If you are looking for a great vacation I highly recommend the Yucatan area of Mexico. Many people are familiar with Cancun and Playa Del Carmen, but if you go north about 4 hours you reach a beautiful city called Merida.
The buses are cheap and very comfortable and you can even buy a beer at the airport and take it with you for the ride! Local Mexican beer is really good.
A great thing about Merida is that its not as touristy as other places, it's a University town and has incredible colonial architecture, museums and was named a capitol of culture many times. Every weekend they shut down the center of the city and the streets are filled with artisans, musicians and vendors of all kinds.
This is at the governor's palace where they have some incredible murals depicting the history of the Mayan people.
Merida is so much cheaper than other places, we ended up finding this incredible Airbnb for only $50 a night. It was private and spacious and the owner was incredibly helpful.
Its ideal to rent a car, as the beach is only a 15-20 minute drive away and there are so many amazing stretches of beaches in Chuburna, Telchac and Progresso. So many times we were the only ones in the beach. And if your a seafood lover you've got to try the civiche!
The food is amazing and there is an abundance of fresh fruit being sold everywhere.
There are chances to see beautiful wildlife everywhere you go, and the area is famous for the flamingos.
The Yucatan is famous for their cenotes, which are underground rivers that are connected by caves for thousands of kilometers beneath the earth. The water is crystalline turquoise. It really is a magical experience to swim in one. Ask around and the locals can let you know where the closest ones are.
Another amazing aspect of the area are the incredible skies and sunsets!
If you like culture, the tropics, amazing food, wildlife and a relaxed atmosphere I highly recommend it! Cheers!