Category Pages For: Destinations

Day-to-day blogs about the places already visited

merida-roundabout
NOVEMBER 2016: Why not read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Progreso to Merida by public transport (Colectivo). Progreso is a small beach town 30 minutes north of Merida. In Progreso, I stayed in a GRANDPAcking Standard homestay: the Abrazarse Life B&B. I got the Abrazarse at a discounted rate of MXP533 / night (US$29). It was very homely and comfortable. It was time to head for Merida. I have heard so many nice things about it … I planned to stay in Merida over the end of October Festival of Souls and the Day of the Dead Festival on the 1st […]

Merida – Mexico – Information

OCTOBER 2016: Click here to read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Rio Lagartos to Progreso by public transport (local buses). Rio Lagartos was a very quiet fishing village on Mexico’s northern coast with a nice estuary setting. In Rio Lagartos, I stayed in a GRANDPAcking Standard hotel: the Punta Ponto. Rio Lagartos accommodation is particularly expensive for GRANDPAckers; it is very hard to get accommodation for under US$40 / night. I found the Punta going at a discounted rate of US$37 / night including breakfast. This was the most that I have paid for a room in the 2 years that I have been […]

Progreso – Mexico – (Secret) Information

OCTOBER 2016: Click here to read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from El Cuyo to Rio Lagartos by public transport (local buses). El Cuyo was a very quiet fishing village on Mexico’s northern coast with a nice surf beach. It offered good value ‘living’ and a laid-back lifestyle. In El Cuyo, I stayed in a GRANDPAcking Standard Vacation Rental: the Hacienda Antigua Lodge. El Cuyo accommodation is expensive; I couldn’t afford to stay anywhere on the seafront. But the Antigue was on the beach road only 50 meters from the beach. I paid MXP500 / night. It was time to head for Rio Lagartos. I planned to stay […]

Rio Lagartos – Mexico – Information

OCTOBER 2016: Click here to read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Valladolid to El Cuyo by public transport. Valladolid was a big disappointment. In Valladolid I stayed in a GRANDPAcking Standard apartment hotel: Gayser Apartments. The Gayser is reasonably clean and pleasant. The problem was that Valladolid, itself, was boring. ABANDONING ISLA HOLBOX: I stopped off in Valladolid because I was making my way to Isla Holbox. I wanted to stay on the beach in Isla Holbox … something that I have not yet been able to achieve on a GRANDPAcking Budget anywhere in Mexico. On my budget, I am limited to no more than […]

El Cuyo – Mexico – An Almost ...

OCTOBER 2016: Click here to read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Bacalar to Valladolid by public transport (ADO Bus). Bacalar was a quiet town on Mexico’s second biggest fresh water lake. In Bacalar I stayed to GRANDPAcking Standard in a hotel: the Pata De Perro. Bacalar accommodation is expensive; I couldn’t afford to stay anywhere on the lakefront. So, I chose the best place that I could find near to the Central Park. As is usual in such Mexican Tourist spots, almost all (if not all) ‘western quality’ accommodation is online. It was time to head for Valladolid. I planned to stay there […]

Valladolid – Mexico – Information

OCTOBER 2016: Click here to read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Mahahual to Bacalar by public transport (Colectivo). Mahahual was a small, relaxed, tourist village with a nice Caribbean Beach setting. In Mahahual I stayed to GRANDPAcking Standard in a hostel: Hostel Jardin. Mahahual accommodation is expensive; the Hostal Jardin was the ONLY accommodation that I could find online that I could afford. As is usual in such Mexican Tourist spots, almost all (if not all) ‘western quality’ accommodation is online. The Jardin is borderline for GRANDPAckers. But the Double Rooms were perfectly adequate, it had a nice central garden, and a communal kitchen area. It was […]

Bacalar – Mexico – Information

OCTOBER 2016: Click here to read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Tulum to Mahahual by public transport. Tulum was a pleasant surprise. It is not a ‘picturesque’ town but it has a good ‘vibe’. In Tulum I stayed below GRANDPAcking Standard in a cheap hostel: The Weary Traveller. The Weary Traveller is a Backpacker Hostel. But a reasonably clean and pleasant one. I couldn’t afford a hotel in Tulum and I wanted spare cash to visit some ruins and to dive some cenotes. It was time to move south to Mahahual. So far, in Mexico, I have stayed on the ‘well […]

Mahahual – Mexico – Information

SEPTEMBER 2016: Click here to read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I made my way from Playa Del Carmen (PDC) to Tulum by public transport. PDC was nice albeit touristic. In PDC I stayed in a nice, 1 bedroom apartment and paid a 50% discounted rate of MXP328 / night including taxes. This was one of the best value for money places that I have stayed in so far in Mexico. It was time to move south to Tulum. I knew that I wasn’t going to be so lucky with my accommodation in Tulum … but, I was going there mainly for an Adventure Trip […]

Tulum – Mexico – Information

SEPTEMBER 2016: OVERVIEW: My costs start in Isla Mujeres and include: Transport from Isla Mujeres to Playa Del Carmen 14 nights in an ABOVE GRANDPAcking Standard Aircon Vacation Rental Bicycle Rental for 12 days Food & Drink Mobile Data / Communications CROSS REFERENCES: For more detail, read about Playa Del Carmen Information. Click here to read about Retirement Locations in this country. Click here for detailed Travel Information and more Travel Budgets in this country. Read About – GRANDPAcking Costs if you don’t know how to interpret my figures. SPREADSHEET SUMMARY: MY ACTUAL 1 PERSON GRANDPAcking COSTS: Cost Of Existence (COE): My costs are purely provided for information purposes. I […]

Playa Del Carmen – Mexico – GRANDPAcking ...

SEPTEMBER 2016: Why not read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: I will not try and re-invent the plethora of information that is already on the internet. Playa Del Carmen (PDC) is well documented. I will try and focus on information that you might find useful in your decision-making process. PDC is located along the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. It is a very popular tourist area in eastern Mexico. For GRANDPAckers, PDC is affordable … Read on … A BIT ABOUT PDC: In stark contrast to Isla Mujeres (Island of Women), PDC is more like Cancun: a touristic party town. PDC has recently undergone […]

Playa Del Carmen – Mexico – Information

SEPTEMBER 2016: Why not read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: Isla Mujeres is an island just off the ‘tip’ of the Yucatan Peninsula near (the infamous) party town of Cancun. The island was a Mayan sanctuary to goddess Ixchel for about one thousand years. Modern inhabitants arrived about 1850. The island is about 7km in length. The north end sees the most tourist action with the main town area (and the ferry port) whilst the south end of the island is host to mostly private homes and guest houses. Many locals live in the central part of the island. For GRANDPAckers, Isla Mujeres is too expensive. Read […]

Isla Mujeres – Mexico – Information

AUGUST 2016: Why not read our Mexico Retirement Reviews. OVERVIEW: San Miguel de Allende is a city located in the far eastern part of the state of Guanajuato in Central Mexico. It is 274 kms from Mexico City and 97 km from the state capital of Guanajuato. San Miguel waned during and after the Mexican War of Independence and, at the beginning of the 20th century, it was in danger of becoming a ghost town. However, its Baroque / Neoclassical colonial structures were “discovered” by foreign artists which gave the town a reputation. Since then, the town has attracted a significant amount of foreign retirees, artists, writers and […]

San Miguel de Allende – Mexico – ...