Adventures in Mexico! Archives

Why I Love The Westin Los Cabos Resort Villas & Spa!

Adventures in Mexico!, EPIC ADVENTURES, REVIEWS, SOLO TRAVEL, Travel

westin los cabos, westin villas resort and spa, los cabos, baja, mexico — This was my view while being escorted to my villa. Wow! I love the architecture!

Why I love the The Westin Los Cabos Resort Villas & Spa? What is NOT to love? My thanks to Los Cabos Tourism and the Westin for hosting me on this amazing property!

westin los cabos, westin villas resort and spa, los cabos, — The cool lobby.

The information says it is “renewed”, but it certainly looks brand new! I couldn’t believe it when the car pulled up to drop me off. The lobby is open air with gorgeous stonework, and the staff could not be any friendlier or helpful! Every single staff member treated me like a queen. The buildings are gorgeous, and blend in with the mountain desert behind it. Every small detail was in place, and the buildings were just stunning. The Westin is environmentally friendly as well, check out their commitment to helping our oceans and our planet.

My villa was amazing. Amazing! The view was just incredible, and my balcony had a hot tub on it! A lovely bottle of wine and sweets welcomed me to the 2 bedroom villa with full kitchen. I never wanted to leave the balcony which overlooked the pools and the ocean. I had just come off a liveaboard dive boat, and nothing is ever clean or dry on a boat. The villa had a washer and dryer, and it was wonderful to pile all of my clothes into the washer and then go off to explore.

I was so hungry, and my restaurant selection was large. There are four restaurants, a swim up bar, and a market. I chose the beachfront restaurant, Coralline. It was gloriously peaceful, shaded, with the sound of pounding waves. They had excellent french fries! You don’t get french fries on a dive boat, and I was feeling deprived, so it was the first thing I ordered! Yum!

Breakfast buffet is served at Cocina Casera, also overlooking the ocean. The breakfast was delicious, and the restaurant has themed buffets every night. Yum! I had a quick sandwich at La Cantina Sports Bar and it was also excellent. I shopped at the Mercadito (market) for soda and snacks. The only restaurant I did not get to was El Ciruelo, the hilltop restaurant with incredible views of the sunset. It looked lovely, but time just ran out. I couldn’t force myself to get out of the infinity pool or off the beach to make reservations! Next time!

The pool area is right on the beach, and there is a pool for adults, and one for children. I love the separation. When you have children or grandchildren you love being with them and hearing their noise and splashing, but when you want some quiet adult time, it is lovely to have a tranquil spot. The pool is heated to just the right temperature, and is long enough to get some exercise. Loved it!

The hotel has everything you could imagine in a resort. Tennis, golf, Kids Club, baby sitting, a soothing spa where I had an incredibly pampered massage… It is just amazing. If you are headed to Cabo, I recommend the Westin Villas Resort and Spa Los Cabos with all my heart. I hope to go back for a longer stay and take my family!

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Awesome Travel Photos from Cozumel and Baja 2017

Adventures in Cozumel, Adventures in Mexico!, CULTURAL ADVENTURES, SOLO TRAVEL

I finished my international travel of 2017 in Mexico. First, a fantastic and fun trip in October to my second home in Cozumel (we rent it! www.vrbo.com/368692) with three of my blogger friends, and a wonderful trip in December to the Sea of Cortez and La Paz with Red Travel Mexico! I love both coasts of Mexico, they are so radically different. The east side is jungle and rain forest with calm, clear, blue waters, and the west is almost desert, with mountains and the ocean waves. Both are beautiful.

#4TravelChicasinCozumel! Sara of Travel with Sara, Suzanne of Adventures of Empty Nesters, myself, and Melody of www.whereverimayroamblog.com. #4TravelChicas is our hashtag, and we are available to brands and destinations to add spice to your dish!

#4travelchicasincozumel, cozumel, travel mexico, baja, red travel mexico — Our first evening was spent at Pepe’s Grill in Cozumel

cozumel, travel mexico, red travel mexico, baja, la paz — Incredible fish tornado!

Our Visit To The Sierra Laguna Biosphere Was Epic

Adventures in Mexico!, CULTURAL ADVENTURES, Travel

red travel mexico, travels with tam, hiking, baja, sierra laguna, bouldering — Christian, tour guide exceptional!

