worth repeating
Do you ever repeat vacations? I used to be anti-repeat.
Traveling is thrilling I think because of all the unknowns. I’ve always loved the excitement of it: Not knowing what a hotel or Airbnb will be like. Wondering where we will eat. Who we will meet. Will the people be nice? What will the culture feel like?
Leaving home means leaving most securities behind, some things will be good and, inevitably, some things will be not good. But, the excitement of it all can become addicting, and I used to think repeating meant giving up the thrill.
Then came BABIES.
All parents know that predictability in the environment becomes more important when everything about having a baby is so unpredictable. Nap schedules, picky eaters, bedtime routines, car seats…these things drastically changed how we traveled. Yet for us, travel remains a priority, and while elements of how we travel needs to be adjusted we still continue to make it work.
Insert annual trip to Puerto Morelos.
My husband and I first discovered the quaint town in 2014. We stayed at the Westin Cancun for a few nights and then drove south to Riviera Maya to a 3-day concert festival on a resort (an incredible experience that we’ve done a few times since, but worthy of a different post). On the way, we stopped for lunch in Puerto Morelos, at a restaurant called El Nicho. We immediately fell in love.
Puerto Morelos has an undeniable charm that can’t be found on a resort. It’s also very “easy” to get to from Chicago, making it the perfect quick escape to warmth during our long winters. Resorts are nice, but there was something so different and for us, so much better about being in a little fishing town. In a resort you don’t get to experience any real culture and there’s very little adventure. The restaurants, pools, and activities are all predictable. Now, I’m not claiming that Puerto Morelos isn’t touristy, but it feels so much more authentic than all the resorts that we’ve stayed at in the area. Resorts certainly have their perks; they must or they wouldn’t cover this region in Mexico. Staying in Puerto Morelos is a completely different experience in almost every way, and it's our preference.
We love Puerto Morelos because the vibes are super casual everywhere in the town: plenty of restaurants right on the beach, insane food, friendly people, diversity of tourists (Mexicans, Europeans, etc. – you are not surrounded by only Americans), it’s small – you can walk the entire town if you wanted, no big resorts, pretty beach, and amazing snorkeling.
We love it so much that we keep going back – almost every year since we first discovered it.
Here are a few pictures of Puerto Morelos:
Will we continue to go each year? I have no idea. But we’ve had great times and I highly recommend it. Yes, a new destination is a lot more thrilling, and I love all the unexpected experiences that come with that. Frankly, life can be complicated, so if a vacation feels easy and uncomplicated, I say go ahead and repeat.
Where to stay:
Casa Del Sol - 5 bedroom, 6 bath, large living areas, large private pool
The Fives - studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms in a full service hotel
Villa Picon - 3 bedroom, 4 bath, large living areas, large private pool and hot tub
Over the years, we’ve stayed at several different places in Puerto Morelos. We’ve spent most years in 1 of 2 neighboring homes, one of which sold 2 years ago and is no longer for rent. The second was sold and is currently being rented by new owners. The one still available is called Casa Del Sol.
Casa Del Sol is very large with 5 good sized bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. It’s very comfortable and has everything you need. I will say the decor is not my favorite, some of the furnishings are dated, and its not at all fancy. That being said, it is clean and feels comfortable with little kids running around everywhere.
Here are some pictures of Casa Del Sol:
We have also stayed at a few condos in the town that were okay, but nothing worth recommending.
About 4-5 years ago, The Fives was built. It is the first “large” hotel in Puerto Morelos, but it is still on the small side with just six floors. We have stayed at The Fives twice and would highly recommend this option. My husband and I stayed in a one bedroom on the jungle side. If this is available, this is what you want to book because the view was beautiful. It faces a national park and still has a view of the ocean. One year we splurged and stayed in one of the two units on the top level of the hotel that have private roof-top pools. This unit was two bedrooms and incredible. We have never done the all-inclusive option at The Fives, but we did have breakfast included. We got the option to have breakfast served in-room, which was very helpful with young kids. The hotel has two pools. One on the rooftop is adults only, while kids can swim at the ground level pool. The hotel also has day beds on the beach at no extra charge and we never had a problem getting one. A couple nights a week, the hotel has really good live reggae bands play on the beach. People dance, and it’s really fun to be a part of.
