South America, vacations, whose been? and where...

[Lenny]

Deneen and I have decided to bail out on Mexico after the Worlds at Key West this year. We are going out of Miami when all is said and done to somewhere "else" . She is not comfortable with the Cartels, the killings, the basic lawlessness that is currently going on and it seems to also be prevalent much further South of the Border with the USA... so, that is out.

Anyways, I /we have never been there, anywhere. We are thinking Chile, Argentina, whatever. We want a relaxed atmosphere, good food, fine drinks, party/free living locale, BUT, with things to do. I want it hot/nice and preferably the West Coast for ocean sunsets.

Any ideas from the crowd here?

It will be in mid November 09. For two weeks.

I would prefer a coastal environment (obviously) and lots of places to play/eat/drink and "real" locals.

Thanx in advance. :) Five star/all inclusive if they have 'em ( but I doubt it )

[Tidbart]

Don't give up on Mexico yet. Last month, went to Zihuatanejo and I would be willing to bet you would like it.
Old fishing village, lots of restaurants, fresh fish daily, no chain hotels, no fast food joints, not many tourists, real locals, and nearby airport.
Lots to do, deep sea fishing, scuba, horseback riding, ziplines, and some mighty fine beaches.
At no time did we feel unsafe, police and naval presence with M-16's helped that.:yes: Did not need a rental car as most things were within walking distance and the cabs are cheap. 13 pesos/$US, money goes a long way.

1 or 2, 5 stars, not all-inclusive, I don't. Just to the north is Ixtapa with the more touristy hotels and nightclubs and tourists.

May be worth part of your two weeks. Something to think about.

If you do get interested, I could send along some photos.

Good hunting. Bob

P.S. I use this site for a lot of my research http://www.tripadvisor.com/ It is loaded with great info.

[Last Real Texan]

Don't give up on Mexico yet. Last month, went to Zihuatanejo and I would be willing to bet you would like it.
Old fishing village, lots of restaurants, fresh fish daily, no chain hotels, no fast food joints, not many tourists, real locals, and nearby airport.
Lots to do, deep sea fishing, scuba, horseback riding, ziplines, and some mighty fine beaches.
At no time did we feel unsafe, police and naval presence with M-16's helped that.:yes: Did not need a rental car as most things were within walking distance and the cabs are cheap. 13 pesos/$US, money goes a long way.

1 or 2, 5 stars, not all-inclusive, I don't. Just to the north is Ixtapa with the more touristy hotels and nightclubs and tourists.

May be worth part of your two weeks. Something to think about.

If you do get interested, I could send along some photos.

Good hunting. Bob

P.S. I use this site for a lot of my research http://www.tripadvisor.com/ It is loaded with great info.






+ 1 a great undiscovered gem !

[Tidbart]

Oh yeah, Shhhhhhhhhhhhh. :wink:

[MOP]

Main area of Mexico is a bit spooky but the Baja peninsula down around Cabo still is good and seems not to have any troubles. I am glad of that, I have a time share down there. Costa Rica has some fabulous resorts on the Pacific coast, Bonnie and I have two that we really like, Doulce Lunis near Jaco and an artist colony about 12 miles south by Esterillos. Jaco is a jumping place, Esterillos is quiet and beautiful. Both provide anything you may want!

Phil

[gcarter]

I've been going to Zihuatenajo since the early '70's.
+200
I'd like to tell you some stories from the old days before the jetport was built!!!:nilly::nilly:

I've been to South America several times, I'll tell you about it, but I'll have to come back to it.
Gotta go now.

[The Hedgehog]

Me,

I would love to head down to Portillo and catch some mid winter skiing

[glashole]

Lenny

strongly suggest San Andreas Columbia

small island all the hotels are owned by the same company and your all inclusive is for the entire island

you can rent a golf cart and tour around the island in a day

real hot

everyone is nice

call me if you want to discuss


Shea
613 394 3597 days
613 848 4338 cell

[gcarter]

I also agree w/Shea.
Columbia's great and they're past most of the problems of the past.