After two days and six dives in Cabo Pulmo, adventures with bull sharks and fish tornadoes, we were off to Sierra Laguna Biosphere, ready for a change of scene. Our fantastic Red Travel Mexico guide, Christian, had a little disappointing news for us. A “norte” (a storm where the winds come from the north and are cold) was closing in on La Paz, making our trip to Espiritu Santo to see whale sharks and sea lions unlikely. To save you the suspense, the winds were high and the ports were closed, so we were unable to participate in that itinerary. Thankfully, we had a flexible, seasoned group who knew that Red Travel and Travels with Tam can’t control the weather. Instead, we enjoyed other areas of the Baja, which means we’ll need to go back to Espiritu Santo another time! Something to look forward to.

On Day 3 we visited the Sierra Laguna Biosphere in the mountains of Sierra Laguna. UNESCO has designated the Sierra de la Laguna a global biosphere reserve: “This semi arid to temperate subhumid climate area represents highly important and contrasted ecosystems, including arid zones, matorrales, low deciduous forest type, evergreen oak: Quercus devia (“encino”) woods, pine-evergreen oak mix woods and oases with palms and “guerivos” situated throughout the gallery forest following the long river basins.” The Biosphere reserve was established by a Mexican presidential decree of 6 June 1994, which designated a core area and buffer zones. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_de_la_Laguna) Within the biosphere are ranchos, and we visited Rancho Refugio where the old ranchero way of life is unchanged. There are few left, and the culture may well die out since the children are opting for cities and the larger world.

We toured Rancho Refugio with one of the family, Rogerio, and discovered the life of the authentic rancho family. I was expecting a “hacienda”, but that is not rancho culture in the Baja. The family had furniture outdoors for sitting and sleeping, and the kitchen was also outside. The ranchero showed us how they live, different ways they make their living (leather working, crops, animals), and the lack of modern day “necessities” (which of course, are not necessary). We embarked on a hike through the mountains, taking us through boulders, woods, and streams. The stream was as clear as glass, I don’t know that I have ever seen such clear, clean water! We walked through huge white boulders and saw waterfalls, pools, and even a “slide”! No, I didn’t try it, that would be tempting my luck too far. We had one fall, but it wasn’t me! (Mark!) We also bouldered, and looked at a ficus palmeri, also called a rock fig. It is known as the Boulder Strangler. The fig roots encircle another tree’s trunk and eventually reach the ground. The roots then enlarge and squeeze the host tree’s trunk while the upper branches overshadow it and starve it for light. The host dies and rots, leaving a hollow giant fig tree. It looked like a banyan tree, only white. Fascinating killer strangler tree! After our hike, we headed to the outdoor kitchen and made tortillas. Their honey was absolutely amazing, maybe the best I’ve ever had! Lunch was lovely, under the trees.

We headed to La Paz after our day in the mountains. As you can imagine we were very tired! The sun was setting, so we snapped a few photos and headed to our beds at the Hotel Catedral. The hotel was quite lovely, and more on that later!

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You are Looking for Ocean Adventures, I am Offering the Sea of Cortez!

Adventures in Mexico!, Travel

sea of cortez, whale sharks — Researching Whale Sharks in Mexico

Red Travel Mexico and Travels with Tam (that’s me!) are offering an amazing adventure to Cabo Pulmo and La Paz in the Sea of Cortez! There is something for everyone: scuba or snorkel on a reef that is 20,000 years old, beautiful beaches, waterfalls, snorkeling with whale sharks and sea lions, kayaking, and of course, just relaxing! Where does all this wonderful activity happen? In Cabo Pulmo, Mexico and La Paz, Mexico, about two hours from Cabo San Lucas. The dates are December 3-9, 2017. Imagine being in Cabo Pulmo National Park where thousands of jacks school! Cabo Pulmo is an exciting example of what a marine park can be. Ten years ago Cabo Pulmo became a National Marine Park, allowing no fishing. In ten years the ocean life has multiplied 463%! This sleepy place has not yet become a tourist haven, and one can enjoy quiet, unspoiled beauty. We will visit beautiful, protected locations with expert guides. Want to stay longer? You can extend your trip in La Paz, or head two hours west to Cabo San Lucas!

You can learn all about the trip at Red Travel Mexico with Tam Warner Minton! Hurry and book, there are still spaces available and this is going to be AMAZING!

whale sharks, sea of cortez — Unspoiled beauty.

Do You Want to Swim with Whale Sharks? Yes, You Do!

Adventures in Mexico!, Citizen Science and Voluntourism, OUR PLANET, Travel

whale sharks, travels with tam, adventures, snorkel with whale sharks — Female Whale Shark feeding vertically in the Yucatan

Do you want to swim with Whale Sharks? Every summer, from May 15 until September 15, a marvelous event happens in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Hundreds of mostly juvenile male Whale Sharks migrate to feast on plankton and fish eggs, and, perhaps, to mate. Large females have been seen in the Yucatan, but they are not common. The best time to see these sharks is late June through mid August. This aggregation is one of the largest, if not the largest, known to scientists on the planet. With drone technology, scientists can watch the aggregation and behavior of the sharks from above, but it is always more exciting to be in the water with them!

