Cancun pt. 2 - Tipping

May 18, 2008 on 1:12 pm | In All | No Comments

If you’re like me, tipping anywhere outside of a restaurant setting equates to confusion. Who do you tip? And if you do tip, then how much do you tip? It’s unsurprising, then, that this dilemma is something of a world-wide epidemic. Billions of people confront a similar scenario every day.

Tipping on vacation, however, is in a completely separate realm and elevates uncertainty to a new level.

In Cancun, there is a general set of guidelines assigned to tipping that can help you redirect your focus from the logistics of tipping, back to your vacation.

Daily maid service - At any luxury Cancun resort or other Cancun accommodation, maid services are not commonly tipped. It is a nice gesture and if service was profound for the entire stretch of your vacation, then a tip of 20 to 60 pesos, depending on how many shared the room, is perfectly adequate.

Tips should be left on a pillow, or unmade bed, or in the mini-bar; otherwise it will not be taken.

Dining/Bars - 15% is the recognized rate for good service at restaurants or bars. Note: Many establishments have begun tacking on an additional 10% to the bill, so be sure to adjust accordingly.

Supermarkets - It is customary to tip the person bagging your groceries about 5 pesos, or 50 cents.

Tour guides - Because guides provide a service they should be tipped according to your satisfaction. 20 to 50 pesos should be adequate.

Anything and everything else is fair game in terms of tipping. If extraordinary service is rendered, then don’t be stingy. Fish your pockets for a few extra pesos to express your gratitude; you never know, the result of such kindness could lead to new services or suggestions that make for a more memorable stay in Cancun.

Cancun pt. 1 - Commute

May 18, 2008 on 1:10 pm | In All | No Comments

You’ve spent the last five hours in a stuffy, close-quartered cabin; what sleep you had originally planned on was whisked away by an ensemble of crying babies and plane turbulence.

When you finally arrive to Cancun, its beauty eludes you as your only priority is getting to that luxury Cancun resort and crashing into a king-sized bed.

A taxi from the airport will cost you a non-negotiable 400 pesos, or 40 USD. A perfectly safe alternative are collective taxis, or collectivos, that you share with other passengers and occasionally detours for milk runs. Getting to the airport from anywhere else, however, is dramatically reduced to a negotiable 200 pesos.

Once you’ve slept the plane flight out of your system, recouped, and are ready to explore the city, there are only a few, but widely available, means of commuting to-and-from locales.

The bus is quite possibly the cheapest and most common form of transportation in Cancun, with fares costing approximately 7 pesos, or 70 cents. Cab fare, on the other hand, will spike a bit, but at around 6 dollars, the convenience can not be overstated.

If constant movement and countless outings are on the agenda, then renting a car should not be too far out of your realm of consideration.

A word of warning: Parking is limited in the hotel zone and the police in Mexico are eager to hand out tickets for traffic violations. With seatbelt fines at 22 USD and speeding tickets at 100 USD, anything but diligent driving could result in some unexpected travel expenses.

As long as you remember to bring small change and carry a basic set of Spanish phrases with you, Traveling about Cancun should become instinctive, and something of utility, not a source of anxiety.

Golf like a Legend

May 14, 2008 on 12:51 pm | In All | No Comments

Golfing beyond the local greens is popular fare these days; teeing off with rainforest at your back, or a sun setting in to ocean, or swinging into a mounting range volcanoes. In Cancun, two new Greg Norman courses join a legendary Jack Nicklaus course to confirm what most familiar with the game already know—Mexico is a golfing Mecca.

No overstatements here as even the PGA has taken wind of this knowledge and incorporated a few pit-stops to the country on their schedule. Among the endless courses, four surface to the top and provide an experience for novice and pro alike.

El Camaleon Norman’s first Mexican course; situated 40 miles south of Cancun. To say the course is challenging is a bit deceitful as the 18 holes resemble something of a Caribbean park-ride—through jungle and swamp, along ocean, weaving in-and-our of mangroves. In fact, El Camaleon became so popular with golf-aficionados, that it was the first dip south of the border for the PGA.

Campo Tipo Ejecutivo - A brief but relaxing 9-hole at Gran Melia Cancun Golf Club. Not necessarily backed by a boldname golf legend, this course is made for the jet-setting Cancun vacationer looking to wind down the day.

Playa Mujeres Golf Club is 18 “eco-friendly” holes designed by trendster Greg Norman. The greens assume a less flamboyant tone, compared to El Camaleon, and are streamlined in design.

Pamilla Golf Club - The award-winning course that boasts a cinematic view of the Sea of Cortez at all 27 holes. The course was recently equipped with some new luxuries, however still maintains its legendary appeal and title as one of the top 100 golf courses in the world by “Great Golf Resorts of the World.”

