Learn these tips before you travel to Mexico | guest post

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Mexico is an incredible country to vacation in, drive through, or just backpack around. There is plenty to see and explore from the pristine surf beaches on the Pacific coast to lush jungles and incredible ruins. The country is also home to big tourist centers such as Cozumel, Punta Cana, Cancun, and Tulum as well as incredible resorts. Mexico has several regions and each of them is incredibly diverse, and the locals are some of the friendliest people on earth. 

The aforementioned tourist centers and resorts are a huge draw for visitors to the North American country. However, visitors tend to ignore other parts of the country during their trip, which can be a mistake. Are you planning a visit to Mexico? In this article, you’ll find tips on everything related to traveling to Mexico to help you make sure that you are thoroughly prepared for the trip. These Mexico travel tips will help you get the best out of your trip. Read on. 

When to Visit Mexico

When is the best time to travel to Mexico? You can travel to Mexico at any time of the year — depending on what you are looking for. The busiest season for travel to is New Years and Semana Santa. During busy seasons, resorts and big tourist centers are often crowded. If you want to avoid crowds, don’t travel during the busy seasons. Are any of the attractions you want to see dependent on seasons? Take that into consideration as you plan your trip to Mexico. 

The busiest tourist season in Mexico runs from December to the end of April. The temperatures are high but there’s plenty of relief in the coastal areas. This is the best time to visit if you want to take advantage of Mexico’s tropical climate. June to October is the rainy season in Mexico, mostly the central parts of the country — it hardly ever rains in northern Mexico. If you want to have the best trip possible, you have to plan. Book your flight 2-5 months before your travel date to get the best prices.

What to Pack

The next thing you need to do is pack. So, what do you pack for a trip to Mexico? Your packing list should include light clothing, a pair of comfortable shoes, a swimsuit, and a small medical kit — safety is important. Your packing list depends on the type of activities you will be involved in during your trip. All travel experts will advise you to pack light. That’s because it’s easier to get around when you are not dragging a huge suitcase around. It’s good to be prepared for anything but if you plan ahead, you’ll do just fine with a smaller suitcase. You’ll be able to move freely and get into your hotel more easily with a smaller suitcase. 

How to Stay Safe in Mexico

Contrary to what you may have heard on the radio or seen in the news, Mexico is a fairly safe country to visit. The media likes to paint Mexico as a dangerous place to visit, but that’s not accurate. Most of the conflict you may have heard about is between the drug cartels and Mexican authorities, which shouldn’t have any impact on your trip. However, bag snatching — and other forms of petty theft — is common so don’t let your guard down. No country is 100 percent safe. The locals are extremely friendly and helpful in difficult situations. 

The real threat when it comes to traveling to Mexico is online. During your trip, you will need access to the internet to communicate and keep in touch with friends and family back home. The country has seen an increase in internet penetration (more than 100%) in the last few years. Digital threats such as hacking incidents, data retention, and government surveillance have increased in proportion. Connect to a VPN server in Mexico to protect yourself from such threats every time you access the internet during your trip. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic making it unreadable to prying eyes such as hackers, Internet Service Provider (ISP), etc.

TRAVEL | A Winter Weekend Getaway at Whistler

Ahhhh… a weekend getaway into winter wonderland is exactly what was needed this holiday season! What better way to celebrate Christmas than to be whisked away to Whistler for a weekend, enjoying the slopes, adventures, restaurants, bars, and fireplace? I’m an avid snowboarder, so this was especially nice since the local mountains had a slow start, and I have been itching to shred since November!

The weekend started with a quick easy check in at Legends Creekside, located in the heart of Creekside Village and very convenient located beside the Creekside Gondola, perfect for ski-in, ski-out access. The building also happens to have one of the Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations offices and Ticket Booth attached to it.

Once checked in, I was welcomed to one of the one bedroom suites on the top floor of this 6-floor hotel. The room comes complete with a King bed, a Queen sofa bed, a bathroom, a full kitchen, and features a gas fireplace, and an in suite washer/dryer. There was more than enough space for the 2 of us to wind down, cook some meals, and cozy up by the fire with some Christmas tunes. Being able to dry and warm up our wet snow gear at the end of the day by the fire is definitely an added luxury. There is also a ski/snowboard locker storage area located by the front desk to store your winter gear, conveniently located by Creekside Express Gondola. Legends also includes a fitness centre, pool table in the games room, a theratre, Nintendo Switch games room, and my favourite outdoor pool, complete with 2 hot tubs. There is nothing better than to relax in an outdoor hot tub with a warm beverage as the snow lightly falls onto your heads après-ski!

