Mexico for Two
by Paris Permenter & John Bigley

Think of Mexico and you may picture miles of toasty beaches, clear waters that invite the two of you to explore, and quaint markets filled with colorful handicrafts.

Now add to that scene a flurry of romantic touches: candles flickering from every corner of your guest room, horseback rides during a fiery sunset, or cuddling in a blossom-strewn carriage while the soft sea breeze whispers in your ears.

Whether your idea of a Mexican honeymoon brings to mind fiesta or siesta, you'll find a wealth of romantic getaways from the Pacific to the Caribbean shores of this sprawling country. Chosen by more American honeymooners than any other international destination, this charming country envelopes lovers with a warm Bievenidos and once-upon-a-time romance.

ACAPULCO

Ready for a party? Then set your sights on Acapulco, a Pacific city called the "birthplace of Mexican tourism."

Days here can be as busy or as blissfully idle as you choose. Shop in internationally-recognized boutiques for designer clothing or at charming mercados for locally-made crafts and artwork. Don a mask and snorkel in crystal-clear waters. Charter a boat out to "La Quebrada" to watch daredevil cliff divers make their death-defying leaps. Or just sip a margarita as you float in a vanishing edge pool and watch the sun set over the bay and the lights come out to greet another pulsating Acapulco night.

It's in these night hours that Acapulco really shines. Pack your glittery outfits for this getaway where the Hollywood set goes to party. Who knows? You might spot the likes of Sylvester Stallone, who owns property here. At the very least, you'll find plenty of photos of the glitterati on the walls of Acapulco's discos like the pulsating Baby-O's or the picturesque Palladium with huge windows overlooking the lights of the moonlit city.

Many of the hotels are also perched high on the hills as well. A favorite with honeymooners is Westin's Las Brisas. These pink and white casitas offer lovers quiet solitude and many rooms come complete with their own private pools, shaded by brilliant bouganvillea.

IXTAPA/ZIHUANTENEJO

These west coast cousins, although just seven miles apart, offer honeymooners two different atmospheres.

After the excitement of the wedding, Zihuatenejo is the perfect antidote. This traditional village, whose name means "place of women" in the Aztec language, pampers lovers with privacy, peace, and quiet.

Honeymooners find plenty of niches for lazy afternoon siestas together at Villa del Sol, a beachside getaway where the two of you can cuddle beneath a gauzy canopy in a one-of-a-kind suite or in a lazy hammock. When the temperature rises, there's nothing like a private pool of your own -- complete with a view of the setting sun -- to both cool you down and add a special sizzle to the evening all at the same time.

Activity isn't far from sleepy Zihuatenejo--just seven miles away lies its glitzy cousin, Ixtapa. Mexico's original planned resort, Ixtapa is a favorite with lovers looking for a chance to shop for honeymoon souvenirs, to challenge each other to a round of golf (don't forget a kiss for each putt), and to stroll beneath tall coconut palms, the first to arrive in Mexico from the Philippines many years ago.

PUERTO VALLARTA

It's glitzy, it's glamorous, it's Hollywood with a fiesta spirit. Since the days when Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton frolicked in its bougainvillea-lined shores in "Night of the Iguana," this beautiful port city has been a favorite getaway for the rich and famous.

Liz and Richard's sizzling love affair focused the eyes of the world on this coastal city and since then there's been no looking back. Today's lovers will find plenty of opportunity for romance, chances to steal a kiss beneath the brilliant bougainvillea or to enjoy a sunset sail that marks the end of another love-filled day and the promise of an evening where dreams can come true.

Puerto Vallarta also means plenty of chances for ecotourism fun. The two of you can pair up as dive partners at 22 scuba sites in these crystal waters. Whalewatching excursions are tops on many couple's lists from mid-November through mid-March. And you can even visit isolated offshore islands or remote jungle enclaves as well.

An hour and a half drive south of Puerto Vallarta, Hotelito Desconocido, or the "Little Unknown Hotel," combines both ecotourism and romance. The small resort is solar powered and in the evenings is lit by thousands of tiny candles and flaming torches. Lovers can stroll the beach (also a nature preserve for sea turtles), snorkel off tiny offshore islets, or sybartically pamper themselves at the mini-spa with an herbal sauna or a relaxing reflexology.

LOS CABOS

The marriage of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean is the spectacular setting for Los Cabos. Here the desert meets the water, mountains give way to sheer cliffs that drop to turquoise depths, and lovers find a paradise that is quiet, rugged, and, at the same time, pampering.

Beautiful beaches fringe the Baja peninsula, the perfect place for a blissful afternoon alone. You'll also find several romantic attractions here such as El Arco (The Arch), an often photographed natural arch in the rugged sea cliffs.

Although it's still a quiet destination, more couples are discovering this western paradise. Many flock to Hacienda del Mar, a romantic retreat with rooms decorated like Mexican haciendas. Stroll on cobblestone roads, watch the moon rise along the private beach, and enjoy days and nights with few distractions other than each other's charms.

