Moon Palace Family Resorts  (Located in Cancun, Mexico) -

Perfect Family Vacations; Something For Everyone!

Your children will have a blast at the Moon Palace Family Resort, with all the pre-planned activities at the on-site kids club. The kids menu for lunch and dinner menu includes their favorites, chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, ham, turkey and cheese sandwiches, chicken, turkey and tuna salads, fruit cocktails, jello, flan, cakes and cookies as well as other desserts.

A fully equipped sports marina offers diving, kayaking, and paddleboats.

Add six tennis courts, two basketball courts, two fitness centers, beach volleyball, a rock wall, miniature golf, billiards, games, bicycles, and in-line skates and you’ve got little reason to leave.  Nevertheless, they do provide scheduled transportation to other Palace Resorts in the Cancun area throughout the day where you are welcome to use the facilities.  When you stay at one of the Palace Resorts, you are able to enjoy all of the others, including the restaurants, at no additional cost.

Your family vacation is sure to be a hit with all age groups and the onsite Kids Club will allow you to escape for some time to yourself. 

So, plan a day at the spa for the massage, manicure and pedicure that each adult is entitled to if you use our Palace Resorts Time Share Rental.

Take a day to play golf on the championship golf course or spend your days relaxing at the pool or on the beach. 

The Moon Palace All Inclusive Family Resort is sure to be a memory that will last.  Rent our Moon Palace Time Share and enjoy the benefits of our VIP Premier Membership.

RENT ONE OF OUR TIMESHARES FOR A FABULOUS SAVINGS AND EXPERIENCE. SEVERAL TO CHOOSE FROM IN PUERTO VALLARTA; LARGE RESORTS TO SMALL, INTIMATE BOUTIQUE HOTELS, ALL WITH KITCHENETTES FOR CONVENIENCE.

Puerto Vallarta: Where To Stay & What To Do

By Sharon Stajda,

Puerto Vallarta Is a wonderful Mexican city that is fronted by the blue Pacific Ocean, and backed by the lush, green tropical Sierra Madre Mountains. The people are friendly and charming, always helpful and accommodating. The minute you set foot in Puerto Vallarta, you will realize that you have arrived at a truly beautiful and unique place. 

The town itself is split into two sections, Old Town, and Centro, both having their own special qualities. It is my recommendations if visiting Puerto Vallarta, make sure to take full advantage of both areas. They have distinctively separate charms.

Centro being the newer part of town, It consists of a wonderful board walk that stretches good length of the town, and continues down into the beach area of Old Town. At night you will find a large variety of free entertainment, to include music, magic, fireworks, and more. Centro also has wonderful shops, and eateries. Not to mention the clubs, that stays open until the last fun is had. Centro also has the towns Zocalo. (Town Square.)

The Zocalo, is the area that as a rule is in the center of town, where locals gather to visit, and become aquatinted.Old Town, being the older section of Puerto Vallarta is built up to the sand of the sea. It is very relaxed, and gives way to some of the most romantic restaurants and accommodations one can find in Mexico. The local citizens refer to it as Zone Romantica. It truly lives up to its name.

Getting around Puerto Vallarta is easy; cabs are cheap, and in abundance. After you get your bearings, you may just want to walk. It is a very easy town to maneuver on foot. Plus walking will give you the chance to enjoy the wonderful sites and sounds the town has to offer. Not to mention the ocean, and its wonderful breezes.

One of the constants of Puerto Vallarta is the weather. They have a winter season, where it literally does not rain, with a very low humidity, this combination lends to spectacular weather. It provides warmth in the sun, and cooling in the shade. The summer gives way to a rainy season. So the best time to visit is between November and March.

Hey - want to check the weather for today in Puerto Vallarta?  http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/76601.html

What to pack? Summer cloths will do for day time and sleeves for evening. Pack that sweater, the nights are fresh, and cool after October.

Where to stay, this will depend on what kind of accommodation you desire? Puerto Vallarta offers a wide variety of accommodates, from large chain hotels to luxury condo rentals, to charming smaller hotels. I always recommend one turn to the Internet, where one can research all options.

My husband and I have made Puerto Vallarta a yearly destination for some 16 years or more. If we stay in town, we prefer Old Town, and renting a condo on the beach. If we stay a bit out of town, we love south of town. It provides some of the most spectacular views and sunsets one will ever see. As a rule both areas are a step above, when it comes to charm, and relaxation.

