Olympus Tours Travel Blog

The 5 most romantic beaches in Mexico

0 comments / January 30, 2015

When you think about Mexico you probably think about sun, spicy delicious food, mariachi, tequila and beaches to die for. But also many of you think of the romantic side of Mexico, a place where lovers espace to for either runaway from their enemies who are looking to Split them, where Hollywood actors come to secretly get married or live the first stages of their romance without thousands of paparazzis chasing them.

So, which beaches are the MOST romantic overall Mexico? It was a tough choice but here at the Olympus Tours headquarters in Paradise (A.K.A. Cancun) came to an agreement and thought that the easiest way to list them was by coats, so its a west-east coast romantic beach showdown if you like!

West Coast:

Lover´s Beach. Los Cabos.

Lovers Beach,between the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific

Lover´s beach is a MUST place to visit in Los Cabos; it is secluded enough so is not crowded but not isolated and definitely a fun beach to hang out. It is worth to point out why this beach is so unique; it is nested in the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific ocean at the same time since its right next to the world famous rock arches of Los Cabos.

The best way to get to Lover´s Beach is on a speed boat beach hopping tour where you will be able to look at tons of colorful fishes just below the surface, snorkel and just have fun with your love ones.

Fun Fact: Lovers Beach has a twin beach called “Divorce Beach”. The name comes from the nature of the beach itself: rocky, with strong waves that makes it unsafe for swimming but with stunning views… pretty much like an accident that you have to look at.

Hidden Beach. Puerto Vallarta.

Share a kiss while paddling your way to Hidden Beach

What makes Hidden Beach such a special place? Well, lets start by pointing out that the beach is actually a subterranean beach, that means, there are only two ways to get there and they can be by helicopter from above or by sea swimming, kayaking or paddeling through a rock tunnel.

Located in the Marieta Islands off shore of Puerto Vallarta, these islands are also known as the Mexican Galapagos because of all the biodiversity that can be found there. Only a few hundred are allowed to visit on a weekly basis in the Isla Marietas National Park protected area.

Fun Fact: Hidden Beach is also known as Lovers´ Beach!

East Coast:

Punta Cancun. Cancun.

What we love about Punta Cancun? Well, it is located very close to all the night action of the city but at the same time is just on front of the gorgeous Isla Mujeres, on the corner of the famous 7 shaped Hotel Zone which makes it a very close and yet secluded place in the always vibrant Cancun rountine. The waters are calm and clear which makes it perfect for snorkeling, stand up paddle boarding and kayaking; beneath its waters you will find some of the finest coral reef spots in the area.

Fun Fact: The Cancun Underwater Museum is also located in the Punta Cancun area and people can actually get married there!

Sian Kaan. Riviera Maya.

Hold hands while floating in Sian Kaan

Rugged secluded and untouched beauty, that´s what you will find in Sian Kaan. This natural reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and its name translated into english means “Where the sky is born” so, if you are inlove and visit this amazing beach with your significant other, chances are that you will be actually on cloud nine, right? The path to the reserve is very rough which makes it a Little complicated to get there without a 4×4 vehicle and there´s literally nothing within miles and miles from it so we highly recommend the Sian Kaan excursion that includes snorkeling gear, beverages, lunch and a boat ride through the mangroves of the reserve.

Fun Fact: Sian Kaan is so secluded that you can sunbathe topless and some even say that if you decide to stay, skinny dipping is “allowed”

Punta Sur. Cozumel.

The sea is glass at Chunchakaab Beach in Cozumel

As we have already written before, we love Cozumel. For years and years this island has been loved by both scuba divers, sail boat fanatics, ironman athletes, Cruise ship enthusiast and many many more. From one to the other and from coast to coast, there are many wonders to discover in the Swallow´s Island but for a more romantic and lush getaway you definitely recommend getting on board of a Jeep 4×4 excursion and drive all the way south to the Punta Sur Reserve and to Chunchakaab Beach.

Relax on a lounge chair and enjoy the cristal clear waters, this beach has literally no waves whatsoever and is an amazing place to snorkel and enjoy a beautiful sunset with your other half.

