Interested in Snorkeling?

Akumal Bay is one of THE best places to snorkel in the Riviera Maya (Akumal Bay means “bay of turtles”).  While the bay has undergone some procedural changes since 2017 with stricter access, snorkeling, and tour regulations, anyone can see Mother Nature’s bounty without taking a tour.  If you want to be right on the bay, the two all-inclusive resort options are Secrets Akumal and Akumal Bay Beach and Wellness Resort..  If you are staying somewhere else, you can rent a car and drive to Akumal, take a cab into Akumal, or take a colectivo  to Akumal and walk from the highway dropoff into Akumal–the beach is just a short walk from the town of Akumal.  If not staying at a nearby condo or all-inclusive resort on the bay, it will cost you about $5 p/p to enter the beach area.

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Cenote Sunday–Kin-Ha Cenote by Puerto Morelos

Visiting Kin-Ha is like taking advantage of a two-for-one offer.  There are two separate cenotes: a cave experience and an open cenote (Flora Blanca) that has several overwater ziplines (you jump from them halfway through the ride into the cenote) plus a diving platform with several levels (the lowest is a six-foot jump to the surface while the highest jump is approximately 45-feet for the very adventurous).  Jumping into the cave cenote is allowed through the hole in the ceiling of the cenote (it’s about a 15-foot drop).  If you take a tour you can add on a quad bike excursion, ziplining in the jungle, plus lunch and transportation from your resort.  If you aren’t into group tours, you can see this cenote independently and just pay the entrance fee for swimming in two cenotes.  This cenote is also popular with cave divers; scuba divers must have a special dive certification since this dive is deep and involves circling down into the cenote depths.

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Riu Safety Protocol During Covid-19

Here’s a short video about what Riu resorts are doing to help protect guests who decide to visit during the pandemic.  Part of the video highlights the Riu Palace Peninsula (one of the resorts I will be visiting this August) and shows what both guests and staff need to do to help protect the safety of each other.  From reading reviews of current guests at Riu Palace Peninsula and seeing videos like this, here’s what I gather to be the primary safety mandates at Riu resorts: Continue reading

Panoramic Suite at GR Solaris–A Suite Review

Here’s another in my series of budget all-inclusive resort suite reviews.  This time I’m highlighting the family-friendly GR Solaris Cancuna resort on the east side of the “7” in Cancun’s Hotel Zone.  This resort is very popular with families looking for four star resort amenities at a very affordable price.

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Swim-Up Suite at BlueBay Grand Esmeralda–A Suite Review

Here’s another budget, family-friendly all-inclusive resort in the Riviera Maya which offers great deals many times throughout the year.  It’s called BlueBay Grand Esmeralda, and it’s located north of Playa del Carmen.  While not classified as a mega-resort, BGE has 979 rooms and suites, three pools (no swim-up bar, however), two buffets and six a la carte restaurants, a sports bar (no A/C), six bars including a beach bar with swings, theater, tennis courts, jogging trail, spa and gym, motorized and non-motorized water sports, and kid’s club.  Since the resort is large, it also offers golf cart service to take you around the resort if you wish.

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Club Suite at the Golden Parnassus–A Suite Review

This is another suite review for those on a budget looking to vacation in Cancun–this time it is an adults-only resort.  Don’t let Golden Parnassus Cancun fool you; it may be a smaller and less well-known resort in Cancun’s Hotel Zone, but it has a devoted following.  If you’re 30+, on a budget, and are looking for an adults-only resort with a party atmosphere, this may be the resort for you.

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Ik-Kil Cenote Video

I’ve been on a cenote binge lately.  Here’s a short video of one of the most famous cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula, Ik-Kil Cenote which is close to Chichen Itza.   If you’re doing it independently,  be sure to get there early because some Chichen Itza tours plan an afternoon stopover at Ik-Kil.

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