Legends Living Room

Tourism Whistler set us up with some awesome Whistler merchandise, including Dark Hazelnut Chocolate, Whistler branded Goggle Socs & Some Gypsy Soul bath salts & coffee scrub!

Onto the fun stuff! Waking up the next morning to fresh snowfall outside the windows was just absolutely lovely! It set the tone for the day as we prepare ourselves for the day up on Whistler Blackcomb! CAN-SKI helped us out with some ski rentals, the knowledgeable staff were able to set us up with the best gear for our skill level and snow conditions! The lineups for the gondolas and lifts were surprisingly not bad, considering it was Christmas weekend. The lifties & staff worked efficiently to get all the skiiers and snowboarders up on the chairs. We were whisked up to the top where the Umbrella Bar is, which is also where you can take the Peak to Peak chair between Whistler and Blackcomb. The conditions of the snow was amazing to say the least, the runs were nice and wide and nicely groomed with fresh powder on top. We frequented the Cougar Park, Bobcat Park, Jolly Green Giant, Green Acres, Old Man, and Franz’s runs.

The best part about snowboarding on Whistler Blackcomb is the accessibility from the mountains to the village and being able to après-ski properly. How absolutely amazing is it to be able to snowboard down to the restaurant right by the lift after a day on the mountains? That is exactly what we did, we made our way down Village Run right onto the covered patio of Garibaldi Lift Company to enjoy some food and drinks by the fire pit, all while watching people wander the village. It was the perfect way to wind down and warm up the toes!

 https://s.insta360.com/p/fa10b2a1547c1cb6b369f344bd0ede34

Whistler Village this time of year is extremely festive. We went meandering through the Village and there were Christmas lights all over the Village Stroll. When we reached Whistler Olympic Plaza, it took my breath away! They had transformed the plaza into a skating rink and sledding area! It was absolutely beautiful to be in the middle of all of that and seeing couples and families enjoy the snow and ice under the warm glow of Christmas lights. There is something about this time of year that brings people together that I love seeing. It just warms my heart.

Whistler Olympic Plaza

We couldn’t end our trip without trying some amazing restaurants offered in the village. After checking out many different restaurants and menus online, we decided on Basalt Wine + Salumeria, conveniently located along the Village Stroll beside Crystal Lodge. I’ll try to keep this section short and sweet, but the dinner was amazing! We started off with a Beef Striploin Carpaccio (+ “a bag of chips”), and every bite was incredible. The texture and flavours come together so beautifully, I wish there was more of it, but alas we must move on to the main courses. As adventurous eaters, we decided on the more unique items on the menu. We chose the Cashew Crusted Rock Fish & the New Zealand Venison + Chorizo Ragu Cavatelli with its wine pairings, which paired beautifully with the meal. The rock fish with seaweek pesto and chilean crab stir fried red quinoa was an incredible flavour explosion in my mouth. The flavours & textures worked so well together, it leaves you wanting more, bite after bite. The Venison dish with Cavatelli is the definition of a savoury comfy food. It tastes like a warm hug after a cold day, telling you everything is going to be okay. We were already quite stuffed at this point, but felt we should try their dessert menu along with some boozy hot drinks to end our experience. We ordered their Apple + Butterscotch Crème Brulée, which to my surprise, was very delicious! Not that I was expecting it to be bad, but I’m just not a big dessert person!

Beef Striploin Carpaccio + “a bag of chips”

Cashew Crusted Rock Fish & the New Zealand Venison + Chorizo Ragu Cavatelli

Cashew Crusted Rock Fish with Daydreamer Riesling 2017

New Zealand Venison + Chorizo Ragu Cavatelli with Moraine Estate Pinot Noir 2016

Apple + Butterscotch Crème Brulée | maple almond tuile, ginger struesel

Basalt Boozy Hot Chocolate | Frangelico, Jameson, whip cream
Peanut Buttered Rum | Gosling's Black Rum, brown sugar, spice, peanut butter, steamed milk

Our weekend drew to an end, as the fluffy snow fell outside our windows, we really didn’t want to have to pack up and leave. It’s been such a great way to start the Christmas holidays. I hope you’ll be able to make your way up to Whistler sometime this season! There is something for everyone to do, from Skiing & Snowboarding, to strolling in the village, to trying out different restaurants, to relaxing at a spa, to a wild night out in the bars & clubs.