Fun Fact: At Punta Sur Reserve you can find ancient mayan remains, lagoons with crocodiles, mangroves and san dunes.

These are our TOP 5 choices of the most romantic beaches in Mexico from coast to coast and north to south, we hope you agree with us! But if you have some other personal choices please don´t be shy and leave a comment here or find us on our social networks and share the love!

Travel Tip 3: Plan Ahead!

0 comments / January 27, 2015

So you want to go on a trip this year, right? First things first: plan ahead!

Planning never hurt anyone.

In order to make your big trip this 2015 you need to start doing your homework. Planning a trip can be very exciting and stressful at the same time but nevertheless it is extremely important to do it, it starts with choosing your destination and the type of vacation you want to have according to your personality, taste, interests and budget. Plan for at least 3 months before the time you want to take your vacations.

Once you have chosen your destination go online and search as many information as possible about it, go to travel sites like Trip Advisor or in case you chose Mexico, the Dominican Republic or Panama, our Olympus Tours website to look for general information, things to do and acommodation in each and every place to attempt to visit.

Keep yourself informed in the country´s current affairs, safety recommendations, even health and vaccination policies to avoid uncomfortable situations during your trip is an important travel tip for you.

And, if you chose to visit the Caribbean, remember that we are “The Hospitality People of Mexico, The Dominican Republic and Panama” so feel free to give us a call or like us on our social media networks to get a scoop on what´s going on in the area.

Now, start planning and have fun!

Travel Tip 2: Hydration!

0 comments / January 20, 2015

We all know the importance of keeping ourselves hydrated on a daily basis, right? Now imagine you have been lying on the floor in the dessert for hours with no water… that is basically how much a long flight dehydrates your body!

Always stay hydrated.

So, that being said, a super extra important travel tip is to keep yourself hydrated! You can either drink plain water or go for flavored electrolyte drinks. The benefits for your health and your trip will be tremendous since you won´t be so tired after the flight and also be able to avoid common side effects like jetlag or more serious conditions like blood cloths. If you are taking a long flight, make sure you also get up of your seat and walk down the plane isle every couple of hours to keep your blood flowing.

This travel tip alsop goes for those road travelers on the road, being properly hydrated will help you to be fully awake and make sure you make a quick stop every now and then to walk and stretch a little.

We hope these travel tips will help you become a more health conscious traveler and live your travel experience to the fullest!

Smooth Sailing in the Sea of Cortez – Things To Do In Los Cabos

0 comments / January 17, 2015

Oh the Sea of Cortez, that gorgeous place that french biologist and scuba diver pioneer Jacques Cousteau once called “The World´s Acquarium” due to all its richness and diversity. Since the peninsula of Baja California makes the natural border between the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California.

Los Arcos, the most famous natural scenery of Los Cabos

That is why the Sea of Cortez is calm, peaceful and beautiful, has its own climate and water temperature that basically lasts all year round and makes it super rich for a variety of fishes, it is also perfect for sailing and to practice other water activities.

So, on your next vacations among the things to do in Los Cabos that you cannot miss is to cruise around the sea in this Catamaran and Snorkeling Tour and spend a great day just relaxing, discovering what´s under the sea, having drinks and snacks from the open bar, in other words, a well deserved day of relaxation and fun.

The fun starts as soon as you get to the marina.

The days starts at La Marina Cabo San Lucas where you will jump on board this 40´46´ boat. Don´t forget to bring your swimsuit, sun glasses, a hat, biodegradable sunscreen, comfortable shoes, your towel, a waterproof camera if you have one(if you don´t own one your regular camera you will still be getting great photos) and some cash.

Once you are on board this wonderful catamaran you will have access to all the drinks and beverages you want as well as snacks, sandwiches, guacamole and tortilla chips but wait! First you have to enjoy the scenery and killer views.

Sunbathe on the deck of the boat while admiring the beauty of Santa Maria Bay before you can put your snorkeling gear on and jump into the warm blue waters of the Sea of Cortez and be woed by what you will find beneath its water. Plenty of colorful tropical fish swimming all around you and while you discover the most amazing submarine landscapes.

