Mexico Recommendations
It’s crazy how things happen. I went from being totally stuck and feeling like I was drowning in quicksand to going through a literal hurricane (Dorian) and rushing to remodel, stage and relist our home in a little over a week. Now the dust is settling a little and we start our wait yet again for a buyer so we can move to Puerto Aventuras, Mexico.
Prior to all this a friend of mine asked me about Akumal. She was interested in taking a vacation there and staying at my other friend’s hotel. I spent about an hour of so talking to her and giving her all the reasons why she would love it. Not only the hotel but the entire area. In doing this I realized just how much I love the area, so instead of emailing her a list of my recommendations, I thought it would be great to do an article laying out some of my favorite things to see, do and eat.
Let’s start with places to stay. My go-to places have always been Hotel Akumal Caribe and their Villas Flamingo. I have stayed there when traveling alone, I have taken small groups there and have always loved these places. They are some of the oldest establishments on the Yucatan coast, and the location, accommodations and staff are top notch. Over the 20 years that I have been traveling here these two locations are my home away from home! And yes, I am a little bias because I now consider the owners really great friends. That said, in all my 20 years of travels through Mexico, the Yucatan and the Riviera Maya I have only had 2 bad experiences with accommodations.
Let’s talk food
I’m a foodie and I think the biggest misconception that people have about food in Mexico is that it is all tacos and beans and rice. Simply not true, although I have enjoyed my share of tacos shrimp and cochinita pibil, my two favorites. When I actually think about some of my favorite meals I think of breakfast on the beach at Lol-Ha Restaurant, you can’t find a better spot to start your day, and I think I have tried every single breakfast item they have and never been disappointed.
Other favorites would be a teeny tiny Italian Restaurant in Playa Del Carmen, Primer Plato. It is off main tourist area on 15 Avenida Sur. They make all their pasta right there when you order. Limited seating, but they also have a busy to-go business. It will be our go-to spot when we are in Playa craving Italian.
Sushi is another favorite of mine. I love Makito in Puerto Aventuras. Dining al fresco somehow makes the sushi even that much better. Moving to Puerto Aventuras we will be within walking distance of all types of great food from Italian, Mexican, Thai, French, Cuban and even pub food. Good thing we will be walking, biking a swimming a lot to work off the calories.
Things to see and do
My favorite activity is sailing, and Calypso Charters is my favorite because it has a gorgeous yacht, with an intimate experience with incredible crew. Next I like scuba diving. This last winter Mike and I finally learned to dive and we did it with Natalie and Ivan, and we look forward to a lot more diving in paradise.
Ruins are of course something that needs to be on everyone’s list of things to see and do. None will disappoint, but I prefer the small, less known ones such as Muyil, Balam ku and Coba. If you have limited time, Chichen Itza and Tulum will be the easiest for you to fit in your schedule. Chichen Itza is inland and needs to be combined with a stay in Valladolid, a lovely colonial city, and some of the local cenotes (fresh water sink holes). We love to stay at the Mason de Marques right in the heart of the city. You can even find a restaurant with a cenote within walking distance. You could spend a couple of days here and find plenty to see and do and eat!
Amusement parks are fun for all ages, and in the Riviera Maya my three favorites are Xel-Ha, Xcaret and Xenses. All are owned by the same group and are as eco-friendly as parks can be, and are an enjoyable way to spend a day.
Want nature? Head to Sian Ka’an Biosphere and take one of several tours by kayak, floating down a natural canal, bird watching or more. You will escape to the most pristine environment.
Walk on the beach: my two favorites are Tulum Beach and Xpu-Ha. They are gorgeous, long stretches of white sand and amazing turquoise water.
South of the Riviera Maya is Laguna Bacalar and it is well worth the visit if you have the time. The lake boasts 7 colors of blue. If you love funky and retro, stay at Hotel Laguna Bacalar. And while you are there visit the fort, Cenote Azul and the rapids.
The Riviera Maya also has 3 amazing islands to visit: Cozumel which is known for its cruise port and diving; Isla Mujeres, which has magnificent sunsets on North Beach; and Holbox, which is on our bucket list for snorkeling with the whale sharks.
Closer to Cancun is Puerto Morelos and the Ruta de Cenotes, with a number of great places to cool off. At night you can enjoy Cirque de sole.
Want cosmopolitan? I’d head to Merida and add a visit to the Gulf Coast and the yellow city of Izamal.
Note the one place I didn’t put on my list was Cancun! If your impression of the Riviera Maya is Cancun, you need to toss that out and revisit the area. Cancun is for arrival and departures only, IMHO.
Ah, thanks Dana for asking for my suggestions, this exercise just made me fall in love with our soon to be home all over again.