by Bea Lozano
Paradise away from Paradise in Mahahual
You live in paradise, you get to see the tropical blue water and put your feet in the sand any day you want. What a dream it is that you get to reside in a place where people come from all over and spend their hard saved dollars just to spend a little time, leave and remember forever in a photo album. Yes, it’s very true that we are lucky in that respect and every day we should appreciate the beauty that we are able to wake up to each and every day. But how do people who already live in a vacation destination vacation? Some might say, no need for vacation but this is a misconception.
Everyone needs to get away every once in a while. But the amazing thing is that we live in a place where it is so incredibly easy to take off and explore a new paradise without having to save large amounts of money or travel far away. The most wonderful thing about the Riviera Maya is that each area has a unique experience and its personal beauty. Even if you travel only 15 minutes away you can feel like you have traveled to a completely different place. With that being said, and in lou of Travel Tuesday, I would like to start off my paradise away from paradise series.
The first place I would like to take you is Mahahual in the beautiful Costa Maya region! If you are traveling from Playa del Carmen you are looking at around four hours driving. For those of you who have not experienced this area yet I can assure you it’s a gem. Mahahual has a bay somewhat like Akumal and is a nice spot for diving and snorkeling. There you will find pristine blue bay water and beaches filled with palm trees and plenty of hammocks for sheer relaxation. If you are looking for peace and quiet, this is your spot! There are quite a few options for places to stay although no major hotels or resorts. Here you can find nice cozy cabanas or smaller rustic but very clean hotel rooms. It can be nice to get there at an early hour to find a place to stay for a night or two. Mahahual does not stay open late.
With the exception of Sr. Frogs you will find many bars and restaurants close quite early around 10 pm or so. So if you are a party goer this may not be your cup of tea. In any case, during the day Mahahual is moving, small restaurants and cafes are open with great food, baked goods and drinks. There are some nice beach club options. Buy some lunch or a couple drinks and you are free to use their loungers or hammocks all day! You can take a nice walk around and find some nice vendors and places to shop for souvenir type things or Mexican Handcrafts. Keep walking and you will end up at the lighthouse which is a staple of Mahahual. If you are wanting a little more action head over to Sr. Frogs where they are playing energetic music and promote lots of fun.
. There are a couple of interesting things I would like to note about this particular area. This is a normal and popular cruise ship stop and most of its visitors actually come from the cruise ship. This little town of Mahahual caters very well to Americans and foreigners so much in fact that it’s even hard to find change in pesos. Everyone will speak English and they prefer that you pay and receive change in American dollars. Not to worry however if you only have pesos. They can accommodate as well. When it is low season and not as many ships are sailing the little town can feel fairly deserted. So if you are searching total serenity try picking a time when you know the season is low. In any case, you will find this hidden paradise to be a beautiful option for an escape. For those of us who live in the Riviera Maya we must remember to take advantage of some of the beautiful places that are surrounding us. Having a change every once in a while can be refreshing.
If you have a favorite paradise away from paradise we would love to hear about it. Find us on facebook and reply with key phrase “Paradise away from Paradise”.
It’ the simple things in life that can take our breath away
Sail your worries away, you’re on vacation!
-by Thomas Lloyd
Mexican Desert with Volcanoes and Dunes Recognized as World Heritage Site
In late June, About.com’s page for Mexico shared the news that El Pinacate y Gran Desierto del Altar Biosphere Reserve in the northern Mexican state of Sonora has been recognized as a World Heritage Site. Here’s part of the description of the site:
To the east, a volcanic system which includes the large, dormant volcano El Pinacate, has 400 cinder cones and black and red lava flows and desert pavements, as well as ten enormous craters. To the west, the Gran Desierto del Altar (Great Altar Desert) is North America’s largest area of active sand dunes, some of them reaching over 650 feet in height. The area is home to over 1000 plant and animal species, and is considered the desert region with the most biodiversity in the world.
Just for your pleasure, I’ve dug up some pictures of El Pinacate y Gran Desierto del Altar Biosphere Reserve:
-by Thomas Lloyd
Staying Aware of Our Friendly Sea Turtles
Akumal Bay is one of the nicest destinations in the Riviera Maya. It has amazing stretch of beach, nice scenery and calm water for happy swimmers but it is also a unique place where you can enjoy making some new underwater friends. Akumal is mostly known for swimming and sharing the sea with the sea turtles. It is truly a very nice experience and many flock from all over to meet these cute creatures.
But in order to provide this experience for everyone we must be very conscious about preserving the life and the population of the turtles. There are many efforts taken daily to ensure that while we enjoy swimming and time on the beach that we do it respectfully and without disrupting then natural habitat of the sea turtles. Many are asked to vacate the beaches after a certain time in the evening so that the sea turtles have freedom in their environment.
Especially at this time of the year when it’s time to lay and protect the eggs. There are many volunteers heading out in the evening to carefully identify the nests and help our sea friends by marking off where the nests are so that beachgoers can be sure respect those protect those areas. After all Akumal is everyone’s beach including the turtles.
Now, according to this article a special group that is heading up sea turtle recovery in the pacific is making large efforts to try and include all states to raise awareness and protection. It is for sure that those in Akumal will be happy to participate in these efforts and preserve a wonderful community for these amazing creatures.
Remember that here in the Riviera Maya we have entered the territory of many wondrous creatures and for the most part they have been happy to share with us. So with that in mind we must always consider them as our neighbors and friends and treat them as such.
