What to do in Mexico

SATmexico-dmc-tour-travel-thigns-to-do-mexico-teotihuacan
THINGS TO DO IN MEXICO

Mexico’s diverse architecture, art and culture are a combination of Old World tales from history with a modern flourish.  From rich and diverse landscapes promising adventure, to luxurious resorts to satisfy all modern indulgences- Mexico really does know to provide an impressive show.

ENJOY THE BEACH

Fun at the beach is endless- relax on the sand, dive into adventure, paddleboard, ride a jet ski over the waves or go in style on a yacht.

LIFE UNDERSEA

The Great Mesoamerican Reef is the second largest reef in the world, making the Riviera Maya and Cancun ultimate spots for snorkeling and diving.  There are over 30 dive sites that offer stunning scenery.  Given how close the reef is to the shore at Puerto Morelos, snorkelers can just wade right in and enjoy all of its beauty.

Further inland, the unique subterranean river system of the region creates incredible memories that will last a lifetime at Xplor Park and Rio Secreto Natural Reserve.  Here visitors can experience a complete underworld of cenotes, caves and pools.

The Costa Esmeralda, near Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico, has a total of 11 soft coral reefs that are dotted with brain coral, sponges and also shipwrecks.  You can dive and snorkel beside sea lions and giant squid in the Sea of Cortez, located right on Baja Peninsula. Jacques Cousteau knew it as the world’s aquarium.

On the tip of Baja, Cabo San Lucas Marine Preserve offers canyons and coral walls that are ideal for snorkelers as well as divers.  You can arrange a night dive in order to view manta rays feeding.  More advanced divers have the opportunity to experience thrilling dives with giant rays and sharks off of San Jose Del Cabo along Gordo Banks.

ON THE SHORE

SATmexico-dmc-tour-travel-thigns-to-do-mexico-la-paz-boat

No matter what clients happen to enjoy- banana boating, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, water skiing, jet skiing, or relaxing on a white sandy beach- most beaches offer group activities.  Numerous resorts offer impressive surf: Playa Zicatela (”Mexican Pipeline), Los Cabos’ Zipper Beach Break with its surf breaks up to 40 feet and Puerto Escondido on the Pacific are three of the top locations.

In Cancun, you can jet ski through mangroves.  Horseback Mexico offers many opportunities for groups to explore Oaxaca Valley’s majestic Sierra Juarez vistas, mountain trails, and exotic vegetation.  Rides leave from Rancho Pitaya, located in Tlacolula valley, 30 minutes from the city center.

THE RIVIERA MAYA AND CANCUN

The odds for reeling in dorado, wahoo, marlin, tuna, group, snapper, white and blue marlin and sailfish on the coastline of the Yucatan are the highest during the months of March through June.  If you want a fully equipped fishing boat, from economy to luxury, they are widely available: Akumal, Cozumel, Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres and Cancun.

Los Cabos trophy fish are what made Los Cabos so famous.  It has been dubbed “marlin capital of the world.”  More striped marlin is caught in a year in the Cabo San Lucas vicinity than anyplace else in the world.  Tournaments are held frequently here, including the Los Cabos Billfish Tournament held in October.  That makes planning a trip around a fish tourney very easy.

IXTAPA-ZIHUATANEJO, MANZANILLO, AND MAZATLAN

Mazatlan boasts record-sized sailfish, in addition to striped, blue and black marlin, yellowfin tuna, grouper, wahoo, dorado and sea bass.  The best months for game fishing in Mazatlan are March and December, although it is always good fishing there.  Manzanillo has been dubbed as “sailfish capital of the world.”  To watch them swim is just a 15-minute sail away.  Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo offers excellent fishing for wahoo, roosterfish, yellowfin tuna, dorado, sailfish, and marlin.

GOLFING IN MEXICO

For U.S. players, Mexico is the top international golf destination, with over 150 golf courses- ranging from natural wonders of sun-kissed and dramatic seascape backdrops to man-made challenging course designed by the top golf architects in the world.

ACAPULCO

Fairmont Acapulco Princess (Now Mundo Imperial) is a 480-acre site that features two impressive golf courses.  Ted Robinson designed and also refurbished Fairmont Acapulco Princess Golf Course.  Ochoa golf Academy is part of Turtle Dunes Country Club.  It features a state-of-the-art learning and practice center.

RIVIERA MAYA AND CANCUN

Oceanfront greens, including natural cenotes and Mayan ruins as hazards, offer incredible golf experiences along the Caribbean coast of Mexico.  El Camaleon Golf Club by Greg Norman includes a cenote at the first fairway.  It hosts the PGA Mayakoba Golf Classic.  Mangroves and unusual dunes provide the Riviera Cancun Golf & Resort its unique character.  The signature course was designed by Jack Nicklaus.  P.B. Dye’s Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club provides all-inclusive drinks and food over the course.  Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort, a 27-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus, offers this amenity as well.  The first Mexico design for Nick Price is the Grand Coral Riviera Maya Golf Club located close to Playa del Carmen.  The Cozumel Country Club was designed by the Nicklaus Design Group and is located in Cozumel.

