Playa del Carmen, Mexico! We were in the warm sunny clime of the Yucatan from December 18 through the 26th, enjoying a nice break from the wet gloomy weather of home. We had a wonderful time, leaving all the stress and worry of work and school behind for a short time. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort that had been recommended by friends who stayed there in August. It was my first time at an all-inclusive, and I have to say that it was quite convenient. Our resort had four buffets and four different a la carte restaurants, plus several snack bars, and of course, a number of alcoholic bars. We never wanted for food or drink! Ben declared heaven to be the Italian buffet.
It was also great for the kids, who could always just pop into a snack bar or buffet for a quick bite to eat or a snack. They got particularly adept at ordering from the beach bar! Kate’s favorite drink was a virgin strawberry daquiri, which gave her a lovely red ring around her mouth, leading us to call it “the Joker drink”.
The resort was right on a gorgeous beach, which is where we spent most of our time. The ocean was a lovely shade of blue, fringed by white sand and dotted with palm trees.
The kids tried both pools that were available to them — the main pool where all the activities and contests took place, and the newer pool which was quieter but had the novelty of a swim-up bar. The kids also tried out the hot tub one afternoon. We had a view of the adult-only pool from our room, which was ironic given that the kids couldn’t use it! But at least it was quiet.
We went on a couple of excursions while we were there. Our favorite was Hidden Worlds, where we zip-lined, rode a Sky Cycle above the Yucatan jungle, and snorkeled in cenotes. We also went to Xel-Ha, a natural lagoon for snorkeling, and Tulum, an ancient walled Mayan city.
Ted and I had been to this area of Mexico 23 years ago, and a lot sure has changed. Resorts now line the highway between Cancun and Tulum, whereas there was only beach and jungle the last time. It was still fun, but I have to say that Xel-Ha was a much less enjoyable experience. Twenty-three years ago, Ted and I were practically the only tourists there and we could spend all day exploring at leisure. Now, even though it never reached Disney World crowded status, there were far too many people for our taste. Tourists are also no longer permitted to climb the ruins at Tulum, which is understandable. But one of the highlights of our first visit was climbing to the top of El Castillo and gazing open-mouthed at the view of the ocean, and then scooting down our rear ends all the way back down. I hear you can still climb to the top of the ruins at Coba, though, so perhaps one day we’ll return to the Yucatan and do that with the kids.
A full slideshow is below.
