Cenote Escondido

Cenote Escondido is just south of Tulum town maybe 5 km or so. This large open cenote is simply beautiful. As you first walk down the long pathway from the main road to the cenote you cannot help but be in awe of the beautiful jungle around you.

Like something out of a fairytale, the long tree lined path calls you forward to something truly special. Suddenly a little wooden sign points you in the direction of the cenote! As you walk through the now- walking only path you come to a clearing that reveals the large open cenote that is simply too inviting.

On the close side is a set of stairs that take you to the water’s edge- but be careful because these are often very slippery. At this same end is a great jumping point into the cool clear waters beneath. Always check the water under the jump however because the cenotes are living and flowing- the water level and character changes. A jump that might have been fine a few months ago may not be now.

1 of my favorite spots at thi

s cenote is at the far end. There is a perfect little doc just ideal for sitting and putting your feet in and enjoying the warm Mexican sun. This is also where you can see that the cenote continues back into the jungle. This is a great spot for snorkeling and diving as there are many caves that are visible and just call you forth to come and explore.

The cool water of this cenote can be enjoyed for the same entrance price when you enter Cenote Cristal on the other side of the street.

NaturALL!

  

I enjoyed a wonderful sandwich at this amazing café on the main avenue of Tulum while waiting for my friend’s bus to Merida. Just a few locations down from the ADO bus station on the main avenue this great little spot served up satisfying and fresh sandwiches for a great price.

The café is colored in great shades of yellows, with grey and yellow flower patterns and brightly colored touches. The small kitchen turns out some amazing food and it was such a pleasure to eat here.

The menu had a great selection of salads, agua frescas and sandwiches. I ordered the chicken sandwich and my friend the turkey. Both came on warm sweet dark bread and had a spread on it that blew my mind. The veggies on this thing were stacked high and I could tell that all the ingredients were very fresh. The sandwich sported sliced carrot, tomato, cucumber, sprouts as well as mustard sprouts which gave it a great bite. This entirely satisfying sandwich was as nice to my wallet as it was to me. Not to mention VERY healthy. We each ate our sandwiches and enjoyed a great juice for only 120 pesos for both of us!!! That is a great meal.

I cannot wait to go back and eat more at this great little café in Tulum.

For more information about where to eat in Tulum, where to sleep, or what to do… Check the Tulum Living webpage at www.TulumLiving.com

Cesiak

There are a lot of great tours in Tulum.  This past weekend I got to take my first tour with Cesiak in the amazing Sian Ka’an Bio reserve.  We took the boat canal tour.  It was truly amazing.  The reserve in itself is so amazing but this rare look at it truly breathtaking. 

The tour with Cesiak started at 8:45 with a hotel pick up.  We drove down into the reserve and began the journey to the Cesiak center.  It was beautiful.  There are also cabanas for rental which I think would be amazing.  We waited on for about 15 minutes and got a chance to take a look at the Laguna and the sea from the top floor of the building.  The view point shows the long stretch of perfect beaches and then vast laguna.

I learned some very interesting things about the variety of birds and wildlife that the Sian Ka’an has and continues to discover.  This beautiful and protected area is home to over 340 known species of birds (of which we got to see many of)  as well as many species of reptiles (a number of crocodiles were also seen on the tour) and countless plants and trees.  After taking in the beautiful landscape and getting a good amount of background about the area and the goals of Cesiak it was off to the boats.

We got on the boat with our guide and boat captain.  A few moments wait and we were speeding through the beautiful laguna.  The amazing colors of this laguna were stunning.  The laguna itself is only 3 meters deep at its deepest.  Most of the laguna is less then ½ a meter deep.   After buzzing through the laguna for a bit it was into the river that led to the other laguna at Muyil.   This was the actual trading route the ancient Maya took to trade with other cities.  In this case it was mostly the cities by the sea trading fish and salt with cities inland for red and white meats and fruits and vegetables.  It really is amazing to see the landscape and feel the energy of civilizations past that followed this same route. 

