Mini break to the Caribbean coast of Mexico? Don’t mind if I do!
It’s hard to turn down a trip to white sand, blue sea, and sunsets over the beach, but while a trip to the secluded parts of the Quintana Roo coastline used to be something that backpackers managed after several hours in a coach, the tourism scene is now drastically different. You needn’t spend a day in buses to get to your destination, as the transport links are much improved. Moreover, the top-quality resorts are built well away from the built-up areas and therefore offer pick-up and drop off services from the nearest airport.
You may consider the move to gentrify this state a shame, in which case there are still plenty of cabañas to set up camp in for a long weekend, but they often come with outdoor showers and other “hippy-style” amenities that put the glamour in glamping. For most people this is a happy middle ground as it means, at a reasonable cost, you can feel close to nature without actually foregoing all the creature comforts you really do need. There’s a difference between going a long weekend without your straighteners and four days without running water after all!
The even better news is that the area, while still largely unpopulated, has seen the creation of a handful of luxury solutions for those of us that wouldn’t dream of sleeping on the beach but wouldn’t mind a boat hole somewhere very close.
If you want a luxurious place to spend a couple of nights but don’t want to spend time hotel hopping to get the best deals, Finest Playa Mujeres’ special offers include rooms that overlook an expansive pool and have easy access to secluded parts of the famous turquoise waters. This is the kind of quality that really resonates if you only have 72 hours to enjoy some sun and want somewhere accessible from Cancun airport.
To get to the beautiful Playa Mujeres or even to go beyond and reach the bluest waters the simplest way is to rent a car and drive to them. Escape the hotel complexes that start around Cancun and go beyond Tulum, there is a lake called Laguna Bacalar is just outside of Chetumal that neighbours the Caribbean with the same characteristic white sand along the waterbed and clear water. This is a great place to start before venturing to the archaeological sites if you have time.
A mini-break usually means more relaxing than site-seeing however, so the best activities to plan for your time away are good nights’ sleep and spa treatments. There’s nothing worse than spending 3 nights away at the beach only to come home feeling more exhausted than when you left, so a trip to a spa salon is ideal. If you can get treatments at the hotel it’s more convenient, but if not, one of the best tips ever given is to get a massage just before hopping on a plane home. The 22.11 spa is one of the closest to the airport and after a bit of pampering (and a glass of wine on board) you’ll drop off to sleep to wake up in your local airport feeling refreshed.
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