I recently returned from a nice beach vacation with my family in Puerto Aventuras in the Riviera Maya in Mexico. It was a great time and I have some suggestions for those planning a beach vacation.
- Bring a watch (not a really nice one, just a functional timekeeper). You might think on vacation that it's the last thing you'd want, but when you have things planned and you're lounging by the pool, you'll find yourself asking "¿Que hora es?" (at least in Mexico) a lot so you won't be late.
- For the guys: go to your local second hand clothing store and buy a few old (preferably light colored) t-shirts to wear at the beach/pool/anywhere outdoors. If you're like me, you might even wear it in the water to prevent sunburn. I used the same t-shirt the whole week (gross, I know) and it got a bit nasty. Also, despite washing, it still smells like sunscreen and has stains that didn't come out. Plus, if you do wear it in the water, it will probably stretch out and no longer fit right. If you buy some second hand dispoable tees you don't plan on bringing home, you have some clean shirts for the week and you have some extra room for souvenirs.
- At many resorts, you get "towel cards" that you trade in at the towel cabana. If you like to get out to the beach/pool early, the towel cabana may not be open. So, at the end of the day, exchange your dirty towels for clean ones and take them to your room. Voila, you have fresh towels for the morning.
- If you're at a resort that has lots of visitors from the UK, you might discover that while you're walking on the right, they're walking on the left, leading to a potential collision. They can't help it - I guess it stems from the fact they drive on the wrong side of the road and like to walk there, too!
Seriously, it took me a day to figure out why there were always people walking directly towards me.
- Even if you're at an all-inclusive, bring lots of dollar bills and fives for tips (at least in Mexico they're happy with U.S. dollars, and I'm assuming other Caribbean countries are as well). While at an all-inclusive, tipping isn't necessary here a couple of reasons to tip anyway:
- The staff are usually happy to receive dollars, which go further than the peso.
- The staff work really hard to make you happy.
- They can probably use the money more than you can.
- You get better service. Trust me - they will come by with the cervezas more often if they think they'll get a tip.
- When you first arrive, find out what activities are offered (both in and around your resort) and make a plan as to when you plan to do each. It's vacation so be flexible about your plans, but time can get away from you if you let it and you might just find yourself out of time. You might spend the first half-day booking reservations, but then it's done.
- Try to speak the native tongue as much as possible (this is good outside of beach vacations). Remember, you're a guest in a foreign country. If they speak English, they'll figure it out and start speaking in English, but they appreciate you trying. How would you feel if a French tourist came up to you and started speaking in French? You'd probably appreciate it if they at least tried English.
- DON'T eat the habanero peppers (another story for another day)!