Mexico claims to have 9330km of beaches which ideally should mean something for everyone. What I’d like to do is paint a picture of what to expect and then you can decide for yourself whether or not there is a beach for you – thereby proving or disproving the hype!

Mexico’s proximity to the US means that the country’s mainland and west coast are heaving with los Americanos on high days and holidays, particularly 4th July and Christmas. If you don’t like crowds there are still beaches to find in Mexico, but they will naturally be busier. Otherwise great times to go for weather are generally between November to May, when you can expect ambient temperatures and clear seas. I would also suggest that between August and November the Pacific (west) coast can get stormy and rough, even beyond acceptable keen surf standards. At the same time Baja California is clear and warm, so why not try diving there?

The country of Mexico enjoys the attentions of both the Pacific and the Caribbean. Generally speaking the Caribbean (east coast) has warmer water, has shallower runs to the beach and has white sand. The Pacific meanwhile is bluer and has more waves – perfect for surfing, and it certainly does attract a lot of surfers.

Throughout Mexico there are some very touristy beach destinations – Acapulco, so beloved of train robbers in the 1960’s is just like Cancun on the Caribbean side. If you are into nightlife, a busy “scene”, and all the holidaymaker attractions these beaches could suit you. Cozumel is a great beach, although busy, but you could try Xcaret Island?

If you would like to do more than lie on a beach try Playa del Carmen near Tulum on Mexico’s Yucatan. It is a beautiful beach, long with gently rolling waves plus you could always take in an historical ruin in the afternoon!

For family beaches good for children, try Sayulita or on Isla Mujeres, Playa Norte is good with facilities without being too built up.

On the Pacific side Manzanillo is a stunning beach with lots of space and green hills flowing down to the beachside. There are plenty of places around to buy Mexican snacks and sundowners so it seems ideal. Puerto Vallarta is a popular beach but if it doesn’t take your fancy try taking a short boat ride to Yelapa beach.

As if there weren’t enough beaches to choose from for daytime activities, a favourite for an evening stroll is Old Town beach with its’ esplanade. If you are here for the day, go south of here to swim.

For any movie buff, a holiday in the USA is a great chance to visit the locations of some of the greatest films of all time, and with a wealth of great American tours on offer from American Sky, there has never been a better time to take in all of the great filming spots throughout the United States.

To help plan the perfect film enthusiast’s holiday, I have compiled a run down of some of the must-see movie locations:

Monument Valley
Monument Valley, on the border between Utah and Arizona, is an icon of the American south west, with its instantly recognisable red-rock formations made famous from dozens of classic western movies.

Sergio Leone, in addition to filming most of Once Upon a Time in the West in Spain and Italy, two scenes were filmed at Monument Valley. Legendary director John Ford also set scenes of many of his most famous films, like Stagecoach and The Searchers, in the valley. Cast and crew used to stay at Goulding’s Lodge, and this atmospheric property remains the only hotel you can stay at within Monument Valley itself. The best tour for experiencing Monument Valley, the Painted Desert and the Navajo Indian Reservation is the Western Discovery escorted tour.

Las Vegas
Glittering Las Vegas is the set of many a Hollywood blockbuster, like Ocean’s 11 – both the 1960 original starring Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and the 2001 remake with George Clooney and Brad Pitt, Viva Las Vegas and the classic James Bond movie Diamonds are Forever, to name but a few.

Wander down the world famous Las Vegas Strip and take in the electrifying atmosphere of the ‘entertainment capital of the world’. You could stay at the world class Bellagio hotel, location for the opening scene of The Hangover, and walk the very streets that were used to film such movies as Casino, Honeymoon in Vegas and the card-counting caper 21. Book Best of the West self-drive and see Death Valley, the Grand Canyon and Vegas – all amazing highlights of this 15 day tour.

Los Angeles
Los Angeles is the motion picture capital of the world and an essential stop on any film lover’s itinerary. LA City tours take you round the palm tree-lined Hollywood streets and past celebrity mansions.

