.

Palenque doesn’t have much of a nightlife scene. In the evenings you’ll often spot more travelers waiting for a night bus than out on the town. Along the ruins road you can listen to live music in a few places, and in town there are one or two other options. Bars in the center tend toward the unsavory.

The surrounds of San Miguel are blessed with several mineral springs. Some of these have been transformed into commercial balnearios (swimming pools) in pretty, landscaped gardens and picnic grounds. The waters are up to 100°F (38°C). Most places are crowded with local families on weekends but very peaceful during the week.

Accommodations are often full during festivals and high season, so make reservations well in advance. Thanks to a couple of recent hostel additions, the city now boasts accommodations for all budgets. In the higher budget ranges, San Miguel has some of Mexico's best luxury B&Bs, boutique hotels and guesthouses.

San Miguel has a superb eating scene showcasing a startling variety of quality Mexican and international cuisine, and has repeatedly proven its reputation as one of Mexico's leading culinary capitals. A thriving cafe society prevails and gorgeous bakeries proliferate. For budget bites, several reliable food stands are on the corner of Ancha de San Antonio and tree-shaded Calle Nemesio Diez.

In San Miguel, drinking and entertainment are often synonymous. Many bars (and restaurants) host live music. Most of the action is on Thursday to Saturday nights, but some places have live music nightly. Calle Umarán has plenty of bars.

It's one big cultural party in San Miguel; check out what's on in Atención San Miguel. The Escuela de Bellas Artes and the Biblioteca (in the Sala Quetzal) host a variety of cultural events, many in English; check their noticeboards for schedules.

San Miguel has a mind-boggling number of craft shops, selling folk art and handicrafts from all over the country. Anyone serious about buying should book an appointment at the excellent Galeria Atotonilco. Local crafts include tinware, wrought iron, silver, brass, leather, glassware, pottery and textiles. Many shops are along Canal, San Francisco, Zacateros and Pila Seca. Price and quality varies widely.

Want to take in the best views in town? Well, you’ll have to work for them, because at this altitude the stairs up these hills can be punishing. The Cerro de San Cristóbal and Cerro de Guadalupe lord over the town from the west and east, respectively, and churches crown both lookouts. A church crowns the Cerro de Guadalupe. The Iglesia de Guadalupe becomes a hot spot for religious devotees around the Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe. These areas are not considered safe at night.

San Cristóbal has a wealth of budget accommodations, but also a number of appealing and atmospheric mid range hotels, often set in colonial or 19th-century mansions, along with a smattering of top-end luxury. The high seasons here are during Semana Santa and the following week, and the months of July and August, plus the Día de Muertos and Christmas–New Year holidays. Most prices dip at least 20% outside high season.

The foodie jackpot of Chiapas, San Cristóbal has more tantalizing food options than any other place in the state. If you can verbalize a culinary craving, the chances are some restaurant exists here to fulfill it. Vegetarians are almost embarrassingly spoiled for choice. ¡Provecho!

The aroma of roasted highland-grown coffee beans wafts through the streets of San Cristóbal, and a strong dose is never far away.

Real de Guadalupe and the Andador Turístico have some upscale craft shops, but the busy daily crafts market around the Santo Domingo and La Caridad churches is also a good place to check out. In addition to textiles, another Chiapas specialty is amber, sold in numerous jewelry shops. When buying amber, beware of plastic imitations: the real thing is never cold and never heavy, and when rubbed should produce static electricity and a resiny smell.

For sunbathing and calm waters Playa Médano, on the Bahía de Cabo San Lucas, is ideal. Playa Solmar, on the Pacific, is pretty but has a reputation for dangerous breakers and riptides. Nearly unspoiled Playa del Amor shouldn’t be missed; near Land’s End, it is accessible by boat or you can paddle out on a SUP or kayak. Appropriately, Playa del Divorcio (Divorce Beach) is nearby, across the point on the Pacific side. Playa Santa María, at Km 13 toward San José del Cabo, is one of the best for swimming.

Cabo has plenty of accommodations but prices are some of the most expensive in Baja.

The best diving areas are Roca Pelícano, the sea-lion colony off Land’s End, and the reef off Playa Chileno, at Bahía Chileno east of town. Tio Sports at Playa Médano is one of the largest water-sports outfitters, but there are numerous alternatives.

Cabo’s culinary scene ranges from humble taco stands to gourmet restaurants.

Cabo is a proud party town, and alcoholic revelry is encouraged all day long. You have been warned.

The sights, sounds and colors of Mexico excite kids, and Mexicans love children, who are part and parcel of most aspects of life here. There are many child-friendly attractions and activities for kids of all ages, and with very few exceptions, children are welcomed at all accommodations and at almost any cafe or restaurant.

Cancún, the Riviera Maya and nearby islands are geared to giving vacationers fun. The area is full of great beaches offering every imaginable aquatic activity, hotels designed to make life easy and attractions from jungle zip-lines to swimming in cenotes (sinkholes). Other parts of the peninsula are great if your kids will enjoy exploring Maya ruins.

The Pacific coast offers all conceivable types of fun in, on and under the ocean and lagoons. There's a vast range of places to base yourself, from sophisticated Puerto Vallarta to easygoing Zihuatanejo and countless smaller spots.

The capital keeps kids happy with a world-class aquarium, a hands-on children’s museum, a first-rate zoo, dedicated kids entertainment and activities, and parks and plazas full of space and fun.

On Península Pichilingue, the beaches nearest to La Paz are Playa Palmira (with a hotel and a marina), Playa Coromuel and Playa Caimancito, both with bar-restaurants, toilets and palapas (open-sided huts). Playa Tesoro, the next beach north, has a restaurant. Some 100m north of the ferry terminal is Playa Pichilingue, with camping, restaurants, a bar, toilets and shade. Playa Balandra is a beautiful enclosed cove with shallow azure water, great for paddling toddlers. Playa Tecolote has plenty of spots where those with cars could camp, and launches leave from here for Espíritu Santo.

La Paz is an ocean lover's dream. You can snorkel with whale sharks and sea lions, see migrating humpbacks, pods of several types of dolphin, sea turtles and maybe even get lucky to view a blue whale or orcas. Much of this action is around Espíritu Santo island which requires a boat but you can also rent stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), sea kayaks and bicycles in La Paz to cruise around the city and its waters.

There are several ways to get to Espíritu Santo. For day trips, the cheapest is via the pangas that hang out in front of Burger King on the malecón. These boats take up to 12 people and charge around M$800 per person but don't expect much beyond getting brought to the main sites and possibly given lunch. For a more professional, guided experience in English, go with eco-oriented Baja Expeditions, reliable Mar Y Aventuras or fun Espíritu & Baja. A typical trip takes you to bird nesting grounds, snorkeling with the sea lion colony, a beach stop for lunch and time looking for other critters like dolphins, sea turtles or whale sharks. For single to multi-day sea kayaking trips, sign up with Baja Outdoor Activities.

Accommodations in La Paz run the gamut from budget digs to swanky hotels.

La Paz’ restaurant scene has become increasingly sophisticated – you'll find most of the top culinary choices on Calles Domínguez and Madero, north of Calle 5 de Mayo.

The highest concentration of bars is between Calles 16 de Septiembre and Agustín Arreola, across from the malecón .

Local stores that cater to tourists have plenty of junk but a smattering of good stuff.