Halloween in Playa del Carmen… a great party by the sea!

Halloween is almost here! Once a North American tradition, Halloween is growing increasingly popular in Mexico. If you live or are visiting Playa del Carmen, you can join the people that goes out on this night and enjoy an amazing blend of traditions in Playa del Carmen.

In Mexico, there has been a long tradition of celebrating the Day of the Dead. This day commemorates the people that has left before us, and people make shrines to celebrate the memories of loved ones that are no longer with us.

However, many also join and celebrate the fun of trick or treating… and it is common to celebrate both. If you are in the area, you cannot miss celebrating Halloween Playa style! Get that costume ready and join the crowds trick and treating on 5th avenue.

Celebrating Halloween in Playa del Carmen:  Things to do

1.  Trick or treating

Every year, hundreds of visitors and locals go on 5th Avenue wearing costumes, dressed as Catrina Skeletons or even as an Xtabay. Playa del Carmen is the ideal place to see traditions merge and become something different, come and see and enjoy the party.

Don’t forget to bring enough candy to share with the hundreds of local and visiting children, trick or treating on 5th Avenue.

2.  Have an authentic Day of the Dead experience

If you want to learn more about the Mexican tradition of Day of the Dead, Xcaret has an amazing festival every year. The festival has theater, music, performances and art… and everything is about the Mexican traditions to celebrate the day of the dead.

You can purchase your tickets and receive more information here. If you are planning to visit Xcaret, your ticket includes the pass for the Day of the Dead celebration.

3.  See the Mayan Day of the Dead celebrations

Celebrating the dead is a Mexican celebration with deep roots in the native cultures of Mexico, but the Mayans have their own way to commemorate the dead: Hanal Pixan. If you want to learn more about this amazing tradition in an authentic Mayan Village, Alltournative organizes a tour every year, which takes visitors to an authentic Mayan village and allows you to participate in the Day of the Dead traditions. The tour that includes:

  • Round trip transportation
  • A guided visit through the process of decoration of shrines and the celebration of Hanal Pixan
  • Traditional Mayan food

If you want to learn more about this exciting adventure, please click here!

4.  Go party!

After all the fun and adventures, you can also do what people love to do in Playa: Party! You can organize your own bar crawl, or visit one of the local clubs and enjoy the special events organized for the day.

You cannot miss the fun on 12th Street with all the clubs and the best place to see and be seen in Playa del Carmen.

Playa del Carmen is a community with a rich culture, people from all over the world come to reside here and brings with them their own traditions. The merge of different cultures allows for a diverse and vibrant community, willing to enjoy and share with people from other places.

There are many options to enjoy an amazing Halloween and Day of the Dead, feel part of this amazing culture or feel at home with your own celebrations. Playa del Carmen is an amazing place to live and at Top Mexico Real Estate, we specialize in helping foreigners find their home in Mexico.

We would love to hear about your plans for Halloween, or if we are missing an awesome event… Please let us know!

Campeche – The allure of a colonial port town

Campeche is one of those places you might never consider visiting, when thinking of a short trip from the Riviera Maya. However, it is such a charming and romantic destination, you’ll never regret taking the time to go!

This beautiful port city was founded in 1540 and was the most important port of the Peninsula during colonial times, similar in importance to Havana and Cartagena. The area developed to be an important city, and the locals built elegant mansions, impressive churches and the traditional barrios grew around the main square.

During Colonial times, Campeche was a producer of precious woods, natural dyes and the main port for the neighboring Yucatan State. This made it an ideal target for pirates, so the city had to build a wall and fortresses all around in order to protect the population from the constant attacks.

Campeche offers it visitors a beautiful mix of Ancient Mayan cities, nice colonial cobbled roads, and the view of the sea along the malecon (esplanade). There is also a good mix of the old and the new, as you can walk along downtown and feel like you are living in colonial times, and then visit the modern shopping mall or the convention center and enjoy modern amenities.

Campeche Attractions

Campeche City

Campeche is full of charm, with its magnificent colonial mansions, narrow streets and the presence of the colonial life all around the city. Walk along the malecon, visit the forts and the remains of the original wall that surrounded the city, or visit the museum of Colonial times; we are sure you will be amazed.

Archeological sites

Campeche has magnificent colonial sights, Edzna is near the city and was an important ceremonial center, with an active trade with other Mayan regions. Calakmul is a large archeological site, located in a National park of the same name, and it also has a museum displaying both the nature and the archeology of the site.

Museums

There are many museums in the city and surrounding areas occupying the former bastions of the wall that surrounded the city, so you can pick your favorites or visit every one. The Virgen de la Soledad Bastion has an interesting Mayan Architecture collection, and the San Carlos Bastion holds an interesting history collection.

There is also the San Jose Museum showcasing the pirates, weapons and boats that used to attack the city, as well as other artifacts from colonial times.

Traditional barrios & their churches

Campeche grew during the Spanish rule and formed different neighborhoods, each barrio has a main plaza and a church; and the houses would be built around these plazas. There are five traditional barrios in Campeche: San Francisco, Guadalupe, San Roman, Santa Ana y Santa Lucia.

