From spiritual renewal and getting in shape to festive “girlfriend getaways” and life-affirming mother-daughter excursions, the concept of women-only travel is broad — especially in Mexico.
Among the newest players to enter the market is Wild Terrains, a boutique travel company that recently announced a series of new women-only itineraries in Mexico City, including an International Women’s Day trip (March 6-10, 2019) and a Mother/Daughter Mother’s Day trip (May 10-14, 2019). Both itineraries include stays at female-owned hotels; a private dinner with chef Norma Listman of the restaurant Masala y Maiz; a shopping experience with women who operate a textile company called Colorindio; and a private tour of Frida Kahlo’s Casa Azul led by a female art historian. The International Women’s Day itinerary also includes attendance at a panel discussion about women’s achievements, while the Mother’s Day trip includes a visit to chef Listman’s family estate for an all-day outdoor picnic.
Female travelers looking for adventurous activities might want to check out the offerings from REI Adventures, which offers a Baja California Women’s Adventure, with eight days of activities that include kayaking, snorkeling with sea lions and making pottery at a working ranch. Participants can also learn to make tortillas or tutor children in their English studies.
Consider AdventureWomen for its multisport travel itineraries in Baja California.
Credit: 2018 AdventureWomen
Also in the active vein is AdventureWomen, a mother-and-daughter-owned company that offers a number of itineraries for women in Baja California in February, including the Whale Watching, Glamping, Snorkeling and Surfing trip, as well as a Mother-Daughter Beach Adventure, which is designed to help mothers and daughters reconnect as they enjoy surfing lessons, cooking classes and tented beach camping. The Day of the Dead Glamping and Snorkeling itinerary, meanwhile, is timed to coincide with Mexico’s famed Dia de los Muertos holiday in November, with the opportunity to join the festivities in the town of Todos Santos.
Personal wellness is the focus of a Cleveland-based company called Island Women’s Retreat, which has organized an event called Portals to the Self: A Women’s Circle by the Sea, in Tulum. Slated for March 2-8, the program takes place at Amansala, a self-described “eco-chic” boutique beachfront property, and includes yoga classes, poetry readings, visits to a cenote and the ruins of Coba, as well as cuisine from a health-oriented menu. Independently, Amansala also offers a five-night Bikini Bootcamp package — available throughout the year — that’s designed to create “lasting behavior and lifestyle changes,” with healthful cuisine, yoga and fitness classes.
Travelers looking for a more traditional all-inclusive beach vacation can consider Secrets Resorts & Spas, which has a Girlfriend’s Getaway package that aims to help groups of friends, relax, rejuvenate and have fun. The package, which is available at all Secrets properties in Mexico, includes a mani-pedi session, access to the spa’s wet areas, a 10 percent discount on additional spa treatments, daily yoga sessions and one morning of room service with mimosas, fruit and pastries. Guests also get champagne and strawberries on arrival, and each member of the group will receive a free printed group photo.
Sun and sand are also big selling points for female-targeted getaways from Apple Vacations. Its Girls Getaways are available at resorts in both Cancun and the Riviera Maya, with packages that usually include amenities such as a $50 spa credit at Valentin Imperial Maya; free martini manicures at Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa; and a free bottle of wine, a wine basket and a cheese tray at both Temptation Resort & Spa and Occidental Tucancun.