Have Yourself a [more] Traditional Cinco de Mayo

May 5, 2008 on 9:55 am | In All | No Comments

Whether or not you noticed—and I certainly have—we’ve been trapped in the midst of seemingly the worst drought in years. We’re meeting our rain quota; the crops are doing fine; and I’d say our economy is managing. What I’m speaking of is the lack of parties. It hasn’t been rough in Cancun, but for our neighbors to the North, I can just tell they’re feigning for a good reason to go out this Monday night and call into work the next morning.

In Mexico, Cinco de Mayo has a little more culturally significant baggage. Where we recognize it not only as a celebration, but a commemoration of our victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, other countries have adopted it as a means of embracing some of the more unbridled and ambitious traditions of our culture.

These festivities range anywhere from consuming trough-loads of cerveca to banquets of colorful Mexico dishes—some authentic, some no so much—but regardless, there’s no denying Cinco de Mayo as a celebration of a victory first, and really, really good foods second.

There’s a pretty accurate understanding that the only way to get an authentic Mexican meal is to drive South, far from Taco Bell, and cross over a border. In the Yucatan, our finer Cancun resorts have been applying tradition to preparation, orchestrating beautiful and authentic cuisines. But if you’ve yet to visit Mexico and experience the food, this Cinco de Mayo should focus be focused toward eating something as traditional as the holiday itself.

What’s on the plate? Chunky Tomatillo Salsa.

Ingredients

(6) Tomatillos, husks and chopped
1/4 cup of yellow sweet bell pepper, chopped
(1) Teaspoon of mild chili pepper, finely chopped
(1) Garlic clove, crushed
(1) Tablespoon of sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Zest and juice of 1/2 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Chop the vegetables in 1/4-inch pieces and mix them all together into a bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Drain all excess water and chill for one (1) hour.

Feel free to hollow out an avocado and use as a bowl for the salsa; cut up the pulp and add to the mix.

Enjoy the salsa and your slightly more authentic Cinco de Mayo.

Trend Alert! Girlfriend Getaways

April 23, 2008 on 3:25 pm | In All | No Comments

Of all the trends that get served under the media spotlight—Eco-tourism, All-inclusives—one that’s been brushed beneath a rug is Girlfriend Getaways. It’s not a way to get your significant other out of the house but, instead, a phenomenon that sees troupes of women banding together to travel the globe, apart from their families.

“Traditionally, women planned family vacations where they were the ones ‘making sure everyone is happy, everyone is safe, everyone is entertained,’” said the Associated Press, “Meanwhile, men went camping, fishing or golfing with the guys, and teenagers started traveling too, with school and youth groups—while their parents footed the bill.”

Only in the past seven years has this trend truly ignited, spiking 230 perfect, and causing travel agents and hoteliers top take notice. According to industry reports, women are gravitating toward Eco-adventure countries, only to contrast the locale with a pampering resort; when they aren’t flying along zip-lines through a Costa Rican jungle, they are at a Cancun All-Inclusive, receiving a hot-stone massage.

When planning a Girlfriend Getaway, there are some tips you should keep in mind:

• Be flexible with travel dates. Traveling at off-peak times will enable you to avoid some of the crowds and find better rates.

• Plan and book early. Generally, the further in advance you can book, the better your chances of finding a good deal.

• It’s never too late! While it’s always advisable to plan ahead and book early, it’s never too late to get away. If you’re still anxious to go but haven’t booked yet, keep your eye out for last-minute specials and you might be surprised by what you find.

• If flying out of a cold weather climate, take the earliest flight possible. Your chances of incurring a delay are much greater late in the day.

• If you can, leave the laptop and PDA behind. It’s much easier to unwind with sand between your toes if you leave your work at home.

Skip College and Head Straight to Vacation

April 17, 2008 on 1:20 pm | In All | No Comments

As we age a little further past our prime, college years and shave off all of that unbridled inhibition, it becomes only natural that the idea of frying beneath the sun and soaking in tequila looses its allure. You may even come to find (and this is so unlike you) that you’ll even go to great lengths to avoid these high-traffic locales and Spring Break crowds.

There are some avoidance tactics, luckily, that one can exercise in an effort to keep a distance from all the ruckus.

What is common among the college-age breed is that they tend to populate not the more exotic locations, but those that are easily accessible—financially and in terms of distance. As a result, places like Cabo San Lucas and Panama City, FL become figurative destruction zones; ones you should avoid or attempt with caution. Although the latter reigns as the premier vacation hotspot, generally, any accessible city with a ton of beachfront hotels and bars will attract kids like bugzappers.

Areas a little farther south from Cabo somehow seem to escape such an epidemic. The more chic and minimalist the resort, Gran Melia Cancun for example, the less college kids. Where Cabo is known primarily as a bottomless well of decadence and non-stop partying, Cancun brings things back down a notch by embracing its history and natural surroundings.

Other locations that seem to thwart the Spring break invasion are islands that typically rest only miles from the shore, and the greener, inland spots. If there is not immediate access to it, it’s not worth the effort; or so the mentality of this impatient crowd goes.

Examples of such locations include:

Isla Mujeres—an island off the coast of Cancun, and Little Palm Island, 30 miles off the coast of Key West.