Tag Archives: Things to do

Palenque! A Surprisingly Charming Stop on our Journey through Mexico!

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Part of the privilege of living in Mexico is getting to explore all of the hidden treasures, beautiful wonders and amazing history tucked away in nearly every corner of the country.  Every landmark, every town and every city in Mexico tells a story!

On my journey with my husband from Mexico City to Playa del Carmen by car, we stopped in the charming town of Palenque in the beautiful state of Chiapas. We stopped off for a place to sleep for the night and to simply take a break from driving but discovered that we were in a town full of beauty, charm and rich history.

The town is small with a very Mexican feel.  Many people who come to Cancun or even Playa del Carmen experience more of a Caribbean and Americanized version of Mexico.  If you are searching more authenticity Palenque is a perfect place to experience it!

Although Palenque happens to be a very popular tourist destination due to its history, well-known archeological sites and wondrous hidden waterfalls the town’s traditional feel has remained untouched by tourist traffic.

You feel as though you stepped into a little story book!  Pick up a morning tamale by one of the local street vendors and then head on over to one of the many cafes you will find all around the little town.

If you are a sweet addict of coffee or even the casual morning sipper you are going to be in love in Palenque.  The state of Chiapas has the most incredible coffee, hence the reason why you will find a café nearly everywhere you turn.  Pick up a cup or go to your favorite local café and grab a kilo of the perfect blend to make right in your home!

Once you’ve had your caffeine fix you can explore the town and then head over to the famous archeological sites where you can find exceptional pyramids standing strong on a site where the Mayans used to reside, leaving us with mysteries of their endeavors.  Each pyramid holds a different history.

In Palenque you can still climb the historical Mayan pyramids which leave you with outstanding views into the distance of the town and far ahead.

In Palenque you can also visit the beautiful waterfalls at Misol Ha!  The incredible views are captivating and invigorating for your spirit.  Swim in the clear waters and take in all of your breathtaking surroundings!

Before you leave Palenque don’t forget to have a good meal while you are there.  In Mexico each state prepares Mexican food with a different style of cooking and specializes in different regional dishes.

There are not any fancy resorts in Palenque but rather small and clean hotels, most offering coffee and breakfast in the morning.

Palenque is known for being a hot travel spot for backpackers and also for students exploring and studying new cultures and traditions.

Traveling through Mexico means you have the opportunity to see, taste, and feel so many different and new things.  Take of all the beautiful new experiences you are presented with and enjoy your journey through this amazing country!

-By Bea Lozano

Love Plank! A New Unique and Exciting Culinary Experience in Playa del Carmen!

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If you live in Playa del Carmen and have not heard of Plank yet you are in for a real treat! Plank is one of the newest additions to Playa del Carmen’s hot restaurant scene offering, not just dinner but a whole experience!

From the excellent food to the unique fusion cocktails, everything deserves an unlimited amount of starts and a special high five for excellence and service!

If you are familiar with Imprevist, The GYM, Indigo Beach and Porto Playa you will probably have good confidence that this new restaurant addition brings nothing but quality and good standards. That is because Plank is brought to you by the same owners who have continued to bring Playa exceptional high quality products and services-known and loved by residents and tourists in Playa del Carmen.

So what is there to brag about?

The Sweet Scene!

Let’s start with the fact that a first impression is always given by looks! You wouldn’t show up to a job interview wearing sweat pants would you? So if you want to show you are worth it, you’ve got to look good! And Plank does just that!

The restaurant is not oversized but it is not tiny. If offers indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the beautiful street of what some are starting to call “the new Calle Corazon”.

The entire ambiance is romantic and sleek with just the perfect amount of light to enhance its surroundings.

The bar is uniquely placed and beautifully designed with a sweet display of citrus and spirits! Perfect place to relax and have a cocktail before sitting down for dinner! You can also enjoy a laid back environment watching the game on two perfectly visible flat screen TV’s and an excellent sound system.

Mouthwatering Dishes!

Well now that I’ve got you hooked and into the restaurant let’s talk about the most important thing on the list-the food! Plank offers something entirely different from other restaurants in Playa, and it’s not because of what they are cooking, but how they are cooking it.

Each entrée is grilled on special wooden planks or Himalayan salt planks both designed to infuse every bite with a unique and special flavor, which traditional grilling can’t provide. Plank is the only restaurant in the entire region to have introduced this special cooking style which makes it truly like no other in the area.