LOS CABOS

Los Cabo features dynamic seaside golf courses, making it one of the top golf destinations in the world.  Jack Nicklaus first Latin America course- the Palmilla Golf Course located at One & Only resort in Palmilla- provides a world-class golfing experience.  Cabo del Sol’s Ocean Course is an absolute must for amateurs and professionals alike.  Puerto Los Cabos Golf Club might be the unique hybrid course in the world.  The front nine was designed by Greg Norman, while Jack Nicklaus designed the back nine.  El Cardonal by Tiger Woods promises to offer strategy play once it opens at the luxurious Diamante Cabo San Lucas.  Golf Magazine has rated Diamante Dunes course at No. 52 in the world.

MAZATLAN AND PUERTO VALLARTA

In Puerto Vallarta, swaying palms, birds, iguanas, and lagoons help bring Joe Finger’s Marina Vallarta Golf Club alive.  Group play is its specialty.  Vista Vallarta Golf Club is a critically acclaimed course that combines challenging play with beautiful views on courses that have been designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jack Nicklaus.  Pros call Estrella del Mar, located on Mazatlan’s oceanfront, the “best-kept secret.”  Included in the 27 championship holes at the Golf & Country Club at El Cid Resorts is the Lee Trevino nine.

PUNTA MITA AND RIVIERA NAYARIT

This region offers over a dozen golf courses to put it on the top of golf’s leaderboard.  Punta Mita Golf Club combines the turquoise Pacific Ocean with Pebble Beach scenery.  It includes two Signature courses from Jack Nicklaus, including one of the most spectacular holes in the world, which is situated on a lava-rock island.  The El Tigre Course was designed by Robert Van Haage.  It is located on the Riviera Nayarit and is considered by many to be the most exciting championship golf course in Mexico.  Percy Clifford built Los Flamingos Country Club in 1978 and receives high praise for its more recent makeover.  Litibu Golf Club by Greg Norman is one of the newer courses.  It opened in 2010 and features three holes on the ocean and eight holes in virgin jungle.

COSTA ALEGRE AND MANZANILLO

Manzanillo’s La Mantarraya Golf Club has the first island hole in the world.  It was created by Roy and Pete Dye.  For seaside beauty, it definitely gets a 10 rating.  Isla Navidad, on the Costalegre, offers plenty of diversity on its three nine-hole golf courses.  Each one has a different terrain: ocean, lagoon, and mountain.  El Tamarindo Golf Club by David Flemming features holes on the beach and oceanfront cliffs.  Players are encouraged on slow days to take a swim in the ocean during their round of golf.

DELICIOUS FOOD

Mexico offers the finest cuisine, no matter what your palate might be hungry for.  From a Cerveza and regional fresh grilled snapper on the beach to 5-star Euro-cuisine to UNESCO-honored traditional foods.

CONTINENTAL CLASSICS

The cuisine capital of Mexico is Mexico City.  Les Moustaches serves French Food at a grand mansion.  Outstanding French and Italian food are offered by Rojo Bistro.  Restaurant Dulce Patria, from cookbook writer Martha Ortiz, offers artistically prepared traditional dishes.  The second foodie enclave of Mexico is the Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta, which hosts the Festival Gourmet International, an event that has taken place for 20 years.  The Piaf in Grand Velas Resort & Spa serves classic French food and Carolina Restaurant at St. Regis Punta Mita serves five-diamond Mediterranean food.  There is a real authentic Austrian bistro called Kaiser Maximilian Restaurant.  The fine dining that can be found along the Caribbean of Mexico is highlighted by a new event called Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine and Food Festival.  Cocina de Autor, in Cancun, offers award-winning fusion food.  Lumiere, located at Le Blanc Spa Resort serves refined French food.  French and Mediterranean food is served at the 5-diamond restaurant Le Basilic, located at Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Resort and Spa.  You can arrange for foodie team building at the Viking Culinary Center in the Cancun Ritz-Carlton.

TRADITIONAL SPECIALTIES

The indigenous cuisine of Mexico offers unique flavors that come from ancestral lands where spices, chilies, and other ingredients thrive.  These regions offer unforgettable cooking lessons.  Tarascan soup, along with many other prehispanic dishes, can be stirred by clients in Michoacan at Colegio Culinario de Morelia.  Or you can learn all the secrets of how to make the perfect mole in Oaxaca at the La Casa de Los Sabores Cooking School.  There is a cooking workshop in Puebla called Mesones Sacristia, where you learn how to make chilies en nogada and poblanos.  The Hacienda Chichen Resort, located right outside of Cancun, offers classes teaching how to make Mayan dishes.  Or you can just make a reservation at a restaurant.  Yucatan food is the specialty of Laban restaurant in Cancun.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Mexico offers outdoor adventures for everyone, including ATVing, mountain climbing, and river rafting.

ON LAND

Horseback riding and ATVing in the jungle, desert or on the beach are all client-pleasures for any destination.  It’s easy to make arrangements if you clients want to have more excitement.  There is world class white river rafting along Veracruz’ Rio Antigua and Rio Actopan rivers.  Rock climbers visit from all over the world come in order to climb the cliffs of El Potrero Chico located outside of Monterrey.  You can also do some mountain climbing on Pico de Orizaba in Veracruz.  It is an 18,490-foot mountain, which is the third highest peak in North America.