The canal part of this tour was amazing because you really got to learn more about the landscape of the area and just how rare a part of the world it is geographically.  We past very near by a resting crocodile that was over 2 meters long and we saw countless examples of the amazing birds that call this area home.  The canal part of the tour was curvy and so much fun.  We did not this trip but next time our kids would have loved this trip.

After entering the next laguna we saw some of the natural wells that are in the water of the laguna and open to the cenotes underneath.  It was so beautiful and crazy to see how the various levels of the Earth connect- or are stacked really.   On our way back through the canal we stopped off at a ruin and got to explore a little bit. This site was often visited by the Mayan for safe passage from the crocodiles as they passed back with their traded goods.  They would stop and prey and offer a contribution to the crocodile god.  This worked for the Mayan and there were no reported attacks on the passage way.  While a happy crocodile god is obviously the reason we now know that the high priests from Muyil would come to the temple and throw the offerings to the laguna at sunset.  The current of the river carried the food downstream to the crocodiles, whom after eating, would not attack the Mayan traders as they traveled the canals at night time.

At this point we got to do what was my favorite part of the tour. We got into the canal with life jackets and just floated down the stream.  It was so relaxing and such a rare view of the landscape.  You learn on your way up the canal in the boat just how the water changes from brackish (mix salt and fresh) to the fresh water and why the crocodiles do not come this far upstream.  After about 20 minutes it is back in the boat and a snack of fresh fruit and water as we make our way back through the river and into the other laguna, passing some of our new crocodile friends.  Then it was buzzing down south to Boca Paila. This is well known spot in Tulum and this view from a speeding little boat was so much fun. 

Once we explored all over the lagunas and had dried off in the cool breeze, it was off to lunch at Cesiak.  The lunch was great.  It consisted of grilled chicken breast, rice, salad, tortillas and a great salsa. It was the perfect meal to regain some energy.  We got about 10 more minutes to have another look around and then it was off for a quick dip in the cenote by the arch.   This is a very nice cenote just at the entrance to the Sian Ka’an bioreserve.  After a nice little swim it was off to head back to reality.

This was an amazing tour that really taught me a lot about just how special this part of the world is and why we should all be working hard to protect it.  You can learn a lot more about Cesiak from their website.

If you would like to book a tour, please let us know and we would be happy to help.   

Cositas Buenas

Cositas Buenas is beautiful restaurant in Tulum featuring creative dishes, a beautiful atmosphere and a great addition to the night life in Tulum pueblo.  When Cositas Buenas opened its doors this past summer I was so excited.  First of all I simply adore the people that run it.  And I have come to realize that the people and their character are what make a place truly great.  And the people that opened this place are as wonderful as you can get.  Musician and friends- I knew that whatever they set out to do with this place was going to be great and I could not have been more correct. 

The décor and overall look of the whole place is so beautiful and full of life.  With the large coconut lights beaming with colorful glass and cut out shapes of stars and suns to the chalk board menu bursting with colors and creative names.  The dessert menu cannot help but bring a smile to your face not only because of the sinfully delicious desserts but also for the daily special… AMOR!   With a side of helado if you please.

The front dining room is open and fresh and evokes an emotion that both pleases and calms at the same time.  As you pass the open kitchen to the back bar and garden you can see clearly why this is such a great spot for the local music scene.   The large open garden has a great flow of air and energy and is decorated in perfectly rich muted tones and beautiful artwork.  This is the perfect place to dance the night away under the starts surrounded by the best of natural elements of Tulum.

With wonderful breakfasts from fruit and French toasts and huevos rancheros you can leave satisfied however this spot has gained great reputations for their Pandaquiles, a play on chiliquiles (panda is one of the owners!)  And I can tell you – they are killer.

For afternoon and dinner choices you can find the great classics of the area from civiches, arrachera, chicken and fish as well as great salads, baguettes and hamburgers.  I have really loved the great salads  and tasty crepes.  They also feature fresh daily bread that can be in any number of flavors from Parmesan, rosemary, or nut.

