Gems lie off beaten path
10 Mexican destinations that are worth the trip
Sat Jan 13 2007
By David Agren
Canadians love jetting south to Mexico, but sadly, many stick to their all-inclusive resorts and thus miss the country's best gems. Here are 10 places worth putting down your margarita to discover.
1. Colima: A charming state capital located less than 40 kilometres from an active volcano. Comala is home to bars on the main square dubbed botaneros where patrons receive a plate of botanas (snacks) with each drink order and mariachis in garish costumes serenade the imbibers.
2. The Costa Alegre: A strip of Pacific Coast beach towns that offer amenities, low prices, nice beaches and tranquillity. (Costa Alegre means Happy Coast in Spanish.) It's a nice alternative to nearby grimy Manzanillo. The St. Patrick's week festivities in San Patricio-Melaque are one of a kind.
3. Mineral del Monte: A colonial town 100 kilometres northeast of Mexico City once populated by Cornish miners, who imported soccer, Cornish architecture and pasties, which are still served throughout the region. The headstones in the local Panteon de los Ingleses (English Cemetery) read like an English telephone directory.
4. Papantla: Indulge all things vanilla in the lush region of northern Veracruz where the fragrant flavouring agent originally came from. Be careful of buying fake vanilla, though. Jaw-dropping low prices indicate a lack of authenticity.
5. Parras de la Fuente: Founded in 1597, local landmark Casa Madero is the oldest winery in the Americas. Set in an oasis that's a five-hour drive from the Texas border, the town is a pleasant respite from the oppressive heat of Northern Mexico.
6. Patzcuaro: This unpretentious Michoacan town is the site of impressive Day of the Dead festivities each November -- especially on nearby Janitizo Island -- and a hotbed of indigenous Purepecha culture.
7. Puerto Escondido: Surfers have long descended on this once-remote Oaxaca beach town, which is famous for killer waves and a laidback vibe. Now popular with non-surfing European backpackers, since calmer beaches also dot the region.
8. Rio Nexpa: It's nothing more than a few beach-front palapas and cabanas just off the thinly travelled road from Ixtapa to Manzanillo. It's pure, isolated bliss and is popular in surfing circles.
9. Tequila: Yes! There is an actual town called Tequila. And yes! It's full of distilleries. While not exactly Napa -- which local boosters want it to become -- sipping tequila in the town the drink made famous is always fun. A boozy train ride dubbed the Tequila Express runs on Saturdays between Guadalajara and the Casa Herradura factory in neighbouring Amatitan.
10. Zacatecas: An ex-mining town full of modern art museums, remarkably preserved colonial architecture, a baroque cathedral made from pink sandstone and a luxury hotel set in the old bull ring. For entertainment after dark, dance the night away at a club inside the old Eden Mine or participate in a callejoneada (street party), which is usually led by a donkey laden with jugs of mezcal.
David Agren is a freelance journalist based in Guadalajara, Mexico. He's visited each of these destinations at least once over the past five years.
-- CanWest News Service
Sat Jan 13 2007
By David Agren
Canadians love jetting south to Mexico, but sadly, many stick to their all-inclusive resorts and thus miss the country's best gems. Here are 10 places worth putting down your margarita to discover.1. Colima: A charming state capital located less than 40 kilometres from an active volcano. Comala is home to bars on the main square dubbed botaneros where patrons receive a plate of botanas (snacks) with each drink order and mariachis in garish costumes serenade the imbibers.
2. The Costa Alegre: A strip of Pacific Coast beach towns that offer amenities, low prices, nice beaches and tranquillity. (Costa Alegre means Happy Coast in Spanish.) It's a nice alternative to nearby grimy Manzanillo. The St. Patrick's week festivities in San Patricio-Melaque are one of a kind.
3. Mineral del Monte: A colonial town 100 kilometres northeast of Mexico City once populated by Cornish miners, who imported soccer, Cornish architecture and pasties, which are still served throughout the region. The headstones in the local Panteon de los Ingleses (English Cemetery) read like an English telephone directory.
4. Papantla: Indulge all things vanilla in the lush region of northern Veracruz where the fragrant flavouring agent originally came from. Be careful of buying fake vanilla, though. Jaw-dropping low prices indicate a lack of authenticity.
5. Parras de la Fuente: Founded in 1597, local landmark Casa Madero is the oldest winery in the Americas. Set in an oasis that's a five-hour drive from the Texas border, the town is a pleasant respite from the oppressive heat of Northern Mexico.
6. Patzcuaro: This unpretentious Michoacan town is the site of impressive Day of the Dead festivities each November -- especially on nearby Janitizo Island -- and a hotbed of indigenous Purepecha culture.
7. Puerto Escondido: Surfers have long descended on this once-remote Oaxaca beach town, which is famous for killer waves and a laidback vibe. Now popular with non-surfing European backpackers, since calmer beaches also dot the region.
8. Rio Nexpa: It's nothing more than a few beach-front palapas and cabanas just off the thinly travelled road from Ixtapa to Manzanillo. It's pure, isolated bliss and is popular in surfing circles.
9. Tequila: Yes! There is an actual town called Tequila. And yes! It's full of distilleries. While not exactly Napa -- which local boosters want it to become -- sipping tequila in the town the drink made famous is always fun. A boozy train ride dubbed the Tequila Express runs on Saturdays between Guadalajara and the Casa Herradura factory in neighbouring Amatitan.
10. Zacatecas: An ex-mining town full of modern art museums, remarkably preserved colonial architecture, a baroque cathedral made from pink sandstone and a luxury hotel set in the old bull ring. For entertainment after dark, dance the night away at a club inside the old Eden Mine or participate in a callejoneada (street party), which is usually led by a donkey laden with jugs of mezcal.
David Agren is a freelance journalist based in Guadalajara, Mexico. He's visited each of these destinations at least once over the past five years.
-- CanWest News Service
posted by La Punta Realty at 12:10:00 PM
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