Want a vacation in the Caribbean? The Caribbean has now become even more affordable thanks to rex resorts massive fall/winter sale.

Situated on the shores of five beautiful islands, the seven properties of rex resorts offer a real taste of paradise, and guests can now enjoy up to 50% off direct bookings plus free spa treatments.

Comparisons with other same rating hotels shows that rex resorts gives guests value for money with prices also up to 45% cheaper than some of their competitors*

It is not surprising to many the number of foreigners retiring in Cabo San Lucas and with the decrease in Cabo real estate prices there is a flurry of new buyers that were “sitting on the sidelines” the past few years as prices reached all time highs. Now a person can buy a 3 bedroom house for $250,000 USD and have views of the ocean and live in a place like Los Cabos where life is more tranquil and the day to day living costs are less than back home

With this being said, I wanted to show you an interesting study recently done in 2009 by the Mexican Bank (Banco de Mexico) and the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). There was a study of 42 cities in Mexico and they ranked them on who was the most and least expensive. They took into account services and goods like health care, education, clothing, domestic items, transportation, food, equipment, etc.

The base line was the capital city of Mexico City and it was given a value of 100 points. If a city ranked more expensive than it carried a score of greater than 100 points and anything lower than 100 points is cheaper to live in than Mexico City. So guess what city was the most expensive city to live in?

Cancun? Acapulco? The answer was surprising to me but the most expensive city to live in Mexico is Monterrey. It was given a score of 103.9 while coming in second was our very own Cabo San Lucas. It was given a score of 103 followed by Cancun with a 101.1.

The cities the were the cheapest to live were Tlaxcala – 64.4%; Tepic – 69.2%; Durango – 69.3%; Pachuca – 69.6% , and Chetumal – 69.9%. My guess is that most of my clients and readers haven’t heard of those cities nor visited but do let me know if you have. 

So are you surprised in Cabo making towards the top of the list? I would guess if you have been to Cabo San Lucas that it is not all too surprising. Centered on tourism and catering to the higher end tourist Cabo has made not only a name for itself as being one the, if not the best high end destination in Mexico, but also not a cheap place to vacation. Taking all that into account there are definite ways to save on your stays here like renting vacation villas (compared to hotels) and eating out at places away from the touristy areas. One great place to save 35% on your food, activities, and services here in Cabo is to visit the following website www.loscabosguide.com/discount.htm.  You can prepay for gift certificates and save big money when are down here eating out and booking your activities. I just recently bought $200 of gift certificates at Lorenzillos Lobster House on the marina and saved $70. It’s these little tricks that will help your pocketbook and make you enjoy Cabo that much more.

Back to the Los Cabos real estate front, let me know if buying in Cabo in the near future is a real possibility and I would love to discuss with you ways you can save on buying real estate here too. Imagine saving on your food and entertainment and Cabo San Lucas REAL ESTATE – now that is a hat trick if I ever saw one.

If you have usually traveled to the Yucatan during the winter months when diversion from chilly weather and cabin fever is the motivation, at hand are supplementary reasons why the summer in the Yucatan is the most excellent time to visit!

Let’s face it, it’s hot all over the place in the summer, but where can you go outside the backyard pool to seek relief from the heat?  How about the Caribbean where you have the planets largest and clearest white sand bottom pool!

More than simply the fabulous turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea, hotels in Yucatan, Tulum resorts and Holbox Island hotels offer deeply discounted rates along with exclusive Yucatan travel deals and packages to lure travelers to the region in what nearly everyone consider to be the offseason.

All through the months of June through September, there are local weather and ocean current differences on the Yucatan Peninsula that produce magical spectacles of nature that can only be found in a a small number of places on the earth; some select to this area.

One of the attractive features of summer months on the Yucatan is the tranquil seas.  The constant north winds of the winter subside and it is during this time that the waters fashion a natural aquarium with advanced visibility further revealing the assortment of sea life that thrives in these calm and clear waters.   If you seek once in a lifetime experiences, there are at least two that come to mind.