Coming here for night time events is one of my favorite spots because of the greet bands that they book, (Panda is a great musician from the area- as are several other people with the restaurant and they know how to pick good music) but also because there is plenty of space to enjoy the music, the bar, the food and Tulum.

While in Tulum check out this great location.  Just across the street  from the ADO bus station. Check out more great spots in Tulum at our http://www.tulumliving.com/

Punta Laguna- Monkey Reserve***

This past Sunday my family loaded up the car and headed due East for Punta Laguna. I had heard that Punta Laguna was a wonderful thing to do while visiting Tulum. What I had heard was right. It was a wonderful place and the whole family. Punta Laguna did not disappoint as a great thing to do in Tulum.  **We know of some great taxi drivers that do this tour Coba ruins and the monkey reserve at a great price-- contact us for more info***

We started our adventure by having our favorite tacos from Tulum town and then we were off due West on the Coba road. After we got to Coba we decided to look around at some cenotes in the area. There were many cenotes to explore but most of them were cave cenotes. I do love cave cenotes but for this particular day we were looking for a wide open cenote that we could enjoy the warm day at. So we doubled back towards Tulum to go to Punta Laguna.

To get to Punta Laguna you take the Coba road from Tulum. After about 35 -40 minutes you will come to a round-a-bout. 1 direction leads you towards Cancun, 1 towards Chichen Itza and the last towards Coba. (The one you are on takes you back to Tulum- obviously!) You want to take the one that goes towards Cancun. You will drive for about 20-30 minutes on this road before you will see the sign for Punta Laguna. There were a number of other cenotes and spots of interest that I cannot wait to get out and see more of- but this trip was about Punta Laguna. So we continued past these places until we reached Punta Laguna.

When we reached the Laguna we went and paid our entrance fee which was very reasonable, something like 30 pesos. They advised us that we would have to walk a ways into the jungle to see the monkeys. Punta Laguna is a monkey reserve so you can easily spot these amazing creatures all around you if you pay attention. And hear them you most defiantly will. – Wow that sounded a bit like yoda- sorry. But you will. They are all around and you can hear the screeches and howls.

When we first started towards the Laguna- we noticed that there was a little corner store. It was the perfect place to buy a few more snacks and some ice. We had brought our cooler with us so we had stuff for sandwiches, juice and some beers- after and ice refill and some sweets for the kids we walked down towards the Laguna. The road is dirt and uneven and in her excitement to get to the water our daughter took a nose dive on the path. As a brand new 7 year old she is starting to get used to the scrapped knees and scuffed hands- but – a little hurt she picked herself back up. While she did so the wonderful family that lives there hurried to her rescue.

This is one of my favorite things about living in Mexico and the Mexican people in general—they love children and they love to help. In the states we have a very hands off approach to getting into each other’s lives. Here in Tulum- that is not the case- people are always there to help you and care for you at every turn. ESPECILLAY children. It is such a wonderful place to visit with kids. You never feel like your kids are imposing or that other people are annoyed with your kids. As a mother- and one who wants to enjoy herself too- I love this. But anyway… side note

As my daughter arose from her newly acquired injury- we were greeted by the warm smiles of a local Mayan woman and her husband who had rushed to her aid, followed closely by her 2 adorable kids. It was so sweet. They came out with tissue, smiles and a balm of some kind that they asked if they could put on her wounds. Knowing full well the magic of anything that Mayan women put on their kids I was willing and even a little eager. The balm they put on her immediately soothed her. I am sure that much of it was also the kindness of these people. After she was clearly okay, the family went one step further by the dad getting his tricycolo, often referred to as the Mayan Limousine, and giving Lena a ride down to the Laguna. It was so sweet.

After about 100 meters we were greeted with one of most beautiful images that I have seen. A large stunning Laguna- completely clear and empty. It was amazing. By the time that we had arrived it was about 1:00 in the afternoon. The sun was already casting shadows off the far end of the Laguna and the colors that rose off the water were incredible. We sat our cooler down and it took all of 4 seconds for the kids to go jumping off the dock into the amazing fresh water of the Laguna. We stayed there for about 2 hours- swimming- playing- talking and laying in the sun.

