Tepoztlán - Pueblo Mágico

The one thing that always comes to my mind when I think of Mexico is how colorful it is. Indeed, every street corner, every graffiti, every shop you see is a like a burst of color and imagination. One such place which soothes the tired eyes of city dwellers is Tepoztlán, a town in the Mexican state of Morelos. It was named as one of the “Pueblo Mágicos” or magical village by Mexico’s Secretariat of Tourism. Tepoztlán is known for mainly two things, the ruins of an old temple/pyramid to the Aztec god Tepoztecatl, and the amazing ice creams that you can find there.

The pyramid on Tepozteco was built for the god of the alcoholic beverage pulque. It is a steep climb up the mountain, but once you do manage to reach the top the view is simply amazing. Just in case you are planning to go hiking up the mountain top, just make sure it isn’t too sunny, keep hydrating yourself and you should be fine.  

Image courtesy: wikipedia.com 

Now for the ice creams: You find them in a variety of flavors and colors and you will definitely be spoilt for choice. From the simple flavors like chocolate, lemon, and vanilla, to the exotic flavors like Rompope, Mezcal, and Angel’s Kiss. There are street vendors who sell these ice creams and also proper establishments like Tepoznieves (a very famous ice cream shop), with its colourful décor and crazy ice cream menu.

The third and ‘absolutely-must’ thing that you should do when in Tepoztlán is shop. You can find a variety of products from clothes, shoes, skin care products, to artistically designed house decoration items at really affordable prices. This is certainly one of the go to places when you are doing your souvenir shopping.

Last but not the least a good place to eat at. There are a number of good restaurants in Tepoztlán, but Los Colorines takes the cake in the restaurant section. With its bright and colorful décor, amazing menu, and quick service it is an absolute favorite of mine. Vegetarians will not be disappointed. 

Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is a beautiful city, in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico.  Located along the Caribbean sea, this city is a popular tourist destination. PDC is regarded as the calmer and more relaxed beach as compared to Cancun. It has its fair share of night clubs and pubs on the 5^th Avenue, and streets flooding with tourists, but unlike Cancun, the beaches are easily accessible and cleaner.

There is a huge budget store located at the corner of the 5^th Avenue, across the ADO bus stand, where you can shop to your heart’s content, you can find everything from magnets to premium tequila bottles, beautiful sombreros (broad-brimmed hats traditionally worn in Mexico) to funky t-shirts at reasonable prices. Among the numerous pubs, the Blue Parrot happens to be favorite for tourists and locals alike. The pub is located on the beach and you can enjoy your drinks while watching spectacular shows organized by the pub.

While in Quinatana Roo it makes more sense in staying in PDC because it is located strategically from the other tourist destinations like Cancun, Tulum, and the ecological parks of Xcaret and Xplor. It has a good public transport system which is both cheap and safe. The people speak English so you don’t necessarily need to speak Spanish. 

Captain Hook

Cancun is one of the most hyped destinations in Mexico, and rightly so. When we visited Cancun this March, it was full of spring breakers partying and enjoying the Caribbean to the fullest. Cancun is known for its amazing night-life and beach parties. But one thing that you should not miss out on is the Captain Hook (Pirate ship) cruise that runs almost every day in Cancun.

The experience is a sheer delight. The moment you enter the harbor where the ship is docked you see pirates, the funny ones and the angry ones, pretty mermaids, and of course the skeletons of the dead pirates sitting on canons.

Once on board you are greeted with drinks from the open bar and dance performances by the pirates and the mermaids. All this is followed by a series of games conducted by Captain Hook himself. But this cruise is not only about games and fun; you get to witness a fight between two pirate ships, the Captain Hook and the Jolly Roger. There are sword fights, canon fires, rope tricks, and of course the grand finale. While you are booking the tickets you get a choice to select either the Lobster dinner or the New York Steak. Personally, I felt it made more sense to go for the Lobster because, you are on a pirate ship, cruising the Caribbean, lobsters definitely make more sense. Get set for a pirate ship cruise and chant “Aye-Aye Captain!”