There are few places in the world where
ecosystems remain virtually untouched and Mexico is a treasure trove of
such ecosystems. Venturing into the largest tropical forest reserve,
visiting Mexico’s largest Mayan site at Calakmul or whale watching
in the blue waters of the Gulf of California are just a few of the many
experiences offered by the 166 protected areas around the
country—and their numbers keep growing each year.
One of the five most biologically diverse countries in the world, Mexico
hosts 10 percent of global biological diversity. So it is no wonder
that each year 5.5 million people are lured to Mexico’s protected
reefs, islands, deserts and mountains. Conservation of these protected
areas dates back to 1876 when the first national park was established in
the forests of Desierto de los Leones
in Mexico City.
Today, there are six types of protected areas in Mexico: National Parks, Biosphere
Reserves, NaturalMonuments,
Safeguard Areas of Natural Resources, Safeguard Areas of Flora and Fauna
and Nature Sanctuaries. These areas make it possible to encounter species
such as bears, green-winged macaws, manta rays, whale sharks and flora
such as cactus.
Arriving in the airport topped with palm
leaf, in the middle of lush green vegetation that goes on for miles, up and
down the sierra that ends at the coastline of the Pacific
Ocean with its rocky cliffs and beaches---you have just landed
in Huatulco.
This coastal town made up of nine bays (San Agustin,
Chachacual, Maguey, El Organo, Santa Cruz,
Chahue, Tangolunda, Conejos and Cacaluta) in the southwestern state of Oaxaca is known for
being untouched by major commercial travel. It’s a very well kept
secret and the locals, as well as the visitors who have discovered it,
would like to keep it that way.
Enjoy the Silver Capital
of Mexico
During Its Patron Saint Festivity
When
visiting the Magical Town of Taxco in the state of Guerrero, the most
impressive image is the majestic Santa Prisca Church. Commissioned in the
1500s by Don Jose de la Borda, a Frenchman of Spanish descent, the church
built in the Churrigueresque (Spanish baroque) style, stands tall
as the centerpiece of the city’s zocalo (central square).
Perhaps one of the best times to visit this church is on
January 18th when the city celebrates its Patron Saint, the first
century martyr who bore numerous tortures because she refused to deny
Christianity. Most images of Saint Prisca picture her surrounded by
lions, which according to legend,, lay down next to her instead of
devouring her. She was ultimately decapitated.
Festivities begin at midnight when people gather outside the church to sing
Las Mañanitas to the saint to celebrate her birth.
Festivities continue throughout the day with dancing, music, parades, and
many traditional food stands. The evening sky lights up with fireworks as
the day’s festivities come to a close.
If
you like to spend Christmas abroad, you should know that in Mexico,
rather than finishing on January 1st, celebrations continue until February!
So spoil yourself with a trip south of the border and enjoy the warmth of
Mexican hospitality.
January 6th is the most awaited day by children because
traditionally, it is not only the religious festivity of Epiphany but also
the day the Three Wise Men bring the most and best toys and gifts.
During the evenings before the great celebration on January 6th, families
go to the Alameda in Mexico City, a beautiful park that dates
back to the Colonial era. There, every year, hundreds of stands display
food, toys and best of all, there are sets where the children can have their
picture taken with the Three Kings of the Orient.
Adults throughout Mexico
also celebrate this day with the Rosca de Reyes or Three Kings
Bread. People in every home, school, office and organization gather to
share the stretched, ring-shaped bread. But, beware of getting the piece of
bread that has the hidden baby Jesus doll, because if you are this lucky,
you must to return to Mexico
on February 2nd to host a Candlemas Tamales party!
Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart is considered the most prolific and influential composer of
the classical era. If you are one of his fans, you have the opportunity to
attend affordable concerts of his music in the most comprehensive and
inter-disciplinary celebration of this composer in North America: the
Bi-national Mozart Festival in Tijuana.
Various venues and streets in Tijuana
in the Mexican state of Baja California,along
with San Diego in the American state of California, will
become festival sites from January through March and June. Educational,
cultural, governmental and tourism agencies from Mexico, the United States
and Austria work together to bring performances from internationally
renowned artists as well as amateur musicians.
Mirroring the Salzburg Festival in Vienna,
the Mozart Festival in Tijuana,
founded in 1992, presents free concerts, street fairs, a Mozart
children’s festival, premiers, museum exhibitions, public art
exhibits and more. So be original and plan a very classicalTijuana visit for
this winter or summer.
Illuminated Nights
at the “Center of the Universe”
Night
visits to one of the most important archaeological zones of Mexico will be a reality beginning January
29, 2009 when a sound and light spectacular, produced by state-of-the-art
technology will illuminate Teotihuacan,
the Aztec’s “City of the Gods”.