Each of the churches in Campeche are worth a visit, but the San Francisco Church is the place where the first mass in the continent was held.

Haciendas

Haciendas were the heart of the colonial economy, as Campeche was an important producer of natural dyes, cotton products, honey, wax and salt. Over time Campeche developed big farms, and started producing dry meat, leather goods as well as sisal, the fiber that made the Peninsula one of the wealthiest areas in the world.

There are haciendas all over Campeche, some of them have become hotels, while others are used as tourist attractions. Do not miss Hacienda Blanca Flor now converted into a hotel, and located just in the outskirts of Campeche, the Hacienda Santa Cruz is also well preserved and has an active production of palm that is used to make hats.

Getting There

Campeche is one of the best destinations in the Yucatan Peninsula, one of those under the radar places that will make you fall in love. It is located about 5 hours away from Cancun, and even less if you depart from other cities in the Riviera Maya.

To get there, you can go via Merida, with possible interesting stops in Valladolid, Chichen Itza, Izamal and obviously Merida. There is also the option to go down the coast and stop in Mahahual and Bacalar, and then cross the Peninsula with a stop in the archeological site of Uxmal.

Do not miss out on this amazing city and its surrounding areas, bring comfortable shoes, your camera and time to enjoy every attraction. Winter is the best month to visit, as the days are cool and there is a constant cold wind from the sea, so the long walks are more tolerable.

Let’s Retire in Mexico aims to be the best source of information about living in Mexico, please let us know if we are missing an important attraction or if you would like to know more about Campeche.

 

Snowbirds are Returning to Playa del Carmen

It’s that time of year when the snowbirds start to prepare for their return to Playa del Carmen once again. Leaving behind the cold winds, rain and snow and migrate south to the sunny beaches of Playa del Carmen for much fun and well deserved relaxation.

Since your visit last year Playa del Carmen has had some changes to the Fifth Avenue. You will be glad to know that more stores have been added to the La Quinta Alegria Shopping Plaza, and there are several others due to open shortly. Unfortunately, the Body Shop has closed and remains empty right now but we are excited to see what will open next.

If you remember, last year there was a large construction site just a few steps away from the La Quinta Alegria mall, where the famous Calle Corazon used to be. Now there is a modern five story plaza called “Calle Corazon Mall”, where you will find well known retail stores like H&M -which opened one of the largest fashion shops on Fifth Avenue, plus sunglasses, cosmetics and a new Starbucks, and there will be much more to come. Above the shopping area is the upscale Thompson Hotel with 2 rooftop restaurants that are open to the public, the Cinco and Catch Restaurant, here you can enjoy a fabulous meal and some of the best views of the city.

Hopefully some things in Playa del Carmen will not change as we as locals and snow birds enjoy the simpler things too and a big hit with both is Kava Kasa. You will be happy to know that they still have a great yoga lineup and their weekly local market has not changed, you will find your fresh produce there every Tuesday morning. Kava Kasa posts their monthly yoga schedule on their Kava Kasa Facebook page and any other changes that may happen.

You will be happy to know that your favorite bars have not changed and still have their amazing lineups to keep your evenings full of entertainment and happy hours.

If this is your first year coming to Playa del Carmen as a Snowbird, there is a great online community of Expats that are always happy to assist you whether you just can’t find the right ingredient or if you are looking for fun night out.

One of the forums that is very useful is Playa Info, where you can find general information posted from where to find pink lemonade to a lists of the best happy hours in town.

Another very helpful community is the Facebook group Expats & Locals in Playa del Carmen, in this community they cover everything you need to know for daily living in Playa del Carmen and are eager to meet new people, they even arrange nights out which is a great way to meet new people and expand your social group.

Welcome Snowbirds Old and New!

Maya Theme Park in Cancun to Open in 2017

Museo Maya Cancun

A new theme park will soon be added to Cancun next year, dedicated to exploring the world of the Mayans. The ‘Parque Maya’ is a private investment planned to be ready for winter of 2017 with the intention of promoting cultural tourism in the city. Cancun and the Riviera Maya have already had tremendous success with the Xcaret adventure parks, which were named among the world’s best theme parks earlier this year and recently saw the opening of Xenses, a new park on the same grounds, but this new park will be dedicated to promote the cultural tourism in the area.

August 15 will see the laying of the first stone, while work will be expected to take 12 months in order to bring this project to life. “The concept behind it is of the Mayan universe” said Francisco Córdova Lira, an investor of the Park. “We already have all the permissions and licenses to carry out the Park.” He stated that they are currently in the phase of accreditation for a bank loan, although some investments have already been made.

The plan for the park is to have three zones that are united together, including El Rey, archeological ruins that few currently visit but will now be promoted, and the Mayan Museum which opened to the public in 2012. The Park will be located facing the Museum and is designed for visiting families to learn about the Mayan culture and also have fun at the same time. There will be zip lines, rope bridges, along with replicas of relics and Mayan architecture. They will be distributed among the three worlds that make up the Mayan universe.

