Foreigners looking for discount travel vacations to Mexico will have to be a little more resourceful than one might imagine. For someone flying in from Canada or Europe or even simply crossing the border from the US, it’s not like everything suddenly becomes very cheap due to the currency exchange rate. Many tourists realize later on that it would have been better to find a better balance between comfort and low costs.
For example, some 5-star facilities in the coastal resort areas like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos can be just as expensive and commercialized as a theme park holiday in the US. But there are cheap holiday packages for the same Mexican locations which the savvy traveler can book. The same beaches and attractions can be enjoyed, but at a much lower cost.
These packages make use of cheap villas and 4 star beach front resorts instead of the costly hotels. It can be a lot cheaper if travelers book a complete package including flight and accommodations together. The economy class flights, airport pickups and cheap resort stays inclusive allow travelers to save money and spend it instead on the white sand beaches, local tours, nightclubs, and dining and shopping.
Some travelers may also prefer a backpacker jaunt from Mexico City to the Yucatan Peninsula. The capital can be done on the cheap for a handful of dollars a day as a backpacker, and throwing in a few more dollars will get the traveler an upgrade to better facilities with quality service. From there, travelers can head for the many pleasures of the Yucatan.
This includes the stunning white sand beaches and turquoise waters in Riviera Maya and the party atmosphere in Cancun. Not to mention the Mayan ruins in Tulum and trips to Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. Now again, these places in the Yucatan are popular tourist hotspots, so don’t expect to get by on a few dollars a day.
The only way to save a significant amount on a stay in Cancun or Riviera Maya is to book a package deal that includes accommodations and the flight. Backpacking is always a cheap alternative. But for those who need a proper stay and some amount of comfort and privacy, it’s better to plan ahead and book the stay and flight as a single package.
On the other side of Mexico City, the popular holiday destinations include Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Los Cabos, which includes Cabo San Lucas and San Jose, plus the golden corridor between the two towns. Again, these are highly popular and well-developed resort holiday destinations. Most of the traditional options like 5-star hotels with upscale restaurants and posh boutique shops won’t really offer a lot of savings.
Budget travel planning for these destinations should be done separately for each destination. For instance, there are plenty of cheap options in the Los Cabos Golden Corridor, and Puerto Vallarta is a laid-back colonial style destination with villa resorts that are cheaper than 5-star hotels but just as luxurious. The sum of it is that discount travel vacations to Mexico are very much possible, but it has to be planned for. Don’t expect to simply fly in and get everything on the cheap.