You can also step inside several of the top film studios for an insight into the movie-making process and a real taste of Hollywood.

The most famous and best of these studios is undoubtedly Universal Studios, while other spots not to miss are the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Beverly Hills, where you might even spot a star shopping in one of the super-extravagant boutiques on Rodeo Drive.

Of course the city itself has also graced many classic films and you can stroll the streets seen in films like LA Confidential, Falling Down, Jackie Brown, The Graduate and Chinatown.

Florida
Florida has plenty of movie credibility, and if you’re in Orlando, then a visit to its Universal Studios site is a must.
But that’s not all the state has to offer film buffs. Jacksonville, one of the state’s largest cities, was a major movie-making destination, especially in the winter months, before Hollywood took over in the 1920′s.

Down the coast from Jacksonville in Miami you can soak up the atmosphere of this very Latin city, glamorously portrayed in films like Miami Vice, Bad Boys, True Lies and Scarface.

Three Bond films have also featured scenes in Miami – Goldfinger, Thunderball and Casino Royale.

New York
Visitors to New York often say that the city is like one big movie set, it has been portrayed so often (Martin Scorsese) on the silver screen – Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Mean Streets, Raging Bull. From Fifth Avenue to the Empire State Building, and Central Park to the streets of Manhattan, so many of the city’s sights will be familiar to film fans.

Times Square, the ‘Crossroads of the World’, is an iconic world landmark and the site of the annual New Years Eve ball drop, and also the setting for scenes in films like Spiderman and Vanilla Sky plus many more.

Ascend the heights of the Empire State Building, the location where King Kong clutched Fay Wray in the 1933 classic, and the recent remake by Peter Jackson. Stroll through Central Park, the location where Bruce Willis tore through in the Blockbuster hit Die Hard with a Vengeance.

In fact the whole city is a film set and wandering its action-packed streets you are sure to get a sense of déjà vu, as so many of its buildings and landmarks are familiar from the big screen.

Movie Lovers can also enjoy a trip through some of the best New York movie sites with Screen Tours.com.

Chicago
You may not immediately think of Chicago as a top movie destination, but think again – hundreds of films have been set in this dynamic metropolis, many of which trade in on the city’s notorious gangster past, like the hit musical Chicago, The Untouchables and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Washington DC
A trip to the capital city Washington DC will see you taking in some spectacular sights, like Capitol Hill, Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.

Washington DC offers many locations for movie lovers. Walk the same streets as Forrest Gump and see the sights that feature in dozens of films, many of which are political thrillers like All the President’s Men and Frost/Nixon.

American Sky offer many great tours which will take in many of the great filming locations of the US.

The Best of California tour takes in many famous film spots along the way. Fans of North by Northwest can visit Mount Rushmore where the finale of the classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller was shot. There is then the chance to see Monument Valley and then onto Las Vegas, the set of countless blockbuster movies.

Here are some more American Sky’s popular escorted tours in the USA which take in some truly spectacular cinematic locations along the way…

• The Great American Crossing Tour – New York City, Washington DC, Chicago, Mt Rushmore, Las Vegas, Los Angeles
• Western Panorama Tour – Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Yosemite, San Francisco
• Spendours of the West – Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas

What a vast variety of opportunities exist within this sensational country! The white sand beaches are stunning, with coral reefs that you can really get up close to at low tide. Almost every type of watersport is available. The inland bush and scrub give way to wondrous views of the Great Rift Valley and snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. The wildlife is breathtaking with an array of lions, cheetahs, leopards, rhinos, giraffes and elephants which all share the plains with wildebeests and zebras. As if that wasn’t enough, add to this the good food and excellent hotels and you’ll find Kenya is a perfect holiday destination.

