linklinks.org | Quality hand-picked web links.

As Away.com reports, despite traveler perceptions of safety in Mexico, tourism numbers are on the rise.  Recent polls find that 25 percent of U.S. travelers have concerns about traveling to Mexico due to reports of drug violence, however Mexico continues to be the number-one international destination for Americans.  The latest figures show an increase of [...]

Lonely Planet’s New York-based U.S. Travel Editor Robert Reid, who has been traveling to Mexico since he was a child, adds to the chorus of travel writers and reporters who consider the warnings against travel to Mexico to be out of context.  While citing that the drug violence in Mexico should be taken seriously, he [...]

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Mexico’s tourism industry is bouncing back in a big way.  Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism announced in February, that 2011 was a record-breaking year in which the country saw 22.67 million international travelers, and Mexico remains the most popular tourist destination for U.S. travelers.
At the Tianguis Turistico, an annual gathering [...]

As Never Stop Traveling reports, Mexico continues to be one of the most popular destinations for American tourists, boasting sandy resorts and culturally rich travel experiences.
The article encourages travelers to exercise common sense safety precautions, as they would in any other foreign country, while enjoying all that Mexico has to offer via the Mexico Tourism [...]

Rachel Denning shares her recent experiences on a family road trip through Mexico, for the popular BootsnAll Indie Travel Guide.
Denning and her family of 7, including her kids (whose ages range from 4 to 2 months), crossed the border from Arizona into Chihuahua, and passed through Durango, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and most [...]

Seattle Times columnist Carol Pucci decided to address tourist concerns about safety in Mexico by asking readers who had been to or live in Mexico to share their experiences.  Nearly 100 people responded online and through written correspondence.
The general consensus among readers was that there is a noticeable police presence, even in tourist destinations.  While [...]

CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg has been traveling across Mexico as part of an ongoing media project to spread awareness about Mexico tourism and safety.  Says Greenberg:
“Let me state something from the outset. I am not an unabashed apologist for Mexico, or its spokesman or an endorser. I am writing this as a veteran [...]

Despite a steady stream of bad press, CNN reports that Mexico remains a popular destination for spring break vacationers, and continues to hold its place as the top foreign country visited by Americans for over two decades.  The Mexico Tourism Board estimates 52 million domestic and international tourists to the southeastern part of the country [...]

The U.S. State Department issued its most recent Travel Advisory for Mexico in February, highlighting the areas of Mexico that are safe for travel.  Those areas include:

Baja California South, including Cabo San Lucas
Parts of Southern Mexico including Campeche, Chiapas
Central Mexico [...]

Popular travel news website Gadling recently released a list of the safest destinations to visit in Mexico.  The list includes popular tourist destinations such as the Yucatan, which encompasses the resort beach towns of Cancun, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen as well as the archaeological wonders of Chichen Itza and the metropolitan city of Merida.  [...]

The national bird andnbsp;is a raptor, a scavenger and, sadly, now on the endangered list.andnbsp;An indiscriminate scavenger, the cara cara is a raptor with black and white plumage and a featherless face. It is Mexicoandrsquo;s national bird. Its legs…

Ron Erskine recently profiled one of Mexico’s safest places, a colonial town rich with Mexican history and as charming as a “hilltop Tuscan town… or perch in Provence, France.”  San Miguel de Allende is famous in Mexican history as the birthplace of the Mexican War of Independence.  Almost 200 years later, it is an expatriate [...]

Tropical deciduous forest follows the west coast from the north to the south. It contains such plants as the palm tree (of which there are about 3,000 species worldwide), strangler fig or mato palo (in Spanish), pink trumpet tree (highly poisonous), ca…

A recent article in The Washington Post offers a great, updated guide to traveling safe in Mexico, along with a fair compendium of facts, statistics, and quotes from official and non-official sources. An estimated 4.7 million Americans visited Mexico from January to October 2011. From the article:
Of 2,500 municipalities (what we call counties), [...]

