Chattering teeth, runny noses, sore backs from snow shovelling - it's been a long winter and treating your kids to some sand, sea, surf and sun seems like a good idea over March break. But getting away can be expensive when you're taking the whole family. The Mexico's Mayan Riviera offers good value for money and has great options.

The Karisma chain has several choices for families - from the tot-friendly, brand new Azul Fives to a beach-front beauty called Azul Beach to a 'tween and teen-ready Azul Sensatori, you'll find the right option to get your brood in the mood for fun.

Good news: These three resorts are within an hour of the Cancun Airport, so you won't have to start off your vacation with a tediously long bus ride. Route 307 is a wonder of modern transportation engineering; no worries about safety here.

More good news: the Azul resorts are all gourmet-inclusive, so you'll find something for your picky little eater. Vegan and gluten-free options are available as well.

At Azul Beach, a barbecue lunch is served on the beach each Sunday. The fish for the feature dish is caught daily by local fishermen. Ours was the red snapper. Sitting in our bathing suits at tables on the beach, just steps from the warm Caribbean waters, sipping the resort specialty drink (called a Mosquito: tequila and tamarind juice in a glass rimmed in chili powder for the perfect sassy/sweet balance), while eating the freshest fish served by white-coated waiters - does life get any better?

Within weeks from declaring 2011 to be Mexico's “year of tourism,” the country's president Felipe Calderon said that the government aims to make Mexico the world's top fifth tourism destination by 2018.

Currently, Mexico ranks tenth in the top 10 tourism destinations of the world, according to World Tourism Organization (WTO), he said.

Calderon stressed that to bring Mexico in top 5 slot, travel connectivity of the country from various other countries has to be increased. This would require more flight services to famous tourist spots and beach cities of Mexico, including Cancun and Acapulco, which are the top Spring Break destinations that attract students from United States and other countries during summers.

Development of tourism infrastructure, acceleration of the construction of highways, ports and airports are some of the aspects to be covered for achieving the target in tourism, both in terms of increasing the number of visitors and revenue generations, he added.

According to official figures, about 22.3 million foreign tourists visited Mexico in 2010 and about 6 million U.S. dollars was generated through tourism.

$155 A NIGHT

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. is offering new (almost) all-inclusive packages starting at $155 a night for two at its Westin, Sheraton and Le Méridien resorts in Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos. The packages are available through Dec. 15, but there is an exception to the all-inclusive claim: Expect to pay 50 per cent of the cost of meals for children ages 5 to 12. To book, visit starwoodhotels.com/mexicoallinclusive.

RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE:WYN), announced it has expanded its network in Mexico through its affiliation with Ixchel Residences, a well-appointed development at north Isla Mujeres, a popular beach destination just outside Cancun.

Developed by Group I Maroma, Ixchel Residences is located less than 13 miles from Cancun International Airport and features 14 exclusive luxury villas and 117 deluxe rooms. The property offers several on-site amenities including a gym, heated pool, an area with lounge chairs on the beach and high-speed wireless Internet.

Isla Mujeres also boasts a myriad of activities including the area’s largest marina that offers various water activities such as swimming with dolphins and whale sharks, snorkeling and reef diving, kayaking, fishing and catamaran rental.
“This affiliation with RCI represents an important opportunity for us,” said Gabriel Tommasi, legal representative, Ixchel Residences Resort. “We are excited to be able to expand our business areas, provide new opportunities for our customers, and bring the beauty of Isla Mujeres to new audiences.”

Still another route offers a 10-day sampling of the Maya culture, starting at the so-called "white city" of Merida on the Yucatan Peninsula. Besides stops at archaeological sites such as Chichen Itza and Tulum, the tour allows time to play at the resort areas of Cancun, the Riviera Maya and the island of Cozumel before a flight down to the country's southernmost state of Chiapas. Among showstoppers there is a river cruise through a Grand Canyon-like gorge, a visit to the shopping mecca of San Cristobal de las Casas and pyramid-climbing at the ruins of Palenque.

The other seven routes typically feature inland cities elsewhere in the country. Among their themes are "Wine country and the aquarium of the world," "The art of tequila and music under the sun" and "The magic of traditions and nature."