During our playing we had a few groups that were on walks in the reserve either coming or going stop for a moment to take some pictures. The Laguna does offer walking tours into the reserve and points out monkeys along the way and also give you information about the various plants and animals that you will find there. You can totally do the walk on your won- but you will get so much more out of it if you get the tour. They can tell you so many stories and facts that you would not otherwise hear or know.

We took the kids for a long walk in the jungle and it was so much fun. We walked and walked and took random turns and kept walking. It was great. You could hear the monkeys all around you. We saw many on our walk and such a fun time. Monkeys to kids are such magic. Well to anyone really and this place is full of them. It was a truly magical day and one that I think everyone who visits Tulum should experience.

El Camellos- Some of the best fish tacos in TULUM!***

When talking about the very best fish tacos in town you might get a few different answers. But one that you will hear again and again form the locals is El Camellos!!! This wonderful ALL FISH RESTAURANT is absolutely amazing. Considering that as of about 10 am you can see it packed with local fisherman- that should really be your first clue to how great this spot is. Not to mention that the fisherman just got down unloading their daily catch at the pescaderia (fish store) that shares this location.

When this hot spots needs a whole fish for their pescado frito entrée it is served fresh out of the cooler from this pescaderia. The most amazing part of the whole experience- is that you would never be able to tell that there were 5 massive coolers filled with fish. That is how fresh the fish at this spot is.

During the day this is many locals’ favorite spot for fish tacos. Coming 3 to a plate you can get these beauties cooked any number of ways from breaded to grilled. One of my favorites is Yucatecan style with tomatoes, peppers and onions. You should give it a try. And for only 60 or 70 pesos a plate—you can afford to try them all.

After 5:00 p.m. there are no more tacos but the various ceviche plates – that are HUGE by the way- along with the shrimp, octopus and let’s not forget the fresh fish dinners keep people happy throughout the night.

This is one of those spots that serves up the very best of the shores of Tulum to happy people eager to eat it. With various salsas and hot sauces ready on the table-my table is never quite complete without the chopped habenero they bring me drenched in lime stop

El Camellos is toward the south end of town a little past Rancho Tranquilo. This is a great spot that the whole family will love!

Altamar Tulum ***

Restaurants in Tulum have been earning a reputation for having wonderful flavors, exciting combinations and well executed plates. These amazing Tulum restaurants continue to get better and better and impress even further with each new day.

This past Valentine's day I took a very good girlfriend of mine out to dinner at Altamar Tulum. I have been eager to try this new restaurant since it opened a few months ago. With a warm and welcoming decor and great lighting, this amazing restaurant feels very calm and peaceful for being just off the main avenue of Tulum.

The first thing that we noticed was the beautiful open kitchen were we could watch the talented chefs create their masterpieces. After speaking with the manager, John and getting his recommendations we were excited about out upcoming meal. We toasted our friendship with a very well made margarita. It was the perfect start! The spread in the beginning of the meal was also a show stopper. Going much further then the traditional chips and salsa- a block of 6 different items was presented. jicama with spices, cucumber with spices, roasted sunflower seeds, nopal(sauteed cactus) and 2 salsas- neither one very hot but both full of great flavors.

To begin we had the civiche. While civiche is a common thing to find in the restaurants here, this civiche sets itself far apart from the normal dish. With a more south American twist using corn, avocado and some ginger that made the fish, shrimp and octopus just melt in your mouth. The pieces of fish were large cubed pieces and the octopus was soft and perfect.

The 2nd appetizer was to die for!!!! It was a chupe de camerone. A shrimp dish that is warm and creamy. It was almost like a dip but it was so amazing we were eating by the spoonful. This recipe is an old family recipe from Chile and I must say that I am in love with the chefs grandmother. This dish was one of the very best things I have eaten in Tulum and will be going back for it again.