3* Papillon Lagoon Reef

The Papillon Lagoon Reef is located on the stunning white sands of Diani Beach and the resort is enclosed in lush, colourful gardens This hotel is ideally located for combining a beach holiday with a safari holiday, or making the most of the wide range of day trips and activities that are on offer in-resort.
4* Pinewood Beach Resort & Spa

Pinewood Beach Resort & Spa is a multi award-winning boutique hotel on the shores of Galu Beach south of Mombasa, set in a lush forest landscape affording splendid views of the beach and Indian Ocean offering guests a variety of activities and a great relaxed atmosphere with a very personal feel.
3*+ Turtle Bay Beach Club

Located north of Mombasa on the beach at Watamu, Kenyas first All Inclusive hotel, Turtle Bay Beach Club,  has prooved year after year to be a favourite place to stay – especially for families. The hotel offers excellent water sports facilities, together with a children’s club, pool and playground, plus floodlit tennis, mini golf, bicycles, three restaurants and two bars.
4* The Cove Retreat

Situated 12km south of the bustling, busy beach of Diani, The Cove Retreat offers exclusivity, pampered service, and the peace and quiet of a magical Retreat. Here there is no noise pollution. The only sound you will hear is the wish-wash of the tide, the distant call of a fish eagle, and the occasional leaf rustle of a Colobus monkey roaming the baobabs trees on a family outing.

4* The Sands

Nestled in 25 acres of indigenous coastal forest overlooking the legendary Diani Beach, The Sands is the first ‘Boutique’ hotel on the renowned Kenyan coast. The hotel combines traditional Swahili architecture with hand-carved polished mahogany, soaring sail-work and classic Venetian stucco work. With an idyllic tranquil location, and luxury facilities, it makes for the ultimate Indian Ocean retreat.

4* Leopard Beach Resort & Spa

Situated on palm-fringed coral cliffs overlooking the endless blue horizons and white sands of the famous Diani Beach, Leopard Beach Hotel is the essence of Swahili style combined with world-class luxury. A resort which is known to have everything, the extensive sporting and leisure facilities include tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course (next door) and a dedicated animation team who organise a range of activities from water polo to aerobics.

4* Sarova Whitesands

With 5 freeform pools and 22 acres of lush gardens bordering the beautiful Indian Ocean, first class Sarova Whitesands hotel offers the ideal place to enjoy the delights of East Africa. The Blue Lagoon water sports centre is located within the resort and enables all guests to visit the reef either by glass bottom boats, snorkeling or diving.

The Mayan ruins of Tulum are located on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan. Tulum is located about 50 minutes south of Playa del Carmen. The ruins are north of the town, and the highway bends away from the coast here, so the town is actually a few minutes drive from the sea. Tulum’s greatest attraction is its location, the only significant large scale Mayan ruin on the coast, it is perched on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea. It stands on a bluff facing the rising sun looking out on views of the Caribbean that are nothing less than spectacular. In Maya, Tulum means “wall”, and the city was christened because it is a walled city; one of the very few the ancients ever built.

We know from archaeological evidence that whilst Tulum had its heyday during the late post-classic period (1200 – 1521 A.D.), it was established earlier. The city was at its height during this period (13th-15th century), and is thus one of the later Mayan outposts. It flourished during the 14th century and was still inhabited when the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century Tulum was a major link in the Maya’s extensive trade network with both maritime and land routes converging here. There is a beach where merchants could come ashore with their canoes. The highest building, El Castillo, was also a lighthouse to make navigation easier. Artifacts found in or near the site testify to contacts that ranged from Central Mexico to Central America and every place in between: copper rattles and rings from the Mexican highlands; flint and ceramics from all over the Yucatán jade and obsidian from Guatemala and more. Their trading voyages ranged from trips to the Gulf of Mexico, the coast of the Yucatán peninsula, and extending all the way to what is today Honduras. There is even evidence that they went as far as Costa Rica and Panama.

The first Europeans to see Tulum were probably Juan de Grijalva and his men as they sailed reconnaissance along the Eastern coast of Yucatán in 1518. The Spaniards later returned to conquer the peninsula unwittingly bringing Old World diseases which decimated the native population. And so Tulum, like so many cities before it, was abandoned to the elements. Today you can look around it and really visualise what was going on.

Tropical Sky Wedding Co-ordinator Fred recently met up with newlywed Traci Little to talk about her special day shared with husband David.

