Casa Majahua

While a relaxing vacation at a beach resort never hurt anyone, visitors who avoid traveling elsewhere are missing out on some of the best that Mexico has to offer: virgin beaches unspoiled by development, colonial cities that are older and more European than anything in the States, and indigenous cultures that still hold true to ancient traditions. All that, and lower prices, too.

In many colonial cities and small out-of-the-way beach towns, you'll find B&Bs and inns charging as little as $50 a night (or less) and luxurious accommodations in converted haciendas and Spanish estates for less than $150 a night. As for dining and shopping, you'll always find cheaper and more authentic food and handicrafts beyond the big tourist zones.

To experience Mexico outside the resorts you'll need to show a bit of independence and an openness to a less structured style of travel. Driving a rental car down crumbly roads, speaking some basic Spanish and sharing your room with a lizard or two may be involved. Nevertheless, for the right kind of traveler, these elements are part of the excitement of venturing off the beaten path.

Here's a glimpse at 10 affordable, under-the-radar Mexican cities and beach towns that can be added on to a beach resort vacation or made the focus of a trip.

Pátzcuaro

Among experienced Mexico travelers, one of the destinations that emerges repeatedly as a favorite is Pátzcuaro, a small colonial city about 200 miles west of Mexico City. Situated on the thickly forested shores of Lake Pátzcuaro at about 7,200 feet, the town's lush surroundings surprise many visitors, as does its abundance of authentic culture and dearth of tourists.

"Pátzcuaro stands out because it appears to be caught in a time warp, with its white adobe buildings and red-tiled roofs, converted monasteries, and visible indigenous population in authentic dress," says North Carolinian Trish Snyder, who particularly appreciated the town's lack of Dunkin' Donuts and other signs of commercialization.

The native Purepecha Indians have a strong presence in the city, hosting many elaborate religious festivals throughout the year and producing some of the finest handicrafts in the country. This is thanks in part to traditions put in place more than 450 years ago by the city's founder, Bishop Vasco de Quiroga. Arriving in the region shortly after conquistadors ravaged the local Indians, the Bishop sought to evangelize and empower the indigenous communities by organizing religious instruction and communal craft industries in each village. The positive effects of this continue today, with the ancestors of those Indians continuing the same craft work. Throughout the area, you can shop for regionally produced items such as embroidered textiles, silver jewelry, pottery and musical instruments. Try the La Casa de los Once Patios shops on Calle Madrigal de las Torres.

While in town, it's worthwhile to venture out on to the lake. "Taking a small boat across Lake Pátzcuaro to Isla de Janitzio is a must," says Ottawa-based writer Julie Hawrishok. "If you're lucky, you will see the butterfly fishermen honing their skills. On Janitzio, climbing the hill (there are no roads on the island) and getting to the 40-meter-high statue of José Maria Morelos can literally take your breath away."

Getting there: Pátzcuaro is about 43 miles from Morelia, where the nearest major airport is located. Sample fares on Continental from Houston start at about $400 plus taxes this summer. There is frequent, cheap first-class bus service from Morelia to Pátzcuaro.

Where to stay: Hawrishok highly recommends staying at the former 17th-century mansion Hotel Mansion Iturbe, whose rates start at $90 per night, including breakfast. "It's a great colonial hotel, located right in front of Quiroga, the main square," say Hawrishok. "It's not cheap, but it's worth it."

Online resources: Visit PatzcuaroMexico.com or the Pátzcuaro resource pages on the Mexico Tourism Board website, Mexperience.com and MEXonline.com to learn more.

Troncones

On Mexico's Pacific Coast, where beach resorts like Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco now sprawl over once-virgin beaches with high-rise hotels, golf courses and shopping malls, it's nice to know at least a few stretches of perfect sand remain undisturbed by the big developers. Troncones, a small fishing village located just a half hour from the resort of Ixtapa, is one of them.

