Vimex - Playa Del Carmen Vacation Rentals

Redefine Luxury with Wellness Programs in Mexico

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 13:23:00 +0000

In the past decade, the vacation rental market has observed an expansion with a growing number of home vacation rentals surfacing in mainstream tourist and offbeat holiday destinations. The common perception is that the growth of self-exploring, curious travelers is the only reason behind the demand for vacation home rentals. However, the truth is slightly different. Apart from travelers who seek to rejoice during their vacation, there are many wellness travelers. In this discussion, we will talk about how wellness programs are creating traction in the home vacation rental marketplace and why Mexico is emerging as the preferred destination in this segment.

Vacation Trending – Did You Know? Even affluent leisure travelers are likely to choose premium vacation home rentals as an alternative to traditional resorts or hotel

The Wellness Vacationer – what is he seeking?

The idea of taking a break from the workplace, recharging your body and mind holistically is becoming a global phenomenon. These vacationers don't want to storm into the local markets and get the best deals. They are more worried about the diet they get, not the spicy treats but organic food, naturally harvested supplies and an accommodation that can help them recover, detoxify their body and mind—catering to such demands are Fitness Resorts. This preference has catalyzed another change in the holiday rental marketplace. Vacationers, both singles and families, don't prefer the staged, somewhat simulated environment they get in a typically commercialized property up for rent. Rather, they prefer holiday house rentals. A holiday home is just like home away from home, with all the décor items and utilities you are likely to find at your home. The idea is not to overwhelm the vacationer with service charges and exhaustive list of options. This is about simple living, getting back in tune with your inner self—something that vacation rental homes do rather well. Usually, situated along the outskirts of a city, vacation rental homes help people holiday in a more relaxed and money-saving manner. The North American vacation home marketplace stands testament to this fact. Despite the emergence of beautiful, exotic vacation homes in the US, it is Mexico that has emerged as the surprise winner. Its home vacation rental market is witnessing an explosion in demand from the new age, holistic healing-seeking vacationer.

Wellness Vacations in Mexico – Global Trendsetter in the Making

Wellness vacations are unlike traditional vacation destinations. These are short-term rentals where the rates are very competitive. You get that sense of familiarity associated with your own home. Holiday rentals offered as a part of wellness programs is becoming common in Mexico. The Mexican landscape is filled with alternative health rejuvenation programs, from traditional favorites like gym memberships to lifestyle tutoring or professional nutrition advising and weight-loss options. Spa fanatics have realized that the Mexican home rental space is the most progressive in terms of adopting international trends without bloating the price. These health and wellness retreats are integrated with the best in customer care practices. Vacationers get local wisdom about surrounding locations and places that are known only to the natives. You can interpret the Mexican vacation home experience as a luxury retreat on a budget. From deep tissue massages to couples’ therapy, you can create the perfect assortment to ensure you and your partner feel invigorated and happier.

Festival Season can be a major crowd puller for vacation home seekers as they are curious about global cultures and these cultural interactions are more “real” with vacation homes having a better native community connection than hotels

Why choose wellness programs in Mexico?

Mexico is an aggressive adopter of international healthcare trends—both alternative and mainstream wellness treatments
Mexico offers a vast landscape—from deserts to a vast coastline or the long Riviera Maya stretch
Mexico is home to a rich history—a vacation home can be situated close to beautiful, scarcely populated historic sites. You must have heard of the Mayan and Aztec civilization remnants in Mexico.
Mexico is also big on adventure sports—for the adrenaline junkie, the money saved by choosing a vacation home can be invested in exploring forest safaris and wildlife explorations
Mexican vacation home market is still evolving—a brilliant time to cash in on the budgeted locales that offer a slice of history and a chance to heal comprehensively
Wellness programs are versatile—you can opt for a daily spa treatment or attend physiotherapy sessions to eliminate that irritating lower back pain
Rejuvenation comes packed in a budget with even the airfare and local commuting being on the cheaper side—Mexico leaves nothing to chance when it comes to enticing you!

Make a Smarter Choice with Vimex Vacation Rentals

When you do an online search for Mexico vacation rentals, expects lots of advertising about yoga lessons, beachside locations, pristine sands and blue waters. Make a choice based upon what you seek. A beach vacation rental might not make sense if deep waters make you apprehensive. One of the best, most famous options in this segment is HolidayHouse Rentals in Playa del Carmen. You get a customized vacation experience with ease of making reservations and the best mix of everything, from local arts to historic sites, beaches, and a range of differently priced properties, from villas to penthouses, from Vimex to help you make a relevant choice.

Vacation Rentals Trends is More About Mindsets than Price Competitiveness

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 12:23:00 +0000

The vacation rental market has witnessed an upsurge in the past few years with an increasing number of vacation homes being purchased and more & more tourists finding them as a more comfortable choice than hotels or resorts. Trends in acquisition clearly indicate the surge in demand and supply of holiday rentals. In countries like Mexico, the vacation rental market has expanded beyond traditional vacation destinations, making the urban short-term rentals and holiday rentals in Playa del Carmen a popular choice for travelers. Online vacation rental booking strongholds like New York, Portland, Nashville and

Mexico

are booming as short-term accommodation locations. In fact, it is rare to come across a city from any part of the world that has not shown growth in the vacation rentals segment.

