What Is Playa del Carmen? A Riviera Maya Town Guide
A fishing village turned lively beach city, with a gated villa neighborhood on the sand and the whole coast within reach.
Trip Planning
The guides to read first for any destination we cover: what the place is and how it is laid out, when to visit, whether it is safe, what to pack, how money and tipping work, and what changes if you travel with children or as a couple.
They are written to be read before you decide, not after: each one sets out the trade-offs plainly, dates every changeable fact to the bulletin, advisory or season it comes from, and links onward to the guides for where to stay and how to get there.
Playa del Carmen
Cozumel
What Is Cozumel? A Guide to Mexico’s Caribbean Island
One town, one sheltered coast of reefs, one wild coast of surf: how Mexico’s largest Caribbean island fits together.
Costalegre
Best Time to Visit Costalegre: Dry Season, Rains and Turtles
Sunny, silver-grey winters and lush green summers: how the seasons change the Costalegre, and when to book.
What Is Costalegre? Jalisco’s Quiet Coast Explained
Around 330 kilometres of Jalisco coast with no resort strip: how Careyes, Chamela Bay, Cuixmala and Tamarindo fit together.
Puerto Vallarta
Best Time to Visit Puerto Vallarta: Seasons and Whale Months
Dry winters with whales, value in late spring and November, and a green, quiet rainy season: how the year works in Puerto Vallarta.
What Is Puerto Vallarta? The City, the Bay and Its Neighborhoods
A port city on Banderas Bay with a historic center, hillside neighborhoods and boat-only beaches to the south: how the pieces fit together.
Mexico
Mexico
Fully Staffed Villas in Mexico: What’s Included and What Isn’t
The phrase has no standard meaning. Here is who is usually in the house, what the rate covers, and what ends up on the final bill.
Los Cabos
Celebrations in Los Cabos: Weddings and Events at a Private Villa
What a private villa can and cannot host, the difference between a legal and a symbolic wedding, and the rules to settle in writing before you book.
Advice that applies to every destination, such as rates, booking and paying safely, is in Plan & Book.