• Playa de Oro Beach – The beach is generous, safe, and clean and is located north of the city. The beach is bordered by rocky configurations and is surrounded by a curve of large hotels. The beach keeps you busy with plethora of recreational activities and aquatic sports, such as parasailing, waterskiing, and swimming.
• Playa Los Muertos Beach – This is one of the most popular beaches in Puerto Vallarta. The beach is mostly sandy and is long and wide, with typically small waves that are perfect for swimming. In old times, on Sundays and holidays families in Puerto Vallarta would come here to play in the surf and sand. The beach offers fishing opportunities on the south end, where you can catch Lisa, sierra, pargo, and torito. At its backdrop, it has a number of international hotels offering great accommodation.
• Las Gemelas Beach – Las Gemelas are a duo of beaches, each approximately 100m in length. The two beaches are distinguished by their clear water, gentle onshore waves, and fine white sand. You can choose from activities like Swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, walking and finally relaxing and sunbathing.
• Playa Destiladeres – This is a popular beach with a couple of rural restaurants for food and refreshments. The beach is especially popular among Mexican families and offers nice waves for boogie boarding and to those learning to surf. The beach is also popular among surfers as it has a good wave action.
• Quimixto- Nestled between the sandy stretches of Las Animas and Majahuita, Quimixto has calm and clear waters that attract snorkelers and adventure seekers. The beach has two casual restaurants offering the usual seafood eateries. At this beach, do not fail to dive into its waters and explore the underwater world.
• Boca de Tomatlán – Boca de Tomatlán is the last beach accessible by land before the highway turns inland. This beach lies between jutting hills, trees and palms, where the sweet waters of a river collide into the sea. If you wish to see rest of the beaches of Puerto Vallarta, you will have to take water taxi from here.

So, what are you waiting for? Book your Flights to Puerto Vallartaand enjoy the amazing, pristine beaches that the beautiful Puerto Vallarta has to offer. Have fun and enjoy the majestic beaches! ~ By- Ashwin Sharma is a travel blogger. He is currently associated with CheapOair.com

Mauritius

A small scenic island off the coast of Africa is the getaway spot of Mauritius.  A growing international tourist spot Mauritius has much to offer to beside just sun and beaches to a weary winter traveler. Safaris, scuba diving, parasailing, dolphin dives and lion/cheetah walks are just a few of the unique opportunities for getaway activities. These experiences which cannot be had almost anywhere else In the world are just a small sample of activities you can take at this singular location. Where Mauritius is really starting to make its mark though is in cuisine. Cuisines from various traditions and of course the flavor of local palate create a truly unique take on foods from around the world. You may order a familiar snack but you will get something unlike you have ever had before not just from Mauritius as a whole but from each of the many restaurants and street vendors. If cold and winter has you needing a change of scenery there is no place better than Mauritius for all your senses!

Sydney

Live in the Northern Hemisphere? Is the snow, ice, and grey skies of the winter season getting you down? Find yourself wishing for warm sun, sands, sea in the middle of January? Have no fear! Sydney the capital and most populous city in Australia await you! Due to it being in the Southern Hemisphere of the world, while Europe and North America are firmly in winter’s grip Australia is in a warm sunny summer. Sydney is an open laid back style of city, a mix of cosmopolitan and a sun soaked harbor town with many places to go and things to do, to escape those winter blues.  A dinner boat tour of the harbor lit up at night, or the many clubs and dances in the city proper, or just a sightseeing tour featuring the world famous opera house Sydney in summer has something for everyone, and will make you forget those winter blues.

Miami

While most of the USA is dealing with ice, wind, and snow, Miami Florida is a beach and sun haven from heavy coats and thick ski boots. Miami has a lot to offer any winter escape partyer. You can soak up some Cuban and Latin culture in “Little Havana” districts of downtown. Head on over to the South Beach for a sample of Miami’s legendary nightlife; with a host of clubs to dance the nights away while the rest of the country slumbers in hibernation. During the day take a stroll down Ocean Drive’s many shops and malls and get a jump on spring and summer fashions or just grab something for the 80 degrees that are typical for the winter months in this city of eternal summer.