Here are some pictures of The Fives:
This past trip, we stayed a week at Casa Del Sol and then moved to a different house, Villa Picon, for just 3 nights. It was insanely good. A few levels up from Casa Del Sol in terms of decor and quality of furnishings - honestly, it felt luxurious in comparison. The catch, you need to be comfortable driving because Villa Picon is NOT located in the town or walking distance. We’ve rented a car every year and feel very comfortable driving. Villa Picon is just 10 minutes up the road, so not an issue for our family right now. When the boys were babies, maybe I would have felt differently.
Here are some pictures of Villa Picon:
We’ve also stayed in Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, at 2 different all-inclusive resorts in the area, and in Tulum twice. Tulum deserves a separate post as it is far from Puerto Morelos and a very different town/vibe/size/etc.
Where to eat:
El Nicho – best breakfast and lunch hands down.
Tacos.com – amazing lunch option. Can’t miss it.
Mercadito – on the beach, very popular.
Punta Corcho – one of the “fancier” options in town. Right on the main town square. Nice cocktails too.
Bonquinete– a “hidden” gem. Has option for indoor covered dining or dining on the beach. Great for families and large groups.
El Pesquero – great for big groups and kids – theres a playground in the restaurant. It is very casual, not on the beach but outside and sand floor.
Unico Beach Club - Great for a casual beach lunch. Split the ceviche with someone and its a perfect light meal.
Also a great option - dinner catered or cooked in your rental home. This is especially nice on the day you arrive. In our experience most houses in Mexico offer this service and the food has been incredible.
As mentioned, Puerto Morelos is a fishing town, so we eat seafood almost every lunch and dinner. Grilled whole fish served with corn tortillas is my order of choice at almost all restaurants. I’d also highly recommend the ceviche from Unico, the shrimp tacos from Tacos.com, and the chillaquilles from El Nicho. My favorite grilled whole fish is at Marcadito, but I also love it from Punta Corcho, Banquette, and El Pesquero.
There is a really nice new grocery store right in the center of town. This is especially important if you choose to rent a house and/or if you have young kids along. We have found that stocking food for both kids’ breakfasts and lunches can make the trip so much easier.
Here are some pictures of the food/restaurants mentioned:
What to do:
Snorkel – the second largest reef in the world sits just off the sand of Puerto Morelos. The reef is gorgeous with abundant sea life. We’ve had great experiences booking the snorkeling through our “house manager” and the boat picks us up right in front of the rental house. Its $25 a person and lasts about an hour. The guides have been unbelievable, especially impressive helping the youngest kids. We have taken kids as young as 4 years old and they loved it.
Croc Zoo – Drive or take a taxi from Puerto Morelos. Really great experience for kids. We go each year and the kids talk about it all year long.
Hold a baby crocodile at the zoo (full disclosure, this year, we were only allowed to pet them). You can also hold snakes, feed wild monkeys that live at the zoo, and the guides are always very friendly and informative.
Why go back:
Short flight from Chicago (3.5 hours)
Short drive from airport (20 minutes)
Large reef = safe swimming (minimal waves) for toddlers/young kids
Great food in a charming walkable authentic-feeling town
Outside of the town, if you prefer a resort, we liked:
Myakoba We’ve only had dinner but my brother-in-law and his family go every year and love it. They love taking a boat to dinner, golf, and kids club so parents can relax.
Safety:
I’m writing only because people always ask me this question. I feel incredibly safe in Puerto Morelos and in the entire region. Honestly, walking at night in Puerto Morelos feels safer than some places where we live in Chicago. We have rented a car every single visit and have never had any issues. The main highway is very safe to drive on, has a good police presence, and has great signage.
