Mexico vacation input needed

[sphelps]

I was at the Grand Riviera Princess last year, best place I've been in Mexico, highly recommend it, only thing is you'll have to travel a little for good snorkeling and scuba if that's a concern. However not many resorts in the Mayan have good snorkeling right off the beach.

[24storm]

Thanks for the input people keep the ideas coming. Has anyone went fishing down there? Good idea or waste of money?

Is snorkeling any better in Cancun or would it be about the same?

I have some more research do now on the resorts listed.

[axe_man16]

check out this web site, lots of great information. Just type in the resort you would like to learn about.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...Peninsula.html

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by 24storm

Thanks for the input people keep the ideas coming. Has anyone went fishing down there? Good idea or waste of money?

Is snorkeling any better in Cancun or would it be about the same?

I have some more research do now on the resorts listed.

Cancun would be worse.

I wouldn't bother with the deep sea fishing, I've been before as well as many friends. Typically you're lucky to hook a couple barracudas (sometimes you get nothing) and 80% of the people on the boat get sea sick which can last a couple hours or a couple days after depending on your sensitivity level.

You can book nice snorkeling trips to Akumal which is good and not too expensive. Go on a cenote tour, that's something not typical in other areas of the world and it's amazing, cold but worth it.

[24storm]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Cancun would be worse.

I wouldn't bother with the deep sea fishing, I've been before as well as many friends. Typically you're lucky to hook a couple barracudas (sometimes you get nothing) and 80% of the people on the boat get sea sick which can last a couple hours or a couple days after depending on your sensitivity level.

Thanks thats the advice i was looking for.

[sphelps]

If you're not set on Mexico I would suggest looking into the Dreams resort in La Romana in the Dominican Republic. Best place by far in the Caribbean, in my experience. Lots of restaurants and you don't need reservations and most don't have dress codes (trust me this is key when you're down there). Good snorkeling right of the beach, super calm water, and one of the best dive shops right on the beach as well. I even got married there and I still like it, that should tell you something

[intarsiabox]

Originally Posted by sphelps

If you're not set on Mexico I would suggest looking into the Dreams resort in La Romana in the Dominican Republic. Best place by far in the Caribbean, in my experience. Lots of restaurants and you don't need reservations and most don't have dress codes (trust me this is key when you're down there). Good snorkeling right of the beach, super calm water, and one of the best dive shops right on the beach as well. I even got married there and I still like it, that should tell you something

Sounded great to me until I went to the web site and found the price of the rooms start at around $500 per night for the Feb. dates I plugged in. Know of any other nice but more reasonable resorts in the Dominican? Not sure yet if this is where I'll go as I really liked Hawaii and would love to go again and visit the Big Island this time.

[hillegom]

I have stayed at the gran bahia coba, one of three resorts in the conglomerate. Cheaper there but you are not at the beach. Takes 5 min by little tram which comes by about every 5-10 min.
The snorkeling is not too bad, nothing like cuba. But the town of Akumal is about 10 min away by collectivo like someone else has said. Cheap! I am thinking 5$ US but not sure. We saw quite a few turtles there. And if you swim to the breakwater you see a little bit more. Watch out for boats! I saw a resting shark there. Not sure what kind. It was sleeping so we did not bother it (afraid to)

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by intarsiabox

Sounded great to me until I went to the web site and found the price of the rooms start at around $500 per night for the Feb. dates I plugged in. Know of any other nice but more reasonable resorts in the Dominican? Not sure yet if this is where I'll go as I really liked Hawaii and would love to go again and visit the Big Island this time.

Not sure why it's listed so expensive, I went in May and it was $1500 for a week including flights and everything. Just checked on escapes.ca and it's $1769 for 7 days through westjet leaving Feb 4th.
Anything is La Romana will be nice, I'd avoid Punta Cana just cause it's really windy and the ocean is pretty rough. La Romana is in a calm cove so it's much better.

[Ross]

We were at Dreams Puerto Aventuras back in Feb. this was our first time to Mexico, and we loved this resort. Small, but high caliber, you don't have to walk for 15 minutes to get to the beach, its right on it.

There is a marina 5 minutes walk away, there are markets, and a dolphin show/swim, loads of small fishing charter boats, Golf course, etc.

It is pretty centeral along the east coast between Tulum and Playa Del Carman.

Xcaret is a short bus drive away. As are the Tulum ruins.

Great food, great room service, wife sayes spa was really good.
great drinks etc etc

There is a decent amount of snorkeling on the beach out infront of the resort It is sheltered by a breakwater, so loads of fish come in out of the waves
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rossmct...7623423282094/
Not much for corals, but tangs, puffers, rays, baracuda, etc.

Google Earth:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=2...05364&t=h&z=18

Hotel website:
http://www.dreamsresorts.com/drepa/photo-gallery.html

No, I'm not affiliated with them, but I'd go back there in a heart beat.