Outside the all-inclusive resorts in Mexico

I have taken at least ten trips to Mexico, some for extended stays, and I’ve developed a love/hate relationship with the country. 

The plus side is that Mexican people are very warm and friendly and enjoy tourists in their midst. The biggest draw for most people is the wonderful tropical climate and stunning vegetation with good beaches and warm water. It is also good value; our Canadian dollar goes a long way in Mexico. 

On the other-hand, I think Mexico is still a dangerous place, the cartels work all over Mexico and while tourists are not their target it has a physiological effect on any out of the way travel.

Last year I decided to break my own rules and booked three weeks in Barra de Navidad on my own. Barre is a small town half way down the Pacific Coast. (The closest airport is Manzanillo.) It is a real Mexican town where locals live and do business and farmers from the nearby countryside come to shop and go to the market.