Thank you Tania and the Tourism Whistler team for setting this nice little getaway up, I’ll definitely have to find another excuse to come back up later in the season!

TRAVEL | HONG KONG | Disney Explorers Lodge

When does Hong Kong feel like Cancun? Or Bali? Or Phuket? When you walk beside an epic pool, framed by the ocean in a carnival-like, jubilant atmosphere. I, like countless others, have happily been indoctrinated with Disney everything from a young age. Sunday dinner in the formal dining room watching the classics and feeling like you're in centre of the universe. Where else would anyone want to be? The 8 year-old mind cannot fathom it!

Regardless of your age the finishes and the sheer magnitude of the Disney Explorers Lodge will suffice for even the most amenity-crazed traveller. Pools, a spa, a gym, restaurants and a gargantuan lobby that stretches 50-60 feet into the air allowing for, during our visit, one of the larger Christmas trees I've been privy to, greet you as you enter.

 

Our room was lovely! Very modern and... wait for it... Disney-themed everything right down to the shampoo and conditioner! Two queen beds dominate the space and views across Discovery Bay and its iconic Plaza draw the eye out and the room immediately feels even bigger and fills with light and vibrancy. Outside our window a seawall offers paved walking and biking paths and cyclists, kayakers and murmuring families peddle, paddle, laugh and skip as they pass. The bathroom is very modern and spa-like and the toilet is housed separate from the sink and vanity to allow for families and couples to share the room without issue. We prepared ourselves a few coffees and watched as a family scrambled around the Disney surfboard feature in the gardens below our window. Caffeinated and bubbling with Mickey Mouse energy we set out.
 

The Chart Room Café was our first stop for some food and view over the gardens. Being after noon and being that I was on vacation I indulged in an icy cold Heineken and enjoyed a quick bite as children raced around the tables in feverish games of unofficial tag; the excitement builds as you watch them! A quick walk around the gardens to admire the landscape architecture, curse the pool's inactivity due to the season and an even quicker daydream about its potential and it's off to the Park. THE Park! The Happiest Place on Earth! I'm going to Disneyland!

Resort Grounds

Hathi Jr Garden

Oceanic Garden

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

TRAVEL | THINGS TO DO | London Eye

A man I greatly respect detests Ferris wheels. Anthony Bourdain, of travel and cooking TV show fame, could not be enticed into one for cash. You couldn't get him on one if everywhere else on earth except for the cushy confines of the wheel was on fire. He doesn't like them, finds them tedious and maybe, at the root of it all, claustrophobic. I am not an avid Ferris wheeler. I've ridden my share, boy howdy, but I don't seek them out and Tony's blatant disregard has certainly tainted them for me. Like someone telling you about how their friend died from bad salmon as you're about to dig into a plate full of sashimi. Or someone telling you that baseball is the world's most tedious sport before you leave the house heading to the World Series. You love baseball, you love salmon so you power on and dismiss their trepidation as sour grapes; some baseball player broker their heart or their pet fish died. Some Ferris Wheel must have wronged Mr. Bourdain because I find them delightful!

The London Eye is probably the world's premiere Ferris wheel. It's certainly the most iconic. The comfort of each capsule is what you would expect from a world class tourist destination, but the addition of some champagne and now you've got an event! At no time during our revolution did I feel bored. There's so much to see in a city that's roughly seven times older than my entire country that your eyes can't focus on one thing for too long. No less than 1,000 different things to see from the incredible 360 degree vantage. Palaces and castles and skyscrapers all mingle along the mythical River Thames in a cornucopia of sights. I would highly recommend you going on your first day in London as it's the best spot to decide what else you might like to see while you're visiting. A perfect 10/10!

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

TRAVEL | THINGS TO DO | Tower of London

Inside the Walls of Tower of London

In the game of thrones, read Medieval English isle, if you control the Tower of London you control the South. William the Conqueror started construction in 1066 and the signature White Tower was added in 1078. William was the son of a bachelor in Robert I, the King of Normandy. Jon Snow, of the hit, no, smash hit, tv show Game of Thrones, was also of unmarried parents. In my pragmatic, narrow, Canadian mind I will now, and forever, equate the Tower of London with Jon Snow. As an aside I had occasion today to visit the Guildford Castle in my newly adopted hometown. Love what you did with the garden Jon Snow! Intuition tells me William probably much preferred his monicker 'the Conqueror' over 'the Bastard' despite my admittedly perfunctory knowledge of the actual, boots-on-the-ground connotations of the label a millennium ago. An even further aside, my home country just turned 150 years old this year; happy birthday Canada!!