IN THE AIR

You can enjoy a hang gliding or air balloon ride over the Teotihuacan pyramids or Valle de Bravo located near Mexico City.  Zip-lining and parasailing at the beach are enjoyed throughout the entire country of Mexico.  In Los Cabos, you can zip-line over desert ravines and enjoy the final zip-splash into a cenote at Hidden Worlds in the Riviera Maya.  Helicopter tours and sky diving are sure to impress clients in Riviera Maya and Cancun.

CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS

Mexico loves celebrations.  The constant explosion of the country’s culture, art and history guarantee that there is almost some festival or another taking place.

FESTIVALS

Included in the most popular attractions are El Dia de Los Muertos, which is celebrated across the nation on November 1 and 2.  In Oaxaca, every July the Guelaguetza Festival takes place, in Guanajuato there is the Leon International Balloon Festival and Cervantes International Arts Festival.  Mazatlan Carnaval and Carnaval de Veracruz are only second to New Orleans and Rio de Janiero.  Clients are always pleased with fiesta themed events.

FINE ARTS

Mexico offers world-class performing arts, galleries, and museums.  Private events are allowed by some events, including the Franz Mayer Museum and National Museum of Anthropology.  The Museum of Contemporary Art in Monterrey allows events with as many as 250 people.  Durango’s Rafael Trujillo Museum also allows group events and features movie-making memorabilia from Hollywood.  Museo Rafael Coronel, located in Zacatecas, features thousands of  masks.  You can arrange for private functions at the  Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, the Guadalajara opera house Teatro Degollado, and Angela Peralta Theatre in Mazatlan, along with many other performances located throughout Mexico.

The detailed cave art to towering pyramids, clients can enjoy the history of Mexico in several different ways.

THE PYRAMIDS

The massive  Teotihuacan pyramids are just 30 minutes from Mexico City.  Among the showstoppers of the Mexican Caribbean include Chichén Itza and Coba inside a walled city called Tulum.  From Veracruz, it is easy to make a day trip out to Pyramid of the Niches.  Villahermosa is a middle point for visiting several Mayan sites, including Bonampak, Yaxhilan, and Palenque.  The Monte Alban pyramids, outside of Oaxaca, should definitely be visited.

HISTORIC SHOWS

Client showstoppers include Chichen Itza’s dramatic light shows and incredible folklore shows, which include reenactments of Maya ball games on the Riviera Maya at Xcaret eco park.  DMCs in Mexico can make arrangements for enchanting jungle nights that include authentic Maya cuisine and pageantry.  The Voladores de Papantla (or “flying dancers”) offer thrilling pre-Hispanic experiences at various destinations in Mexico.

SHOPPING

Buying locally is easy.  All regions offer beautiful hand crafted folk area.  They make perfect corporate gifts and can be customized very affordable and easily to match your program.

HOME MADE TO HAUTE COUTURE

There are galleries featuring the works of famous artists such as Sergio Bustamante in Guadalajara.  Mercado de Artesanias in Oaxaca displays the alebrijes (wooden figurines) and black pottery of the region.   There are 4,500 shoe and leather shops in Leon.  Mercado Municipal in Puerto Vallarta  is known for its beaded art by Huitchel Indians.  The go-to place for sterling silver is Taxco and Mexico City’s Rodeo Drive is the Polanco.  Luxury Avenue in Cancun offers a wide variety of designer boutiques.  Day visits to indigenous artisan villages in the Riviera Nayarit, Morelia nd Oaxaca make for unforgettable cultural and shopping adventures.

ONLY IN MEXICO

From sampling Tequila to train rides over some of the world’s most diverse landscapes, Mexico offers its own unique group options.

COPPER CANYON

Riding the Chihuahua al Pacifico train through Copper Canyon is an unforgettable experience.  It is a spectacular ride.  It goes from sea level up to 8,000 feet and passes through eight different climate zones, and over dozens of awe-inspiring forested plateaus, rivers, and gorges.  Canyon Travel can arrange day treks and overnight stays at eco lodges.  Naturalist-trained local guides lead the day treks.

A TOAST TO TEQUILA

You must celebrate Mexico’s natural drink in Guadalajara.  It is the region where tequila made its origins.  You can arrange to ride the Tequila Express and travels through many of blue agave fields until you get to the historic tequila distillery and hacienda Casa de Herradura.  While you are there you can enjoy a folklore show, lunch and of course tequila tasting.  You can reserve the hacienda and train for as many as several hundred people.  A motor coach can be chartered by groups to go from Guadalajara to Jose Cuervo distillery, which was the first tequila maker in Mexico.  It is located in the town of Tequila and you can go on a tour of the distillery, have lunch and taste tequila in the owner’s cellar.  For private events, the adjacent Cuervo Hacienda can accommodate as many as 1,000 individuals.

Mexico is a country full of possibilities, do not hesitate to contact a SAT Mexico Expert to help you to create your next project in Mexico!! info@satmexico.com