Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Viva La Mexico : A Recap

Playa Del Carmen sunrise
stunning sunrises at our condo!
I'm back from sunny (or, as was the case of much of my trip, not-so-sunny!) Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. A few weeks ago it was decided that Nick and I needed to get out of dodge and soak up some rays. We planned the trip with two terrific couples that we know, and it was such a great getaway with them! Now that I am home - and busy like crazy! - it is time for a quick recap of our time!

best place to stay in playa del carmen
morning stroll on the beach!
We stayed at a gorgeous, beachfront condominium building located right off 5th Avenue (the main drag in Playa Del Carmen). The condo was spacious, but certainly the best part about it was the location and the infinity pool! Each morning I enjoyed watching the sun rise - and with views like the one above, how could you not?! Normally I try to avoid waking up early on vacation, but in this case it was well worth it.

best place to stay in playa del carmen
beautiful infinity pool leading up to the ocean!
The first couple days of the trip were spent relaxing and trying to soak up the sun - despite the cool weather. We did manage to catch a couple of $20 70-minute long massages on the beach (so amazing!) and a few amazing meals.

things to do in playa del carmen
Tour of an authentic, current day Mayan village
Our first outing was an incredibly unique and special tour by Local Quickies. In case you haven't heard of them, Local Quickies is a smaller group from Playa Del Carmen focused on providing unique, personalized excursions that take on a much more local feel (hence the name). We were told not to think of it as a tour, rather as an afternoon hanging out with friends- and really, this is what it felt like! We spent our morning snorkeling in Akumal Bay with beautiful sea tortoises, then got to go swimming in a private cenote, followed by time relaxing in beautiful Tulum and a catamaran ride on the largest catamaran in the Caribbean back home!

to do in Playa Del Carmen
Beautiful barracuda caught while spearfishing! 
The following day, Nick was beyond excited to go spearfishing with Spear Fishing Today. He loves both fishing and hunting, and had decided that this looked like a great way to combine some activities. Despite a rather cold start to the day (hence, the wet suits!) all of the guys loved their first time spearfishing and even catching a nice barracuda. One of the coolest parts for the guys is that part of the trip took place right outside of Xel Ha / Xcaret, so they were able to experience some great snorkeling as well! Nick enjoyed it so much that he even went out again a few days later and was able to get several other fish!

best restaurant in playa del carmen
check out those stalactites and stalagmites!
On Friday evening, both of the amazing couples we had traveled with had to depart and head back to real life, leaving Nick and I with a few days to relax on our own! Friday evening was spent visiting one of the most unique restaurants in Playa Del Carmen, and likely one of the most unique restaurants in the world! Alux is an entire restaurant that is situated in a cave, complete with stalactites and stalagmites - that are still actively growing! It was such a unique dining experience, and definitely one of the best restaurants in Playa.

to do in Cozumel
Beautiful buildings in Cozumel, Mexico
Finally, I had the opportunity to visit and explore Cozumel for my first time! I really didn't know what to expect when I was headed to Cozumel, as I know tons of people that absolutely love the town and other people that say it is simply a resort island. Personally, my one short visit to Cozumel was enough. While there were some beautiful buildings and great restaurants/bars, there really didn't seem to be anything that is absolutely drawing me back. Have you ever visited a place like this?

palm trees - this sight never gets old!
All in all, this trip to Mexico came at the absolute perfect time. With just two weeks left before starting my final semester of grad school and an impending move (that's right!), I definitely needed the time to relax. We were joined by two amazing couples and had the best time with them. So many fun activities were done, and I can't wait to fill you in on all of the details!

Hope everyone is having a great rest of their winter! Do you have any fun activities or vacations planned?

9 comments:

  1. Great photos, love those colourful buildings in Mexico!

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  2. This entire trip looks so amazing! I've never been to Mexico, but it has been on my list for a while now - this post makes me want to go even more. $20 massages!? Yes please! The restaurant looks so cool and Jeff would love to go spear fishing as well. So wishing we had some warmer weather here in Germany, it looks so fabulous there! Where are you guys off to next?

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    1. Hello! Sorry for the delayed response here - I can't believe you've never been to Mexico! You guys will have to make it some time. I love the Caribbean side the best! We actually just finished moving back home to Minneapolis - so nice to finally be home! Good luck on the rest of the season & playoffs!

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  3. Sam, Mexico suits you best! So happy to see you had a great time in my homecountry. Hope you visit soon!! Where are you moving by the way?

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    1. Thanks Isabel! We just finished moving back home to Minneapolis - so nice to be back home for a bit!

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