Customer Reviews

Cancún, Cozumel & The Riviera Maya Alive!

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a joy after reading some of the other guides to Cancun! This book covers almost everything, and is obviously written by someone with an intimate familiarity with the region. It offers helpful hints on each page, rather than just pointing out lists of places to visit (although it does this also). The Mexican to U.S. clothing size conversion chart is particularly helpful. The book dedicates 12 pages to shopping in Cancun, a topic restricted to 3/4 page in the other guidebook I purchased at the same time (and sent back). The coverage of places to stay, places to eat, and what to do is very objective and frank, unlike some of the guides which seem to be produced by the local chamber of commerce. As a lover of travel (and travel guides), I can't say enough about this one - it's as good a guide to a city as I have read.

Even though this book has SOMEWHAT helped me with my travel to the Yucatan (ummmm... probably because it was the ONLY book I brought?? Stupid Me!!), I was very disturbed with some of the restaurant choices. "Tell the owners, "so-and-so" that Bruce and June says HELLO and that we sent you!!" Auuuuugh!!

Can we say that they probably get free food for mentioning their names?

I was also quite disturbed how they described the airport's bus stop to CanCun. There are Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 (totally separated). They said that if you are on a chartered flight, you're at the "main terminal and the bus stop is across the street from it". Well, I was on a Chartered flight and flew into Terminal One. Which one is MAIN? 1 or 2?? Assuming 1 is ALWAYS MAIN, I winded up walking more or less of a mile in the 90 degree heat to Terminal 2 to get to the bus stop. SCARY!!!

I backpacked there and was on a budget and they did not list not even 1/4 of the budget hotels. When I stayed @ a hostel, I browsed through a bunkmate's Lonely Planet book and it had WAY MORE INFORMATION than this book!!

This book may seem to be "somewhat big", but the fonts are large... thus taking up more space. I did find some wrong information and the book says to "Please e-mail them."

WHAT?? E-MAIL THEM FOR THE RIGHT INFORMATION SO THEY CAN PROFIT FROM A MORE UPDATED EDITION?? Ripley's!!!

Lonely Planet has the same info that they have... PLUS MORE! This book is very VAGUE for anyone.

"We had a wonderful vacation using this guide book. Unlike another one that starts with "F," the Alive! guide is not full of upfront stuff that nobody reads.
It gets right to the point in telling what hotels have to offer, the best places to eat (it arranges them by cuisine and gives sample dishes) and devotes many
pages to shopping - in the malls as well as downtown. We got some good bargains as a result." Reader, East Coast USA

CANCUN, COZUMEL, AND THE RIVIERA MAYA ALIVE! from Hunter Publishing Travel Guides, is a wonderfully readable, in-depth guide to everything you could ever want to know about this glorious Gulf Coast area of Mexico's "hitch-hiker thumb." Bruce and June Conord, who have traveled the world, chose this location for all their free time to relax, and their enthusiasm makes readers eager to go there also. The guide is organized in an easy to follow way, arranged by geography and popularity. Their own evaluations of hotels, restaurants, and attractions are listed up-front. I was particularly impressed that they flatly refuse to mention those places which have raped the environment. The tips and warnings in the book are worth the reading for any Mexican traveler, gleaned from their years of experience. History, conversion charts, temperature and climate guides, and shopping hints are all readably presented and easy to grasp at a glance. We recommend this book for anyone dreaming of the sun and surf! Plan your trip with it.

If you read only one guide book this summer this should be the one!!! Unlike one of the other reviewers I found this book to be a great source of information. As I fumbled around the Yucatan this was a fantastic wealth of information. Yes it seems like the authors know people as you read the book, only making it more believable that they continue to visit the same establishments and "practice what they preach". To the unhappy traveler I offer a sympathetic ear and like all reviews take his / her opinion with a grain of salt! I prefer mine with tequila ... but others seem to have them in their tears. Have fun and enjoy!!!!