Where did you both first meet?
The care home in Hampton in Arden, Solihull where I worked with David’s mother, he came to visit her and it was love at first sight. We’ve been together now for nearly seven years.

Where did David propose?
He proposed in a Thai restaurant in Stratford upon Avon on Christmas Eve 2010. He got down on one knee with our son on his lap for support and asked if I would be his Mrs Little. It was totally unexpected as he always said he would never propose near Christmas.

What made you decide to get married overseas rather than the UK?
We had always wanted to get married on a beach, somewhere tropical. We both dreamed of Tahiti however felt it was too far to travel with our son and perhaps unreasonable to expect guests to travel so far. Hence, we chose Thailand instead. David and I both share the love of Thai cuisine and culture, we wanted a destination that was different – unlike getting married in Spain or Greece.

Did you make your own arrangements or did you use the services of a wedding planner?
We made our own arrangements surrounding the wedding, however booked the holiday through Tropical Sky Weddings. We had everything planned prior to travel except the flowers and hair.

How many guests did you take?
21 close friends and family. We all stayed in Koh Samui in various hotels with some guests visiting other islands and destinations after the wedding. We gave people about 11 months’ notice within our wedding invitations. About half of our family and friends invited joined us.

Tell me about your wedding dress? Where was it from? What was your theme?
The dress was one I’d found having visited the NEC Wedding Show. It was a Ian Stuart designer dress valued at £1,300. It’s appeal was that it was an unusual colour and a little vintage but I loved it. It wasn’t your typical beach wedding dress at all. I was hot in it!

…and the accessories?
The accessories all took on a beach theme. Shells for name places, elephant key rings for favours – as they are lucky in Thailand. We had the wedding rings kept in an oyster shell too.

What was your something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue?
I used an old photo of my nan who is no longer with us, locket wrapped around my bouquet. I had a blue garter and a new necklace.

Any special jewellery?
Freshwater pearls to match my dress.

Did you do your own hair and makeup?
The hotel styled my hair. I loved it. Though I had wanted to do my own make up as I had visions of them making me look like a clown!

What did the groom wear?
Full Scottish kilt, he looked fab.

Tell me about the bridesmaids outfits?
My bridesmaids wore Ted Baker maxi dresses and all the ushers and best man’s cravats matched as I had another dress cut up to make them. They were silver grey with bright butterfly’s all over.

Did you decide to theme your wedding?
Yes, we had the wedding on the tropical beach. We chose orchids – being Thailand. We had a coconut sponge wedding cake also with orchids decorated on top. My little boy Sebastian is two and he was a page boy. He wore a matching shorts and waistcoat outfit. His hanky matched the cravats.

Tell me about the ceremony...
The ceremony lasted 30 minutes and we were married by the hotel manager. Both my dad and stepdad gave me away. There was a water blessing and a drum procession.

…and the reception?
We had the reception on the beach. The food was Thai barbeque with literally everything on it. The tables were decorated with shells and flowers and we had disposable cameras on each table. The name place cards were made using really unusual shells. The music for the first dance was ‘Over the Rainbow’ by Israel Kamwakawoli. We also had a DJ, sky lanterns and traditional Thai Khim player while we were eating. We also had fireworks on the beach.

What was your best memory of the day?
Walking down the aisle and seeing tears in David’s eyes. Also when my Dad and stepdad came to my room and both saw me in my dress for the first time. Dave flashed on the beach and we went skinny dipping in the pool after most the guests and family had retired to bed! I won’t give you those photos though!

What was the cost of the wedding?
£12,000. It was over-budget, but I just kept spending and wanting more!

Did you stay at the same location for your honeymoon?
We went to Chiang Mai for two nights alone without our son and went elephant trekking through the river and to Tiger Kingdom where you can have photos taken with tigers – it was an amazing experience. We both love the Thai people, they are so friendly and would do anything for you. We had five days alone after the guests had left. Two days in Chiang Mai and three more days when we returned to Koh Samui.