The hotel zone has the larger chain hotels, and they are geared toward activity. They can be over stimulating. I think this is due to the multitude of people that are under one roof. There are also adult friendly hotels. Price will vary; you can find wonderful inexpensive accommodations, along with very high end spa hotels.

I have actually toured many of the smaller hotels in Old Town that were downright cheap. I’ve found that the staff goes out of their way to accommodate their guests. The rooms are pleasantly decorated, and very clean with lots of Mexican flair. One such hotel is Torre De Oro. Hotel Torre De Ore is located 1/2 block from the beach in Old Town. This hotel is very clean, and has an authentic old Mexican flair. Most rooms have ocean views, and small kitchenettes.

The beaches are a plenty, vendors are abound, but they are not overly aggressive, and you can actually pick up some wonderful deals. Don’t miss spending a day on the beach in Old Town. It has an energy all its own.

If you have opted to stay south of town, I can recommend is an all-inclusive spa hotel, the Intercontinental El Presidente, this wonderful small boutique hotel is locate in the Gold Zone south of town. The rooms are large and well appointed. The beach is secluded and very nice, with light soft sand, and very private. This Hotel is approximately 15 minutes from town. One can take the bus very cheaply, or simply take a cab from the front door.

Dinning is wonderful in Puerto Vallarta. There are a wide variety of restaurants. You absolutely can’t go wrong when choosing a restaurant. It would be hard for me to recommend one restaurant over another.

I do have my favorites though. One is the El Dorado on the beach, in Old Town. El Dorado’s is a romantic, rustic beach restaurant that offers a good selection of fresh seafood dishes, and more. The staff is wonderful, and has a way of making an evening unforgettable. Another favorite eatery I can highly recommend is La Palapas, also located on the beach in Old Town. La Palapas is an upscale restaurant, again romantic and elegant, with a wide selection of food to choose from. The owner offers up wonderful soft live music, nightly, via the group Pacific Nights.

If jazz is your thing head to the Bistro, located in Centro part of town. The Bistro has an elegant dining room, with many gourmet dishes to choose from, along with nightly jazz. The decor is elegant, and dreamy.

If you lean toward natural healthy food, try Papaya. This is one of Gringo Gulches best kept secrets. They offer a great selection of healthy, freshly prepared foods, along with healthy Mexican dishes. If one morning you crave pancakes, head to Memo’s Pancake House in Old Town. You will love these pancakes, served in a garden atmosphere.

There is no shortage of great sea excursions in Puerto Vallarta. You may choose to take a cruise along the wonderful Bay of Banderas for a sunset cruise or an ocean fishing excursion, not to mention the booze cruise. There are many fun boating excursion to enjoy.

Perhaps you’re a movie star buff? If so, visit Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Button’s former Puerto Vallarta home in Gringo Gulch. The home is open daily for tours, and is also a Bed And Breakfast. You may just want to spend the night, and capture the romance the Burton’s found in the beautiful home overlooking the bay?

Perhaps you would like to stop in at Richard and Liz’s favorite watering hole? Tequilas, located in Centro you can’t miss it. Make sure to sit upstairs on the balcony, the waiters will point out Liz and Dick’s favorite table. The view is great, the drinks strong. So be careful…

If you are a shopper, you will enjoy a large variety of shops Vallarta has to offer. One such store, “The Tile Factory” makes hand-painted unique Mexican tiles. On any given day you can stop in and watch tiles be painted by the stores artists. You may just want to buy a few. They are very inexpensive and make wonderful colorful sturdy coasters.

My husband and I have a tradition; we love to spend our last night dinning at atop the quaint Hotel La Siesta Hotel, at the hotels Panorama restaurant. The hotel is located in Gringo Gulch, and no better “view” can be found in Puerto Vallarta. It offers a 360 degree view of the bay, and town lights.

This outstanding restaurant was architecturally designed with an Arabic flavor and marble floors. Its elegant dining atmosphere is enhanced by strolling entertainers, for the dinners to enjoy. The food at the Panorama restaurant is excellent; many dishes are prepared right at your table side. If you dine around 9:30 PM you be able to enjoy the fireworks that are displayed off the Buccaneer Ship in Banderas Bay. It is a spectacular! Add the Sunset, the fresh night air, the delicious food, down to to the glorious fireworks. It all adds up to an evening you won’t soon forget.

Puerto Vallarta—- it awakens the senses, and its beauty and charm is sure to captivate the soul. Once you have visited the Bay it will beckon you back, time and time again.