As we parked we could see the majestic Tower Bridge in the distance and the signature four towers of the Tower of London in the foreground as we unwittingly made the march many a headless man made from the execution grounds on Tower Hill to the gated fortress. Ushered into an ancient house and presented with media passes we bypassed the lines and, as luck would have it, merged seamlessly with a tour group being led by an enthusiastic Yeoman Warder. To be a warder, an educated and chivalrous tour guide and ambassador to the grounds, you must have served at least 22 years in the armed forces and have demonstrated exemplary conduct. They live in the gated castle with their families and undertake these hourly tours for which their enthusiasm and knowledge should be exulted!
 

Traitor Gate

The Armoury

Chapel

The Crown Jewels

Views across the mysterious and harrowing River Thames, ancients swords, suits of armour, reproductions of royal bedrooms, torture chambers and some delicious food and drink in the café. It sounds like a good day to me! You?

Tower of London at Sunset

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan

Travel: Akyra Manor Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is a jewel in the mountains of northern Thailand! From the ancient, walled 'Old City' to the Riverside district to the mountainside temples overlooking the Valley containing the city of Chiang Mai, the sprawl of which would have awed its founders in 1296! There's a thousand and one things to do and restaurants to try. The experience has been described by people who have travelled more throughout the country as authentically Thai. 

Travelling by scooter is about 5 times faster than travelling by car. And on this morning, I left Jenn and a taxi driver, and the charming doormen at Akyra Manor in charge of the luggage, and took off on the scooter for a short tour, and STILL beat Jenn and the taxi to Akyra. Not having any documentations to check in to the room, I headed straight to the renowned Rise Rooftop Pool Bar, famous for its glass-sided, Aquarium style pool where swimmers become an aquatic mealtime show. 

Rooftop Pool

View from the Rooftop

Akyra Manor Hotel is one of the top luxury hotels in Chiang Mai! As you walk in the front doors, you're struck by the irregular, birds nest like embellishments that crown the exterior. Once inside, modern furnishings meet kitsch meet ten foot candelabra chandelier, and a full sized horse lamp. As we were whisked what would turn out to be a futuristic, jetsons-like slice of modern luxury, we were ushered down curtained hallways, lighted from behind, giving the effect of a movie theatre atmosphere.

The door swings open to our suite and were greeted with a plush looking, leather bench, overlooking an 8-foot fishbowl tub, which sits outside on the patio. Above it, a chandelier of softball sized ball bearings dangle preciously, illuminating the bamboo growing on the outer edge of the patio, providing privacy for the bathers. A right turn into the suite, leads you into a bathroom fit for a 5 star luxury spa. A large sliding window leads you to a tiled path surrounded by small river stones to the outdoor tub. A symmetrical sliding door on the other side is a shortcut to the master bedroom. The centrepiece of the master bedroom is a slick double-sided wardrobe. One side conceals a large flatscreen TV facing the large King sized bed, the other side sports a halo lit mirror vanity and small seating space. The bed is a plush pillow top that comes with a pillow bar menu, which allows you a choice of 7 different types of pillows; seriously. We rang the front desk and asked for one of each and tested them out. A smiling staff member was at our door with our pillows within a few minutes and shared a good laugh with us having ordered all of them. On the wall behind the bed, inside the built in cupboards, are the master controls to the room, doing everything from dimming the lights, to closing the drapes, to turning off the tv. We slept well.

A breakfast buffet at italics is included with every stay at Akyra and the food is very good. Fresh pastries, delicious tropical fruit, delicious coffee, fresh squeezed juices and a selection that will make sure everybody will find something they will like. Every night they drop off a cocktail of the day for you to make yourself in your room. All the non-alcoholic ingredients are included free of charge, and there's an option to add the corresponding liquor at a very affordable price. Taking everything into account: the modern rooms, the world class rooftop pool, excellent food, perfectly adequate gym and beaming staff make Akyra an excellent choice for your stay in Chiang Mai!

Breakfast Tower

Make your own Cocktail In-Room

Words: Scott Allan
Photos: Jenn Chan