The Sea of Cortez has an enormous biodiversity.

In this day trip the catamaran will also cruise to Los Cabo´s most iconic places such as Los Arcos, Lover´s Beach and the Sea Lion Colony. On board you can take tons of amazing photos or just enjoy the sea breeze while zipping up a Margarita or having a cold cerveza.

And after a full day of fun under the sun its time to head back to the marina and we are a hundred percent sure that you will be happy to have done this tour in Los Cabos and you will be longing this day when you get home.

Remember, next time you plan a visit to any other destination in Mexico, the Dominican Republic or Panama, you can count on us to fix your airport transfers and activities so you can just sit back, relax and enjoy your vacays!

4 things you have to do in the Dominican Republic

0 comments / January 16, 2015

Oh the Dominican Republic, that beautiful and colorful nation located in the island of La Española, was the first land that Christopher Columbus set a foot on the “New World” on his first trip back in 1492 which made Santo Domingo – its capital – the first permanent european settlement in the American continent. With a rich biodiversity, variety of landscapes that go from plain pristine beaches to jungle, valleys and mountains of different heights.

So, to cover those landscapes we have come up with the best things to do in the Dominican Republic to live it to the max:

Underwater and above, the adventure is endless in the DR.

Saona Island:

Saona is the second largest island belonging to the Dominican Republic not far from the mainland and part of the East National Park. Its White sand beaches, pristine waters, infinite rows of plamtrees and tropical environment makes it the perfect hidden spot. Small groups of tourists and divers come to this island on excursions for a day long so when you are in the Dominican Republic, make sure you visit Saona Island!

Zip Line:

The Dominican Republic has a handfull of wilderness and protected areas. Enclosed in Taino Mountain not far from Punta Cana you will be all geared up flying above the trees, rivers and lush jungle while enjoying outstanding views will give you a shot of adrenaline. Bird watching and wildlife are a bonus of this canopy zip lining adventure.

Live adventures in the Dominican Republic.

Speedboats & Snorkeling:

More fun for adrenaline junkies. Skim across the beautiful waters of the Caribbean on a speedboat feeling the ocean breeze while heading to snorkel in a privileged spot. Thought this adventure might not seem as a family activity just think again because both kids and adults have tons of fun above and under water. Don´t forget to bring your underwater camera to portrait your experience to the eternity!

Moster Truck Safari:

This i show this excursion goes: You get on a 8×8 all terrain monster truck and tour around the different landscapes of the Dominican Republic, stopping at off road villages where you will get in touch withthe locals and learn about their communities; enjoy an all you can eat lunch and discover a secluded river and take a swim in its crystal waters. This excursion is part of a sustaintable program in which part of the money from the tour itself as well as the money you would spend buying some of the amazing hand crafted souvenirs made by the locals in their villages go to the same communities you get to visit. Talk about giving back to the community wherever you go!

So, there you have it, with these things to do in the Dominican Republic, you´ll have the chance to get to know the locals inland, away from the luxurious all inclusive resorts and even give back to the amazing people of the island. You might leave the island later but the memories will stay with you forever!

Travel Tip 1: Toys for Kids

0 comments / January 14, 2015

We all know that travelling with kids can be… challenging, to say the least. With that being said, here is our pearl of wisdom for those situations: always bring toys with you!

Quiet toys are great to entertain babies and toddlers

With more things to keep their attention focused it will be easier to manage a long trip with the offspring, think of different toys if they are just babies or quiet toys for toddlers, the good old color book and some crayolas or take advantage of the newest technology and download to your tablet or phone educational apps like puzzles, building games like The Sims or even play the piano or have their own petting farm…

As you can see, there are many possibilities to keep your kids quiet and entertained, kid´s travel nightmares avoided with these travel tips!