RENT ONE OF OUR TIMESHARES FOR A FABULOUS SAVINGS AND EXPERIENCE.  SEVERAL TO CHOOSE FROM IN PUERTO VALLARTA; LARGE RESORTS TO SMALL, INTIMATE BOUTIQUE HOTELS.

Technorati Tags: Puerto Vallarta, Things To See and Do in Puerto Vallarta, Hotels, Resorts and Villas in Puerto Vallarta, Scenery in Puerto Vallarta, Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta, Dining in Puerto Vallarta

Let KokoTravel.com help you make your travel arrangements.  We Also Offer Our Own Timeshare Membership For Your Vacations At The Best Rates!  SAVE On Your Riviera Maya Vacation! Use Our Timeshare Rentals For 5 Star Resorts and All Inclusive Resorts
	Xcaret is a great eco-park on the coast. Make it an all day affair to get the best value. The park is loaded with amusements: snorkel the underground river, an aquarium, butterfly exhibit, sea turtles, ruins, Mayan village, beach, dolphin swim & more. Then experience Xcaret at Night. A firelight Mayan ceremonial dance, Indiana Jones style dry cave, and fantastic amphitheater for regional music & dancing from around Mexico. Located just south of Playa Del Carmen.
	Xel-Ha; Explore a Natural Wonder. The waters of Xel-Ha are a combination of salt water from the seas and freshwater from the underground rivers. There is also a collection of Mayan ruins in the Xel-ha archaeological park This provides a habitat for a variety of fish, birds and other wild life. You can enjoy snorkeling, tubing, biking and just walking around this beautiful area.
	Aktun Chen Dry Cave and Jungle Tour- you won’t want to miss this cave, the sign is just south of Akumal along the highway. A walk through Aktun Chen is as close to “dry cave diving” as you’ll get. A great example of the extensive caves in the area. The variety and number of stalactites is staggering! Great monkeys too. Located just south of Akumal.
	Cenotes One of the most unique features of the Riviera Maya are its “cenotes” which are literally the liquid life of Quintana Roo. Cenotes are natural oasis pools in the jungle fed freshwater by the submerged caves which honeycomb the underground. Many of these cenotes can be visited on organized snorkel-swim tours while others with signs along the road simply require a fee to enter.
	Tres Rios Ecological Park- open daily from 9:00am to 6:00pm. Enjoy unlimited use of bicycles on jungle paths, canoe trips on the jungle rivers, Kayaks on the beach, snorkeling, diving and swimming in the cenotes (springs), rivers and beach. Beach chairs, hammocks and palapas available at the beach. Located just North of Playa del Carmen.
	Selvatura Adventure jungle tour 19K west of Puerto Morelos on the road to Central Vallarta (west side of highway 307). Enjoy a combination zip line (tyrolean traverse) jungle canopy tour, biking and cenote swim. Prices $40-60 usd depending on package purchased. Food and beverage, souveniers are available at the main lodge/outfitting center. Certified guides.
	Yaax Che Jardin Botanico- This is a great botanical 1/2 day trip to see tropical plants and trees native to the Yucatan peninsula, identified with tags in a natural setting. The gardens have paths which lead to varied environmental zones, a senic overlook, small Mayan ruins and an example of a traditional Maya “palapa home” and “chiclero” camp. Monkeys and birds are not uncommon to see. Located on hwy 307 just south of the entrance to Puerto Morelos.
	Xaman Ha Aviary- Xaman Ha Aviary is a wonderful natural habitat for some 60 species of tropical birds who populate the jungles of the Yucatan peninsula. Here you can see roughly 200 individual birds living in harmony with one another, all within an open-air sanctuary that has paths and trails leading to the birds’ preferred nesting areas. Xaman Ha Aviary is located in the heart of the Riviera Maya in Playacar, Playa del Carmen. Hours: daily 9am-5pm.

Technorati Tags: Nature Theme Parks, things to do in Riviera Maya, eco-tourism Riviera Maya, aviary, botanical, jungle tour, bicycles, bike, biking, zip line, cenote, swim, dive, diving, canoes, kayaks, jungle trips, underground river, butterflies, dolphin swim, jungle,  Mayan ruins   

Colin adores monkeys and this is the place to see monkeys and perhaps have an opportunity to interact with them!

If you want to spend some time with spider monkeys we highly suggest that you hang out in the jungle where these monkeys enjoy their habitat.

Here you will come face to face with these mischievious little guys and if they take a liking to something on your possession their kleptomaniac behavior may spirit it away, so beware!  Remember, monkeys have thumbs like we do and they know how to use them.  They can open a camera case in a flash, grab something and be up in a tree in an       instant.  Even the most tranquil monkey may bite if they are grabbed by a stranger, so keep your items safe and don’t try to steal things away from them.  You will have a marvelous, magical time if you listen to the suggestions of the owners of the reserve.

The monkeys at this reserve are very tame.  The Jungle Place has given these monkeys a natural habitat where they have an opportunity to interact with humans.  Generally they are loving and gentle, but monkeys don’t automatically like all people.  The owners usually observe the monkeys’ reactions to guests from outside the monkey’s natural environment before they allow people to go in.  The monkey’s safety is their priority and will not allow people to just jump right in.  People with ailments should not get too close to the monkeys.

Groups are limited to five people or less at $15 per person donation to the reserve.  This money goes to feed the monkeys and the toucans.  You will be able to stay up to one hour with the monkeys and includes a soft drink.

Technorati Tags: monkeys, interact with monkeys, monkeys in Riviera Maya, monkeys on Yucatan Peninsula, Riviera Maya, Yucatan Peninsula, eco-tourism

Mexico holds a richly diverse Eco-system. Arid deserts, sultry tropical forests, and rugged snow-capped mountain peaks with plunging canyons and gorges make Mexico the ideal vacation spot for both Eco-tourists and adventure enthusiasts.

A blanket of semi-tropical rainforest covers the Yucatan Peninsula. The jungle as it is referred to is almost completely inaccessible in all areas except by roads or with a guide on trails. Paved roads cris-cross the entire region with main highways running along the coasts.

Most of the Peninsula’s interior is uninhabited save hunters who still live deep in the jungle in small communities only accessible by trail. Driving the inland roads you encounter small villages with electricity every so often. You know you are close to a village when you start hitting speed bumps [topes] on the road.

By and large the entire Peninsula is rugged terrain reminiscent of Northern Ontario or America’s Anarondac but mostly flat. There are a number of National Parks and of course commercial ventures most notably Xcaret and Xel-Ha. Criticized for combining the beauty of the natural coast with an Eco friendly park it must be said that they did do a fantastic job. It was bound to happen some day and the people who actually did the work did a magnificent job in making this area accessible to everyone and at the same time providing work for local residents. Many children get to experience something that before the development was not as accessible.

There are caves all over the Yucatan and numerous Tour Operators have trips to visit them. There are however many caves known only to local residents or people who live in a specific area. In fact if you know the right people you can go to sacred caves and waterfalls that were once used by Mayan Kings and Queens. There are sacred caves with terracotta clay where you can have a mud bath then wash off under a waterfall. This is truly an enchanting experience.

Cenotes dot the landscape and if you fly over the Yucatan you will see many but what is most striking is that you can see the faint outline of what was once a village around or next to every single cenote. It is absolutely astounding to imagine how populated the Peninsula once was compared to today. Getting to many of these cenotes is next to impossible however some are accessible. Some are privately owned and operated as businesses and some are hidden away in the dense jungle only accessible by guide and path.

There are a number of lagoons or small lakes most of which have no development on them except a few cabanas. Coba and Punta Laguna are two located in the Riviera Maya . Laguna Bakalar is a beautiful lake located near Chetumal. Misha Ha is close and less developed. Both lakes will remind you of any lake in Canada as far as cottages are concerned. Mexicans like cottages as well.

The state of Quintana Roo contains a large percentage of Mexico’s parks and reserves, 20% of its territory being covered by some sort of environmental protection.

Recently there have been a number of ecotourism developments in these protected areas. Some of the ecotourism projects, like the Sian Ka’an, make a solid effort to protect the natural resources and educate visitors. Other projects are primarily commercial. These projects are generally Eco friendly residential developments or theme parks.

Mexico’s Natural Park budget is small and private companies control many of the popular ecotourism destinations. It is a paradox that you will find the greatest zeal for environmental protection at developed Eco attractions.

Let KokoTravel.com help you plan your Mexico Vacations

Technorati Tags: Eco-tourism, Mexico Eco-tourism, Mexico Vacation, Mexico Attractions, Yucatan Peninsula Attractions, Riviera Maya, Cancun, Akumal Bay,