HELP! Need Vacation Ideas

[colimo]

from where you are at, mazatlan and cancun are inexpensive and easy to get to, maybe not all inclusive, but mexico is so cheap that it may be just as good...

[floydpink]

Originally Posted by colimo

from where you are at, mazatlan and cancun are inexpensive and easy to get to, maybe not all inclusive, but mexico is so cheap that it may be just as good...

call me paranoid, but there's a million places I'd go before Mexico at this time.

I personally love the Dominican Republic, although I never stayed all inclusive.

Might as well have been as the beach is full of more than willing guys who will set you up a chair and umbrella, run for beers, get you lunch and do whatever you need for very little money. the beaches are awesome and the cigars are good if you stay away from the fakes.

[omowasu]

For rest and relaxation, there is no better place than Hawaii from my own experience. And the best couples resort in Hawaii has to be the Ritz Carlton Kapalua. Yes, you would have to pack your own cigars (there are two B&Ms on Maui that are good just in case) and smoke outside most of the time, but what a relaxing vacation it will be. I cant wait to get back there someday.

I dont think there are any true all-inclusive "with alcohol" deals on the islands though... I would rather pay for beer in Hawaii than go elsewhere FWIW.

St. John USVI

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by floydpink

call me paranoid, but there's a million places I'd go before Mexico at this time.

I'd call you paranoid...

I would not vacation in a border town of Mexico. Violence is happening all over the world. Plenty of people are dying in Jamaica and DR too. Isn't there still civil war in Kingstown? The vacation areas of Mexico are pretty insolar to drug gang violence of current.

[Lucky_Hippo]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

I'd call you paranoid...

I would not vacation in a border town of Mexico. Violence is happening all over the world. Plenty of people are dying in Jamaica and DR too. Isn't there still civil war in Kingstown? The vacation areas of Mexico are pretty insolar to drug gang violence of current.

Just my opinion, but it's still wise to be cautious I think. My wife and I made a mistake and went a few weeks ago with this exact line of thinking. We were then "asked" for a "secret gift" of 200 bucks by Mexican emmigration as soon as we stepped off the plane in Cancun. Another member of our party was shook down for an additional 60 bucks by a police officer after stopping their taxi for speeding. In both instances we were threatened. My wife and I with not being able to poceed on our trip together, and our friend with jail if he didn't pay up right there on the side of the road.

Bottom line, It's not Disneyland and shouldn't be looked at as such.

When we talked to American emmigration on our way back into the states we we're strongly advised on how dangerous it should be looked upon at this time to travel to Mexico. Even just to the resort locations.

Corruption can take many forms other than violance my friend. It's one thing to be pick pocketed by some street rat and quite another when it's the authorities doing the crime themselves. If/When the drug cartels decide to push on the resort districts I wouldn't have any trust in the local authorities to save my @ss after the experience we just went through.

A life lesson learned in my book.




** Sorry for the long winded post. I guess it's still fresh under my skin.

[floydpink]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

I'd call you paranoid...

I would not vacation in a border town of Mexico. Violence is happening all over the world. Plenty of people are dying in Jamaica and DR too. Isn't there still civil war in Kingstown? The vacation areas of Mexico are pretty insolar to drug gang violence of current.

Jamaica was a shithole last time I was there and that was far away from Kingston in Negril. Sure, a girl was taken in Aruba and St Thomas and St Kitts prolly have there share of problems, but I'd go there over Mexico any day. Personal preference I guess, but after watching a program about the couple from California who have been travelling into Mexico for 25 years and recently got robbed and gunpoint by bandits posing as police and beaten, and the corruption as well as the outlaws outgunning the military, it doesn't seem to be very safe right now and seems to be getting worse in a hurry.

My thoughts have changed drastically since I had kids, and back when I was single and more adventurous, I took a trip to Medellin Colombia with some friends due to the overwhelming beauty of the place and women there. I almost missed my connection in Miami as I was held up nearly an hour explaining to Customs why I was in Medellin.

That was historically one of the most dangerous places you could go and I still have a picture from my trip to Pablo Escobar's grave. Mango's the largest disco in South America has bomb sniffing dogs outside the entrance. 10 years ago, that seemed cool, but I wasn't travelling with my wife looking to soak up sun and drink beer.

Hopped a flight from Santo Domingo 7 years ago with 2 friends to Havana and went up to Holguin as well with complete disregard to fines and all that other crap as well. Wouldn't do that again with a wife and kids, but thank God I decided to go.

Guess that makes me a hipocrite, but I don't really give a rat's ass and won't be doing anything similar with a wife or kids with me.

I'm sure Cancun is great and there's probably all kinds of travel deals right now....