If you’re looking for Mexico holidays then you should definitely consider heading for the coast of the Caribbean. The area is a paradise stretch of coastline, with its waters and beaches, encompassed by luscious jungles in land. In recent times the area has been extremely popular as a romantic escape for honeymooners, but the region has much more to offer. Beautiful natural surroundings, a vibrant local culture and activities galore — who wouldn’t want that!     Hey, where you going?   Cancun is the region’s most famous resort. Split into two parts, you have the hustle and bustle of the local markets in the downtown area, where you can really get a feel for the sights and smells of the area. This is in contrast to the Hotel Zone, an area filled with restaurants, bars and cafes and also a great place to partake in some retail therapy in the malls. Meanwhile, the Playa del Carmen is a getaway from the Cancun crowds. This once small fishing town is an area that boasts some of the best night life in the region! Puerto Aventuras isn’t a bad place to go if you’re bringing the kids along with you. You can spend plenty of time relaxing by the pool with a cocktail in hand, or just take some time to chill in the shade of a palm tree on huge stretches of beach. There are plenty of other things to do in the area — you could explore the variety of shops or enjoy an exceedingly short round of golf on a nine-hole golf course!  

On with the activities If you’re daring enough you can interact with baby crocodiles and monkeys. That’s not out in the wild but in the Croco-Cun Zoo. Biologists run this brilliant zoo that displays the best of Mexico’s wildlife all in one spot, with reptiles and mammals indigenous to the country!   Interacting with crocodiles is pretty bold stuff, but a day trip to Xplor is the ticket for you when you’re looking for further thrills and spills.

The 125 acre adventure park has plenty to do including underground water rafting and some of the longest zip-lines in Mexico. For something more relaxed you could visit the botanical gardens of Dr. Alfredo Barrera Marin. There’s loads to explore, including a suspension bridge, observation towers, and an orchid garden. On top of this the 150 acre gardens are home to some of the country’s most exotic wildlife, featuring more than 220 species of birds, spider monkeys and insects. If you were to travel to Florida, you’d probably want to swim with dolphins.

The really cool kids, though, swim with whale sharks in the Caribbean Sea. These huge but harmless creatures will let you mosey along by their side as they nonchalantly swim about the Caribbean waters and feed on plankton.

Dolphins — they’re so yesterday!

 When you’re in Mexico at the right time, you can go from wildlife to celebration of life during Mexico’s Day of the Dead festivities, which are not to be missed. Not only do people remember their deceased, they pay tribute to them in style with food and drink and by taking part in activities their loved one enjoyed. Expect color and fancy clothes and to see skulls and skeletons everywhere: as candied sweets, as dolls, and as masks in the parades.

The country breaks into these celebrations for two days, on 1–2 November of each year, having fun in the name of the dead, who are still considered part of the community. Maybe that sounds a bit crazy, but it’s true!

Some say you can have too much of a good thing.

Perhaps they’ve never been to Mexico.

The Caribbean coast just leaves you wanting more.

Carla Joy is a marine biologist and enjoys scuba diving and snorkeling. There’s nothing she likes more than to explore the world’s seas, whether for marine life or for sheer pleasure.