For our main dish we ordered the arrachera steak that was stuffed with panela cheese and and chaya. Chaya is a local leafy vegetable much like spinach but even better. The steak was an amazing cut, very little fat and full of flavor. Served over baby potatoes and with a delicious sauce this was a welcome piece of meat.

The manager had recommended the octopus for an entree as Eric, the head chef cooks it perfectly. While I am not normally the biggest fan of octopus (usually because it is so tough and chewy) we decided to give it a shot. I could not have been happier. From the plating to the flavors this was the best octopus I have ever eaten. It was served with rice in a corn husk and a spread of beans and their amazing guacamole. We could tell from the moment that we cut into it that it was perfectly cooked. It was amazing.

There were several times that our waiter was prepared to clear the plates but we warned him that it was too good and that he might lose a finger! hahaha it was such an amazing meal. We literally ate for 3 hours. It was amazing. The food was accompanied by a beautiful bottle of white wine. We ordered the house wine and we were very happy with it. The wine list had several bottles that I know and love so it would be hard to find one that was not great!

Now- we are 2 ladies out on Valentine's Day so there was NO WAY that we were not going to get dessert. The perfect end to this amazing meal was a dense chocolate cake served with a coconut ice cream that was to die for. The cake was more like a mouse and melted in your mouth,

The other dessert was a pastry shell filled with fresh strawberries and served with vanilla ice cream. Both desserts also had a sauce made of a jamaica (hibiscus flowers) reduction that complimented the desserts beautifully.

The details and attention to service at Altamar Tulum made for an absolutely killer dining experience and I cannot wait to go back for more. They are also doing some great events such as oyster Wednesdays and lobster Saturday. In their 2nd floor lounge that over looks the main avenue they have a daily happy hour called Daily Sunset. 2x1 drinks and FREE APPATIZERS!!!!!! Cannot beat that.

You will not be disapointed with your experience at this wonderful Tulum restaurant.

Getting it all set - New Calendar coming soon.

We have been building our brand new website and it is going very well. Busy and Crazy but very well. We hope that you will love all of the new information and love Tulum as much as we do.

One of our main purposes for this website was that we wanted to get out real life, first hand experience of the things around Tulum. We specifically want to draw attention to the many wonderful people that make Tulum what it is.

The calendar is our dream. We want to have 1 easy to view calendar that will tell you exactly what is going on during the dates that you are here. With so many great bands, artists and festivals - there is so much to write.

We will be updating the calendar weekly to keep it up to date. Many details and specifics get added at the very last minute in Tulum, so make sure to stay tuned in and see what is going on.

Please bare with us as we make all of these changes and adjustments. We know that you are going to love the new page- The calendar will be filled with information and , hopefully, the bands and musicians of TUlum will benefit.

Sorry for the disappearance! But we are back!

Well, as you can tell, it has been a long time since my last post. Things have been so amazingly crazy. Wonderful but insane. Posadas, house guests, camping, small Mayan villages, babies being born (in a hammock!!!) more on that later! and so many wonderful nights out in Tulum listening to the great music and talents of Tulum's best!

We have had a wonderful holiday enjoying friends and family, trips to the Sian Ka'an, visiting friends throughout the Yucatan, and living all that Tulum has to offer. We are sorry for not posting all of our adventures. We promise- so many great updates are coming. Enjoy!

This new year kicks off the 2011 music season! I love it. There are amazing performances, Djs bands and happy hours ALL OVER TULUM. Our resolution for 2011 is to bring you the most up to date and wide spread calendar of events in Tulum, Mexico, updated weekly!!!!!!

With so many wonderful shows going on- you will never again sit in your apartment or hotel room and wonder..."I wonder what is going on tonight?" simply go to http://www.tulumliving.com/ and see all of the classes, workshops, performances, Live music and DJ parties that Tulum has to offer.

If you want your events on the Tulum Living Events Calendar email us at TulumLiving@yahoo.com.

Stay tuned as we post more and more about all of the wonderful places in Tulum. A new decade has brought new energy!

See you in Tulum!