Tag Archives: Playa del Carmen

This is the Place to Enjoy Nature Near Tulum!

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While many people have heard of the bigger theme parks near Playa del Carmen and Tulum, Xcaret, Xplor and Xel-Ha, fewer people know about some of the smaller gems nearby. Kantun-Chi is one of these places.

 

Kantun-Chi is a lower-key nature park, with focus on tours and diving in the underground caves, a small zoo, and a few cenotes to snorkel and dive in. I can tell you, the last time I spent a full day there, it was one of the most relaxing I can ever remember having – and here in Playa there are plenty of relaxing days.

 

A highlight of the park is that they have an a full underground tour where the caves are lit up with colored lights giving a very surreal effect:

 

Here are some more pictures of the park:

 

If one day you just want an active but quiet and relaxing day, where you don’t feel you have to hurry to finish all the activities, this park is the place to go.

 

-by Bea Lozano

 

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Want to Know What an Ancient Mayan Market Looked Like? Try Playa del Carmen

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Have you ever wondered what an ancient Maya market looked like?

 

Sure, there are “modern” Mayan markets in the Yucatan Peninsula – they are only “modern” in the sense that they exist in the present age.  But we all know that things have changed over the past 500 – 1000 years.

 

Fortunately, the Mayan’s ancient civilization was well documented, and combined with archaeological research as well as the culture’s own tradition, it has been possible to set up an ancient Mayan market, in Playa del Carmen!

 

Xcaret, a theme park just on the south edge of town, hosted the event.

 

I had the chance to go! Take a look at the pictures:

 

Notice the ancient Mayan garb of the vendors:

 

These are almost hairless dogs that the ancient Mayans and Aztecs kept:

 

If you ever get the chance, go to a market like this one – it’s quite the experience!

 

-by Bea Lozano

 

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Playa del Carmen Now Has an Animal Protection Act!

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As I noted at the end of Friday’s post about bullfights and cockfights, Playa del Carmen had just passed an animal protection act!  Here’s an excerpt from a local news source, dated Friday, May 17:

Representatives in the [state’s] 13th Legislature unanimously approve the new Animal Protection and Wellbeing Act.  The law presents a legal mechanism which will protect not only pets, but also all species of animals, by establishing new standards to guarantee wellbeing, care and proper treatment, to avoid mistreatment, cruelty and suffering.

The law applies to the state of Quintana Roo, which also includes Cancun, Cozumel, Tulum and Costa Maya.

This is an important step in a series of actions that have already been taking place to help protect animals.

Many expats are involved in animal rescue and shelter as a way to contribute back into the community that has given them their new home.

I’m proud to be living in a part of Mexico that is taking decisive steps in the right direction to protect animals!

-by Bea Lozano

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This Morning, I Took a Walk on the Beach in Playa del Carmen

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Sometimes it’s not only work that distracts you from the simple pleasures of life; sometimes it’s real, important and practical issues like the cost of living, modern conveniences, cheap flights, the cost of health care or even planning your next trip.

 

The beautiful thing about living in Playa del Carmen is that every morning you get up and see the sun rising over the Caribbean beyond the beach, the smell of the salt in the air, the refreshing breeze; that pure beauty of a simple daily pleasure strikes you, making you forget about whatever else it is that distracts you from those simple pleasures.

 

This morning, like so many other mornings, I took a walk on the beach. While there are so many other exciting things to write about, we can’t forget about these wonderful, beautiful moments!

 

-by Bea Lozano

 

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Wouldn’t You Like to Catch a Fish Like This in Playa del Carmen?

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Fishing is a big thing in Playa del Carmen.  In fact, the reason the town was founded in the first place (just over 100 years ago) was as a fishing village, which is what it remained until the 1990s when tourism took off and it became a major expat community.

 

Fishing is still a part of daily life.  You find everything from the traditional fishermen throwing their nets in at the beaches in the very early mornings to luxury boat owners going out for a deep-sea catch.

 

Just the other day, I was walking along the beach and saw this young Argentinian guy who had just caught this fish, right from the beach:

 

Whatever you’re style of fishing, I’m sure you’ll find it in Playa del Carmen!  And, if you prefer just to enjoy the fresh catch of the day and let someone else do the work, that’s easy (and very low cost) too!

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

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Beach Soccer was Amazing! – Pictures

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If you remember, last week I posted about the beach soccer tournament; I went on the weekend and got some great pictures – well, pictures of a great event, in any case!

 

Notice that the event is actually sponsored by FIFA, the organization for the World Cup:

 

And here, with the FIFA flag, you can see the beautiful Mamitas Beach:

 

Mexico vs. Brazil:

 

Mexico vs. Spain:

 

Here are the cheerleaders:

 

And finally, this is the beach after the games:

 

If you think you would’ve enjoyed this, you’ll be happy to know about the 8th “MUNDIALITO DE FUTBOL DE PLAYA” (or “little World Cup for Beach Soccer”) coming up on June 21 – 23. For this one, the teams are made of expats from Playa representing their home country.