Road trippin´Cozumel - Destinations & Things To Do

1 comment / January 12, 2015

Cozumel is a well know destination for most travellers and tourist from all over the world. Every week dozens of cruise ships arrive and passengers go out and about downtown San Miguel de Cozumel and take a chance to snorkel around by the calm sea of the west side of the island. But little people know about the treasures that can be found in the rest of the island which is why during a recent trip with Cancun and Riviera Maya experts we got the chance to do a little road trip and gather this Top 3 Off the Beaten Path Places for you to go in Cozumel.

View from the car ferry pier in Cozumel

Driving through “The Other Side”.

Knowing that we would go further than where the average tours go, we decided to travel in style and went for a Jeep 4×4 Island Expedition for our road trip across Cozumel. This was a great way to get to places where in a regular car would have been a little bit more difficult and a less fun. After having a delicious breakfast we were off to the east side of the island. What you will find there is just rugged beauty. Punta Maroma, Punta Morena and Playa Paraiso are among the beaches and beach clubs that you will find along the coastal road where each and everyone of them has unique features and activities for their guests. In Punta Maroma they have “Nude Beach” spot for example and its a well known place for turtles to come by and lay their eggs. At Punta Morena you can take surf lessons or just enjoy a cold beverage and Playa Mirador has these stone arches that add an extra appeal to the beach and even if their are less grand than those landmark arches in Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta they sure have nothing to envy them.

4×4 are great for road tripping in Cozumel

Punta Sur Eco-Beach Park.

Punta Sur is the larger ecological reserve in the island. Located in the southern end its a magical place where you can find up to 6 different ecosystems with their own features. Driving the jeep here was a lot of fun since the roads and paths are very rustic, by the road we found a couple of remaining constructions from the mayan era called “El Caracol” and just accross them the Scenic Tower and Observation Deck of the Colombia Lagoon are located. We made a spot here because we wanted to look around for birds and crocodiles. A little known fact about the crocodiles that live in this reserve is that they belong to a crocodile species from South American and no one knows how the got there, helping evolution do their work because these crocs are smaller than their southamerican brothers. Further south we got to Celarain Lighthouse and the Navigation Museum; please you have to climb up the top of the lighthouse and just enjoy the views which are simply AMAZING. Driving a little more we got to Chakanhaab beach and could cath the sunset, that was just gorgeous. In this reserve there are different educational ativities and tours such as kayaking, boat trip on the lagoon to find crocodiles, turtle releases and more.

Cozumel´s Punta Sur Park sightings

Cozumel Pearl Farm.

At the north end of the island and only reachable by boat, this a “new” place in the island. Run by a super nice family, brother and sister Pancho and Isabel will make your day. This family originally moved from Mexico City in the late 90s and started a research project of cultured pearls in oysters that are native of the island. With a lot of hardwork and inconveniences they made it through and now Cozumel Pearl Farm is open to the public. After a 30 minute boat trip we got to their facilities: a super relaxed palapa, hammocks, a huge table and their laboratories. Isabel kindly guided us around and told us about the history of the project and then took us to the oyster “fields” underwater. Some quick snorkel around and then headed back to the wetbar (a huge umbrella placed in the middle of a sand bank) where we enjoyed cold beers and chatted about what we had just seen while snorkeling. Later in the afternoon we went back to the palapa and had a delicious lunch and could relax some more and before sunset we were back in San Miguel de Cozumel.

Cozumel Pearl Farm sightings

What we just loved about our weekend besides hanging out with our friends and colleagues was to be able to go on a road trip to Cozumel and explore it from one end to the other, discovering new places and attractions that are very underrated and pretty much exclusive in a way, since little people know about it. We hope that us sharing our adventure in Cozumel will make more people get off the cruiseships and explore this amazing place; trust us, you will never regret it!

Panama beyond the Canal – Panama Tours and Travels

0 comments / January 10, 2015

Panama is a famous country mostly because its where the direct connection between both Atlantic and Pacific ocean for one hundred years now. Its connectivity has been major for most countries in the world, having a direct influence in worldwide relations and commerce but it wasn´t until the last 10 years that the country started to experiment a major modernization and economic boost.

Skyline of Panama City.

