Mexico – To Create Sunshine

Chacchoben Ruins, Costa Maya

Published on November 1, 2017April 27, 2019 by Gerri3 Comments

If you are a lover of nature and history, the Chacchoben Ruins are surely not to be missed! Located about 100 miles from the Costa Maya port, south of Cozamel, these three excavated pyramids are surrounded by a lush, tropical jungle filled with an amazing variety of trees and plants.

You can follow a well maintained circular path that leads you to these ancient structures, while a guide gives you a wealth of information about the Mayans ancient religion and customs. You cannot climb the pyramids, but there are stairs to climb to a raised area with a very impressive view of the area below.

Truly, I was as fascinated by the beauty of the massive trees and lush jungle as I was by the ancient pyramids. The Spanish moss and Palm trees not only offer inviting shade, but also enhance the majesty of the pyramids. The combination of nature and history creates an awe inspiring harmony that leads you to imagine what life would have been like for the Mayan civilization of so long ago.

I think I would have been content to just wonder the path and relish in the magnificence of this amazing, tropical, jungle. I am not aware of the age of some of these trees, but by the size of the trunks, I would think they had been there quite awhile.

If you choose to visit these amazing ruins, remember you are in a jungle and you might want some bug repellent for the mosquitoes. There is some walking involved, and I think it would be rather warm and humid in the heat of summer. Our visit was in October, and while there were a few mosquitoes, I found the weather to be fairly comfortable.

Being an avid nature lover, history buff and photography fan, this magnificent archeological site turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip.

“Wherever you go, Go with all your heart.” – Confucius

Hope you all have the opportunity to satisfy an adventurous spirit. – xxoo Gerri

The Beaches of Isla Mujeres

Published on June 13, 2017April 27, 2019 by Gerri2 Comments

Imagine sitting on the beach and gazing off into the turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. I can’t think of anything more relaxing and tranquil than doing just that.

While visiting Isla Mujeres, an island across the the Bay of Mujeres from Cancun, I was fortunate to have several days of relaxing on the beach and soaking in the incredible soft hues of the amazingly clear and tranquil waters.

Not only is the water an amazing color of blue, the beaches are as pristine and white as you could hope to find.

There are a wide variety of beaches to visit around the island, all beautiful. We spent most of our time at Playa Norte, near downtown. It was easy access for us, just a short five minute drive in our golf cart from our little casita. It is also just a brief walk from the ferry if you are visiting the island for just the day.

We found during the week, if you go over on the side near Mia Reef Resort, you get less traffic from day visitors. However, we did not cross the bridge to the Mia Reef Resort. Although it appears to be a lovely all inclusive resort, it is rather costly for a day visit to their private beach.

We chose to stay at the lovely Villa San Miguel. After several years of resort vacations, we wanted to experience a more authentic feel for staying on the island. So often when you are in a resort, it is so lovely and relaxing you just stay in the resort. Not that there is anything wrong with that! However, our goal for this trip was to get out and experience what it might be like if we were to purchase property on the island.

We enjoyed zooming around the island in our rented golf cart, and we actually visited the local grocery stores and made our own breakfast each day! ( My husband is a fabulous cook!) We had hoped to try grilling some fresh fish at our little casita, however, we found the grounds did not provide a grill for us to use.

Renting our golf cart allowed us to explore the island extensively. The lee side of the island, facing a view of Cancun, has numerous beautiful, sandy beaches. The east side of the island, facing the Caribbean, is more rocky, but beautiful to gaze upon. Many gorgeous private homes are on this side of the island.

Breathtaking views can be found at the southern tip of the island. Here lies the home of Punta Sur and Garrafon Reef Park. To get there, you must take a taxi or rent a golf cart, but it is well worth the brief journey! Punta Sur hosts beautiful and unique rocky cliff formations. For a small fee you may enter the sculpture garden which entry to this allows you a closer views of the rocky cliffs and Cancun across the bay.

To Create Sunshine Isla Mujeres — View of Cancun from Isla Mujeres

If you do make the drive to visit Punta Sur, I highly recommend taking the easterly road back to town. You get to see the many beautiful villas and the views are amazing!

If you are seeking natural beauty in a peaceful, casual, slower paced island setting, Isla Mujeres should be on your list! Whether you choose one of the fabulous all-inclusive hotels or choose a quaint villa for your stay, I do not think the Island of Women will disappoint!

Wishing you safe travels wherever you go – xxoo- Gerri

*Original photos by To Create Sunshine – For more photos of the beautiful Isla Mujeres and other amazing places you may follow me on Instagram @tocreatesunshine

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Colorful and Exotic Isla Mujeras

Published on May 16, 2017April 27, 2019 by GerriLeave a comment

Beautiful and tranquil Isla Mujeres is a slice of paradise in the Carribean Sea. A small island, only five miles in length, surrounded by amazing turquoise blue water and filled with pristine white sandy beaches. Isla Mujeres is just a brief ferry ride across the Bay of Mujeres (Bay of Women) from Cancun, yet so very different from Cancun. If Cancun is Miami, than Isla Mujeres is a smaller, more quaint version of Key West. Cancun is a huge, metropolitan city filled with beautiful beaches, shopping and nightlife. Isla Mujeres offers a much slower, laid back island pace. Imagine your days lounging on the beach or snorkeling in the nearby coral reefs. Evenings are spent wandering Avenue Hidaigo with it’s many Mexican marcados and street cafes.

The Mexican Marcado on Avenue Hidaigo

Many visitors come from Cancun each day, but Isla Mujeras is truly a destination in itself. If you plan to stay on Isla Mujeras, there is a wide range of luxury hotels, all inclusives, and villas to choose from. For our visit this year, we chose a charming casita near downtown complete with a pool area and incredible view of the Carribean Sea.

GETTING THERE

If you are flying into Cancun, and plan to stay on the island, you will want to prearrange for transport from the airport to the ferry that will take you across the bay to Isla Mujeras. Have your transport take you to the ferry, where for $10 US you can purchase your ticket to cross the Bay of Mujeres to paradise.

The ferry will drop you off right in the heart of downtown. You will find yourself on the main boulevard filled with red taxi’s, scooters and golf carts zooming by. From there, you catch a taxi to your hotel, or if you’re staying downtown, you can transport your own bags the short distance to your hotel. Some hotels are right down the beach within easy walking distance. Others are a bit further. I would want to have a pretty good idea of the location of your hotel if you are planning on walking with your bags, however, you see many people doing this all the time.

View of the downtown area from the ferry

One of the fun things about Isla Mujeras is zipping around the five mile island in your rented golf cart. We had prearranged to rent our golf cart for the length of our stay. One of our party walked to pick up the golf cart while the rest of us waited at the ferry with our bags. Once we had our cart, it was less than a five minute ride to our little casita.

Villa San Miguel

Thank you for stopping by for a quick view of Isla Mujeres. I will be returning with more to share about this beautiful island across from Cancun and more photos of the beautiful beaches. xxoo Gerri

Tag: Mexico