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

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Mexico’s Two Caribbean Islands are Among the Best in the World

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There are experiences which are created and planned – like Disney World.  Some of these have their charm, but what you experience is exactly what a team of marketing experts in an office building somewhere (these days perhaps in Hong Kong, or maybe Beijing?) decided you will experience – nothing more, nothing less.

 

Other experiences are not planned or created – they simply happen.  The place you are, the people your with and what you see and feel while you’re there is well beyond the control of any corporation or travel agency.  Yes, planning is an important part of getting there and making the most of your visit, but the experience itself is defined by your own personal reaction and many random factors shaped by geography, nature and cultures that have developed over centuries.

 

Isla Mujeres and Cozumel – Top Islands in Mexico and the World

This is the case with two of the world’s favorite islands, Mexico’s two Caribbean islands, Isla Mujeres and Cozumel.  Recently, both have been ranked among the top islands in the world, for example, Isla Mujeres in TripAdvisor and Cozumel by Scuba Diving magazine. (Here is also a nice blog post of a traveler sharing their experience on Cozumel.)

 

They share the wide, soft white beaches and turquoise water of the Caribbean Sea – some of the most beautiful in the world.  They share the heritage of the ancient Mayan people and the warm, welcoming culture of their descendants.  They share warm, sunny weather all year round, and excellent diving access to the world’s second largest barrier coral reef.

 

Retire in Mexico - Islands

And, by geographical luck, they are located about an hour away from each other.  Either can be accessed quickly from the Cancun International Airport

 

Isla Mujeres

Isla Mujeres is a tiny island just of the coast at Cancun.  Coming directly from the bustling city of Cancun (where the ferry leaves) – which is quickly becoming the largest on the Yucatan Peninsula, and a cosmopolitan hub for travel and international events – the difference is like day and night.

 

You feel like you’re arriving to a different world.  Yes, the climate and the beaches are the same, but suddenly you’re in a quiet place, a sleepy island where time hasn’t seemed to go anywhere in the past few decades.

 

Retire in Mexico - IslandsCozumel

Cozumel is has ferry access from Playa del Carmen.  In addition to diving in the reef, there is deep-sea fishing, boating, sight-seeing, Mayan pyramids, golf and much more.  One of the ideal ways to spend a day on Cozumel is to rent a scooter or a motorcycle (there are Harley rentals!) and just tour the island enjoying the warmth of the open air.  The freedom to simply explore and discover the jungle, the ancient ruins and relaxing beaches at your own leisure is truly a unique experience.

 

Cozumel also has a small city (about 80,000 – a bit smaller than Playa del Carmen.)  In this city you can enjoy the shops of knickknacks, artwork and handicrafts.  There are also excellent restaurants, including many that sell the local catch of the day – fried fish is a local specialty.

 

Experience Life

Yes, on both Isla Mujeres and Cozumel you can buy tours, you can plan your day and decide what you want to see.  But here, these are only tools to make it easier to find a unique experience that is shaped by the place and its culture that you will not find anywhere else.

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

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The World Cup Comes to Playa del Carmen

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… the Beach Soccer Worldwide Cup, that is.
Starting tomorrow (May 3), the Beach Soccer Worldwide Riviera Maya Cup will be taking place at Mamitas Beach Club.  I’m kind of thinking of going to take a peak.  I’m usually not a soccer kind of guy, but on the beach … that’s something altogether different!

 

And, it’s worth noting that its free!

 

This is the announcement from Mayan Explore:

 

Riviera Maya Cup 2013 in Playa del Carmen from the 3rd – 5th May 2013

 

Mexico, Spain, Brazil and the Bahamas will take part in the Riviera Maya Cup 2013 at Mamitas Beach Club in Playa del Carmen.

 

This competition will be played in a round robin format, with all of the teams playing each other, the team with the most points will be awarded the Riviera Maya Cup 2013 Champions.

 

Her e is the schedule for the Round Robin:

 

Friday 3rd of May

 

1.45pm:- Spain Vs Brazil
3pm:- Bahamas Vs Mexico

 

Saturday 4th of May

 

1.45pm:- Brazil Vs Bahamas
3pm:- Mexico Vs Spain

 

Sunday 5th of May

 

1.45pm:- Spain Vs Bahamas
3pm:- Mexico Vs Brazil

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

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Wouldn’t You Love to Ride a Train to the Beach … in Mexico?

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Many Americans and Canadians love riding trains.  While the use of practical trains for commuting is returning, far more interesting are the tour trains that run through picturesque locations with beautiful scenery and stopping at interesting little towns.

