Acapulco - Mayan Palace

Taxco (Silver City) excursion is a 14-hour day with the drive there and back taking about 8 hours; however, the scenery is breathtaking and our driver Reuben was an interesting and humorous individual. The first two hours are devoted to stops in a three silver shops. They really pushed shopping, which was a bit much for my husband and I. The next two hours included a wonderful lunch at a very nice restaurant overlooking the city; a walk and tour of Santa Prisca Church (absolutely beautiful) and then a short authentic taxi trip (Volkswagen Beetle) to the bottom of the city to head back to Acapulco. They did not let you explore the City yourselves and you only spent 10 minutes in the city square, which was full of activity. This would be a wonderful city to visit on your own. Mexico City is another 2 hours from Taxco. Transportation is provided via air-conditioned vans so you may not get to sit beside your partner and there were no headrests so sleeping was not really an option. We would recommend that you make sure that your tour is done via a large air conditioned bus and we did pass quite a few of those.

The City Tour was a half-day trip. Our tour guide was excellent. The tour started at the Chapel of Peace where the cross overlooking Acapulco Bay is located. Very beautiful and peaceful. Then, you take a drive down the main drag into Old Acapulco for shopping at a flea market. A good start to get you acquainted with sites in the city for future excursions or if you rent a vehicle.

The boat cruise (daytime) was excellent. There was a stop for snorkeling, kayaking, swimming, etc. There was a very nice hot meal and drinks were included. This was a half-day tour. There are also evening dinner cruises.

Quick Tips:

The front desk of the Mayan Palace will cash Canadian travellers cheques and there is an on-site ATM. The concierge desk was excellent. There are approximately five on-site restaurants. We only used the pool bar/restaurant and the seafood restaurant. The food was good; however, service is slow. Prices in Mexico are basically what you would pay in the United States, converted to pesos. The pool is wonderful. The beach is clean, the water warm. Head out early as the beach vendors are not as numerous. By 2pm, the vendors are non-stop and spoil any relaxation; time to head back to the resort pool. The vendors were not pushy. You can parasail, rent four wheelers and horses. There is a small on-site gym/spa, which you must pay for. I paid US for five days. Massages were US or US for three. Recommended restaurants were Elfogons, Paradise, Betos, Madeiras and Sou Casa, with the later having an absolutely beautiful view overlooking the bay with very reasonable prices, and efficient and humorous staff.

Best Way To Get Around:

We rented a car via Budget on the internet for pick-up at the airport; however, when we arrived, they said they had no more cars and didn't have our reservation in the computer. We ended up having to rent via SAAD (Mexican company) through Mayan Palace concierge; however, it was much more expensive.

Your really don't need a vehicle as the tours pick you up at the hotel; there is a shuttle to the grocery store every 10 minutes and cabs are definitely plentiful. The blue-and-whites are not air-conditioned and are all Volkswagen beetles. The yellow-and-whites are medium sized vehicles with air-conditioning. Ask for Roberto. He spoke English quite well, acted as a tour guide, and would accommodate you however you wanted.

One-bedroom unit with 2 one-person sofa beds. King-size bed in bedroom. Separate shower and toilet area from sink and mirror. Also a separate grooming area in bedroom. Lots of closet and dresser space. Partial kitchen with mini-fridge, pots, pans, utensils, etc. Maid service was twice daily. Spotless and roomy. Only a 1-foot wide balcony with no chairs. In-room safe for no charge. Hairdryer. No ironing board or washer/dryer in unit. Laundry facilities on premises.

Best Things Nearby:
Downtown Acapulco - 20 minutes (takes 40 minutes to drive).
Chapel of Peace & Holly Cross
Fort San Diego
La Quebrada - The Cliff Divers
Cathedral and Main Square
Cici - Aquatic Park
Papagayo Park
The Zoo
Magic World Marine Aquarium

Best Things About the Resort:
The resort is beautiful, self-contained, spotless, safe, and right on the beach. You can totally relax and be waited on hand and foot or take various tours with pick-up right at the hotel -- the choice is yours.

Resort Experience:
The pool is huge as the website boasts.
There is a gym (small) and spa.
Excellent concierge.
Approximately 5 types of restaurants.
Shuttle service to grocery store.
On site store and boutique.
Golfing and tennis (didn't have time to partake).
Upon registration, they whisk you to a timeshare rep for a tour booking. Be firm. They are pushy.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Fair

This place was recommended by our guide for the City Tour. It’s an outside restaurant located on Acapulco Bay beach (beside the bungee jump); therefore, there’s no air-conditioning. The staff brought us our own oscillating floor fan, which was a nice touch. (The restaurant Paradise is right next door and was also recommended for seafood.) The red snapper was huge and the taste was wonderful on its own. The shrimp cocktail had about 20 fresh shrimp in it. Delicious. Other items included lobster, steak, and other types of fish. Beautiful low view of the bay and surrounding hills at night.

This outdoor restaurant is located on a hill and the view at night was breathtaking. It is a home that operates the restaurant only six months out of the year. The staff was excellent and extremely friendly. The margaritas were delicious. Prices were very reasonable. We went there with two other couples we had met during our holiday on the eve before we flew out. Certainly a spot to save for a special evening out. You won't be disappointed.

Taxco is a town of 140,000 (name means "ballgame"), which is 1754 meters above sea level, located 4 hours from Acapulco, northeast. Mexico City is approximately 2 hours from Taxco.

Taxco was conquered in 1552 by the Spaniards who uncovered its mineral wealth. Much of its development occurred in the 19th century as a result of a Frenchman by the name of Jose de la Borda, who became a rich man after he discovered a silver mine. There are still approximately 14 to 16 working silver mines. Taxco is filled with numerous silver shops and the silver produced is 925 pure.

There are numerous churches in Taxco; however, the most spectacular is the Parish of Santa Prisca, which was built by Jose de la Borda who believed that what God gave to you, you should give to God. Building of the church commenced in 1751 and took 10 years to complete. The cost depleted all of Mr. Borda's riches (for a period of time). It is absolutely breathtaking and holds countless sculptures and original paintings. No flash cameras are allowed inside. Be sure to purchase the booklet on the church as it is very informative and is written in Spanish and English.

The streets are cobblestone and, because of their steepness, are an excellent workout. Building facades are white and roofs are red tile, very similar to what you would see in Spain or Portugal. The narrow streets are perfect for the ever-popular Volkswagen Beetle taxis, which are abundant. Other churches include the Paris of San Miguel (18th century) and the Parish of Santa Maria de Guadelupe (2nd half of 16th century. Temples include Santa Veracruz, the Santisima Trinidad, San Nicolas Tolentino and Cjeda (16th century and beginning of 17th).

We visited Taxco through a tour out of the Mayan Palace. We took two vans, which did not have headrests and did not allow for everyone to sit with their partner. I would suggest that you try to take a Tour with a large tour bus. You travel through the Sierra Madres to get there and the views are absolutely breathtaking. Our tour did not allow you to maneuver the town on your own, which we would have preferred.

Roberto, our taxi driver from outside the Mayan Palace (yellow and white cabs), said that cabs will take you there, as well. If you ended up with a knowledgeable driver, that might be the ticket.