It's easy to miss the signs on Highway 200 pointing towards the crumbly road heading west towards the beach and Troncones, but ask anyone with a surfboard for directions, and they'll point out the right way. People come to Troncones for a few simple reasons: great surfing, great beach, great eating and few tourists.

Troncones is home to several hundred local families and a number of small inns, guesthouses and restaurants. The Inn at Manzanillo Bay is one of the most well-known establishments, boasting probably the best restaurant in town and its own surf shop, in addition to 10 thatched-roof bungalows. It also has a good location on Manzanillo Bay, one that's ideal for both swimmers and surfers: "The beach out in front of the inn is set on a bay that's protected from currents and rip tides, which is great for swimming and snorkeling," says Manager Randall Brook. "We also have great surfing in front of the inn via a point break and reef."

As for dining, people come all the way from Ixtapa just to eat at the inn's restaurant. The chef (and hotel owner) Michael Bensal combines classical European cooking with local cuisine, creating dishes such as sautéed fish with tequila-lime sauce and grilled filet mignon fajitas. The inn also rents surfboards and snorkel gear, and can arrange private surf lessons for about $50.

Getting there: Troncones is about a 40-minute drive from the Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa airport. It's easiest to either rent a car or take a taxi (about $70) to get there. Sample fares from Houston to Ixtapa start at around $300, excluding taxes, on American this summer.

Where to stay: Summer rates at the Inn at Manzanillo Bay start at $88 for oceanview bungalows, which include a private patio, canopy beds and hammocks. Sightseeing tours, horseback riding and other activities can be arranged for a fee.

Online resources: For more information, go to Troncones.net or Troncones.com.mx.

Merida

There's more to the Yucatan than beaches and Crayola-colored libations — there's Mayan archaeological sites, colonial architecture and a landscape of tropical forests, wetlands, caves and still-hidden ancient ruins, too. To best explore these attractions, and experience a real Mexican city with worthy sites of its own, head inland from Cancun and make the colonial city of Merida your base.

Known as the White City, Merida was built on top of the ancient Mayan city of T'Ho, and some of the ruins' white-limestone blocks are still visible in the facades of Spanish colonial buildings, including the cathedral. Start your explorations at the zócalo (central square), where you can browse street vendors, listen to Mayan musicians or sit and watch the parade of locals going about their daily business. On weekend evenings, the zócalo and its surrounding blocks play host to lively bands and folkloric dancers until late. For some history, be sure to stop by the Cathedral de San Ildefonso, the oldest cathedral in North America, and the Museo de Antropologia (Anthropology Museum), which offers lots of background information on the Mayans.

From Merida, you can take day trips to Iztmal, a smaller town with a huge yellow convent built on top of a Mayan pyramid; the Celestun Biosphere Reserve, a protected wetland area home to thousands of pink flamingos; the ruins of Dzibilchaltún; and Progreso, Merida's weekend beach escape. Merida is also the departure point for road trips to see some of the Yucatan's less-visited (but some would say more interesting) Mayan ruins, including the massive Uxmal, and the sites of the Puuc Route: Kabah, Sayil, Xlapak, Labná and Loltún (a cave system). You can visit most of these places on organized tours, but renting a car will allow you more freedom.

Getting there: Sample fares on Delta from Miami start around $430, plus taxes, in the summer. To save money, consider flying to Cancun (about $178 plus taxes from Miami) on American) and renting a car. Merida is about 315 kilometers away on the toll highway.

Where to stay: A very good value for your money, the cheap but nice Hotel Dolores Alba has 100 rooms with private bathrooms from a mere $35 per night. It also has covered parking — a huge plus in this sometimes traffic-choked city.

If you have a bit more cash and a rental car, SmarterTravel.com Contributing Editor RaeJean Stokes highly recommends staying in a Spanish hacienda estate. "There are some gorgeous haciendas that have been converted into hotels on the outskirts of town," she says. "They're pretty unique, and some are five-star establishments with great food and atmospheric surroundings." The Hacienda San Pedro Nohpat is one less-fancy option that won't break the bank (rates from $85 per night).