From June through October, the sea turtles arrive to nest on the seashores south of the eventful Playa del Carmen hotels and resorts and can be observed just steps from your Akumal hotel or from places further south at a beach front Tulum Mexico hotels and eco cabana resorts.  The best manner to see these incredible creatures is at night, walking the seashores.  The endeavor usually picks up after 10pm local time.  There are a few factors to consider when exploring for nesting turtles. The primary is never frighten them during the nesting process.  That includes no flash photography and you will  want to have a red lens or film paper over your ordinary flashlight.  Regular light can disorient the turtles, but they cannot see the red filtered light.  If you want to go turtle searching, under the light of a full moon, a flashlight is not needed.  Look for the tracks and when you notice just one set instead of two, you realize there’s a turtle nesting!

The other “once in a lifetime” all through the summer time in the Yucatan is swimming with the Whale Sharks!  Just offshore from Holbox Island, each June and continuing through September, these magnificent creatures congregate in the vicinity for the explosion of life these months result in.  Settle down in one of a range of boutique Holbox hotels on this peaceful little island or lodge in a historical Merida hotel and get an early start.  The normal adventure begins with an early morning boat ride.    After a biologist briefing, you will  ascertain the do’s and don’ts.   Be ready to have fun and adventure, swimming with these gentle giants is really an experience to remember.

In addition to these highlights the fishing during the summer on the Yucatan is fabulous.  You can stay in a number of quaint Mahahual hotels and fishing lodges that cater to the traveler fishermen.   Of course, the snorkeling and scuba in this area, is incredible!  If you are searching for more reasons to visit the Yucatan during the summer, stay tuned!

Everywhere you turn as of late, someone or something is telling you to definitely Go Green!  In the past, going green meant with envy, however today people are becoming hip to the fact the environment is in turmoil but it’s on us to help make it a better place.

Now, I’m no Greenpeace Campaigner, nevertheless I do my share.  I recycle.  I shut down lights.  I even purchased those dreadful spiral luminosity bulbs for the lamps in my domicile.  With some people, these minor life adjustments are sufficient.  For others who desire to achieve more, one can find surprisingly many things they can do to reduce their carbon footstep in the world.

Ever think about going green on your vacation?  Recently, I visited Tulum, a tiny seaside town around 90 minutes south of Cancun.  While the jungle makes up over 90 % of the ecosystem, it’s not exactly the green I’m talking about.  For years, Tulum has been the host to a rising quantity of eco-friendly resorts.  These Tulum hotels manage nearly solely on wind and solar power however many do possess gas or diesel driven back-up generators just in case.  Most of the eco resorts do use wind and solar for the bulk of their power needs.

In Tulum, these eco-cabana resorts line the pristine beaches leading into Sian Ka’an Biosphere, a 1.3-million-acre nature reserve stretching the length of the Caribbean coast.  These resorts proffer a variety from rustic cabanas situated on the beach to comfortable adobe-style quarters.  Smaller in comparison to the major resorts in Cancun in spite of this, the majority usually do not lack in amenities.  Many resorts like Playa Azul and Los Lirios Cabana Resort along with the super lavish Blue Tulum Hotel offer full spa services from beach-side massages to skin therapies by means of natural Mayan skincare products.  Almost all of them have bistros that dish up delectable, gourmet fare well into the evening.  The range of choices was a pleasant surprise!

My first visit to an eco-friendly resort was a few years ago in Tulum.  I’m no camper, by any stretch, so when I read the brief inventory of effects to take, my stress level went up a notch upon seeing flashlight as on the list of must-haves.  

A flashlight? I thought.  What’s up using the electricity?  There’s none past 11pm, that’s what!  Without hesitation, some people would by no means even mull over staying in a place that doesn’t have full electrical power running 24 hours each day, 7 days a week.  However, I was desperate for a break.  I figured I’d pay a visit to what this whole eco-resort thing was all about.