CANCUN

Selected as the ideal resort location by a computer, Cancun brings together all the luxury a couple could want: five star hotels, fine dining, exquisite shopping, and around the clock action. Honeymooners find a wealth of romantic accommodations such as Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun with its multilevel pool to the intimate Casa Turquesa with rooms for just 33 lucky couples. Evenings are spent at luxurious restaurants like the Ritz Carlton's Club Grill for Yucatecan specialties or dancing the night away at salsa clubs like Azucar, or "sugar," an appropriate name for a romantic disco that stirs the Latin beat in every visitor.

But just minutes from the hedonistic pleasures of Cancun romantics can also find a quieter world. At Xcaret (pronounced "esh carett"), you'll find a full day's worth of romantic fun beneath the sultry shade of tall palms and in the clear waters of the Caribbean Sea. Centuries ago, the Mayas bathed at this site before crossing the sea to worship on the island of Cozumel. Today it is the perfect site to make you feel like a Mayan princess in search of the spirit of the Yucatan peninsula, where steamy heat is found in the dense jungle and the cacophony of exotic birds replaces the sound of the bustling resort city.

One of the most unique attractions at Xcaret is its underground river, which carves its way through the area to the edge of the Yucatan peninsula. You can snorkel together in this magical darkness, the scene lit only by light filtering in through cenotes or natural sinkholes above.

When sunset comes to Xcaret, the park glows with the light of hundreds of tiny candles, each illuminating a small, sand-filled bag. These candles light the way for lovers to stroll down ancient paths, the sound of Mayan music in the distance. Throughout the park, costumed local residents recreate ancient traditional dances and ceremonies, filling the night air with the scent of sweet incense and the promise of an unforgettable evening.

Another romantic getaway is a cruise to Isla Mujeres, the Island of Women. This quiet island greets day visitors with chalky beaches, al fresco restaurants, and a friendly Mexican atmosphere. The most popular spot on the island is El Garrafon, a national park where vacationers snorkel with iridescent fish and even swim with sea turtles.

COZUMEL

Whereas Cancun was selected by computer, Cozumel was chosen by the gods, at least in the eyes of the Mayas. The Mayas came to Cozumel, the "land of swallows," to worship Ixchel, goddess of fertility. Today, several Mayan ruins still dot the quiet island of just 50,000 residents.

The largest community on Cozumel is San Miguel. Here life is quiet, with little traffic, no high rises, and a distinctly unspoiled atmosphere. Shops line a traditional main plaza where every Sunday night residents and vacationers alike dance to live music and enjoy a few hours of people watching.

Just four miles from San Miguel lies one of the most romantic hotels on the island, the Presidente Inter-Continental Cozumel. Here the spirit of romance blooms as easily as the tropical flowers that color the grounds. Guest rooms are decorated in cool pastel colors echoing the shades of the tropical fish and coral that lay just beyond the water's edge; in the evening votive candles turn your room into a real romantic escape.

Considered one of the best dive locations in the world, Cozumel is home of an extensive coral reef made famous by Jacques Cousteau in the 1950s. But travelers don't need to don tanks and gear to see the reef and the rainbow hued fish that populate the coral. Snorkeling is even more popular than diving at Chankanaab National Park, south of San Miguel. This is one of the best snorkeling areas on the island, a spot where honeymooners can float hand-in-hand in calm, clear waters, enjoying a look at the colorful reef just yards from shore. The park boasts La Laguna, an excellent restaurant over looking the sea. Sit beneath the tall palapa and order ceviche, molé enchiladas, or fajitas. Follow up with an after dinner drink: Xtabentun. This Mayan liqueur is made from anise and honey, a sweet end to a meal.

COPPER CANYON

If romance means adventure to the two of you, then the answer might be Copper Canyon. Here no roads, no telephone poles, no electrical wires interrupt the pristine scene. The steep canyon walls and lush valleys stand unmarred except for slim footpaths that wind like kite string through the dense vegetation.

This panorama is witnessed by a small number of vacationers who arrive by rail, traveling from the desert to this elevation of over 8000 feet. More than distance, a honeymoon in Copper Canyon is a journey back to a simpler time. Here high speed transportation means a fast horse and the change of seasons involves a nomadic move for the canyon's indigenous people.

Copper Canyon is a remote area in Mexico's Sierra Madre mountains, located west of the town of Chihuahua. Most travelers arrive here by train, on a railway than many said could never be built. With 86 tunnels and 37 bridges, construction of the Chihuahua al Pacifico took nearly a century, traveling through some of the most rugged terrain on the continent.

Often Copper Canyon or Barranca del Cobre is compared to the Grand Canyon. The Mexican chasm is four times larger than its American counterpart. It boasts a quiet peace, a place where tourists are still somewhat of a novelty. This canyon is not a park, but home to over 50,000 Tarahumara Indians who live in caves along the canyon rim. The largest nomadic tribe in the Americas, the Tarahumara spend their winters in the interior of the canyon, amid lush vegetation including domestic orange groves.

Honeymooners can ride on blue Mexican passenger trains that depart from Chihuahua and Los Mochis, but the most luxurious ride is aboard the Sierra Madre Express. The American-owned train consists of beautifully restored 1940's Pullman cars, including sleepers, a two-story glass topped observation car, and a dining car. Couples can ride the rails for a few nights then enjoy stays in romantic hacienda hotels scattered along the canyon rim, places to enjoy the spirit of a Mexico that remains as wild and mysterious as love itself.