Escape to Mexico’s Most Beautiful Beach

Saturday, May 08, 2010

Dear Reader,

If you've been reading our dispatches you'll know that we consider the Riviera Maya the hottest beach destination in Mexico...indeed, one of the hottest worldwide. An 81-mile stretch of coast, the Riviera Maya boasts ancient Mayan ruins, chic resorts, eco-adventure activities...and Mexico's finest beaches. You can track the area's progress in Playa del Carmen, the jewel in the crown of the Riviera Maya. Ten years back, Playa was a small fishing village, with packed sand streets, and a beautiful curve of beach that attracted increasing numbers of foreign property buyers. Today, Playa is a hip beach town, with cobbled streets, and up market stores and restaurants. The main street, 5th Avenue, is a cool place to hang out in the evenings, buying handcrafts, eating gourmet food, or listening to live music.

Playa's come a long way in ten years. The town even hosts a jazz festival, in November each year. There's a free advance concert this month. Picture it...sitting on a powder-sand beach, underneath a star-sprinkled sky, with live jazz providing an inspired backdrop...it doesn't get much better than this.

Of course, progress comes with a price. If you bought in Playa ten years ago, you're sitting pretty. Beachfront condos command up to $600,000 these days. We figured we needed to turn the clock back...and to do that, we headed a little further south along the Riviera Maya.

We found an eco-chic destination, with a planned new airport, and much lower property prices. It all stacked up. Add in the most jaw-droppingly gorgeous beach you're likely to find...anywhere...and you get Tulum.

Now, it seems the world is catching on. Tripadvisors' 30 million readers certainly are. In the latest Tripadvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards 2010, Tulum ranks in the #2 spot for Top 10 Beach & Sun Destinations Worldwide. It also hit #5 in the Relaxation & Spa category, and #2 for Romance. That's a powerful endorsement from Tripadvisor for this tiny beach town.

Tripadvisor describes Tulum as a "rare mix of beach, archaeology and village". That's an accurate description, but doesn't do the place justice. Mind you, it's a tough call trying to paint a picture of this Caribbean beach paradise. I can rave about the sugar-white sand, dotted with coconut palms...the clear aqua waters teeming with tropical fish...the untamed jungle and ancient Mayan ruins. I can tell you that peace and tranquility washes over you as soon as arrive, and that calm, relaxed feeling lingers long after you leave (and, trust me, you won't want to leave). I can try and explain the allure of this boutique destination...and just how incredibly affordable property prices are. But nothing quite matches seeing this place for yourself...

With that in mind, we have a Chill Weekend next month that gives you a taster of Tulum. This mini break gives you the chance to explore this chic coast...and to check out a couple of golf and beach resort options if you're thinking of spending more time here (including a condo with fixed income, or a home in a yoga and wellness community...with top-notch amenities...for a fraction of the cost of Playa). The trip runs June 17th-20th, and costs just $150 per person. At that price, you can afford to bring your partner along, and see if Tulum merits that #2 spot in Tripadvisor's Romance category, too.

Margaret Summerfield

P.S. The winner of the free chill weekend for two people (a $500 value) in Costa Rica's Southern Zone is Mr. J. Judah. Congratulations to Mr. Judah, and thank you to Steve Linder and Pacific Lots who provided the free trip.

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beachfront, mexico