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by Bea Lozano
Two Sides of Life on the Yucatan Peninsula – #WordlessWednesday
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-by Bea Lozano
The Experience of a Lifetime – Taking the Bus in Mexico!
There are many things that we consider thrilling and exciting in this day and age, but did you ever think that taking a bus would be one of them. If you didn’t, then you have never taken a bus in Mexico.
The rules need not apply!
Buses make their own rules and take you along for the ride.
Here in Playa Del Carmen there are many advantages to public transportation. For instance, the bus will pick you up from any location; there is no need to walk to a bus stop. Just wave down a bus and he will happily stop to collect you. The same goes for drop offs. Just remember to shout the secret word ‘bajan!”(remember the “j” sounds like an “h”) and they will stop as soon as possible to let you off.
The buses here also don’t worry so much about capacity. A bus is considered full when the door will no longer close. So if you can squeeze yourself on, get on – because if you don’t, someone else will.
Speed is another advantage. A bus is likely to get you where you are going faster than driving. That’s because they can go as fast as they like, which offers another advantage… free window air conditioning! The faster the go the cooler you feel.
On a serious note every bus here in Playa del Carmen has fantastic brakes – this is proven every time someone wants to get off. So make sure you hold on.
So, all in all taking the bus is a win, win situation. It’s cheap, you stay fresh (most of the time) and you can spend some time relaxing and listening to your favorite tunes. I see many tourists take the bus here, and they are always smiling. It’s an adventure the locals enjoy every day.
For the more serious of you out there, I’d stick to the bigger buses. But for those of you that want a bit more adventure, try the little bus… I dare you!!! Where else can you get a fun-filled ride for 5 pesos?
-by Thomas Lloyd
Happy Canada Day – The Mexican Way!
Happy Canada Day to all our Northern friends and neighbors!
Now, just for fun, would you like to celebrate Canada Day the Canadian way …
or the Mexican way?
Again, happy Canada Day, and enjoy your festivities where ever you are today!
-by Bea Lozano
Mini World Cup Expat Soccer Tournament 2013 in Playa del Carmen
There was plenty of fun and excitement last weekend in Playa del Carmen at Mamitas Beach where the 8th Annual “Mundialito de Playa” was held. The Mundialito, or mini world cup if you will, was a special soccer tournament for locals and expats from all over the globe who are living here and like to play. Check out this slide show with some of our pictures:
We visited all three days of the tournament to watch, take photos and cheer on our own home countries. It was really quite an event! Teams included were from Mexico, USA, Italy, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Spain, Uruguay, France and Switzerland. Each team was made of expats from each country!
Here’s the women’s soccer:
The event was a lot of fun and we even saw some visitors from some of the professional teams come out to cheer for their own. In addition to the soccer tournament, the event also included a men’s and women’s rugby expedition. There were plenty of fans and some vibrant cheerleaders who came out to cheer on their team as well.
I’ve never seen rugby on a beach before, but it’s something else:
The tournament included two full days of matches between the 10 teams followed by the finals in the last day. Who won? While each country did a fantastic job we must give our congratulations to the Mexican team for taking 1st place in the tournament! The most important thing, however, is that all participants from every team had fun and played great!
This event was great for any age group and families as well. It was so nice to see so many people from all over the world get together to play together. While there are many expats who love Mexico and love living in Playa it is always important to show pride for the place you came from. This was clearly and event that showcased that kind of pride.
While we were there we got to talking with some of the fans who were watching the games. There were definitely plenty of locals that came to cheer on their family and friends but also there was a nice tourist crowd. For those who love soccer and love the beach this was a special treat! This event is held yearly so if you didn’t get the chance to make it out this time it’s definitely worth it to mark it down for next year!
-by Thomas Lloyd
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – on the Beach! #throwbackthursdays
Take a look at the difference in style over the last century or so:
Imagine wearing what looked somewhat like a very high waist bottom or even a swimsuit that looked like a dress to the beach? Can we say tan lines? But none the less this was the style and had an appealing flare for women. These days however we are going with the “less is more” approach.
And luckily for the suppliers they are saving a lot of money on fabric these days now that bare bottoms have taken over the beach! Fashion is always moving and evolving so what could be next for trendy ladies swimwear?
Top Mexico would love to hear from you! What was your favorite style? Can you think of a year when you owned your favorite bikini or bathing suit? If you have lived through years of evolving styles, what do you think of the styles today? Do you like it? Do you think it’s shocking?
Let us know what you think. Find us on facebook at Mexico Real Estate to communicate your story. Mention key phrase “Girls just wanna have fun!”
-by Bea Lozano
Calling all Divers to Cozumel!!!
Among the many possibilities you have here in the Riviera Maya to explore beauty and nature you have diving.
While some prefer to do a small snorkel, there are a ton of die-hard diver fans out there that travel from all over to arrive here to the Riviera Maya and Cozumel where you can experience the second largest coral reef in the world. There are even many expats living here just for this reason along with many tourists who flock here to explore the beauty and magic under the surface of the sea.
If you are one of these people then this may interest you:
June 24th-30th 2013 (that’s NOW!) is Diver’s Week in Cozumel where many hotels, restaurants and merchants will be offering great discounts for you divers out there who are participating in underwater activities during this time.
Along with a great diving experience and a nice vacation to boot, you can be part of some of the ongoing festivities including a special gala dinner, various parties and conferences. Also, you can search some special sales on your diving equipment! If you are already here and you love to dive this can be an incredible excuse to spend a few days in Cozumel, get underwater, meet other fellow divers and take advantage of great deals!
For more details about the event click here.
– by Bea Lozano
