Mexico
Living the Life of Leisure in Palmy, Balmy Playa del Carmen
by Randy Mink
Serenaded by the swoosh of rustling coconut palms and Caribbean waters lapping the powdery white beach, I was easily drifting into nap time nirvana under the thatched-roof palapa sheltering me from the hot sun. Securely ensconced in a deluxe resort on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, I had not a care in the world.
Though I had visited the Mexican Caribbean on a cruise, this was my first hotel stay in the region, and I was thrilled to have more than the usual six or eight hours ashore that cruise vacations allow. This also was my first time at an all-inclusive resort. With lots of restaurant, bar and activity options in one easy-to-navigate space, it reminded me of a cruise ship.
Situated on the Yucatan Peninsula, Riviera Maya occupies the coastal area south of Cancun, the biggest resort destination in all the Caribbean. While Riviera Maya has the same spectacular beaches and aquamarine waters as Cancun, this stretch of paradise is more laid-back and less Americanized, though it is growing rapidly in popularity and population. Playa del Carmen is a 45-minute drive from Cancun International Airport.
Playa del Carmen, a city with more than 150,000 residents, has Riviera Maya’s largest selection of hotels, restaurants, shops and nightlife. My group’s tropical oasis, a 10-minute taxi ride from the commercial core, was Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen, part of the Hyatt Inclusive Collection. Located within the gated residential community of Corasol, Secrets is the sole AAA Five-Diamond adults-only resort in Playa del Carmen.
Our trip, which included flights from various U.S. cities, was packaged by ALG Vacations. A member of the Hyatt family, the tour operator specializes in Mexico and the Caribbean. It works with travel advisors who sell trips from its portfolio of brands, including Apple Vacations, Funjet Vacations, Travel Impressions, Southwest Vacations, Blue Sky Tours and United Vacations.
Sampling Playa del Carmen
I would have been perfectly content spending my week on property at Secrets Moxche, but the travel itch prompted me to explore outside its posh confines. One outing took me to Playa del Carmen’s main tourist drag, Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue), a pedestrian street thick with eateries, bars, smart boutiques, souvenir shops, and, as typically found in Mexican tourist towns, drug stores selling pharmaceutical products at big discounts. On my shopping excursion, I picked up a used Mexico license plate for my collection and a bottle of vanilla. The colorfully painted ceramics and floppy sombreros were tempting, but I held back.
On my day in town, I happened to be wearing a Manchester United jersey. That turned out to be a mistake, as I was hounded by merchants selling sports team items, including wooden masks and woven goods bearing the British soccer team’s red-and-yellow logo. Some shopkeepers on and around Quinta Avenida were a bit aggressive but not too annoying overall.
Just off Quinta Avenida, a side street led me to a palm-shaded beach. From there I spotted the dock where ferries depart for the island of Cozumel, a half-hour ride away.
On another lane leading to the ocean, I found the Frida Kahlo Museum. The famous Mexican artist has no connection to Playa del Carmen and no original works are displayed, but my Mexico guidebook said it was worth seeing for the copies of Kahlo’s paintings and exhibits chronicling her tumultuous life. I didn’t have time to go in but did get some good pictures of murals outside the museum.
Yucatan Excursions from Secrets Moxche Resort
One day our group at Secrets Moxche split up into three half-day excursions organized by Amstar, a tour/transportation company under the Hyatt umbrella. Being a history buff, I chose to visit the Mayan ruins of Tulum, an archaeological zone about an hour south of Playa del Carmen.
Dramatically perched on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea, the walled city of Tulum thrived as a fort and trading post between the 12th and 16th centuries. Abandoned for three centuries, the site was overgrown with vegetation when discovered by the Spanish in the 1840s. Now it is thronged daily by visitors from resorts and cruise ships who brave the intense heat as their guides talk about how the Maya sacrificed human hearts at El Castillo, or “The Castle,” the big limestone temple to the gods and goddesses. Many of us were captivated by the iguanas scurrying around the ruins. Best known for its setting high above turquoise waters, Tulum is the only Mayan archaeological site commanding a coastal location.
Another contingent opted for Amstar’s catamaran sailing adventure, which featured snorkeling among vibrant coral reefs, stand-up paddle boarding and relaxing on deck, along with snacks, cocktails and lunch.
The most adventurous group chose to go swimming and snorkeling in one of Riviera Maya’s many cenotes, freshwater limestone sinkholes fed by a vast underground river system below the Mayan jungle. They navigated through the cave’s stalactites, stalagmites and other rock formations. The eco-excursion also included snorkeling in a lagoon teeming with colorful fish.
Xcaret: Ecological Theme Park
Xcaret, a mega eco-park just a few miles from Playa del Carmen, may be touristy, but it’s also educational and thoroughly entertaining. Guests can go snorkeling or tubing in underground rivers, swim with dolphins, tour a museum of Mexican folk art, visit a replica Maya village and attend an evening folkloric extravaganza. Animal viewing areas include the butterfly pavilion, coral reef aquarium, and a jaguar and puma habitat, plus one of the world’s largest aviaries. You can easily spend a full day at Xcaret (pronounced “ish-cah-ret”).
Guests of the arts-centric, 900-suite Hotel Xcaret Arte have unlimited access to the eco-park. The all-inclusive, adults-only luxury haven, loaded with water features and strongly committed to sustainability, consists of five buildings attached by bridges and has 10 restaurants. Murals, sculptures and other artworks throughout the property immerse guests in a culture of creativity, as do workshops in music/dance, painting, pottery and textiles.
Secrets Moxche: Slice of Paradise
I don’t know what I liked best about Secrets Moxche. Was it the choice of 11 dining options and eight bars? Or the eight pools in addition to the beach? The swim-up bars were certainly fun, and one pool had hammocks slung over the water. Many in my group received pampering treatments in the resort’s world-class Spa by Pevonia.
All these pleasures were just an elevator ride from my seventh-floor suite, which overlooked a courtyard threaded by stone pathways and landscaped with lush foliage—palms, palmettos, bamboo, sea grapes, banana plants and flowering trees.
Those seeking activity at Secrets Moxche can take out a kayak, paddleboard or sailboat, play tennis or beach volleyball, or make use of their privileges at nearby golf courses.
In the Moxche Theater, we enjoyed shows that blended circus thrills, rock music and special effects. At Dark Horse Tavern, a sports bar with large-screen TVs, a golf simulator, billiards and foosball, we attended some wild karaoke sessions. One night a few of us were brave enough to get up and sing “Rhinestone Cowboy.” Gypsy, a secret speakeasy dance club with a daily changing password and hidden entrance, attracted late-night revelers.
At the adjacent sister property, Impression Moxche by Secrets, discerning guests enjoy a more personalized experience, with upgraded suites, butler service and access to 14 dining venues, including three exclusive Impression restaurants.
Besides Secrets’ wealth of choices and all-inclusive model, we appreciated the cheerful service and smiling faces. Staff members were as warm as the hotel’s bathwater pools, as glowing as the Mexican sun.