Vacation Rentals are attracting a bigger customer segment—from early, voluntary retirees to leisure travelers

Urban and Rural Vacation Rentals Collaborate

Apart from tourist preference, another reason for the upsurge is the effort to legislate the industry by imposing limits on occupancy period to permits and tougher licensing laws. A reasonably regulated rental market has seen the collaboration of urban and rural vacation rentals especially in countries like

Mexico

. Travelers are being offered both urban and non-urban vacation rentals to warrant them an authentic local experience and meet the varied requirements of different tourists. Along with the vacationers, vacation homes are a profitable deal for homeowners too.

Buying Vacation Rentals is no longer about waiting for the “golden years”. Median age for Vacation Buyers is declining with every passing year.

This implies that they can enjoy their abode for the remaining part of the year with family and friends whilst making some money as well. So, we can say that vacationing and running a business are no longer mutually exclusive. Last year saw a growing number of homeowners who intended to make a profit on their investment rather than just covering the expenses with rent by getting their properties listed.

Vacation Rental Trends from 2015, Likely to Continue in 2016

2015 was largely a year of acquisition with Booking.com or Expedia acquiring HomeAway and trying to make properties across Europe, USA and Mexico bookable online to please the OTAs. To ensure superior customer service and streamlining the tax paying procedures and local government regulations, most of the holiday rentals in Playa del Carmen and other popular destinations considered employing a professional vacation rental manager. Last year was also the year of VR partner services with companies offering tailor made services for VR businesses and travelers.

Industry insight suggests that homeowners are able to cover more than 75% of their mortgage by renting out vacation home for as little as 18 weeks per year

Instant Bookings were a Rage in 2015

With vacation rental bookings being primarily done online vacation rental websites strived to provide instant bookings to their patrons with minimum hassles & formalities. Major players like Airbnb and HomeAway announced that 100% of their listings will be instantly bookable by 2016. This is a positive development as it ensures greater transparency and convenience for the travelers as well as the hosts. Playa del Carmen too witnessed frenzy of bookings, even during vacation downtimes. The reason is simple to understand—the contemporary traveler is no longer about specific seasons.

It is more about the will to explore, relax and splurge. Often these decisions are spontaneous and a vacation rental provider should cash-in on such spurt in demand. Vimex vacation rentals did the same in 2015 ensuring it was well networked with real estate sales firms and with prospective clients who posted queries through email or over the phone. The response was quick, rich with details and ensured absolute transparency.

Holiday Rentals in Playa del Carmen made every effort to provide a personalized and seamless user experience with exceptional service and instant bookings. Reputed rentals & property management service providers like Vimex made every effort to provide quality-controlled experience with 24/7 chat support during booking and stay. Moreover, the range of properties offered by Vimex is quite exhaustive- from condos to villas and penthouses, you can book anything with utmost convenience by simply visiting http://www.vimexvacationrentals.com/.

From local area guide who can give you a holistic view of Riviera Maya activities and events to guest services and assistance with real estate sales, Vimex can help you with every Holiday Rental need in Playa del Carmen. You can also explore the seasons special choices, wedding & honeymoon and birthday & anniversary services from Vimex Vacation Rental to make your holidays even more special.

Final Thoughts. . .

We are not saying that managing a vacation rental is cake walk. Of course, there are housekeeping, maintenance, marketing and emergency management. However, working out profit-and-loss and cash flow projections may seem arduous at first but once you establish yourself as vacation rental expert, the profits will come pouring in. For a quick glance at Playa Del Carmen Vacation Rentals, visit Vimex Vacation Rentals.

Love of Mexico using Paper

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 15:01:00 +0000

By Ana Laura Peña

It is said that love and money are two things one can’t hide. We believe talent is also evident to anyone’s eyes.

Everyone has a talent or two; some talents are more tangible than others and you can find their manifestations anywhere; at a café, on a street wall, in a restaurant…we found it downstairs.
Our neighbor Maricarmen, is no doubt- one of the most talented and creative people we´ve come to know and her story is like many of the stories heard from various people that come to live in this Playa del Carmen paradise.

Maricarmen was born and raised in Mexico City; as every Mexican woman must do, she got married and had children scarifying, at that time, one of her dreams- to live by the ocean.

She had fallen in love with the beach town, Playa del Carmen, not only for the color of the ocean but, with the logistics of the city: a small town where everything is close and you can walk anywhere so, you don’t need a car. Maricarmen always kept her dream in mind which, she was able to fulfill once her children grew to adulthood. Just three years ago she decided to leave behind the crowds of the big city and realize her thirty year dream of living in Playa del Carmen creating: Crepedi.

As a kindergarten teacher Maricarmen used crepe paper for decoration and children activities but, she knew this material could be useful to do more. So, she starting making up paper dolls, practicing, time after time, putting them together piece by piece, until she finally felt satisfied. Her colleagues loved the technique and she named it Crepedi.

Maricarmen started sharing her talent teaching other teachers and children how to use this technique, and step by step, she finally decided, fourteen years ago, to make Crepedi a full time job by making professional decorations using this technique.

Such detailed work takes more than just talent and an idea, it requires passion. And this passion for Mexico, its colors, traditional costumes and culture is the primary motivation for Maricarmen. She conveys Mexico’s passion and joy through dolls; always making their faces happy because, that is how Mexican people really are.

Maricarmen has one and only one goal when making Crepedi: to provoke smiles on people’s faces. Her mission is to make people happy, promote Mexican culture and traditions by teaching others this technique which requires glue, scissors, carton, many sheets of crepe paper of different colors and the most important ingredient, love for Mexico.

Day of the Death Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 20:51:00 +0000

By Ana Laura Peña

In a joy filled, colorful country like Mexico, it’s not difficult to comprehend that Mexicans celebrate something that is feared by most worldwide: Death.

For Mexicans, death is not only a celebration, it’s also thought of humorously: we honor death, we celebrate death, we make fun of the dead, dance with death, feed our dead and throw a party when the dead come back to visit us for one night. That night is November 2nd.

During Mexico’s progression, various important cultures like the Aztecs, Olmeca, Purepecha and Mayan, each possessed their particular attribute or style to celebrate death. Death is actually the common factor in these joyful cultural celebrations during this particular date throughout the country.

The Riviera Maya, being located in the Mayan zone, celebrates the Hanal Pixa'an; Mayan words that mean “Food for Souls”. At the end of October and beginning of November, you can see the altars in the Mayan homes with their traditional local foods and drinks. The altars here are built with local plants like palm trees. The Mayan local celebration mixed with the death celebration takes place every year during the “Life and Death Festival” held in Xcaret Park, showcasing a guest State.

Xcaret Park promotes the culture from all over Mexico and this year the guest State for the Life and Death Festival is the State of Michoacan. Michoacan, is one of Mexico´s thirty one States with one of the most beautiful and famous celebrations held in the towns of Patzcuaro, Tzintzuntzan, Janitzio, Ihuatzio and Zirahuen.

According to local beliefs, the 1st of November is dedicated to “All the Saints”, which means all who have died as children, the 2nd of November is dedicated to all those who died as adults. The celebration is a syncretism among two cultures the Mexican native and the Catholic Spanish.

During the Life and Death celebration at Xcaret in Playa del Carmen (October 30th – November 2nd), you can view dancers, singing, theatre, concerts, altar designs, traditional food and appreciate the local way of celebrating death ( Mayan) as well as the way the state of Michoacan honors death.

Above all, the Day of the Death Festival is a memory celebration, that reaffirm the sacred times, the religious times and special life and moments of those loved ones we have not forgotten.

So, if you’re planning to visit the Riviera Maya during these dates, let us assist and accommodate you (www.vimexvacationrentals.com), plan to book one (or more) nights to attend to the Death festival at Xcaret and remember to bring a picture of your loved ones which have already departed and enjoy his/her one day visit in Mexico.

Eat, Drink and Live as a Mayan

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 16:03:00 +0000

By Ana Laura Peña

When you visit a Mayan city like Tulum or Chichen Itza, you will likely be told that the Mayans "lived" a very long time ago, (1800 B.C.- 250 A.D.). Well, guess what? The Mayans live today!

We recently visited “Casa Itzamná”, a private home located in the small village of Coba. This village takes its name from the Archaeological Site and the lagoon next to it with the same name. “Coba” means “Dark Water” and its home for crocodiles.

When you arrive to Casa Itzamna, you are welcomed by their kind staff and offered a beverage: natural teas that will determine the type of experience you wish to have. We will not reveal more of each experience because there’s nothing like living it yourself.

What we can tell you is that through this experience, you will learn about the different local plants and their use in Medicine; you will visit the home of the "Melipona" bee, a stingless bee and will learn about the various uses of the honey produced, you will see them build their homes and learn about this wonderful food & medicine.

All the experiences you’ll have, will be according to the Mayan way of life: a ceremony with a Mayan Priest asking for the Gods, their blessing to enter in the bath, garnished with flowers and honey to reach the limit of relaxation with a local Massage.

If you think this is not much, the food you’ll enjoy after this experience will blow your mind: the use of seeds and ingredients you might never tasted before and a Mayan Buffet in the Community of Chanchen, where you will learn to sew hammocks and make handmade tortillas, yes, with the Mayan ladies!

So, don’t let us tell you the story, open your mind, be willing to learn and write the story on your own. We can take you there, but we can’t live it for you!

If you wish to visit Casa Itzamná, don’t forget to mention it when you book with us, we can arrange it for you. We are sure you will be fascinated when you learn how to eat, drink and live as a Mayan!

The Trendy Spot: Azafran

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 16:49:00 +0000

By Ana Laura Peña

Sometimes it's difficult to find special eateries that combine tasty, natural, fresh and healthy meals. In Tulum this place has been discovered! When visiting the Archaeological Site or the beautiful beach of Tulum, within your day plan one must stop at Azafran in downtown Tulum. Azafran, is owned, managed, prepared and hosted by Mika, one of the warmest Deutsch persons you'll ever meet. Enjoy the best coffee in Tulum and a "Hangover Breakfast" (which tastes better if you actually have a hangover) to stuff yourself, or if you want the lighter version, try one of the many home-made bagels they have. You will not regret taking time out!

The Ultimate Sushi Guide in Riviera Maya

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 15:57:00 +0000

By Ana Laura Peña

When there is a scorching 38°C/100°F outside and the humidity is around 70-80%, then one might desire eating something light and fresh. Although sushi sounds like the perfect option, you need to be selective in where you choose to dine because it’s hot outside and we’re talking about raw fish here.

We at Vimex Vacation Rentals are big Sushi fans that can’t stop eating it whether it’s super-hot or Caribbean breezy. Given the hard and delicious task of trying (not all) but most of the sushi establishments in Riviera Maya, below we have listed our top picks in and around Playa del Carmen.

Yes, the order is important, nevertheless, they’re all excellent options when it comes down to enjoying the little “fish and rice rolls”.

· Kampai – 5th Ave. Between 30th & 32th – Tuesday – Sunday 14:00 – 23:00 hrs. – Kampai is our favorite! The word that comes to mind to describe it is “Creative”. When you go to Kampai, do not expect the usual, expect something better. Their kitchen is flawless, and the atmosphere is modern and trendy. Enjoy dinner along with wonderful martinis and a good selection of beer and sake. They have 2x1 rolls every day. Our picks: Thai Spicy, Jupiter for sushi rolls, the Roca Shrimp and the green tea ice cream for dessert (guilt free!). Expect to pay 200 – 400 MXN per person (with one drink), but trust us, it is worth on a Friday night dinner with your pals!

· Sushi Ken – 10th Ave. Between 12th and 14th (Next to CocoBongo) – Every Day 13:00 – 23:00 hrs. – Sushi Ken is the best relation Quality / Price. It is well located with air conditioned and a couple of TV’s (in case you have the world cup fever and wish to watch a game). There’s nothing wrong in Sushi Ken, it is a simple familiar place to eat affordably. They also have promotions: Tuesday 2x1 for students, Wednesday 2x1 for everybody and Thursday 3x2 for the people with more appetite (like us). Our picks: Spicy Tuna, Bandera Roll and Grinch Roll. Also try the Miso Ramen Soups and if you have a sweet teeth, try the ice cream tempura (forget about your diet!). Expect to pay 100 – 200 MXN per person. They don’t sell alcohol, so if you’re aiming for a refreshing Mexican beer, drink it somewhere else before you come to eat or try this tasty and healthy option: jasmine ice cold tea.

· Sushiclub – 10th Ave. on the corner with 26th, below hotel Be Playa – Every Day 8:00 – 1:00 hrs. – If you’re thinking about the trendy and fashionista Playa del Carmen, you’re thinking about Sushiclub. A spot with a sophisticated atmosphere, perfecto for a couple’s dinner. Every detail is perfect in this place, starting with the chair you’ll be sitting in, and also the drinks and rolls. This is a place to “warm up” on a Saturday night before you go out: good drinks, good food, excellent music (sometimes you will find great Dj’s playing).Our picks: the New York Tuna Roll or the assortment dish, which are perfect to enjoy with friends; try a little bit of everything. Expect to pay between 250 – 500 MXN per person. Martinis + Sushi + Great Music, what else can you ask for? Sushiclub also offers Home Delivery, very convenient to have dinner for two in the comfort of your own pad.

· Sushi Itto – Plaza Paseo del Carmen, 10th Ave & 1st Street – Monday to Thursday 13:00 – 23:00, Friday & Saturday 13:00 – 00:00, Sunday 13:00 – 22:00 – I think the first time I tried sushi was in a Sushi Itto in Mexico City and, as one good taken care of franchise, it tastes exactly the same than 20 years ago (that long?). Sushi Itto started in 1988 and the key for their success is the combination of the traditional Japanese cuisine with more Mexican and local ingredients. Although Sushi Itto is considered Fast Food, you can still find personalized service and their home delivery service is perfect if you’re staying in one of our condos or villas.

So, these are our picks for Sushi in the Riviera Maya, we don’t want to miss mentioning “Hola Asia”, a great restaurant that was located in Puerto Morelos and unfortunately (for us lovers of Asian food) is closed currently. We invite you to try the places listed above and let us know how your experience was, you can always visit us online or directly in our office as we offer wonderful vacation rentals options for weekly and monthly stays.

Sweet Deals in Riviera Maya

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 14:40:00 +0000

By Ana Laura Peña

It is not rare to have “one of those days” in which one craves something sweet, especially most women and children. Fortunately, the Riviera Maya is a wonderful place to explore and satisfy the sweet tooth of numerous young people and grown-ups alike. We, at Vimex Vacation Rentals were elected to the “hard task” of venturing out in Playa del Carmen and Tulum to experience the various options of this booming town’s patisseries- We will of curse recommend only the best!

Chéz Celine

Follow the smell of freshly baked goods to this authentic French bakery located on 5th avenue between 32^th & 34th Streets! Chéz Celine offers delicious traditional French products like Baguettes eclairs, tarts of various types, pastries, sandwiches, quiches and salads. If you don’t want to miss anything, do like we did, order the mini tarts with different flavors, and please, please, don’t miss the chocolate éclairs.

Ah Cacao

There are not many places like Ah Cacao. They took two basic ingredients of the Mexican culture and mixed them to have one of the greatest places in Playa del Carmen: serving coffee and chocolate. Ah cacao is one of those places where you can sit in tranquility, read a book, post on Facebook your vacation pictures, or just sit and stare at the people walking on 5^th. Worth trying the brownie (kids will love it too!) and if you have it with a double espresso, it will taste even better.

Ziggy Beach

If you happen to be taking the sun in Tulum on the beach and suddenly, you have a sudden urge to savor a dessert, complementing the beauty of the sea views and soothing surf, you must go to Ziggy Beach and try the Crème Brule. An exotic version served in a pineapple slice, with fresh fruit at the bottom. One may think that this could be ¨ too sweet¨ however, the acidic taste of the pineapple balances this sweetie, perfectly.

Panna e Cioccolato

Also in Tulum, the best ice cream, ever. Homemade gelato with the Italian tradition. A very unique place with colorful decoration with two funny monkeys: Panna (Italian word for Cream) and Cioccolato (Italian word for Chocolate). Our picks: Mint -Chocolate ice cream, perfect for a summer afternoon, Ferrero Rocher ice cream and Selvanegra (Black forest), chocolate and cherry. Let´s go!

Singing in the Rain? - What to do in Riviera Maya on Rainy Days

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 22:58:00 +0000

By Ana Laura Peña

“Anyone who thinks that summer sun is pure happiness, has never danced in the rain”. We know this by, being on vacation and being surprised by a rainy day (or two) ; definitely not a pleasant thing while on vacation however, we cannot control the weather (yet). But, it doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy several great activities which accompany and complement rain filled days.

Xel-Ha

If the rain is not heavy, make sure you put your belongings in a locker and jump into the water of the “world’s largest natural aquarium”. You were going to get wet anyway! After your swim, you can enjoy one of the parks restaurants and then swim again. They provide towels, so don’t worry about getting your towel wet. Just go with the flow and enjoy!

Cooking Lesson

An unusual activity, but you might as well learn something while you’re on vacation and become chef for one night. Visit a Culinary School and learn how to cook Mexican food from a professional chef. Enjoy along with the experience, a glass of wine or mezcal, and show off your skills with your friends and family once you return back home.

Shopping

If it’s pouring rain outside, you might as well use the day to shop for all the items you need: traditional souvenirs and Mexican handcraft, bottles of tequila and mezcal and any other items you can purchase cheaper than back home. Visit Ultrafemme, Victoria’s Secret, Forever 21, Zara, Quicksilver, Bershka, Pull & Bear, Ultrajewels, Liverpool, and of course, enjoy a hot coffee at Ah Cacao or Starbucks to take a break from your exhausting shop adventure.

Bowling

If you’re travelling with your spouse, family or friends, bowling is always a fun thing to do. Visit the Bowling Center at Centro Maya and get ready for tons of fun and an aching arm the next morning.

Movies

If you’re more traditional, you may enjoy a movie, and why not? Try out and see a Mexican Movie, maybe you’ll speed up your Spanish lessons! In Playa del Carmen there are two big cinemas: Cinemex http://cinemex.com/ and Cinepolis http://www.cinepolis.com.mx/index.aspx. Check out their websites to see what they’re showing. You can also download the apps and get the tickets through your smartphone or tablet.

The Trendy Spot: Maíz de Mar

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:25:00 +0000

By Ana Laura Peña

Famous Mexican chef Enrique Olvera recently opened this unpretentious restaurant that takes inspiration from the popular foods of Mexico’s coast, using only local products, focusing on flavor and freshness. Food is totally delicious and they provide a great service, definitely worth trying and going back!

Their Credo

A place with strong beliefs that holds a credo that goes something like this: 1. Quality above luxury 2. Absolute respect for raw materials 3. What matters is depth, not appearance 4. We prefer local, sustainable, family-based producers 5. We are authentic 6. The customer is King (or Queen) 7. We like sharing 8.We keep our word—you get what we promise 9. Local markets determine all the rest 10. We contribute to our community.

The Food

Food is a small tour through Mexico’s Coast. From the Aguachiles of the North, Fish “a la taya” of the pacific, to the local fried banana, their menu is a spectrum of Mexican Seafood embracing local ingredients and freshness.

Our Experience

On a warm mid-day of the Caribbean Fall, we were graciously received, seated and presented with a small basket of freshly toasted handmade corn chips and mint infused water with chaya, a local herb rich in iron, similar to spinach. After which, we tried the Jicama, cucumber and sour orange crudité, a fresh salad with a beautiful presentation, refreshing to taste with a bit of a citric flavor. After that, we tried the sliced fish, orange and worm salt, and the charred octopus and habanero aguachile, two great surprises, and even the aguachile is made with habanero, it only has the taste, not the spice. Our main dish was a fish, dried chile adobo, lime mayonnaise, a very lean and tasteful fish, fresh and delicious. For dessert we had a not too sweet honey panna cotta, with hot tea- the perfect dessert. While dining, we enjoyed the relaxed ambiance with decor inspired by small coastal Mexican kitchens which, reminded me a little bit of Puerto Vallarta or Sayulita back in the eighties but in a very contemporary environment.

Seeing the kitchen at the basement was a pleasant surprise. With a see through glass you can see the organization, cleanliness and professionalism of people working here.

We strongly recommend to visit (and then come back) to Maiz de Mar!

The Shopping Experience (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:21:00 +0000

By Ana Laura Peña

If you thought that Riviera Maya is just about sun and beach, you could not be more apart from reality. Beyond the beach, archaeological sites, cenotes, jungle adventures, great restaurants, partying all night, golf and romance, Riviera Maya offers the ultimate excitement during the Winter Season, Shopping. Either if it’s just a souvenir, an emergency swimsuit, a bottle of tequila or a full wardrobe, the Riviera Maya has it all!

First Step: Souvenirs

There’s a strange magnet for souvenirs when we’re on a trip: we want to bring home as many memories as we can, and sometimes we get back home with useless things or that don’t mean anything about the culture of the country we were visiting. Fortunately, the Riviera Maya has a lot to offer for those who want to take something meaningful. If you’re staying at Playa del Carmen, we strongly recommend to shop at “La Bola Maya” (10^th street between 1^st and 5^th), key holders created in Playa del Carmen with different colors and meanings; you can also visit the stores Wayan, with a wide array of wooden sculptures, earrings and clothes with a Balinese style, yet many of them with a meaning similar to the Mayan Culture. If you’re staying south Riviera Maya, in Tulum, look for the brand Ak Kuxtal, a local brand with magnificent decoration in wood, which also benefits local communities.

Ultra Femme & Ultra Jewels

You must have seen at least one. From the airport, on 5^th, on Paseo del Carmen Shopping Mall, on Quinta Alegria shopping mall, there are several..…the opportunity to get the best perfumes, jewelry and make-up at low cost and duty free is just around the corner. Ultra Femme provides a great service and advice on whatever you need to buy, or the best fragrance or make up for you. The shop at 5^th Ave. has a big second floor just for Mac Cosmetics where service and selection are unbeatable. We picked two favorites from this Shop, the new fragrance from Estée Lauder, Modern Muse that features notes of mandarin, tuberose, lily, honeysuckle, dewy petals, jasmine, patchouli, vanilla, amber wood and musk, and the classic Tiffany Bracelet, the perfect gift for a spouse, girlfriend, friend, sister, mother, aunt or grandmother, because let’s face it, all woman wish to have one of those!

Liverpool

Maybe you need a swim suit, or maybe you got caught up by the rain and you need a jacket, maybe you need shoes, or a bag, maybe you need an iPad, a laptop cover, maybe you need mariachi music, clothes for the kids, maybe you need a new Xbox, a camera or a plasma TV, and maybe, just maybe you need a blender machine while you’re on vacation and there’s a place that has the best brands of everything for this “needs” and that is Liverpool. With two stores, one small on 5^th Ave. showing perfumes, cosmetics, computers, cameras, sunglasses, jewelry and liquors, and a new two-storage store on the highway right on the exit to Tulum. Here, we picked up two favorites, one is the jersey for the Mexican soccer team, not the nicest in the history, but the one that miraculously we’re taking to the World Cup, and the second favorite is the transparent raincoat by Kenneth Cole, a fashionable way to survive the unexpected Caribbean Rain.

Our time with Vimex Vacation Rentals is over for this time!

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 14:00:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

For the past three and a half months we have been writing for Vimex Vacation Rentals during our stay in pk02 – a beautiful condo located three minutes from the ocean and the city center. During this time we have studied a full-time marketing program but still been able to experience a lot of the Mexican culture here in Playa del Carmen. This blog has been a way for us to show you what you are able to do once you are on vacation here. We hope you can use some of the information we have given you and that this blog can provide you with a lot of useful tips to plan your next vacation.

Maria and I are leaving Playa del Carmen for this time. We really love everything about this place, and will definitely return. But instead of going home, we will actually be heading to Miami to begin our new year there instead. We hope you all have a great New Year's Eve and that you will visit Mexico in the future as well.

Happy new year and good bye!

Gott nytt år och hejdå!

/Henrik and Maria

A picture of us in Tulum

PK02's pool area

Chichén Itzá

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 14:58:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

Chichen Itza was one of the largest Maya cities and is a must to see if you visit Playa del Carmen. Chichén Itzá is on UNESCO World Heritage Site and is announced as one of the 7:th new wonders of the world.

The trip we recommend takes actually an entire day – from pickup at about eight o’clock until arrival back home about the same time on the evening.

The bus trip towards Chichén Itzá takes about two and a half hours and actual time spent at the ruins is about two hours. The guided tour is about an hour, and afterwards you're allowed to walk around yourselves taking pictures and explore.

After the ruins the bus takes you to a lunch buffet before heading on to the next adventure: Ik Kil! Ik Kil is a cenote located close to Chichen Itza and is by far the most amazing one yet! Red Bull used to have cliff diving contests here, and it’s not hard to guess why this is.

Lunch buffet

Ik Kil

20 meters high, and 50 meters deep

Sunrise

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Sun, 29 Dec 2013 15:00:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

One of the best ways to start the day in Playa del Carmen is to wake up early, bring some breakfast and have a sit on the beach to watch the beautiful sunrise. The sun rises in east, which makes the beach the best place to sit. Have a look on a relevant web page the day before to see when it rises. We were on the beach 05.45 am which was perfect. It is something absolutely magical about seeing a new day grow and when you are sitting there watching it with someone you like you just know it will be a great day!

Sunbeams

A new great day begins

A Deep-sea fishing trip

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 16:28:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

If you enjoy fishing or if you just would like to see Playa del Carmen from another view – a deep-sea fishing trip is really recommended.

The trip we took lasted a total of four hours at sea. We had the opportunity to choose if we would like to fish those four hours or if we wanted to stop at any point to snorkel. We went fishing for approximately three hours and snorkeling for one. Beers, soft drinks and water is included, and you don’t have to be a fisherman to enjoy this since they take care of everything except when something is caught, then it’s your time to shine.

The fishing method was trolling and we managed to catch one Great barracuda. Upon arrival to the beach again, they cooked the fish for us which had enough meat to feed five people.

The snorkeling was amazing too. The place we stopped by is located east of Xcaret and we fed sea turtles and swam around with them. They were very curious and not shy at all.

We really recommend a trip like this!

Departing from the beach

Feeding the turtles

Preparing the fish

Isla Mujeres

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Fri, 27 Dec 2013 16:33:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

Isla Mujeres is a small island located about a 20 minutes boat ride outside Cancun. From Playa del Carmen the best way to get there is to take the ADO bus (about 90 pesos one way) to Cancun, grab a taxi to the ferries and pay just before entering the ferry. There are different ferries going to the same destination. We took the yellow one called Ultramar, after some recommendations from friends, and were pleased with the service.

Unfortunately, we had chosen a day with mean clouds and rain but it was definitely worth a visit anyway! We recommend to rent a golf cart to see the island. It is a flexible and convenient way to travel and you will definitely get a fun story to tell. Also, it enables you to come near everything. The island itself is rather small so there is no rush getting around. We spent a whole day on Isla Mujeres, got amazed by the views, ate great food at the southern point of the island, took turn to drive the golf cart and stopped for coffee and some shopping in small towns. We ended the day at the beach near the harbor, taking a mojito and a swim in the ocean.

We recommend you to put this island on your "todo list" in Mexico!

Look at the color of the ocean!

Amazing greenery

On the top right side you can pay a smaller fee to enter and view unique arts

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 15:00:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

Today is a very special day for us, the Swedish people. This very day is our Christmas! In contrast with Mexico and other countries we have, for some reason, chosen to celebrate the 24^th of December instead of the 25^th. Since this is a tradition from way back in time it does not seem strange at all. It is a rather great feeling, as a child anyway, to open our presents before other children in other countries.

Since we are in Mexico we will celebrate in a Swedish/Mexican style. We will keep some of our traditional food such as glögg, rice pudding, meatballs, toffee and small sausages and mix it with a Mexican feeling. We have the obvious fantastic weather so instead of putting on an extra sweater no to freeze we will go and have a swim in the ocean. Also, a Piñata is a must! Hopefully we will celebrate for two days. Why not when we have the opportunity, right?

With these words said, we would like to wish you a very merry happy Christmas! It truly is a day to look back on the year and be thankful for what we have. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

God Jul!

Christmas feeling in our home, PK02. It is a funny contrast to see Santa Clause by palms and a warm pool since we are used to see him in the cold snow.

Tulum

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 18:54:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

Tulum is a small town south of Playa del Carmen. The city itself reminds a little bit of Playa del Carmen but less commercialized and the beaches are different.

We took the ADO bus from Avenida 5 and Benito Juarez for about 70 pesos one way. 45 minutes later we arrived and started our walk towards the beach. We bought a ticket from a salesman next to the bus. This is something you do not have to do, we actually could have been better without. The walk started with Maya ruins where we guided ourselves around and were impressed. They are located on a huge rock above the ocean so the view is fantastic.

After walking for about 40 minutes we finally realized where the beach was that the salesman had recommended to us. It is quite a walk and there are taxis nearby for those who do not want to walk. We walked and the beach was amazing. You know those post cards where a bent palm tree is in focus with a white sand beach and clear blue water in the background? That must have been taken there!

We went on a snorkeling tour which was not spectacular but worth a go anyway. The rest of the day was spent on the beach and on a restaurant located just by the water. Great food was served!

Overall, Tulum definitely is worth seeing. One day was enough for us. We took a taxi back to the city and grabbed an ADO bus back home again.

Maya ruins

Lots of people enjoying the ocean

The fantastic beach

Top three cenotes around Playa del Carmen.

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 15:00:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

You can earlier in our blog read about cenotes in general. What we would like to do for you now is to give some recommendations about which one we think is while worth a visit. To begin with there are a lot of cenotes to explore in the area around Playa del Carmen. We have visited a total of seven cenotes during our stay here, and there is at least twice as many left to explore!

Grand cenote

Located near Tulum. A very commercialized cenote with many tourists. Grand cenote has nice, clear water and the possibility to swim through a tunnel inhabited by bats to get to another smaller part of the cenote. Stalagmites and stalactites are also seen here. There is a possibility to dive here too.

Azul cenote

Located 20 minutes from Playa del Carmen on the west side of the high way towards Tulum. A smaller cenote with calm atmosphere. Less commercialized. The cenote has actually a lot of marine life, with a lot of fish, and chances of spotting turtles. It has two parts – one pool with few plants and more fish, and one with more plants and less fish. You might at first think that it should be the other way around but it’s not. The turtles can be found in either of the pools. You are also able to jump from a cliff here, measuring about three meters.

Cristaliano cenote

Its name is not to be confused with “Crystal cenote” which is another cenote not as good.

This cenote is actually our favorite, probably since this one is the least commercialized of the ones we’ve so far visited. It has very beautiful surroundings, crystal clear water, many fishes, mangrove, and chances of spotting turtles. Cliff jumping is an alternative as well.

As you might have seen walking down on the fifth avenue in Playa del Carmen, some stores offers “fish-spa”. This is a special species of fish that eats the dead skin on your feet. A treatment like this costs about 300 pesos on avenue 5, but these fish live naturally in this cenote and it’s just an extra experience for you to enjoy! They will immediately swim towards you and begin nibble on your feet. They are harmless and will only nibble if you’re being still. So if you’re uncomfortable with these fish, just swim around or snorkel and they’ll leave you alone. There is also a narrow tunnel under water connecting the two pools this cenote consists of. A fun free-diving challenge for those who dare!

Grand cenote

Azul cenote

Cristaliano cenote

Cristaliano cenote, "doctor fish"

Rent a car

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 15:00:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

We have rented a car on several occasions. Most of the car rentals will rent out the car for 24 hours and the cheapest one we have found is for 25 USD/24 h. We believe this is the best way to explore the surroundings. First of all you can arrive and leave exactly when you wish to. Second of all, if you find something interesting on the way to your goal, you can stop! And last, it is a great way of getting integrated to the culture when driving in the traffic.

Here are some examples of things we have visited by car:

- Lots of cenotes (most of the visits where spontaneous)

- Xcacel beach to help release turtle babies into the ocean

- Went to Puerto Morelos (half way towards Cancun)

- Tulum

- Beaches towards Tulum

- Other small communities along the high way

Puerto Morelos

A beautiful stair case in a small town where we stopped for lunch

A beach we visited on out way to Tulum. "The pillows" were built to preserve the beach and are very fun to play on.

A great walk

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 15:00:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

We want to recommend you to take a walk – a long walk. There is so much happening outside of the center part of the city worth to experience.

A couple of Sundays’ ago that is exactly what we did. We walked without a specific goal. By Calle 54 and a couple of Avenidas up from the beach we discovered a market! You could pretty much find anything on the market. Most interesting for us was the food. We bought and tasted, bought and tasted. Hopefully the market will be there every Sunday because it was a great experience.

Walking towards the city center we found a small restaurant that looked cozy. The prices were about 50 pesos for a dish and we very happily surprised when the plates where served. Much effort was put on the service which was shown both on the plates and in the staffs' friendly treatment.

The market

Great restaurant

Diving in Playa del Carmen

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Wed, 11 Dec 2013 15:00:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

Playa del Carmen is a very popular place for divers. Not only is this because Playa de Carmen itself has great reefs to offer, it is also because of the surrounding dive experiences that exists.

We are eight people from Sweden living here, and studying a distance course through a Swedish university, and almost all of us are divers. We therefore have been diving a lot since we came here, almost three months ago. What we recommend you to do if you haven’t visited Playa del Carmen yet, is to dive as much as you can!

A couple of days ago some of us dove at Cozumel. The coral is amazing and one of the dives was a “wall-dive”. We dove on top of a vertical wall of coral that disappears 3000 meters down in the ocean. A lot of coral, and a lot of fish! Diving on Cozumel is in general a little better when it comes to marine life compared to Playa del Carmen. Luckily the ferry connecting the island to the main land takes less than an hour and costs only 155 pesos. The dive shops located in Playa del Carmen offers diving on Cozumel as well, through cooperation’s with the dive shops on Cozumel. Therefore it’s very smooth to go diving there even if you live in Playa del Carmen.

Cenotes (fresh water caves located in the jungle) is something you have to dive in as well. These crystal clear water filled caves with thousands of stalagmites and stalactites are an experience beyond the usual! There are a couple of cenotes to choose from, and they are very different in what they have to offer once you go under.

The cenote Dos ojos “two eyes”, or “två ögon” is an amazing stalagmite/stalactite cave with maximum depth of 12 meters with a large “air-pocket room” inside the cave that you’ll visit if you go there. I really recommend this cenote.

Another diving experience Playa del Carmen has to offer is the “Bull shark experience”. You will decent to the bottom quickly and then stand on your knees watching the sharks from up close. No cages are used, and some dive shops feed the sharks to lure them closer. The season for the bull sharks varies but is usually set between November – February.

Diving pictures will be updated later!

Mexican food

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 15:00:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

One question we had in our minds before arriving to Playa del Carmen was “what does the Mexican taco really taste like?” Sweden has its own type of the dish but we figured it must be different here.

One of the best ways to really get to know the Mexican food is to walk to Av. Juarez, between Avenida 15-20. Here you will find about six wagons, selling tacos, tortas, burritos, quesadillas and more. Not only do they serve Mexican food, it is also sold for a small amount of money. A burrito doesn’t cost more than 30 pesos (about 2 USD), which is perfect for a lunch. It is a nice atmosphere and often do musicians walk by and play some Mexican music for you while eating.

And, yes, the taco in Mexico is much better than in Sweden!

Danza de los Voladores (Dance of the Flyers)

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 18:51:00 +0000

By Henrik & Maria

This tradition is something you are able to witness at some specific places through out Mexico. When we first arrived to Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and saw this spectacular performance we were stunned over the fact that they weren’t using any safety lines, even though the pole the men launch themselves off is 150 feet high (30 meters). In Playa de Carmen you are able to see this act in the end of av. Benito Juarez south of the church “Capilla de Nta Señora del Carmen”.

The ritual begins with five men circling a tall pole. One of the men plays music with a flute and a small drum. They then climb the pole, and position themselves on a small wooden rotating platform at the top. The man playing the music is called the caporal. He stands in the center, playing his flute and drum, and does a dance, facing each of the four cardinal directions in turn. This is one of the most tense moments for the audience as he performs his dance standing at the top of a pole without a harness or any protection.

The platform begins to spin and the four voladores launch themselves off, and begin rotating the pole upside down. They are attached by a rope around the waist, but they twist a leg in the rope to maintain an upside down position. The caporal remains at the top of the pole as the others descend. In their descent, each volador circles the pole 13 times. Thirteen times for each of the four voladores, for a total of 52 rotations, representing the number of years in the Mesoamerican calendar cycle. (http://gomexico.about.com/od/historyculture/ss/voladores_de_totonacapan.htm)

Another part of the beach

noreply@blogger.com (Vimex Vacation Rentals) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 15:00:00 +0000

A couple of days ago we decided to try the beach north from the city centre. We walked to Calle 40 and came to a smaller beach with less tourists and calmer atmosphere.

This part of the beach has the only reef, reachable by swimming from the shore, in Playa del Carmen so bring your snorkelling gear! The reef is approximately 150 meters out. We therefore strongly recommend you to have a buoy so boats will see you. The reef is not as spectacular as the ones you experience when buying a snorkelling trip but it is while worth a visit.

At lunch time we went to a restaurant called Canibal Royal located on the beach. It is a very relaxed place with lounge music and sun beds integrated in smaller boats. Not only was there an amazing view, the food was great too! Basically everything we saw coming out on a tray, we wanted to try! It is rather expensive, comparing to other restaurants at similar locations but worth it for the experience.

Cozy sun beds

Great view