The Club Grill / Isla Cancanduacute;n INTERNATIONALLocated in The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, this restaurant is among Cancanduacute;nandrsquo;s most elegant and stylish restaurants, as well as one of only two AAA Five Diamond Award restaurants in Mexico (the …

Captainandrsquo;s Cove / Isla Cancanduacute;n INTERNATIONAL/SEAFOODCaptainandrsquo;s Coveandrsquo;s multilevel dining room is a draw for diners who come for the good value, heaping servings, friendly service, and the consummate tropical ambience. Diner…

Buenos Aires Grill / Ciudad Cancanduacute;n ARGENTINEAN/STEAK/SEAFOODI love to discover hidden culinary gems and this is by far one of my favorites. The very authentic Argentinean fare tastes as if it came right from the traditional asado oven and is s…

Blue Bayou / Isla Cancanduacute;n CAJUNYou may not associate Cancanduacute;n with Cajun dining, but this restaurant receives plenty of raves andmdash; not to mention repeat diners. Crawfish are flown in daily from Louisiana, and the signature Maya blac…

Aioli / Isla Cancanduacute;n FRENCH
Aandiuml;oli, in Le Mandeacute;ridien Hotel, is a Provenandccedil;al restaurant that offers exquisite French and Mediterranean gourmet specialties in a warm and cozy country French setting. Although it offers perhaps…

The Maya built many intriguing cities in the Yucatandaacute;n, but few grander than Cobandaacute; (andldquo;water stirred by windandrdquo;). Much of the 67-sq.-km (42-sq.-mile) site, on the shores of two lakes, is unexcavated. A 96km (60-mile) long sac…

American ExpressThe local office is located in Ciudad Cancanduacute;n at Avenida Tulum 208 (phone: 998-881-4000 or 998-884-6942; www.americanexpress.com/mexico). The office is open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Another…

The beaches of Cancanduacute;n and the Yucatandaacute;n are, in a word, spectacular andmdash; and the main reason most people travel here. But the two areas also have differences. Whereas Cancanduacute;n is a full-blown resort, known as much for its si…

You can find plenty of hotels in all price ranges on Isla Mujeres. Rates are at their peak during high season, which is the most expensive and most crowded time to go. Those interested in private home rentals or longer-term stays can contact Mundaca Tr…

Almost all of Cozumelandrsquo;s hotels are on the western coast of the island, which faces mainland Mexico. This side is also where the islandandrsquo;s only town, San Miguel, is located. This coast is sheltered from the open water and has little surf,…

Cancanduacute;nandrsquo;s popularity has given rise to a growing curiosity and desire to explore other parts of the Yucatandaacute;nandrsquo;s Caribbean coastline. The 130km (81-mile) stretch of coast called the Riviera Maya is now a mix of small resor…

To make certain that you donandrsquo;t forget any expenses, try taking a mental stroll through your entire trip. Start with the costs of transportation from your home to the airport, your airline tickets, and transfers to your hotel. Add your daily hot…

From small inns to large all-inclusives, the beach resorts along Mexicoandrsquo;s Yucatandaacute;n Peninsula offer every type of vacation accommodations. And the prices can vary even more! We try to provide the widest range of options andmdash; both in…

Cancanduacute;n has one of Mexicoandrsquo;s busiest and most modern airports, which seems to be in a constant state of construction to improve and expand its services. Still, itandrsquo;s easy to navigate. After checking in with immigration, collecting…

The latter, on the mainland, has restaurants, shops, and less expensive hotels, as well as all the other establishments that make life function andmdash; pharmacies, dentists, automotive shops, banks, travel and airline agencies, car-rental firms, and …

Island hotels are stacked along the beach like dominoes; almost all of them offer clean, modern facilities. Extravagance reigns in the more recently built hotels, many of which are awash in a sea of marble and glass. However, some hotels, although they…