[mike o]

I've been going to Zihuatenajo since the early '70's.
+200
I'd like to tell you some stories from the old days before the jetport was built!!!:nilly::nilly:

I've been to South America several times, I'll tell you about it, but I'll have to come back to it.
Gotta go now. My wife was in the travel biz. We went to zihuatenajo-ixtapa in the 90's, This was before the earthquake took the place out. It was alot of fun. I remember the bus station in Z, No toilet bowl just a hole. Rode the bus with chickens running around on it to Acapulco down the coast. I been to Caracas Ven and keytow (sp) Ecuador, nether place was hopping at nite. Interesting culturally. This was on a trip to the Galapagos Islands. If I was heading back Id go to Rio.

[gcarter]

My first trip to Zihuatenejo was in about '73...they had just started building Ixtapa. There was absolutely nothing else around. There was about 1,800 people there then, not the 40,000 or so there is now.
We had to change planes in Mexico City and the ride on to Zihuatenejo was in a Twin Otter at pretty low altitude, and over the rebel filled mountains of Guererro(sp?) State. The existing airport was located w/a east/west runway which the east end ended in a cemetary at the foot of a low mountain. The west end ended in the bay. The approach was taken from the south to the north inbetween two mountains. When the pilot reached the edge of the cemetary, a very steep turn was made to the west and the runway. Fortunately, takeoffs were always made to the west.
I guess you could say that those were the days.
It seems to be harder and harder to find those out of the way places.
I've always stayed at the Hotel Irma.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g150795-d153210-Reviews-Hotel_Irma-Zihuatanejo_Ixtapa_Zihuatanejo_Pacific_Coast.html
It's a small hotel terraced down the mountainside about 100' above the bay.

[Donziweasel]

if you are not dead set on south america think about costa rica. i have spent months there and been all over the country. amazing beaches, very safe, beautiful mountains, rain forest and jungle( love the monkeys) , volcanos, probably my favorite country south of mexico. Probably the friendliest people in a foriegn country I have ever met. I still have freinds there I stay in touch with.

I went twice for a month each time. Just rented a car and wandered. Saw Arenal Volcano go off, doen the canopy zip line tours, camped on beaches, wandered the jungle, hiked in the mountians, surfed, went off shore fishing (raised 18 sailfish) and just chilled. Best thing was, I never felt like I had to keep an eye over my shoulder for trouble. Very Very safe country.

If you want to know more, give me a call.

A few pics attached...

[Lenny]

John, Costa and Zee/Acapulco are what we are looking at I think.

Thanx folks

[mike o]

My first trip to Zihuatenejo was in about '73...they had just started building Ixtapa. There was absolutely nothing else around. There was about 1,800 people there then, not the 40,000 or so there is now.
We had to change planes in Mexico City and the ride on to Zihuatenejo was in a Twin Otter at pretty low altitude, and over the rebel filled mountains of Guererro(sp?) State. The existing airport was located w/a east/west runway which the east end ended in a cemetary at the foot of a low mountain. The west end ended in the bay. The approach was taken from the south to the north inbetween two mountains. When the pilot reached the edge of the cemetary, a very steep turn was made to the west and the runway. Fortunately, takeoffs were always made to the west.
I guess you could say that those were the days.
It seems to be harder and harder to find those out of the way places.
I've always stayed at the Hotel Irma.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g150795-d153210-Reviews-Hotel_Irma-Zihuatanejo_Ixtapa_Zihuatanejo_Pacific_Coast.html
It's a small hotel terraced down the mountainside about 100' above the bay.I remember that type of flight also. When we were there, we were the only Americans there. It was a mexican hotel only 5-6 stories high that got wiped out in the earthquake.We would walk up the beach to eat and drink in a shack that had great food. I quess Ixtapa really grew up after the quake. But Ill bet that the fishing village in Z, was proabably pretty much the same as when you where there. Cause it was just a fishing village with a little bus station. The bus was an old american greyhound vista type. All the seats were broken and windows did not move. The bus was stopped twice in that long ride down the coast and all the men were ordered off the bus by an army officer and lined up along side of it by with soilders with rifles and questioned. I wasnt sure if I was supposed to get out too. Getting up to get off with all the men, some lady shook her head no looking at me so i stayed on the packed bus with all the women-kids and chickens:kingme: I guess the army shakes down the bus looking for mary-wanna., cause thats how panama red gets back in town:kingme:. Al-co-po-co was kinda dumpy town, way past its glory days. Except for the A princes hotel. We didnt stay there. We stayed in some cheap joint:kingme: The bay is nice, like the old movies.:yes: