Customer Reviews

Adventures in Nature Mexico

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MEXICO: Adventures in Nature is a sorely needed contribution to Mexican travel literature. As an ecotourism consultant and traveler in Mexico I often find information on Mexican natural areas to be lacking. Ron Mader has put together probably the most comprehensive body of work dedicated to visiting natural sites in Mexico. What's more, Mader goes beyond the standard travel guide. Craftily incorporated in this book is a critical look at ecotourism itself. Mader matter-of-factly discusses the notion of "ecotourism" of the playas and resorts in Mexico where jet skiing is considered "ecotourism." He presents responsible tourism, cultural tourism, and a discussion on the definitions of Mexico's protected areas after a brief historical introduction to the country.

Mader covers flora and fauna in a geographical chapter of Mexico, then he presents information on travel companies specializing in differing aspects of nature/adventure/cultural tourism. Finally, Mader goes into detail on how to get there, where to stay, where to eat, and what to do, broken down by location. Readers will find 14 pages dedicated exclusively to ecotourism in and around Mexico City. Mader then covers the country in detail in nearly 200 pages broken down by: Central, Northeast, Northwest, Central Pacific, Baja and Sonora, Southeast, and Southern Mexico.

MEXICO: Adventures in Nature ends with three appendices bursting with details, such as customs, what to pack, holidays, and the like; just like any other guide. However, readers will find some unique information, such as the locations of cybercafes where a traveler can check in back home via e-mail. There is also a list of over 50 online resources, including Mader's own content-rich ecotourism site. MEXICO: Adventure in Nature is a priceless resource for finding Mexico's out of the way natural treasures. For example, El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, a 357,000-acre cloud forest just south of Texas has not one sign from the highway to the ecolodge, located an hour and a half up unmarked mountain roads. Mader's guide gives detailed directions and interesting facts about finding such places. If a traveler were to contact the state tourism office in Tamaulipas, home of El Cielo, s/he would receive only old brochures of beach resorts and hunting lodges. This book is a "must have" for the true ecotourist. As someone once said, "Don't leave home without it."

Biodiversity junkies are always ending up off the pavement in the jungles or on mountain tops and wondering where do we get our next meal, and how the hell are we going to get out of here. Mader comes up with answers in a country where surprisingly little has been written to guide the booming ecotourism trade. Lonely Planet and Moon barely scratch the ecotourism surface and brush over Mexico's fantastic national parks and reserves. Mader lives down there so this is no parachute quickie research junket type book. He has done his homework and gone beyond the obvious places (Palenque, Copper Canyon) to explore some of the most remote but best spots. Lucky gringo. I found his book helpful for finding contact leads in Oaxaca and Veracruz states that led to great guided trips with local enviro groups.

I am the author of two guidebooks in this series, BELIZE: ADVENTURES IN NATURE and GUATEMALA: ADVENTURES IN NATURE, as well as dozens of travel articles about Latin America (including Mexico). I am flat-out amazed at the breadth, depth, and detail found in Ron Mader's MEXICO: ADVENTURES IN NATURE. Put simply, there has never been a book like this...and there have been hundreds of guides written to Mexico. Nowhere else will you find the information complied here, about everything from whale-watching to birding, turtle-helping to Maya ruin-exploring. These are aspects most tourists never know about, because nobody tells them about much beyond the traditional turista circuit of big hotels, crowded beaches, and mediocre restaurants. If you want to truly experience the incredible diversity of Mexico natural treasures, you'll start by getting your hands on this book! (Particularly useful is the extensive listing of e-mail addresses and websites, as well as practical info about hotels, restaurants, tour services, and transport)

I've been visiting Mexico since I first hopped a bus to Mazatlan 35 years ago, and find it a country that gives great value-for-money. But Mexico's natural (as distinct from recreational, historic and cultural) attractions don't get the sort of tourist attention that their quality and quantity merits. Unlike the Western U.S., where neatly signed and labeled national parks and national forests make organizing a visit easy, Mexico often conceals its natural riches. Ron Mader's new guide goes right to the front rank of Mexico's scenic and wildlife attractions and offers accurate and frank appraisals of what most merits a visit. He has a good nose for a bargain and a sense of Mexican culture, so his advice can be trusted. And he is always up for a good meal. Highly recommended to novice and expert alike. Mexico is a country that warrants deeper nature study. This book will get you on your way.

Ron Mader has produced an eminently readable and useful guide to the many places in Mexico that do not make it into the mainstream guidebooks. As someone who has traveled extensively in Mexico, I found that his descriptions of the areas I had visited were right on target as were his evaluations of the local restaurants and hotels.

While this book should not be your only resource when planning a trip to Mexico, it is a necessary additional resource for any traveler who plans to go beyond the well trodden areas such as Cancun, Acapulco and Mexico City.

Ron Mader offers us an insightful, tasteful tour of Mexico's beautiful reserves, ruins, park, and biospheres. Mader sets a new model for guidebooks, giving us an overview of responsible tourism, as well as how to rate ecotourism, while encouraging fun and exploration. This book is full of information about nature-oriented tourism and how to enjoy it while learning and mixing with the locals. Especially helpful are tips about opportunities to stay wtih locals, such as Indigenous yu'us, or small tourist houses, which are located in deforested areas. Each house manages a nursery and raises trees to reforest. Mader says "by educating yourself about the complex interactions between natural systems and the human economy, you will magnify what you gain from your travel experience. Too often travelers build walls around themselves. The purpose of travel is to break out of the cubby holes we've constructed for ourselves and break through the wall that separates us from the world around us." This carefully crafted guidebook is bound to help you do just that!

The author brings his dry wit and sharp tongue to bear on the hits and misses of responsible tourism in Mexico. A useful companion guide and highly recommended.

Most of the travelers and tourists served by the Resource Center of The Americas do not want to participate in the environmental and cultural destruction perpetuated by many governments and developers in the tourist industry. With Mexico: Adventures in Nature by Ron Mader, we can offer a trustworthy guidebook in our library and bookstore. The Resource Center of The Americas is an educational organization where people come to learn about issues that connect people of the Americas. We encourage tourism and travel, as ways to develop understanding and respect for the diverse cultures and unique ecosystems of this hemisphere. The Resource Center has published a curriculum that supports the concepts of this guidebook. Called Buen viaje: Mutually Beneficial Tourism, it is designed for study abroad programs, youth groups and spring breakers to learn more about the impact of their travel so they can make better, more responsible decisions.

Ron Mader spends most of his time in Mexico and he knows how to write about it! The details on unusual, beautiful places in this book make me want to leave today. What I like about this book is the way the author not only provides the details that any traveler needs, but he also tells us how it feels to be in a special place on the earth. And, he gives us reasons for wanting to support the ecological/socially-conscious businesses and organizations in Mexico that he describes.

Ron Mader's knowledge and devotion to ecotravel in Mesoamerica is displayed throughout this book, to the great benefit of the traveler. Whether you are a casual tourist just looking for a diversion from the beaches or a dedicated ecotourist, you will find this book chock-full of invlauable information and tips. Ron is a self-made expert in Latin American ecotourism, having been invited to speak and write on the topic all over the Americas, and his expertise shines in this handy guide. Whatever your interest in Mexico, your trip will be the richer for having used this guide book.