What's the latest scoop?
Weather warms up as we move to the summer and lobster festivals throughout July.
No Events
Visiting Chetumal, Mexico: Things To Do If you are traveling from Mexico into Belize – on your way from Cancun or Merida, or Tulum, Holbox, or Playa Del Carmen, you are going to pass thru (or over) Chetumal Mexico. Also true if you are going in the other direction. Chetumal is the largest city onKeep reading »
ADO Mexico runs an overnight bus service from Belize City to Cancun and one from Belize City to Merida. I took the first about 3 years ago – a bit more. And I HATED it…I was miserable and cold and cranky and it took me a few days to recover. I vowed to NEVER doKeep reading »
Last week I flew to Merida, the capital of the Yucatan state in Mexico, with Tropic Air. An hour and a half flight from Belize City and I was totally digging the culture, the history, the art, the architecture, the shopping, the buzz…just being in a large city. I ate often in Merida and IKeep reading »
Perhaps a lazy Saturday blog…pictures rather than words…but not really. Merida, Mexico is a beautiful colonial city FOR SURE. But what sets it apart from Antigua, Guatemala or Puebla, Mexico or the other beautiful colonial cities of Latin America (and what links it to Belize) is the Maya – both past and present. Merida wasKeep reading »
I LOVE a city. I moved to Belize from Manhattan, New York – certainly one of the biggest and most exciting cities on earth. A move that I do not regret in any way. (Though I wouldn’t mind if my corner bagel shop, Murray’s, opened a branch in San Pedro, Belize.) I knew thatKeep reading »
Merida, Mexico is one amazing city. And now, the trip from Belize City to Merida, Mexico is fast, direct and easy. Yesterday, I was lucky enough to be on board the very first commercial flight to Merida with Tropic Air. And I have the certificate (and the gorgeous photos) to prove it. Super exciting. SomewhatKeep reading »
Opened in December 2012 for the end of the world as allegedly predicted by the Mayans (obviously the backers of this project weren’t believers), this modern gorgeous museum stands right in the midst of the Cancun’s jam packed hotel zone. And is jam packed with awesome Mayan art work, jewelry and sculpture. I meanKeep reading »
I am back in San Pedro. Rhode Island to Cancun to Belize never seened like such a long trip. Yippeee! It does feel very good to be home. Particularly since I was somewhat holed up in Cancun for three nights (I know, I know…it could be so much worse) with this hard-to-shake cold. Three days inKeep reading »
I often hear from people that they hate Cancun. “I SO would not go there ever again.” But the more I visit (I’m guessing I’ve been here at least 15 times), the more I like Cancun. The better it gets. But first a few simple warnings. Cancun is NOT the place to visit if youKeep reading »
I’ll repeat it because it is so true. For such a small island (barely 5 miles in length), Isla Mujeres has some amazingly delicious eats. It CERTAINLY helps that almost everything tasty that can be grown is grown in Mexico. It’s a huge populous country with all sorts of altitudes and abundant sunshine. As IKeep reading »
For such a small island (less than 5 miles in length and pretty much a stones throw in width), Isla Mujeres, Mexico has some amazing restaurants, street food and ice cream at really reasonable prices. Your selection is big. With over 1 million tourists coming onto the island each year, a place is going toKeep reading »
In my first post about Isla Mujeres, Mexico, I documented my first morning (well until 10am) on the island. I started on the north side in El Centro where most tourists (including me) stay. I took a taxi to the middle of the island (where many residents live) and then continued south to see theKeep reading »
When guide books refer to both San Pedro, Belize AND Isla Mujeres, Mexico, they often start with a phrase like “Once a sleepy fishing village…”. But I don’t think that is all these two islands have in common. GRANTED, I’ve lived in San Pedro for almost 7 years and I’ve been on Isla MujeresKeep reading »
I’ve been on this trip many times before…traveling by boat or plane to the bus up the Yucatan peninsula either for vacation or to take an interenational flight. And each time it strikes me how many amazing places are SO close to Belize. We are pretty lucky. The world’s most gorgeous beach is hereKeep reading »
This is one of my most frequently asked questions and my post on the trip from Belize City to Cancun on the overnight bus is one of my most read.It’s just a fact. Flying into Cancun is usually so much cheaper than flying to Belize City. There are so many more direct flights, the airportKeep reading »
I am home at last! My journey back from Providence, Rhode Island took me to Dulles Airport, Washington, DC to Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen for a night’s stay and then finally back home to San Pedro. More about that trip (at least the Mexico part) later.But I do love an international airport that decoratesKeep reading »
Who knew? November 20th is a public holiday in Mexico…Day of the Revolution. And I awoke this morning to beating drums…one of my favorite sounds. A parade!LOTS of school kids on this drizzly morning celebrating sports, culture and the revolution! And all singing “Sexy Gangnam Style” in Spanish unison. Very cute. My favorite…the guys whoKeep reading »
In my last post, I flew to Corozal, hopped the border to Chetumal, checked into the Hotel Noor and visited Walmart, the mall and the (blech) Free Zone.To enter the Free Zone (or the area between the two borders) from the Mexico side, you need to go through Mexican immigration. While there, we decided toKeep reading »
