Great Destinations Mexico

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Don't leave home without it! - Rated
Mr. Hinsdale has penned an excellent travel guide for the Riviera Maya (The Carribean coast line of Mexico). The heart and soul of which is Playa Del Carmen, at least for those looking for something more laid back than the high rises and high octane lifestyle of Cancun. In spite of the rapid growth along this coastline, Playa has managed to retain much of its sleepy, beach bum charm with a very international flavor. The guide gives the traveler an extensive listing of dining and lodging options to fit most every budget, and includes quite a few pictures that gives you an idea of what to expect when you get there. The guide also gives the traveler plenty of ideas for adventure and fun, from touring ancient ruin sites to cenote diving with good descriptions of each of these adventures (you'll run out of money or time before you run out of things to do!). All the needed contact information is included. The guide books side boxes also make for fun reading. These are gray colored boxes located on almost every page that are full of interesting information and or fascinating facts about the area. I had fun just paging through the book and reading these side bars. If I had to find one fault in the book is that its coverage of the ruins sites, while adequate, does not give much depth; so if you are planning any extensive visits to the ruin sites I would pick up a guide covering those sites. For the casual traveler this book will be sufficient. I would Highly recommend this guide to anyone headed to Riviera Maya. The authors love of this place is evident along with the joy he gets from sharing it with others! (And if you are looking for a fun beach read check out my thriller novel "A Tourist in the Yucatan!")