The Miguel Cresencio Rejón (MID) airport is located just four miles west of the city. It's a nice, modern facility with excellent services.

We ALWAYS stay at the Hotel Dolores Alba. It's cheap, clean, has a great colonial atmosphere and Señora Sanchez (the ever-present woman who runs the place) makes a GREAT margarita! We especially like the friendly service, central location and a great little pool for cooling off after a hot day of exploring.

Rooms can be had for around $30. The place is very popular with Europeans, so it pays to book ahead. If they're full, they may be able to put you up in their sister hotel, the Hotel Janeiro. We also like the Dolores Alba near Chichen-Itza, also owned by the same family.

Can't get into the Dolores Alba? Although we can't personally recommend them, we've heard good things about the following accommodations:

• Casa Del Balam from $54
• Colonial of Mérida from $34
• Maya Yucatan from $30
• Mision Mérida from $50
• Panamericana Mérida from $44

Don't miss the Central Market any day of the week, the city square (zocalo) and Santa Lucia Park especially on SUNDAYS when the city gathers for food, fun and entertainment. There are museums, the cathedral and several historic buildings including the governor's palace.

Check out the following points of interest:

• La Casa de Montejo, just south of the main Plaza
• The Cathedral
• The Jose Peon Contreras Theater, built in 1900
• The Museum of Anthropology and History,
• The Monumento a la Patria
• The Casa Real
• El Centenario Park
• Paseo Montejo

Merida is a great restaurant town, with dozens of great places representing every style of cooking imaginable. Restaurants go in and out of business every year, so it pays to be flexible. When we don't have a specific destination in mind, we stroll around the Plaza Hidalgo, just along calle 60 between calles 61 and 59. There are several good, inexpensive restaurants in this area. Some of the sidewalk cafes are good here too.

The area along Calle 62 near the Plaza has a number of loncherias. These simple establishments offer the comida corrida, (kind of like the "blue plate special"), a filling full course meal.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Los Almendros (Calle 50 No 493 between Calle 59 and Calle 57, Tel: 28-5459) for Yucatecan food. Yucatecan food is milder than Mexican food with a definite Caribbean flavor. Los Almendros has a branch in Cancun now, but this one is more laid back. If you're having trouble deciding, the menu has photos of all of the entrees.

Yannig (Calle 62 No. 480 between Calle 59 and Calle 57) is a French restaurant where you can get a first class meal at half the cost of similar cuisine in the U.S. The building is an historic mansion and the setting is beautiful. If the weather is nice, eat outside in the French Garden. (The prices are slightly higher outside, but the extra cost is worth it!) The owner/chef was trained in Paris and Yannig has the friendliest staff you'll ever find. Yes, they really will remember you if you drop in again years later.

Try the:

• Avocodo with Shrimp -- Glenn's favorite appetizer.
• Beef Filet Bordelaise
• Yannig Steak -- Diane's Favorite!
• Stuffed Fish Gwenola

For the light eater, try the "Gigantica," a dessert you (and the rest of the restaurant) will never forget. We tricked Diane into ordering this one night by telling her to order by number and insisting that the dessert she wanted was number 14. The waiter played along and assured her that number 14 was exactly what she wanted!

If you must satisfy your urge for so-so Mexican food in a "fun, party atmosphere," try Pancho's (Calle 59 No. 509 by Calles 60 and 62 Tel: 23-0942.) They have a pretty good buffet and they try real hard to create that festive atmosphere in a restaurant that would be right at home on the Cancun strip.

If you're really in a hurry, try POP (Calle 57 No. 501 by Calle 62 Tel: 28-6163). It's as close as you'll get to sit-down fast food, the prices are reasonable and you can even get a hamburger if you're really feeling homesick.

Reader Recommendations:

"If you want to try some real regional food, I would suggest visiting the marketplace downtown and trying PANUCHOS (very very good regional food of yucatan). You won't have to bargain for them, and they are handmade right there."

"If you're homesick, try the Fiesta Americana hotel. It has a more western resturaunt with very good service....what we would consider first class service and the food was good too. (They even have english menus just in case)."

"Los Toros has an outdoor setting and the food is regional and excellent. I suggest trying the Nachos -- but watch out for the little Jalapeños -- WOW -- so hot!"

"There's a darling restaurant in the Hotel del Parque: La Bella Epoca. A great place for a romantic dinner in a classic, historic hotel. Great ambience!"

We spent a week in Cozumel about three years ago. It is a diver's and snorkeler's haven and a big stop for cruise ships, but beyond that there wasn't a lot to do. Rent a scooter if you dare, the accident rate is quite high. Go snorkeling at Chancanab National Park, eat at several good restaurants in town, hit one of the party clubs at night -- they have several of the Cancun style where you tip your head backwards and a waiter in Pancho Villa garb pours tequila down your throat. It gets very hot from noon to 3 p.m. and most people do take siestas. You may be glad to get into your air conditioned hotel room for a little nap of your own. Every day another cruise ship arrives and for an hour or two it's impossible to get a cab. Have a good laugh as all the stores in town put out special "20% off everything for Cruise Passengers" signs. They get 20% off a price that nobody in their right mind would pay. When they're all back onboard ship, the signs go down and the shop keepers go back to haggling.

If you're on a package deal (with a week's hotel prepaid in Cozumel) I would not recommend Merida as a day trip. It's too far away, about 200 miles from Cancun, which is about 45 miles north of Playa del Carmen. With Cancun as an entry point, flying to Merida and returning to Cancun via Chichen-Itza and Isla Mujeres makes a great one-week trip. However, with Cozumel as your entry point, Merida is a stretch. Better to save Merida for another trip.

Instead, take the ferry to Playa Del Carmen and/or arrange a trip to Xel-Ha (shell ha) for snorkeling and to Tulum for the ruins. Most Cozumel hotels will offer tours to these two hot destinations. (If you hate traveling with a group as we do, just use the transportation and go it alone when you get there.)

Seeing the real Mexico in Cozumel is a little tougher, but if you start walking inland from the city center you'll find neat, working class neighborhoods, outdoor markets and real Mexicans! When we went to Cozumel the price of a bottle of Coke anywhere along the ocean front was $1.50 and I couldn't believe it! (I'm addicted to Coca-Cola.) We walked away from the tourist areas, stopped in a neighborhood mercado and guess what? 21 cents per bottle, about what I was used to paying in Merida! You can also find great restaurants with low, low prices if you get away from town!

Check Out