The Colon Free Trade Zone is the biggest trade zone throughout the american continent and the second lasrgest in the world after Hong Kong itself which makes i tan ideal place for business and pleasure for travelers from North, Central and South America. With that being said, we are proud to announce that Olympus Tours started operations in this vibrant country on January 6th of 2015.

Our first guests in Panama

We want to be part of your panamanian experience from the momento your plane lands in Panama City by being on time at the airport and meet you at the gate and by driving you comfortably and safely to your hotel with our airport transfers service in Panama.

Polleras are the typical panamanian costumes.

At the same time we have a menú of activities and tours in Panama that include a good amount of panamanian territory such as visiting and even sailing through its world famous canal, enjoying its culture at fantastic dinner shows and dances, going to archaeological sites and eco tours in which you can witness the country´s hyper diversity.

We are sure the new year started the right way and are happy to guide you in your future Panama tours and travels, because of this we want to say Welcome to Panama!

Winter chill or chilling in the beaches of Riviera Maya?

0 comments / January 9, 2015

Winter is here and with it the heavy winter coats, scarfs and boots made their way either out from the stores to people or from their Winter/autumm closets at home, colds and flus are also making a big come back in which case we know what the best remedy is: a good swim in a warm beach!

So, with your health in mind we decided to make up a list of the best beaches in Riviera Maya that you need to visit this Winter season to scape from the big chill and just chillax!

Tulum:

Tulum has got to be a top beach in every best beach list, it just has to be. The insanely white sandy beaches combined with cristal clear turquoise waters and a relaxed rustic vibe make this town and its beaches a go-to place to relax and forget about the world´s mundane problems.

The crystal clear waters of Tulum

Akumal:

Akumal is a quiet and laid back beach town within a beautiful bay. The name of the town actually means “The place of the turtles” in mayan which is not a coincidence because among the most amazing things to do there is actually swim with the turtles. Clear calm waters, Loggerhead and Green Turtles made this place their nesting spot and you can often see them eating and swiming around, enjoying themselves, its just the most beautiful sight!

Akumal is known as “The place of the turtles”

Puerto Morelos:

The Riviera Maya beach strip actually starts in this quaint fisherman town that is surrounded by mangroves and the beach, you can make yourself comfortable in the downtown beach by the town´s lighthouse and the wooden pier makes it as calm and picturesque as possible. The Puerto Morelos Reef National Park covers pretty much the whole coast and protects its section of the Mesoamerican Reef Barrier so, scuba diving and snorkeling are part of the treat.

The Mesoamerican Reef is located in front of Puerto Morelos

Playa del Carmen:

Playa del Carmen or “Playa” as is usually called is considered the heart of the Riviera Maya. Being strategically located 45 minutes south of Cancun and 45 minutes north of Tulum you can definitely see why the town holds the title. With many beaches with public access from both ends of town, plus relaxed and trendy beach clubs is definitely appealing for younger crowds and families. With amazing restaurants and cafes along the famous 5th Avenue, in Playa del Carmen is all about see and being seen.

Chillax in Playa del Carmen

Xcacel:

Xcacel has been named one of the best beaches in the Riviera Maya and in some cases has earned the title as THE MOST beautiful beach in the area. It is also known as a sea turtle sactuary and what stands out here is that it has three different eco-systems at once: mangrove, sand dunes and a cenote. Soak in the sun in this barely untouched place, take a nap under a palmtree, take a stroll down the beach or let a dozen of little fishes perform a free pedicure on you at the cenote and have fun!

Xcacel is also home to a sea turtle sanctuary.

So, with different accommodations and characteristics, there´s always something to do and to please every traveller taste, from the upscale beach clubs in Playa del Carmen to the roughed beauty of Xcacel, the bohemian vibe of Tulum, snorkeling next to sea turtles and stingrays in Akumal and the quaintness of Puerto Morelos, just choose the beach destination you want to spend your day in, leave the heavy coats and boots at home, put on your swimsuit and flipflops and leave nothing but your footprints on the sand!

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0 comments / November 27, 2014

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