Teotihuacan, approximately
40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Mexico City,
is located in the municipality of San Juan Teotihuacán in the State of Mexico. The
city covers a total surface area of 83 square kilometers (32 square miles)
and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. It is one of the
most visited archaeological sites in Mexico. Visitors to the
spectacle will see how 125 thousands LEDS (light-emitting diodes)
controlled by special software will illuminate the edges of the Pyramids of
the Sun and Moon, and the Calzada de los Muertos (Avenue of the
Dead), creating fire, wind and sand effects. The project, called “The
Brightness of Teotihuacan”, will also present a 3-D animation in high
definition showing the history of this place.
It is worth mentioning that the Reichstag in Berlin and BuckinghamPalace have a similar
illumination. However, in Teotihuacan
this illumination will be used for the first time in an archaeological site
and will have a larger scope..
So reserve time for a visit to Teotihuacan that will exceed your
expectations.
Working to Protect the
Yucatan Peninsula’s Ecosystems
The
beaches, mangroves, jungles and reefs of the YucatanPeninsula will continue to amaze
tourists and future generations thanks to new government initiatives designed
to protect the rich ecosystems that have made the region one of the top
destinations for tourists in Mexico.
The country is working to create the Mexican Official
Criteria for Sustainable Tourism (NOM), which will use, in part, the Global
Sustainable Tourism Criteria created by the World Tourism Organization
(WTO) as a point of reference. The goal of the Global Sustainable Tourism
Criteria is to establish the specifications and requirements that all
hotels and real state developments should have in their design,
construction and operation in order to guarantee their sustainability.
Business men, academics, civil organizations and local authorities will
work together next year to define the criteria that will apply to
developments in the states of Quintana Roo, Yucatan and Campeche.
The Mexican Secretariat of the Environment and Natural
Resources, along with the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs, and the international Rainforest Alliance, is currently working
with 30 hotels in the region that are being validated for their economic,
environmental and social aspects. The results will be available in March
2009, to serve as indicators for next year’s development of the NOM.
The holiday season is over but there
are more celebrations to enjoy in Mexico in the beginning of
the New Year. January is the time to remember the founding of the city of
Leon, which is located in the MexicanState of Guanajuato. This day also
commemorates Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of the city. On January
20, 1576, Viceroy Don Martin Enriquez de Almanza founded Villa de Leon as
a strategic way to deal with the Chichimeca communities that were
invading.
Almost three centuries later, Leon officially became a
city. Because of the war of independence in 1830, many workers abandoned
the mines in Guanajuato and choose to work in the handcraft and shoe
industry. Today, Leon
is well-known as the shoe capital of the world because of the great
number of shoes and leather factories located there.
A three week fair to showcase Guanajuato and its
traditions to the rest of the world is held from January 9 to February 3,
2009. Beautiful colonial buildings beside modern architecture and
wide boulevards provide the scenic background for you to celebrate one
more edition of the largest fair in Mexico. The Leon Fair 2009 is
a great option for families since it has choices for all types of
audiences. Different venues will host music performances, handicraft
exhibitions, and very traditional activities such as livestock exhibits
and the most important shoe marketplace in Mexico. Every year, the fair
receives thousands of visitors from different Mexican cities as well as
from abroad.
Interested in writing about Mexico?
Learn more about our upcoming Fam trips and see how you can experience Mexico
first-hand.
Stay tuned for our 2009 calendar of FAMS
Want to write
about Mexico?
Need ideas or assistance with a story? Contact the Mexico Travel News Bureau directly at
1-800-929-4555, by e-mail at northamericanpress@visitmexico.com,
or visit our press site at www.visitmexicopress.com.
There are few places in the world where
ecosystems remain virtually untouched and 
Arriving in the airport topped with palm
leaf, in the middle of lush green vegetation that goes on for miles, up and
down the sierra that ends at the coastline of the 
When
visiting the Magical Town of Taxco in the state of Guerrero, the most
impressive image is the majestic Santa Prisca Church. Commissioned in the
1500s by Don Jose de la Borda, a Frenchman of Spanish descent, the church
built in the Churrigueresque (Spanish baroque) style, stands tall
as the centerpiece of the city’s zocalo (central square).
If
you like to spend Christmas abroad, you should know that in 
Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart is considered the most prolific and influential composer of
the classical era. If you are one of his fans, you have the opportunity to
attend affordable concerts of his music in the most comprehensive and
inter-disciplinary celebration of this composer in North America: the
Bi-national Mozart Festival in 
Night
visits to one of the most important archaeological zones of 
The
beaches, mangroves, jungles and reefs of the 
The holiday season is over but there
are more celebrations to enjoy in 
