The best way to explore an off-beat destination

I tend to be a bit of a worrier.  So before my plane touched down here in Sayulita, Mexico, the following thought was stuck in my head: OH MY GOD, EVERYONE HERE IS GOING TO HAVE THE ABS OF A LESBIAN GYM OWNER AND I’M GOING TO BE HUFFING AND PUFFING AFTER A PUSH-UP AND A HALF. In my nightmare, I had this image of Terri being a drill sergeant, blowing a whistle and having us do five-mile runs before 90-minute workouts and screaming obsenities at us.  I pictured Kim as a human pretzel, ordering us to have our legs above our heads for twenty-minute stretches, yelling that our lovers would thank us when we got home. Thank God that was not the case! I’m happy to report that Nourish Retreats has been a revelation: even people like me who aren’t that good at working out can do well at a fitness retreat! I do enjoy fitness, especially dance and yoga, and for a long time, I worked out four days a week at a gym that I loved.  But I ditched my membership about a year ago and...

The Best Places to Stay in Playa del Carmen Playa Del Carmen, Mexico Plan your Mexico trip with my advice for the best places to stay in Playa del Carmen (hotels, budget hostels, and resorts) for each unique neighborhood around the city! Located on the Yucatan Peninsula, the Mexican city of Playa Del Carmen was once just a small ferry port for people on their way to the island of Cozumel. Over the years it grew into a popular beach town in its own right due to a beautiful coastline, tasty Mexican cuisine, sunny weather, and central location along the “Riviera Maya” route. Playa Del Carmen became a cheaper and less-busy option to Cancun – exploding in popularity in recent years. Visitors can explore nearby Maya ruins, swim in underground rock pools called “cenotes”, or go scuba diving to see one of the largest reefs in the world. For those planning a visit and wondering about the best places to stay in Playa del Carmen, I’ve put together this fre...

Rio Secreto Underground River Playa Del Carmen, Mexico Hiking in waist-deep water through dark caves at Rio Secreto, we turned a corner to discover a massive cavern decorated with incredible stalactites all over the ceiling. Spelunking , or exploring caves, is one of my favorite adventure travel activities. I’ve hiked and crawled through natural underground passageways in South Africa, Guatemala, Iceland, and more. But Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is teeming with incredible caves too. There is something exciting about wandering through the darkness, deep into the Earth, not sure what you’ll discover around the next bend. Visiting Rio Secreto gives you a taste of this rarely-seen and magical world. We walked through the jungle to one of the cave entrances led by our guide “Ro”, who told us camera traps nearby had recently captured images of wild jaguars that call the area home. Traditional Mayan Blessing The Maya Underworld Our adventure begins ...

Mayan Ruins of Tulum Tulum, Mexico You can’t visit Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula without seeing the Mayan Ruins of Tulum. Here are some useful tips to beat the crowds at this famous archaeological site. Ah, Tulum. This ancient walled city perched on the edge of a cliff in Quintana Roo overlooking the Caribbean ocean in Mexico is quite a sight in person. Because I lived in Mexico on and off for 2 years, I’ve visited the Tulum ruins at least 5 times now. Tulum’s original Maya name, Zamá translates as “place of the dawning sun.” This is because it has a perfect view of the rising sun! The city was a major trading and religious center between the 11th and 16th centuries and is one of the coolest Mayan archaeological sites in Mexico — similar to other popular ruins like Chichen Itza and Coba. Tulum is located about 128km south of Cancun, or 62km south of Playa del Carmen along the popular Mayan Riviera tourist route. Tulum Ruins Guide For 2020 Hi...