Collectively, the routes wind through some 90 cities around Mexico including a number of smaller towns designated as "magic cities" and UNESCO World Heritage sites.

As a global authority on island destinations with more than half a milion readers, Island Magazine's recommendations are worth listening to.

So, the inclusion of Cozumel this month as one of their World's Best Islands to Live On, is worthy praise indeed.

In their latest edition, the glossy US-based publication described Cozumel as a "colorful Mexico blended with the Caribbean's laid-back attitude [...] a social island with patient, relaxed people."

Cozumel Islands Magazine
Cozumel commended.

They named Cozumel number 16 in their list of the top 20 islands to live on, number 1 was the Big Island in Hawaii.

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Reaching a binding climate deal at the upcoming U.N. conference in Mexico will likely be difficult, delegates from a group of developing nations said on Monday, spurring further doubts about a global climate accord this year.

Environment ministers from Brazil, South Africa, India and China -- known as the BASIC group -- meeting in Rio de Janeiro said developed nations have not done enough to cut their own emissions or help poor countries reduce theirs.

Delays by the United States and Australia in implementing schemes to cut carbon emissions has added to gloomy sentiment about possible results from the Cancun meeting.

"If by the time we get to Cancun (U.S. senators) still have not completed the legislation then clearly we will get less than a legally binding outcome," said Buyelwa Sonjica, South Africa's Water and Environment Affairs minister.

China will host an extra round of international negotiations in October aimed at fostering agreement over a new climate treaty, the United Nations' top environment official said in remarks published on Monday.

Achim Steiner, a U.N. Under-Secretary General who is director of the U.N. Environment Program, told the China Daily the extra round of negotiations would take place in the north Chinese port city of Tianjin, which is close to Beijing.

"China will introduce some new ideas and opportunities to move the negotiation forward," said Steiner, who has been visiting China.

Governments are hoping to strike agreement on a new binding climate change treaty after a summit in Copenhagen late last year ended with a weak and non-binding accord.

The newly added Tianjin talks will come in the build-up to the next major ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico, from Nov. 29-Dec. 10, when climate officials hope to agree on the key elements of a new treaty, if not the details.

Brian Morgan assembled Baseball4Christ's first offering of its missionary work in their waning moments together as a week-long baseball team during a mission trip to Cancun, Mexico.

The goal of a final talk was to measure the internal impact of the trip from June 20-26 had on the 12 teenagers seated in front of him.

He'd soon find out that among a majority, their recent trip to Mexico had been "life-changing."

Included among the 19 on a mission trip to Cancun were a dozen players, split among each of Coweta County's three public high-schools. Outside of a few teammates, most knew each other, at best, as occasional opponents this spring on area diamonds.

The plan for the trip called for the group to spend their days in the surrounding Barrios, spreading their messages both of the Gospel and baseball through daily clinics where they could also distribute donated equipment that had been shipped from Georgia to be given to the Mexican children.

Jay Harris is getting a jumpstart on his collegiate career.

The former Oswego East basketball standout has started classes this summer at Valparaiso University, where he signed a national letter of intent for a basketball scholarship after the high school season ended.
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Former Oswego East star Jay Harris (left), now a freshman at Valparaiso University, will join his teammates when they head to Cancun, Mexico, in August for a series of games against international competition.
(Sun-Times Media File)

And next month, Harris will join coach Homer Drew's team when they head to Cancun, Mexico, for a series of games (Aug. 8-13) against international competition.

"It will give him a chance to adjust and a chance to play with his teammates before everything starts in the fall," Drew said.

"He has started summer school. He's here on campus so he will be coming with us."

Harris, a smooth-shooting 6-foot-1 guard who can play the 1 or 2 spot, was the lone recruit signed by Drew this offseason.

Because the trip has been sanctioned by the NCAA, Drew's team will be allowed to practice for 10 days prior to the trip.

"We're going to be able to get a jumpstart on the season," Drew told the Northwest Times of Indiana. "This will give us an early chance to evaluate our guys and this is the first time that we've ever gone international since I've been here."