Bali

Winter holidays too snowy? Sydney not exotic enough to leave snow angels for? Miami not hot enough to abandon your fire side for? Then this winter travel down the Southern Hemisphere to Bali! When the Northern Hemisphere is winter wonderland, Bali is a summer party hotspot perfect for getaways from the snow. Bali has a booming tourist business, even after it took a hit in with terrorist bombings in 2002 and 2005. Bali would not be beaten though and bounced back to a safer and better party spot than it was previously by 2008. Recent years have seen a whole new level of activity for Bali even being film location for the movie adaptation of Eat Pray Love.  A wild night at the anything goes Bounty club or a cultural beach festival for the Full Moon. Bali is an exotic paradise for those seeking to get away from cold grey skies.

Mexico

Mexico is not a spot one usually thinks of when planning a winter getaway. However it is hard to turn down the beaches of Cancun, the jungles of the Yucatan or the clubs of Tijuana. While the temperature in Mexico can soar to the 90 or over 100 degrees, the winter months tend to be a must more tolerable 85 degrees on average.  While some resorts will be closed others remain open and usually at a reduced cost. The rich cultural heritage of Mexico will give you celebrations unlike almost anywhere else.

Image from www.mayadiscovery.com

The first evidence of a Mayan society dates back to AD 250-900, which is called the Classic Period. They were  settled in the today’s countries of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Even after so many years, the Mayans are recognized for their architecture, sculptures, paintings, astronomy and written language. Although the Mayan civilization per se is nonexistent today, their spiritual belief and language has been preserved in Central America. This can easily be observed when visiting the regions above.

Mayan women had an important role to play in their society, because of their role to harvest to weave but mainly due to their ability to procreate. During the Mayan civilization, two people married, not for love, but for the purpose of procreating large families. Families would resort to hiring a matchmaker (atanzahab) who would match two people based on their horoscope and then negotiate with both families to make the wedding happen. Once the wedding ceremony would occur, life went on as normal the next day. 

Couples were monogamous but concubinage (i.e. co-habitation without legal marriage) was accepted. Monogamy prevailed for the poor but polygamy was widely accepted for the higher class. Couples would resort to concubinage mainly when women were  war captive or sold from their parents, but it would also occur because marriage between different social statuses was not permitted.  The most interesting part was their freedom to resort to a divorce if the marriage did not work out and their ability to marry a second time.  I find this point very interesting because most religions don’t give their believers or followers this option and considering that the Mayans were around way before most religions of today, I was surprised to learn that divorce was an option. I’m not implying that divorce is the way to go, but I appreciate the level of freedom the Mayans had.

On a more personal note, my interest for the Mayan civilization grew during my stay in Mexico. One is easily exposed to their work and accomplishments when visiting the country. They have a very interesting and unique story for you to learn from! Next time you’re in Mexico, make sure to visit the region of Chiapas, where you’ll find interesting Mayan sites such as Palenque, Bonampak and Yaxchilan.

Palenque

Yaxchilan

One day, I saw an ad in a magazine about a park called Xcaret, where there was a zoo, water slides, rides and a dolphin aquarium, so I decided that I was gonna go the next day. I bought my bus ticket, packed my wallet with 400 pesos and left to Xcaret. Once I arrived, happy and exited, I noticed that on the sign it was written that it cost 600 pesos to get in, the magazine said 300 pesos but I never checked the date on it. So no panic, I had my interact card on me. Unfortunately, with my bad luck, my card did not work there and I couldn’t get in the park. I told myself, big deal, I’ll go back to Cancun and go to the beach. So I go see a man who worked there and asked him at what time the bus would pass to go back to Cancun, he replied at 9 pm, and at that moment, it was 9 am.