I am not a great shopper. Perhaps my attention span is too short. But I know people that travel from San Pedro to Chetumal, Mexico with huge empty suitcases and return packed to the gills with groceries and merchandise after a marathon day of shopping all over town. I can usually last about one hourKeep reading »
There is plenty to love about Tulum, Mexico (and I have gushed about it all before)…but #1? The amazing, amazing beach. You can read about it here: Best Beach in the World. and I’ve visited and talked about the cool Mayan ruins before… But I didn’t make it to either on this trip. I wasKeep reading »
I’m not sure how useful the information about travelling from San Pedro, Belize to Medellin, Colombia is. Surely it’s not one of the most popular routes in Central/South America. But you never know. Colombia seems to be the new place to travel. And even though I’ve only been here a few hours, I think I’mKeep reading »
I’m back home now in San Pedro, Belize after an amazing trip to Mexico. Super fun. Here are some random things that I saw while I was away…Mexico rocks.What is not funny about this? (side street Tulum, Mexico) The items that don’t translate so appealingly into English…(Cancun Walmart) Though “Leche de Burra” doesn’t really screamKeep reading »
My pictures from yesterday prove it to be true: the beach in Tulum is just over the top glorious. Perfection. Day Two wasn’t so bad either… Lodging is plentiful in this area of Mexico. There are tons of very cute hotels on the beach. You can camp or rent a sand floor, wind cooled cabanaKeep reading »
I’m not going to call it “one of the world’s best beaches” anymore and I’m just going to name it THE BEST. Tulum, Mexico’s beach is absolute perfection. I don’t see what could make a beach better. Powdery pinkish white sand that never gets hot sloping down to the perfect warm ocean, never crowded, linedKeep reading »
After an unexpectedly AWESOME time in Cancun (swimming with whale sharks, releasing baby turtles and 25 cent Hass avocados set a new high bar for me), our week at the Royal Sands Cancun was over. Good bye view from my balcony… Good-bye mega-hotel with the insane army of ever friendly employees…(here they are mobilizedKeep reading »
When my friends asked me if I wanted to use their (quickly expiring) time share in Cancun, I’ll admit…I was a tiny bit hesitant. Firstly, the words “time share” send a shiver down my spine…aggressive sales men hunting me all week…resort organized mixers? Not my thing.Second…Cancun? Sure I planned a trip to the Yucatan forKeep reading »
This blog is not called CancunScoop (and never will be!) but this set-up on the Yucatan seems almost unfair. The Cancun, Mexico area hit some sort of vacation jackpot. Not only do they have insane beaches and weather but within an hour’s travel some of the worlds best ancient ruins (Uxmal and Chichen Itza forKeep reading »
Beautiful one for a very early start. In a few minutes we are getting picked up from our hotel… to truck it over to Isla Holbox. Pronounced with the Mexican-Mayan X = “Sh”…or Holbosh. Supposedly the whale sharks are in a veritable frenzy between Holbox and Contoy feasting on plankton and algae. NOT human flesh.Keep reading »
One of the best things about travelling or relocating to a new country is eating and drinking. Trying every new thing that you can. Honestly, is there a better way to get to know a different culture? As you may know, I’m in Cancun. More “Bubba Gump’s All You Can Eat Shrimp Buffet” and McDonald’sKeep reading »
I’d been to Cancun a few times in my 20s and had never fallen in love. Packed with drunken gringos, annoying kids, food chain restaurants and a total lack of all things Mexican…it was great if you could get a long weekend there for $200 but for anymore? I always picked somewhere else.BUT…I have learnedKeep reading »
One of my favorite parts about visiting the Yucatan is the cenotes. Cenotes are sink holes in the limestone that exposes the fresh ground water underneath. They are part of a huge system of underground caves and rivers. They seem to be almost everywhere. And some are much better than others.(Interesting trivia fact: TheKeep reading »
I really don’t know what could make the beaches south of Playa Del Carmen down to Tulum more beautiful. The sand is pinkish white, perfect…it never gets hot. The water is aqua blue, softly sloping and incredibly clear. I mean, seriously. Look at our view from our campsite. But, as usual, we need to backKeep reading »
About half an hour north and then half an hour east of Chetumal is the small beach town of Mahahual, Mexico. The town was almost totally levelled in August of 2007 when Hurricane Dean (my first real hurricane experience on San Pedro) made a direct hit as a Category 5. Situated at the northern endKeep reading »
Lake Bacalar, just 25 miles north of Chetumal, is incredibly close to San Pedro and is incredibly beautiful. Looking out over the lake, it is hard to believe that it is fresh water and not the Carribbean. Bacalar is the second largest fresh water lake in Mexico (the largest is Lake Chalapa southeast of Guadalajara), theKeep reading »
Take a look at a map of Central America – the area seems relatively small. But travelling around quickly, cheaply and easily is almost impossible. If you want to fly to other Central American countries from Belize, you really only have two options. You can fly to Flores or Guatemala City, Guatemala (neither very farKeep reading »