Having tried nearly every entire dish on Plank’s superb menu I can tell you that this is where it’s at! The chefs of Plank have worked hard to combine the perfect ingredients and just the right amount of love into every dish being offered.

The menu offers a variety comfortable variety of selections for every taste from tender steaks, elegantly prepared shrimp and seafood, classic BBQ baby back ribs, fusion flatbreads, grilled meat skewers, to classic comfort foods like mac and cheese and chicken pot pie!

They even have an excellent bar menu offering a few more classics like Buffalo wings, beef or chicken sliders and nachos!

One thing that I have to say is that Plank takes the word gourmet and delivers it in a very special fashion which everyone will love! Whether you are a gourmet food lover or someone who prefers simplicity each and every dish is cooked with absolute quality and care.

Tasty Drinks!

Every heard of a Smoked Dirty Martini? Did I get your taste buds working a little bit? Well, I don’t want to give away too much. You’re just going to have to try! But I will say this-At Plank the excellence and uniqueness that is infused into their food flows right into their cocktails as well.

There’s no fluff when talking about these cocktails. They use quality ingredients, premium spirits and creativity that is being brought to you by experienced bar tenders who have made cocktail science, not just their job, but their business!

Try your classic favorites, pick from a list of new and fun fushions or simply ask your bartender to surprise you with something new!

Plank also has a lovely wine selection and bottled and draft beer!

Exceptional Service!

You’ll love the ambiance, you’ll love the menu, you’ll love the drinks but what is the most crucial ingredient to a successful business? As always, it’s the service! Good service is what keeps you coming back and gains your faith in a quality company!

There is no doubt in my mind that Plank has mastered all of the proper elements to run and maintain a fantastic restaurant but also to provide an enjoyable experience for their customers.

A good experience comes from value! And at plank value is ranked high!

If you love food like I do…fall in love with Plank!

Looking for more: Here’s another fantastic Playa del Carmen restaurant suggestion!

Xplor’s Bravest Race – Do you think you are Brave Enough to Cross the Finish Line?

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The first ever bravest race at Xplor Park was a huge success this past Sunday in Playa del Carmen!  This was a well anticipated race well planned by the makers of Xplor, who strived to deliver a quality fun experience for both competitors and spectators of the race.

The Bravest race was a 5k obstacle run with daring challenges and opportunities to overcome fear. The race did not revolve around time, but rather around clearing the obstacles and challenges ahead of you.

Finishers of the race finished with sincere pride for their athletic and mental achievement.  Many who participated in the race spent months training physically and mentally.

In addition to the main race, there was also a Bravest Kids Race where the youngsters were able to show their “kiddie” strength.

The Bravest Race was a fun event for all ages!

There was plenty of room to handle a high demand of the race.  There were new races groups starting every 30 minutes throughout out the day, ending at 2 pm.

Watching the race was just as fun as competing in it.  Family and friends got to enjoy watching their loved ones on huge LED big screen TV’s while enjoying live music, food and entertainment.

The Bravest race was an event including the whole community.  The Playa del Carmen Boy Scout chapter volunteered by handing out water and supplies and also by directing competitors in the right direction.

The bravest race also supported exceptional cause for charity! Krispy Kreme Doughnuts were being sold as a way to collect proceeds for “Projecto Sonrisa”, a group of Patch Adam type animated clowns who make special hospital visits to brighten the days of sick children.

The race was sponsored by TV Azteca, the second largest TV network in Mexico bringing lots of extra attention to Xplor, Playa del Carmen and the entire Riviera Maya!

After the race there was a huge party which turned out to be a great family fun day for all competitors, volunteers, and spectators!

We are looking forward to the next Bravest Race which is expected to be scheduled for July!  Do you think you are the Bravest?  Come and find out!  See you in July!

Rivera Maya Photography-Keeping Beautiful Memories Alive Throughout Time!

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Photography is an art form that holds extreme importance as it is an art that holds our dearest memories, our dreams, and our experiences.  Photos bring countless memories to life and keeps those memories alive throughout time!

The Riviera Maya is one of the greatest places that a photographer could choose to settle and work.

Whether you are a professional full time photographer or just someone that likes to snap shots for a hobby, photography is an extremely rewarding art that can be very beneficial especially here in the Riviera Maya.