It was 2006 and my first occasion in Tulum.  I’ve been back three times since!  My experience was wonderful.  Being at the seashore takes care of the fear that it’ll be too hot in the room without A/C.  The lights being turned off later than 11pm wasn’t an issue at all.  I had my flashlight, nevertheless there were also Tiki torches lighting up the whole property, so yeah, electricity wasn’t greatly missed at all.  On the whole, my opening endeavor into eco-tourism was no different than every other trip I’d had from the past.

I ought to note that a number of theeco resorts in Tulum do boast round-the-clock electrical power, except i suggest you definitely check those particulars before departure if that is a priority for you.

The need to be green has reached way past the Greenpeace set.  Give it some thought and consider doing greater than your part.

Merida’s Abundant History is Worth the Trip, Merida is an ancient colonial city and the capital of the Yucatan state located to the west of Quintana Roo, rich with historical churches, architecturally unique buildings, delicious flavors, music, night life, shopping and more.  Every night, the Historic Center hosts traditional folk dancers, right in front of City Hall, dancing to live music, in traditional attire.  On Sunday nights, salsa and cumbia dance liven up the streets.  Restaurants and street vendors are plentiful, as is the shopping.  Staying near the Main Square is recommended.

My wife and I had the delight of staying at Casa Mexilio, in Merida, over the first weekend in August, 2009 and it was one of the most distinctive places we have ever stayed.  Located near the town center, nearly 4 blocks from the main square, you’ll discover Casa Mexilio squeezed in amid residences and businesses along one of the typically urban sections of Merida.  All of the buildings in this section of town have no spaces between them and the only manner to quickly separate where one ends and the next one begins is the variation in paint.  Each block is therefore rich in unique colors and personal distinguishable window boxes, signs, benches, and the like. 

The main entry to Casa Mexilio, a Merida hotel, is relatively non-descript, with a few metal gates fronting wooden doors right on the street.  Don’t be fooled by the lack of ordainment outside this exceptional small inn.  When inside, the hotel is more museum than hotel with vintage furnishings, artifacts, books and photos throughout.  It really is akin to stepping back in time.  The hotel is a modified house dating back to the late 19th century and is bursting of its own interesting history as are the buildings and city of Merida that surround it.

The focal patio of the hotel is situated directly behind the front desk and service locale where you will find a thriving garden and “grotto” like pool with a Jacuzzi.  It always stays nice and cool due to the shade of the gardens and secluded location, a splendid place to cool off anytime and very romantic.  We went for a swim to cool off before bed one night and the burning smell of copal was a nice affect(this is a regional herb and incense noted for its cleansing properties).  This section with the trees and plants almost reminds you of being in a jungle cenote except there are stairs and balconies just about everywhere you look.  There is even an elevated walkway that connects one of the top sections of the inn.  In attendance are patios, landings and secret garden nooks everywhere; the place begs to be explored.

Our room was astonishing with very high ceilings and very clean with a comfortable king sized bed, added pillows, ceiling fan and AC, although we only used the AC for a few hours at night, the ceiling fan was wonderful for air circulation.  The furniture, like everything else we saw while we were there were traditional, antique couches, chairs, dressers, bed and wardrobes, really nice touches. Our room also had eclectic tiled flooring.  I honestly don’t know the actual name of our room, but each one has its own unique charm with similar furnishings from what we could see.

Our only disappointment was missing a great breakfast!  We got up and about exceptionally early…too early for breakfast seemingly as we looked around and didn’t catch sight of anybody(this was nearly 7am) so we walked a few blocks to one of the local cafes.  Upon our return to the inn one of the waiters stopped by our room asking if we wanted breakfast.  We’ll definitely seize that on our next visit!  We will be back to Merida in search of more interesting sites, sounds and flavors and suggest this hotel to anyone, as it is sincerely a magical place.