In the Beginning…The first time we traveled to Mexico and why we are hooked

On December 12, 2001, our 20th wedding anniversary, I took a call at work. It was my surgeon with lab results confirming that I had a recurrence of breast cancer. I don’t remember much more about that day, but shortly after, my husband and I decided we would book a cruise to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.  So we saved our money for this special trip, and I prayed that I would still be alive to take it. Fast forward 5 years, and I am happy to report that we booked a Caribbean Cruise with Royal Caribbean,  had a fantastic time, and decided to do more traveling. 

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Blue Bay Esmeralda

I learned from a friend about all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and Punta Cana.  She said that she took a trip for 5 days, all expenses included, for $600 a person.  I said, “I can afford that.”  I asked how she found these cheap all-inclusive Riviera Maya vacations and she said, “on the internet.”  What?  I thought the internet was full of scams and who knows what, so how is that possible?  So she clarified and told me to specifically look at Apple Vacations.  I began my search, and we booked our first all-inclusive in Riviera Maya at the Blue Bay Esmeralda for about $1200 per person. Not quite as cheap as her trip, but less costly than the $5,000 we spent on the cruise. Again, we booked our trip with a knowledgeable travel agent who told us about places to see and things to do. The food at this place was amazing, the pools were wonderful and the beach was perfect for taking long walks. We were hooked. 

Mayan Ruins, Chichen Itza

We booked an excursion to Chichen Itza and a fantastic snorkeling trip where we saw an array of colorful marine life. Chichen Itza is one of the seven new wonders of the world. Built by the Mayans in approximately 600 AD, this is the site where twice a year visitors can watch in amazement as the shadow of a serpent descends on the pyramid known as the Temple of Kukulcan. Depending on where you are staying, this tour takes a good part of the day by the time you travel to your destination. The tours are in-depth, and depending on the time of year, it can be sunny and hot. It is advised to wear sun protection, a hat, and stay hydrated.

Snorkeling, cenotes and cliff jumping…oh my!

Cancan Adventures offers an amazing snorkeling excusion with a front row seat to all of the colorful and plentiful marine life lurking just beneath the sparkling blue water. Snorkleing was followed with a cold dip into an underground cenote and a chance to jump from a cliff where others were scuba diving below.

Grand Palladium, Riviera Maya

The next year, my husband asked if I wanted to go to Mexico for my birthday in October.  This was not our normal time to travel.  We usually went in January or February to break up the winter for us.  I hemmed and hawed, but then I found a number of all-inclusive Riviera Maya last minute deals on the internet (of all places).

All-Inclusive Great Deal

We decided on the Grand Palladium which was a great price of only $725 a person. It was a resort that the travel agent told us about before, so I made an appointment with her to make sure I wasn’t missing something.  She was shocked to see the price but said, “Yes, that is a legitimate deal.”  So we booked it.  Now I had the hang of it and was starting to “get my feet wet” finding deals to Mexico.  Twenty trips later, we have become self-proclaimed experts in travel to Riviera Maya resorts and excursions.  

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