 

Why We Love Trains So Much

For myself, I remember riding a train through the countryside back home, seeing the fields and forests roll by, and also the pictures of the trains running through tunnels in enormous mountains, or following a river through a green valley.  I never rode on those ones, but I always wanted to.

 

Here in Mexico, up in the north of the country, in the state of Chihuahua, there’s the Copper Canyon train with splendid views of rivers, cliffs and forests.  There’s also the Tequila Valley train offering scenery and tours of the communities in Jalisco where the famous liquor was invented.

 

What about a Train to the Beach … or Mayan Pyramids?

Retire in Mexico - train

Here’s some good news that you may have heard about.  There are currently plans to build a train across the Yucatan Peninsula, going from the beaches in Playa del Carmen to the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, the colonial towns of Valladolid, Merida and Campeche, arriving to the beach once again.  I think there may also be plans for a route out to Progreso.

 

That would be a simply beautiful train ride!

 

Besides the practicality of another reliable and low-priced way to travel across the peninsula, the views would include the lush, green jungle, the ancient pyramids, all but forgotten Mayan towns and the romance of Mexico’s colonial cities.

 

When Will We Get the Yucatan Train?

It’s hard to say when this train will actually come into existence.  The plan has been around for a while, and it’s been put on hold several times.

 

Retire in Mexico - train

The good news is that the plan was approved and endorsed by Mexico’s new President, Enrique Pena Nieto, in December, his first month in office. In just a few months, this President has established a reputation for getting things done – quickly and efficiently.  He has already modified the constitution, begun drastic improvement of the country’s education and started economic reform that has given international observers and investors confidence that the country’s annual growth will soon increase to 7% (up from the current 4%.)

 

When this President says there’ll be a train in Yucatan, it gives me confidence that there really will be.

 

Since starting a new train route requires infrastructure, planning and millions of dollars of investment (about $1.5 billion to be exact), it’s not something that happens over night.  In April the states in question held meetings to begin making plans.  The bidding for the private contract is expected to start at the end of this year.

 

Let’s Hope …

Personally, I love the idea of riding a train across the Yucatan. I’m really hoping that this becomes reality!

 

-by Thomas Lloyd

 

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Try This Cafe on Fifth Avenue, Playa del Carmen – You Will NOT Regret it!

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A “triple treat” restaurant for me is a place that has:

 

  – great food
  – great service
  – reasonable prices

 

Most restaurants – anywhere – offer only 2 of the 3. You either have great food and service at a price, cheap but not so tasty food or great food at a reasonable price but no customer service whatsoever.

 

 

It saddens me to say this but customer service is not all that great here in Playa del Carmen. While in hotels and fancy restaurants on the popular Fifth Avenue the service is exceptional, the local hangouts are not as lucky. But I’m happy to report that it is getting better. What gives me this ray of sunshine? Let me explain…

 

The Task of Choosing a Restaurant

Yesterday, we headed out for lunch like we usually do. Listing the places we normally go out loud until we decided on a restaurant. We walked along thinking about all our experiences in different restaurant, some good, some bad. We like to try new places but we often leave feeling more disappointed than satisfied. But that was not the case yesterday.
Retire in Playa del Carmen, MexicoDiscovering a New “Triple Treat” – Hot Baking Company

We decided against all our judgment and the little voice in our head saying ‘Stick to what you know’, to try Hot Baking Company. And, boy, were we surprised. The prices were the first thing we noticed. I’d always thought it was an expensive place but turns out that it is quite reasonable prices. We decided to share some enchiladas. So decision one was out of the way, but the we had the choice of filling (chicken, cheese, beans, etc), the choice of tortilla (blue, flour, wheat, etc), the choice of sauce (red, green, mole, etc) and of course what we wanted on top (onion, lettuce, cream, cheese, etc).

 

 

We were a little overwhelmed at first, but then settled on chicken enchiladas, with blue tortillas, mole sauce and everything on top. And what a great decision it was. They also agreed to split the meal on two plates so we could share – we often do this and then if you like it and we are still hungry we order and share another plate. It’s a great way to enjoy a variety of dishes!

 

To wash down our delicious enchiladas we ordered a chaya (a Mexican green leaf that is great for juicing or with eggs) and mango juice. It was equally delicious and refreshing. After the enchiladas are tummy were still rumbling so we decided to order a salad. Again with the choices- what kind of lettuce or green leaves? What meat (chicken, beef, fish)? What vegetables and cheese, and to top it off a choice of dressing? And again they offered to put the salad into two bowls!

 

Retire in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Service to Write Home About (or at least a blog …)

We were amazed. The wait staff was attentive, we were happy with the price and the food was very yummy. We will definitely be going back and with 2 locations to choose from (Fifth Avenue or Centro Maya Shopping Mall) it makes the choice of what to eat even easier.

 

To sum up the whole experience sometimes new it better and yum, yum, yum!

 

-by Bea Lozano

 

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