Ocean Coral and Turquesa

Ocean Coral and Turquesa is a beautiful resort located about 20 minutes away from Cancun International Airport.  It is about 30 minutes south of Cancun and 30 minutes north of Playa del Carmen, so guests have several fun options if they want to get off the property.  Keep in mind, however, that taxi fares can be rather costly.  As always, photos first and then the review.  Enjoy.  Return to Mexican Resorts. Ocean Coral and Turquesa Fact Sheet Size:  Ocean Coral and Turquesa offers 591 rooms/suites, a large variety of restaurants, four beautiful… Read More

Day 110: Bungee Trampoline

Occasionally, we take our Fridays and visit nearby resorts, photographing them, writing reviews, and experiencing all they have to offer.  While it may be “work”, we still find ways to have fun! Here are Danny and Katie, flying high on the Bungee Trampoline.  The age limit was 12.  You tell me, is that fair? Now, my true confession.  I love adventure and trying new things.  I would have done this in a heartbeat.  Truth be told, I love seeing my kids be adventurous and try new things as well, especially when they… Read More

Day 107: Sun Setting Over Playacar

Some of our best family memories are created when we take time to walk to the beach.  We sit and watch the kids swim and splash in the turquoise blue water while the sun melts into the sea. This is the sun setting over our beach in Playacar tonight.  It was just stunning.  No matter how long we’ve been here, this site never feels repetitive or boring.  We’re so thankful for this experience and just wanted to share it with you tonight.  Buenas noches todos!

VBS!

We found a church that we really like and are going to go to from now on.  From the very first day, everyone was so friendly; they all came up an introduced themselves.  The Pastor had just started a new series: Parables.  All of us loved the church and felt at home there.  We’ve been going there ever since. About a week after we first came to that church (The Lighthouse Church), they had a VBS which we volunteered to help with.  It lasted from Thursday to Sunday, but we were only… Read More

Azul Fives

Azul Fives is a family-friendly beach resort located about ten minutes north of central Playa del Carmen.  Photos first and then our thoughts/reviews below.  Back to Mexican Resorts.   Size:  Azul Fives offers 360 contemporary suites, 4 gourmet restaurants, and a Vassa Spa and Fitness Center. Star Level:  In terms of service and overall property, we would rate Azul Fives a solid 4.5 star.  It is a beautiful resort.  This rating, however, is based on two separate site inspections of about two hours each.  We have not yet stayed throughout the day,… Read More

Day 101: Rainy Day Fun

Day 101 and we now call this home, at least for the next six weeks.  We have been blessed with friends, a great church, and a lovely new home in a safe neighborhood.  An added bonus is this fantastic pool that is steps away from our patio, so the kids have been enjoying a ton more time in the pool. This has also been a wonderful home in which to entertain, as it has a gas grill and cozy spaces inside.  Many dinners have been enjoyed around the table, learning about this new… Read More

Azul Beach, 2014

Azul Beach is a family-friendly Karisma resort located in about 25 minutes south of Cancun International Airport.  This property is especially good for families with young children.  As always, photos first followed by my review.  Back to Mexican Resorts. Azul Beach:  Fact Sheet Size:  Azul Beach has 148 rooms and suites, which include standard deluxe rooms, Jacuzzi junior suites, honeymoon suites, swim up suites, and more. Star Level:  We would rate this property a 4 star.  This is based on two site inspection visits of less than two hours each, so please… Read More

Three Months: Mexican Independence Day Celebration!

We arrived in Mexico exactly three months ago, on June 16th.  We can hardly believe we’ve been living abroad for that long already.  The time has passed so quickly, we have experienced so much, and we have made some lifelong friends.  What an adventure this has already been, and we haven’t even left North America yet.  We look forward to all that is ahead. Here are a few shots from our Independence Day celebrations in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.  The fiesta started at 10pm and continued on long into the night.  We… Read More

TBEX Opening Night at Xcaret

For my Blogger Friends:  This was the TBEX Opening Night Fiesta at Xcaret.  Thanks to Xcaret for hosting a lovely evening with dinner, drinks, and a spectacular show!  A very special thanks to Iliana for making us feel so warmly welcomed!

Treasures of Xcaret – Photo Blog

We wanted to do something really special for Ryan’s 13th birthday.  When subtly trying to uncover what he most wanted to do, we were surprised to discover that he wanted nothing more than to float deep down in an underground river!  For whatever reason, this was the experience he was longing for. At about the same time, our Spanish teacher surprised us with six free passes to Xcaret, since her husband works there.  We couldn’t believe the timing!  And so we surprised Ryan by spending the whole day here.  While there are… Read More