At that very moment, my heart beat got harder and faster and I was trying to figure out my next step. I wasn’t going to wait 12 hours outside at 32 degrees celsius, no way. But I had noticed a girl, a bit younger than me, who had the same problem as I did, she couldn’t get back home and didn’t have enough money. I even tried getting a cab but we were at least 2 hours away I think, so I didn’t have enough money. So then this girl starts walking towards the highway and I decided to follow her. I was walking  in back of her and couldn’t really talk with her because she was mexican and during the first days my spanish was very bad.  All of a sudden a kind of bus-van stops on the side of the road and she hopped in, so I decided to tag along for the ride. There were five other people in the van from France, so I spoke to them and I asked where this van was going and they told me that it was going to a certain village which I can’t recall what the name was. My heart was pumping even faster and I started getting scared, here I am lost in Mexico. I got off at the village without having the slightest idea of where I was.  I started walking and I was trying to find someone who could have helped me. The girl from Xcaret was still around and I was still kind of following her, I know, I sound like a stalker, be assured I wasn’t stalking her . At this moment, she hopped on a second bus-van as if she knew where it was going, so my gut told me, hey why not hop in too, and so I did. After a good 45 minute ride, the bus-van dropped me off at Playa Del Carmen. I had already gone to Playa Del Carmen before so I knew the place and I knew where the bus station was to get a ticket back to Cancun. fortunately, out of all the places in Mexico these vans could have brought me, it brought me to one of the only places I had visited in the country. It was a pretty scary adventure, but it was actually pretty cool, I am writing a blog on it aren’t I. Don’t forget to travel safe !!

When spending 5 months in Mexico, I must admit that the best part of it all was the culinary experience. Of course, the art, the history, the culture were also a very interesting aspect of my experience in Mexico, but my favorite part of it all was nothing more than EATING! Mexican cuisine is filled with tasty and colorful spices which result in a wonderful experience for your taste buds!

Tamales

Although tamales were born in Mexico, thegy are now a popular dish all over Central America. Tamale is a starchy corn-based dough wrapped in plantain leafs. There are over a thousand different recipes. The salty tamales include different types of meat in the corn mix (chicken, pork, etc) whereas the sweet tamales will contain dried fruits or raisins. They can be served as a snack or as a meal (along with mole sauce or frijoles).  

Posole

Posole is a traditional soup or stew corn-based stew from Mexico. Every region in Mexico has its own way of preparing the dish. You’ll find different types of meats (chicken, pork, turkey), sardines and/or chili powder. it’s normally served with tortillas, as most other Mexican dishes. You cannot leave Mexico without trying posole. It’s very tasty!

Nopales

Nopales are the leaf of the nopal cactus. Once the spines are carefully removed, they are cooked and served with a main course meal.  You should definitely try it next time you find yourself in Mexico.

Tacos al pastor

So what do Mexicans eat after a night out dancing? Yes! Tacos al pastor from a stand in the street. They are tacos filled with pork and served on a flour tortilla. Really delicious!

Chile Relleno

Growing up, my mom would often make stuffed peppers and I was never a fan of it… until I ate Chile Relleno, the equivalent of stuffed chile) in Mexico! It’s basically a chili pepper pepper filled with meat and cheese. Then it’s fried in an egg bater or corn masa flour. It’s then served with a sauce (tomato or any type of mole sauce).

Mango con Chile

When I first arrived in Mexico, I wasn’t accustomed to eating very spicy. But my taste buds quickly adapted to the chili used in almost every Mexican dish. But not only were they used in dishes, they were also sprinkled on fruits! Mango with chile is a real treat! Do it at home… Buy real Mexican chili (in powder) and sprinkle it on your mango. YUM!

