Cancun and the Yucatan For Dummies

For Lynne Bairstow (who wrote Chapters 1 through 12, 16 through 18, and Appendixes A and B), Mexico has become more home to her than her native United States. After exploring the country and living in Puerto Vallarta for most of the past 12 years, she's developed a true love of Mexico and its complex, colorful culture. Her travel articles on Mexico have been published in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, and Alaska Airlines Magazine. In 2000, Lynne was awarded the Pluma de Plata, an honor granted by the Mexican Government to foreign writers, for her work with the Frommer's guide to Mexico. David Baird (who wrote Chapters 13, 14, and 15) is a writer, editor, and translator who feels uncomfortable writing about himself in the third person (too much like writing his own obituary). Now based in Austin, Texas, he spent years living in various parts of Mexico, Brazil, Peru, and Puerto Rico. But, whenever possible, he manages to get back to the turquoise--blue waters of the Yucatan because he thinks he looks good in that color, and because he's excessively fond of the local cooking.

Part I: Getting Started. Chapter 1: Discovering the Yucatan. Chapter 2: Deciding When to Go. Chapter 3: Planning Your Budget Chapter 4: Planning Ahead for Special Travel Needs. Part II: Ironing Out the Details. Chapter 5: Making Your Travel Arrangements. Chapter 6: Money Matters. Chapter 7: Taking Care of the Remaining Details. Part III: Cancun. Chapter 8: The Lowdown on Cancun's Hotel Scene. Chapter 9: Settling into Cancun. Chapter 10: Dining in Cancun. Chapter 11: Having Fun On and Off the Beach in Cancun. Part IV: Isla Mujeres and Cozumel. Chapter 12: Isla Mujeres. Chapter 13: Cozumel. Part V: Exploring the Yucatan. Chapter 14: Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya. Chapter 15: A Taste of the Maya: Nearby Ruins. Part VI: The Part of Tens. Chapter 16: Ten Ways to Avoid Looking Like a Gringo. Chapter 17: Top Ten (or So) Myths and Misconceptions about Mexico. Chapter 18: Top Ten Most Delicious Yucatecan Dishes. Appendix A: Quick Concierge. Appendix B: Glossary of Spanish Words and Phrases. Worksheets. Index.