Are Whale Sharks whales or sharks? They are sharks and the largest fish in the ocean. They have huge mouths like whales and they filter feed on the smallest creatures in the ocean. These huge sharks (up to 20 meters) are completely harmless. Whale Sharks are gentle giants, and do not attack even with provocation, which is why they are endangered. They are easy for poachers to kill as they have no fear of humans or boats, they seem almost oblivious to anything except their food. There is still very little known about Whale Sharks. No one has ever seen one give birth, though a whale shark caught in a fishery in Taiwan many years ago was carrying 300 pups. The only place where female Whale Sharks are known to gather are the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador (June through November). Where do they give birth? No one knows. Two thirds of the known Whale Sharks are male. Where are all the females? The babies? No one knows. Sadly, their docile nature has made them easy targets for those who sell shark fins to the Chinese. To lose these magnificent creatures to make stringy chicken soup is sickening.

I first snorkeled with Whale Sharks in Isla Holbox in the early 2000s. We went with another family, and the kids and adults were enamored and amazed by these incredible creatures. Since then, I have taken every opportunity to see them and photograph them. I have gone with my husband, alone, and on citizen science trips with Marine Megafauna. Every time I see them I photograph them, and I make sure to get identification photos. Whale Sharks have a spot pattern just behind their gills that serve as a “fingerprint”, no two sharks are alike. I send these photographs to Wildbook for Whale Sharks, and in so doing, I contribute to the scientific knowledge of these creatures. You can do citizen science as well! When you see a whale shark, photograph it from the side! This year I took my cousin and her husband for their very first encounter with whale sharks, and they were in awe. The sheer size of these animals is amazing, and to see them and snorkel with them is a very special and exciting experience. I recommend going with Solo Buceo, a great dive and snorkel shop in Cancun. I met one of the owners on a Great White Shark Expedition, and having a close encounter with a Great White is a bonding experience! Since 2010 and my Close Encounter with a Great White Shark, Rodrigo and I have been in touch, and on expeditions. Book Solo Buceo for an amazing experience with not only Whale Sharks, but Sailfish, Cenotes, and Mantas! Rodrigo is deeply involved with Pelagic Life, a non profit in Mexico seeking to protect oceanic pelagic animals, especially sharks.

In December of this year I am co-hosting a trip to the Sea of Cortez with Red Travel Mexico, and we will be snorkeling with Whale Sharks off of La Paz! Please consider coming with us, it will be an exciting trip! The dates are Dec 3-9 and you can get more details at http://redtravelmexico.com/tour/cabo-pulmo-and-the-sea-of-cortez-with-tam-warner-minton/.

whale sharks, travels with tam, adventures, swim with whale sharks — My cousin Lisa and a whale shark! She loved it.

Below you can see how individual Whale Shark’s spot patterns are.

*My passion for the ocean has resulted in my first self published book! ALL FISH FACES. Check it out!<br />

Join Me on an Incredible Adventure to the Baja Peninsula and Sea of Cortez in Mexico!

Adventures in Mexico!, Citizen Science and Voluntourism, Citizen Science Diving, Dive Adventures, OUR PLANET, REVIEWS, Travel

cabo pulmo, red travel, tam warner minton — Beautiful Cabo Pulmo National Park

I am so excited to announce that Red Travel Mexico and Travels with Tam are offering a fantastic trip to the Mexican Baja! There is something for everyone: scuba, snorkeling on a reef that is 20,000 years old, beautiful beaches, waterfalls, snorkeling with whale sharks and sea lions, kayaking, and of course, just relaxing! Where does all this wonderful activity happen? In Cabo Pulmo, Mexico and La Paz, Mexico, about two hours from Cabo San Lucas. The dates are December 3-9, 2017. Let’s go on a travel adventure together, and you can learn about

Citizen Science if you would like to!

Cabo Pulmo is an exciting example of what a marine park can be. Ten years ago Cabo Pulmo became a National Marine Park, allowing no fishing. In ten years the ocean life has multiplied 463%! This sleepy place has not yet become a tourist haven, and one can enjoy quiet, unspoiled beauty. We will visit beautiful, protected locations with expert guides. Want to stay longer? You can extend your trip in La Paz, or head two hours west to Cabo San Lucas.

You can learn all about the trip at Red Travel Mexico with Tam Warner Minton! Hurry and book, the first 6 to sign up will receive a $250.00 discount!

Adventures in Mexico!

City Pass is the Best Way to Tour a City