Before explaining the myths of the three civilizations, it is very important to know that the city of Teotihuacan is, in all three civilizations, the place where everything was created. The legend says that in the dark underground of the city, the Gods were reunited to decide who would take care of what and had to sacrifice themselves by jumping in the deep cenotes so that they could die and fulfill their mission. The myth explain that the poorest and smaller god of all jumped in the hole and sacrificed himself with no hesitation and became the Sun, because of his braveness and determination and the stronger God, who was afraid, became the moon. I have never been to Teotihucan, Mexico, but I’ve heard amazing stories and feedback from it. I know that Hernan Cortez was amazed by the city when he came to conquer the Aztecs. So please, if any of you have been, I would appreciate it if you could share some information on it.
Ok, let’s start with the Aztecs, they were the most powerful and feared people in Meso-America and were considered as a civilization of warriors. The Myth explains that the Aztecs, at first, were hated by all and were chased from wherever they went. But, fortunately, the Coluacs, decided to accept them in their civilization because they were very impressed by them. After living in Aztlan for a very long time, they began their search for their promised land guided by Huitzilopochtli, the left hummingbird, or the main God, who tells them to walk till they would see an eagle eating a snake. So after years of walking, they finally found an eagle eating a snake in the city of Tenochtitlan and based their civilization at that very location. As you noticed, the logo on the mexican flag is an eagle eating a snake. Also, the Aztecs believed they were the descent population of the sun, and believed that they often had to sacrifice blood and enemies to feed them, because if they would stop feeding the gods, it would mean the end of life.

The Mayas are probably the most intelligent civilization that has existed in meso-america because of their progress in astronomy, mathematics and architecture. Also, unlike the other civilizations, they don’t have any strong capital or main city, they have little city with concentrated powers in all of them, wich we could compare to a very early stage of federalism . Again, if any readers ever visited cities such as Tikal, Palenque, Copan or Chitchen Itza please leave comments to share the memories.

The third most important civilization is the Incas. This huge civilization was the last one before the second spanish wave of conquistadors, led by Francisco Pizzaro, eliminated them. The myth explains that Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, who were bother and sister, and husband and wife, and children of the Sun. After emerging from the Titicaca Lake that borders Peru and Bolivia, the Sun told them to go on a mission and to install themselves at the exact place where Manco Capac’s symbolic stick would sink to the ground. As many of you know, that symbolic place was Cuzco. I hope you’ve all enjoyed this brief History article on the three main civilizations of latin america, and even if it sound a bit “essay-ish” I really hope it picked your curiosity to an eventual trip in the cities mentioned in the article. For those who have already been, please share some memories with us .

As most people, I enjoy eating chocolate. Anything related to chocolate will satisfy a craving. Now, what I didn’t know about Oaxaca before traveling to the region was that I’d be eating one of the best chocolates in the world. Chocolate comes from cacao beans which is grown in tropical climates. In mexico, cacao beans are cultivated in the regions of  Chiapas and Tabasco. But although cacao is not grown in Oaxaca, Oaxaca is one of the first places in the world where you could buy chocolate to go with a choice of spices. 

The word cacao is traced back to the Olmec’s, which was then used by the Mayans and later introduced to the Aztecs who refered to it as “xocolatl” (“bitter water”). When the Spaniards landed in Mexico to colonize the land, they began shipping chocolate to Spain which eventually led to the distribution and popularity of chocolate in Europe.

When in Oaxaca, you’ll see lots of chocolate, but not necessarily the chocolate we’re used to seeing (chocolate bars, chocolate chips or cocoa powder). What you will find is pieces of more bitter chocolate, hot chocolate, mole or tejate. 

The chocolate is made using different spices such as cinnamon, ground sugar or almonds. The hot chocolate in Oaxaca is great. How they make it is still a wonder, a wonder I hope they can maintain forever! It’s thick and a little bitter than what we are used to in North America or Europe but really tasty nevertheless. I spent countless hours sipping on Oaxacan hot chocolate when visiting the region.

The next popular dish is the mole. Mole can be prepared with a variety of ingredients but chocolate mole is one type of mole. It’s a type of “sauce” you can put on rice, chicken or any mexican dish really! Don’t however expect a sweet dish. It’s prepared with lots of spices and very yummy! 

Tejate is a less popular chocolate treat. It’s a cold drink made of chocolate. It can be difficult to find this outside of Mexico. I didn’t personaly try it so I don’t know if it’s good or not. It’ll remain a wonder until I go back to Oaxaca.

I hope all you chocolate lovers enjoyed this post!