Getting to this point has come at an investment of approximately 50 million pesos. The development project was submitted twice to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), but due to the lack of appropriate permissions it was put on hold, but will now see the beginning of the construction.

The investors believe that the concept will appeal to tourists, since the Cancun hotel zone will be providing more places of recreation and culture. Given the tremendous success that Xcaret and other adventure park have had in recent years, along with the continued boom in tourism for Cancun and the Riviera Maya in general, the opening is likely to be a big success.

If you’d like more information about Playa del Carmen or are interested in purchasing property here, we invite you to visit our main website where you can search further. Please get in touch with one of our agents who will gladly assist you in any questions you might have.

And remember, at Top Mexico Real Estate…

we make it happen!

Weekend Getaway: Bacalar

It’s that time of the week again when you start planning your next weekend getaway. The Riviera Maya is so vast that living in Playa del Carmen doesn’t really give you a great idea of everything there is to see. So this week, we are running away to the Magical Town of Bacalar! Are your bags pack? Let’s go!

How to get there

Bacalar is located approximately a three-hour drive south of Playa del Carmen (four if you’re coming from Cancun). The best way to reach this beautiful town is by renting a car and driving. This allows you to move around Bacalar easily without having to rely on public transport within the town.

Once you have your car, head onto the Federal Highway 307 heading south and following the signs that read “Chetumal”. Once you have passed Felipe Carillo Puerto (where you should definitely stop for breakfast at the market), be on the lookout for signs that read Bacalar. There is no “taking wrong turns” as it is fairly easy and straightforward.

If you are not into driving and would rather be taken, you can take an ADO Bus from the Playa del Carmen terminal, which will take you to the town. It takes approximately 4 hours and costs $240 mxn one-way.

Where to stay

Bacalar is quite a small town, sitting on the edge of a lagoon. Accommodation varies in quality and price, as in any other place on Earth. However, to get the great experience of waking up to the beautiful colors of the lagoon, a hotel by the water’s edge is ideal. You can choose from more rustic, eco-friendly hotels to more modern ones. Don’t expect to find 5-star resorts, as most hotels here are locally owned and have seen better days, but are still charming and comfortable.

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You should also consider a hotel that has hammocks hanging over the shore! Nothing beats getting up in the morning, enjoying breakfast and just relaxing on a hammock counting the colors in the lagoon.

What to do

Bacalar may be small, but there are plenty of things to do there. Other than just relaxing by the lagoon (which you should definitely put on your list as a priority), you could take a tour to cross the lagoon and possibly see some local wildlife. The lagoon is the second largest fresh water lake in the country, so it’s not something to be overlooked.

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For the adventurous bunch, visiting (and eating) the Cenote Azul is a must! This waterhole is 90 meters deep and of an intense navy blue. Nothing can really be seen downwards because of its depth and small amount of light it receives, but there are friendly fish on the surface, an upside down boat to hang around in, and a restaurant serving delicious Yucatan food.

Take a tour to San Felipe Fort. Located in the heart of Bacalar, this small fort has a lot of history. Initially built to fight off pirates, who would come to the town to steal corn, the fort stood up there for years and is now an iconic landmark of the town. You can’t leave without visiting – costs are quite accessible and tours are available all day long.

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Bacalar is not by the ocean, so if you are really looking forward to spending a day at the beach, you should drive down to Mahahual to spend the day. This beautiful town is located approximately a two-hour drive from Bacalar and has some of the most beautiful beaches in the region.

Shopping and eating

As mentioned before, Bacalar is a small town, ran mainly by locals. Restaurants are found throughout with local Mexican and Yucatan food (don’t expect menus in English!). But hey, you are in a country whose cuisine is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, so you surely want to eat some of that deliciousness!

Shopping in Bacalar is quite limited – for the same reason. However, the road to Bacalar will present you with many options for buying tropical fruits, hammocks, carved wooden souvenirs, and much more.

Recommendations

Bacalar is a must see in the Riviera Maya – so make sure you don’t leave without visiting! We recommend a long weekend so you can runaway for a day trip to Mahahual (although that can be a weekend getaway on its own).

Bring cash! Bacalar is a small town and some places might not take credit cards – especially foreign ones. So make sure you have some cash handy to pay any souvenirs, cenote visits, tours, amongst others.

Among other activities you can do in Bacalar is take a stroll through Downtown, the plaza that is directly across from San Felipe Fort, and take in the gorgeous and colorful Caribbean houses. There are also Mayan ruins near Bacalar that you can visit such as Chacchoben.

We recommend you take a translation app or study up your Spanish before visiting. Although most tour guides speak broken English, if you plan on visiting local restaurants or shops, you might find yourself lost in translation.

One weekend comes after the next, and if you’re in search for amazing adventures, check back next week for a new weekend getaway destination!

Top Mexico Real Estate is an American-owned real estate company based in Playa del Carmen. With a focus market of Americans and Canadians, our Top Buyer Representatives are happy to help you relocate to paradise and help you find your paradise home.

And remember, here at Top Mexico Real Estate…

We Make It Happen!