It is the month of February and love is in the air. Cupid is soaring in the Puerto Peñasco winds, with his shiny bow and arrow ready to pull the arrow tight and let it fly. Who knows where it will strike or when or whom? Usually when love strikes, it happens fast, in a blink of an eye. Bam, you're hit. And as some may know, especially if you're in love, trying to be in love or looking for love, the right atmosphere or activity can make a difference. So, peruse this list and try one or all of the ideas with that special someone and just see if the arrows don’t come flying!

1. Buy a Love Song from a Mariachi for your sweetheart. This one can really work well if you plan ahead. In the majority of the restaurants in town and in Old Port area they have various groups of traveling mariachis’. Excuse yourself, go to the banos and ask one to come over and play a love song when you get back to the table. I recommend “Besame Mucho.”

2. Romantic Picnic for Two. Take a Mexican blanket, a picnic basket, some beverages and go sit on the beach. Surprise is a romantic factor. Just pick them up and leave the activity and destination a secret.

3. Get a special getaway. Just cozy up to your sweetheart in a hot tub looking at the ocean and make it a special night or weekend. Believe it or not, with SQN Getaways you can enjoy a private terrace with plunge pool, one bedroom with a king-size bed, and one bathroom with Jacuzzi tub, check our getaway deals in www.sqngetaways.com or call 877-278-2142

4. Go Horseback riding on the beach. There are several local businesses that have horses for rent. It is very romantic to take a horseback ride on the beach with the one you love.

 

5. Go to Happy Hour at La Casa Del Capitan restaurant at Sunset. El Capitan is on the high peak overlooking the Malecon, Old Port and the Sea of Cortez. The views are beautiful and very romantic; you can also spend time next door at the Lighthouse Restaurant where they have live jazz music and spectacular views.

6. Be on the water at sunset. Rent a kayak, boat or take a Sunset Cruise. Puerto Peñasco offers both kayak rentals and boat rentals. If you are looking for the private tour and know how to drive a boat or use a kayak that is a good option and can be quite romantic. However, if you would rather sit back and let someone else drive try one of the various Sunset Cruises.

7. Couple massage for two. There are several massage therapists in Puerto Peñasco who can arrange to come to your room for a more private setting.

8. Sunrise Special in Cholla Bay. Make an early date to wake up one morning 30 minutes before sunrise. Wrapped in a big oversized blanket together is a great way to make a day romantic. A remarkable place is over in Cholla Bay where you can actually see the sunrise from the water. Depending on the tide, you can also walk out on the sand and look for washed up sand dollars. Afterwards, you can stroll to Xochitl’s Café and have an impressive Mexican breakfast.

9. Go Parking on a deserted beach. Puerto Peñasco is fortunate to have deserted beaches within a short drive. Many you can walk for miles with no one around and also pick up some good shells. The rest is up to you.

10. Go to the Malecon on a Sunday night and sit on a bench in front of the Colossal Shrimp Statue. Sunday night in Mexico is family night. It is a wonderful evening that friends and family use to spend time with each other and their significant others. When the fiery red ball drops into the ocean and a red glow is everywhere, somehow all seems warm and right with the world, love is abundant.

You’ve heard “Virginia is for Lovers”? Well, “Puerto Peñasco is for Lovers,” and this is just a few of the romantic things to do in Peñasco. Mucho Amore.

Source Baja News & Events, by Anita Kaltenbaugh

As with any vacation destination, demand will dictate flight availability. According to research from airfare tracking website Hopper.com, because Cancun is a leisure route, prices tend to be more stable and often fall until seven days before departure, though the difference between booking 35 days in advance and 10 days in advance is $8. But all that goes out the window at peak times—Christmas, spring break—when being an early bird pays off.

Visa

U.S. citizens visiting for less than 180 days don’t need a visa to enter Mexico. However, you will need to have a visitor’s permit, which can be obtained by filling out a form provided by your airline, travel agency, or at the point of entry in Mexico. Since 2007, a valid passport has been required to enter Mexico, whether you’re flying, driving, or arriving by cruise ship. Mexico requires that your passport be valid for at least 90 days following your departure date, but it’s a good idea to have six months’ validity on your passport at all times (not to mention unused passport pages for necessary stamps).

What to bring?

When you’re coming to the Riviera Maya, you might think there’s little more to pack than a bathing suit and flip-flops. But with its jungles to discover, ruins to climb, and underwater worlds to explore, this slice of the Yucatan Peninsula is a dream for adventurers. So depending on what activities you have planned, you might want to bring hiking shoes, diving gear, and outdoor clothing. And while it’s rare, the Yucatan can sometimes have cool nights in winter, so it’s always smart to bring a sweater, just in case.

The places you should consider if you're visiting Riviera Maya.

1. Tulum

This walled city was one of the last built by the Mayans. The pre-Columbian cliff top ruins are among the best preserved coastal sites where you can see stunning ocean views. Tulum has been a favorite destination for yogis and surfers for many years, but more recently the stylish hippie town has gained a reputation with international foodies, too. Unleash your inner food-lover at Hartwood with its daily-changing chalkboard menu. The daily catch — including grouper, mahi mahi, and Caribbean octopus — is cooked over an open flame for a rustic sea-to-table feast. Another option is for you to visit one of the local favorites, Antojitos La Chiapaneca, for some addictive tacos. Keep your evening going at Gitano with excellent mezcal cocktails and an outdoor disco floor.

2. Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is one of the most popular places to stay in the Riviera Maya. This coastal town offers a relaxed environment and welcomes you to wander around the pedestrian-only Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue, that stretches 20 blocks. Here, you can enjoy many shops and bars. You can also walk a little further and enjoy beach-front hotels, restaurants, and clubs while taking in the beauty of the Caribbean Sea. Playa del Carmen is located in the center of the Riviera Maya which makes it a great home base for you to explore the historic ruins and natural wonders of the surrounding area.

3. Akumal

Between Playa del Carmen and Tulum is this small beachfront community. Akumal translates to "place of turtles" in Mayan. You can see where the town gets its name each summer when hundreds of endangered sea turtles return to the shores to lay their eggs. You can scuba dive and check out the beautiful coral reefs that are home to countless tropical fish, or, if you're not scuba-certified, you can enjoy the ocean landscape by snorkeling. You also have the option to dive and explore the fresh water cenotes and shipwrecks. If you prefer to stay on the land, hiking the caves and zip lining at Aktun-Chen National Park is a great way to spend your vacation.

4. Cobá

This mysterious Mayan city is surrounded by five cenotes, which is fitting because Cobá translates to "muddy waters." At this archaeological site, you can see the hub of an intricate system of paved stone causeways — called sacbes — that once connected Mayan city-states. Climb the steep steps to the top of the Nohoch Mul pyramid where you can survey the land. You can also purchase local crafts from artisans in the adjacent pueblo. Cobá isn't overly crowded because of its remote location, and many of the structures have not yet been excavated. This makes it a great option if you're looking for history without a lot of tourists.

5. Sian Ka'an

Nature lovers will find peace and immense beauty in the "place where the sky is born," or Sian Ka'an in Mayan. This protected biosphere reserve, the third largest in the country, offers you days of swimming or rowing through picturesque lagoons and hiking into the jungle. You can spot 800 species of plants and 360 different animals, including monkeys, jaguars, ocelots, crocodiles, and turtles. The vibrant ecosystem is filled with a kaleidoscope of color and is still off the beaten path for most visitors — it will make you feel like you have the whole place to yourself.

SQN Getaways offers you the best lodging options whether you are traveling with your family or your special one.

Source: How to Travel to the Riviera Maya, The 6 best destinations in Riviera Maya

Look no further than the experts. In a study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, author J. Aaron Hipp, Ph.D., environmental health expert and assistant professor at the Brown School, pointed to the restorative environment of the beach.

"Studies have shown that natural environments like beaches and waterfront parks offer more restorative benefits to people than gyms, entertainment venues and the built urban environment," said Hipp.

His study goes further to suggest that we require specific conditions in that beachside environment to achieve the fully-desired restorative effect.

"Mild temperature days and low tides offer the most restorative environments when visiting the beach," he said.

"Beachgoers visiting on a day nearly 3 degrees (F) warmer than average were 30 percent less likely to perceive the beach or coastal park as restorative, compared with those visiting on average or cooler than average days."

1. Sun

We all know the risks of too much sun exposure. But there are benefits to getting some rays, too.

When our skin is directly exposed to the sun, our bodies make vitamin D, a vital tool that helps with calcium absorption and building strong bones. Some of it comes from diet, but a good portion also comes from the sun. And according to the Mayo Clinic, as little as 10 minutes of sun exposure can provide us with our daily dose. According to the vitamin D council, "your body can produce 10,000 to 25,000 IU of vitamin D in just a little under the time it takes for your skin to turn pink."

In one study, sun exposure was shown to offer other benefits in addition to vitamin D production — including an increase in endorphins and possible prevention of autoimmune diseases.

But despite these benefits, limit your exposure to excessive sunlight to avoid skin cancer risks. When you do head out into the sun for more than a few minutes, remember to wear protective clothing and apply sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher.

2. Sand

Did you know that the soles of your feet have more sweat glands and nerve-endings per square centimeter than any other part of your body? And that walking barefoot stimulates them much more than walking in shoes?

Not only are you stimulating nerve endings when you walk on the sand, but you're also strengthening the muscles in your feet, which don't get used nearly as much when you're wearing shoes. And according to Martin Zucker, author of Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?, you may be better connected to the earth when you ditch your shoes, reaping vital mood-boosting benefits. "Earthing," argues Zucker, reconnects our bodies to the ever-present energy of the earth, which modern lifestyles have increasingly diminished.

And in a study focused on running and walking on the sand, researchers found that walking on sand requires 1.6 to 2.5 times the energy than it takes on a hard surface.

"Our muscles perform more mechanical work when running or walking on sand than on a hard surface," said study co-author Dr. Thierry M. Lejeune, M.D.

If treading on the unwieldy sand for too long sounds tiring, try alternating your walk or run on the more compact sand closer to the water, where the surface will be less challenging.

3. Surf

Sea water contains high levels of various minerals — including magnesium, potassium and iodine — which may help fight infection, offer therapeutic effects, and potentially help the body heal and detoxify.

Swimming is linked to decreased stress and increased sense of well-being; studies have shown swimming and water-based exercise help to decrease anxiety and depression.

Aside from its therapeutics effects, swimming provides excellent physical exercise, employing most of our major muscle groups, especially as the water provides gentle resistance.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), swimming ranks as the fourth most popular sport activity in the United States. Among other aerobic activities (like running and bicycling), swimming for as little as two-and-a-half hours a week may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases and boost heart health.

And since it's a non-impact sport, swimming offers a great way for people with injuries to get some exercise. For sufferers of arthritis, water-based exercise can help improve joint pain symptoms.

Source (Medical Daily)