Why the Riviera Maya?

Beautiful Scenery!  The Riviera Maya is an incredible place of beauty with so much to capture.  Get creative and artistic with different backgrounds, scenes and settings.  The beauty of the ocean, jungle and nature are a major attraction for area photographers.

Major Destination Wedding Location!  Weddings on the Riviera Maya are extremely popular, of course because of the beauty and romantic atmosphere.  Skilled photographers in the area can make a very healthy living doing wedding photo sessions.

New Trash the Dress Concept!  Because of the incredible clear water cenotes and beautiful reefs and ocean life, underwater photography brings a new art form to wedding photography.  New artistic photography in the Riviera Maya like trash the dress is becoming a hot trend!

Events!  The Riviera Maya hosts a ton of major events worthy of snapping shots!  If you are into photo journalism or social media this can be your path.

Modeling!  Well guys, we live on the beach don’t we?  This means bikinis and models! These kinds of photo shoots are a big business here in the Rivera Maya.

While many of us arrive to live in the Riviera Maya with the dream of laying around on the beach all day with a cocktail always in hand, at some point we need to do other things to keep ourselves busy! While the idea of a perma-vacation is always a lovely thought, naturally we always need to be moving, learning and challenging ourselves.  There are plenty of opportunities to find a hobby or volunteer in the Riviera Maya.

If you already have the talent and expertise for photography or even if you want to learn and start a new hobby there’s no better place to be to start!

It’s Freezing in Playa del Carmen!

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No not really, but for most locals, we are feeling a bit chilly these days in Playa del Carmen and the entire Riviera Maya region.  Well, if you consider chilly 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit cold.  This is not entirely abnormal as the winter months in Playa can hand us a few days, here and there, worthy of a light scarf, a jacket and a hot chocolate! While some are complaining of “FREEZING” temperatures, others are still completely fine walking around in bathing suits and flip flops.  Both sides staring at each other thinking… “Are you crazy?” The fact is that when you live in a very warm climate year round, 70 degrees can in fact feel, well cold!  On the other hand if you are one of the many Canadians who are hiding from the below zero temperature, 70 degrees, even 60 degrees, is like jumping into a nice hot Jacuzzi!  Which is exactly why you see plenty of people roaming around Playa in both summer and winter apparel; sometimes in both at the same time!

So then what’s up with the weather in Playa del Carmen?

But in either case, many people are wondering why Playa is a little extra cold these days!  One reason is the winter season in Playa does bring some nicer, more comfortable days, to the area; which is always a relief after surviving hot and humid summers. Normally in January or February the air is neither extremely hot nor too cold.  Actually I feel it is the most perfect time of year here! The rain in the Riviera Maya region has also been a contributing factor to some of the chillier days!  It is no doubt that we have had an unusually long rainy season that continued even after rainy season is over! I should mention that this is not the norm in Playa del Carmen!  It is quite normal to see over 300 days of sunshiny days year round.  But in any case, without sun how can we heat up our little beach town?

Could it be because of the Polar Vortex affecting our neighboring northern countries?

We couldactually be seeing some effects of the cold air that has been freezing out Canada and parts of the Northern United States this winter.  It is all part of a weakened Polar Vortex which as an affect is ultimately sending cold air in a downward direction!  Granted we are way down south, but anytime there is a major weather change it can have a significant impact far beyond its local area.

Don’t let a few chilly days change your mind about Playa!

I should mention that in the winter months you can still have some extremely warm temperatures in Playa del Carmen, so my advice is to enjoy the cooler days when they come, as they do only come every once in a while.  Believe it or not there are some great rainy day activities in Playa del Carmen! There are still plenty of things to do in Playa del Carmen where you might actually appreciate some cooler days.  If you are heading to places like Xcaretwhere you tend to spend the day walking outside for an entire day it can be more enjoyable without extremely hot temperatures and also prevents too much sunburn.

And if you are traveling here and thinking you got cheated of warm weather and sunshine, don’t make your judgment just yet!  Playa del Carmen is a beautiful place to be anytime of the year and luckily is filled with many things to do so you can enjoy rain, shine, hot or freezing! If you like this article and want to see more like it hit subscribe to our blog or click on the link at the bottom of the page to follow Mexico Real Estate on facebook! Happy Winter from Playa del Carmen!