Happy New Year! We wish all of our readers a wonderful 2022!
We know that the last few years have been more than challenging for all of us. As we say goodbye to 2021, and a fresh year dawns, we are optimistic that it will be better than the last.
We are still getting lots of messages asking about the current state of COVID in Puerto Morelos. So here is the latest.
Mexico is one of the most popular travel destinations right now because it is one of the few places in the world that you can travel to with relative ease since Covid started. Puerto Morelos is no exception.
Quintana Roo has been working very hard to stop the spread of the virus including the new omicron variant. Our state has been handling Covid on a stoplight system. Under “red” everything except grocery stores and pharmacies shut down. We then moved to “orange” which loosened a few things. In September we moved to “yellow” which was very good news for us because it meant we could go to the beach again and other restrictions were lifted. In November we moved to “green”, where we have remained since then. The Governor of the state of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquin, does an update every Thursday which he live-streams on Twitter.ย
“Green” means that we are at low risk. This also means that the following are open at 100%: the beach, restaurants, gyms, bars, shops, etc. This doesn’t mean that there are not still COVID protocols in place.
Following are the rules in place at this time. It may seem like a lot, but you will find they are very similar to what you are used to at home (except the sticky mat, we are not sure what that is all about).
Here’s what you can expect when you visit Puerto Morelos during Covid:
You must wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth when you are within 1.5 meters (5 feet) of other people.
You must wear a mask when you enter and are standing inside any business.
You can take your mask off only when seated in a resturant or bar
When entering a business you will have your temperature checked, gel your hands, and wipe your feet on a disinfectant floor mat.
You should practice social distancing as much as possible
You must self isolate and get tested should you come down with any of the symptoms of Covid-19.
You must wear a mask inside public transport (ie Taxis, buses, collectivos)
The number one question we get is… “Do I have to wear a mask when I go to the beach?” You should wear a mask when you are walking to the beach if you are near people. Once you are at the beach, most people take their masks off as long as they stay at least 1.5 meters away from other people, outside of your family/group. Our beach is very large making it very easy to social distance.
Do you have to wear a mask when you are walking around the town? You are supposed to wear your mask anytime you are off your property, but most people only wear one when other people are nearby.
You must wear a mask when entering or walking around a restaurant/bar. You must also have a temperature check, gel your hands, and walk through a disinfectant mat when entering an establishment. You can only remove your mask when you are seated. If you stand up for any reason, you must put your mask back on. You may be required to order some food with your drinks, it is a town law that restaurants/bars are following so that they can be open. Please check with each establishment to see what their policy is before you order. Many restaurants and bars have had to pay heavy fines for trying to bend these rules, so please don’t blame the owners. It is not up to them, it is up to the government. Also, restaurants/bars must be closed and dark by 11:00 pm. Now there is an exception to this rule, some places have paid extra fees to the government to stay open later. If you are arriving late to an establishment you may want to check their closing hours before you order.
Now you know what to expect when you arrive in Puerto Morelos. We think you will find that it is probably not much different from your hometown. Being a small town, with lots of wide-open spaces and fresh air, we do believe that you can have a very nice vacation in Puerto Morelos this winter. We and the whole town will be very happy to see you!
And if you would like to join us this winter, we have had a very RARE cancellation at Casa de los Viajeros. Suite #3is now open from February 23 to March 16, 2022. If you are interested, contact us today!
This marks our 19th Christmas in Puerto Morelos. This photo was taken of us during our first holiday season here. We remember it like it was yesterday, we ran down to the beach with some tinsel, our camera, a tripod, (this was pre-selfie days) and did our best to get a photo to send home to our families on a rather windy December day. We look so young! (and Rob had not figured out where to get his hair cut yet).
Though the years we haven’t missed snow for a minute and have always enjoyed the holidays in Puerto Morelos. We look forward to spending many more winters here with palm trees instead of pine trees.
Although we miss our families up north, we enjoy being with the wonderful friends we have made here. We are lucky to have a large group of amigos that treat us like family, an experience visitors get a taste of when they visit our little village. The town is such a warm place to live, and we’re not just talking about the weather. The people of Puerto Morelos have a generosity in them that you don’t find in many places. It makes us proud to be part of this community.
Even the pelicans are friendly!
In return, we try to bring the best of Puerto Morelos to you on our website. Our goal is to let you know what is going on and what to expect when you arrive, making it easy for you to slide into an trouble-free vacation here.
In 2022 we will continue to try to keep you up to date on town news. For such a small village, we have an dizzing number of restaurants and experiences. Things can change quickly and we want you to know what to expect when you arrive. Our most popular pages seem to be:
Our Blog Posts and Town Updates are also very popular. Our most recent December Town Update had a record number of non-hurricane related hits. (We do tend to get an incredible amount of traffic when we report on a storm)
There is a lot to cover, and we will continue to do our best. We run InPuertoMorelos.com on our own time and at our own expense, without compensation from any of the businesses we highlight. Our motive is to help people who are visiting our town enjoy their stay. We do have our own vacation rentals at Casa de los Viajeros which we promote on this website.
As we approach another difficult holiday season for many of us, we hope that you can carry the warmth and spirit of Puerto Morelos with you wherever you are. 2021 was an extremely challenging year both business-wise and personally for us, as it has been for lots of folks. May the New Year bring everyone happiness and joy. We hope that you have a safe and wonderful holiday season and that we will see you soon in Puerto Morelos.
December 2021: At long last, an update from your favourite town in the Mexican Caribbean, Puerto Morelos. We have so much news to share with you! It’s too much for one post, so we will spread it out over a few.
Hope you are doing well wherever you are! Puerto Morelos has been quiet, and yet very busy at the same time over the summer. Where to begin? We’ve got SO MANY new restaurants to share with you, and some other news. Our vacation rentals at Casa de los Viajeros are filling up nicely, but we still have some openings for you! Please contact us for more details.
For Puerto Morelos news, let’s start with the obvious.
The new square finally opened to the public on May 19, 2021. The destruction of the old square and the subsequent difficult months dealing with the heart of the town surrounded by two fences while the construction progressed was very tough. It was a great relief to everyone when the fences finally came down and people could stroll through the centre of town again.
New Public Bathrooms!
Because of the way the new square was handled, it will likely remain a controversial topic in town for a while, but it looks like it’s been pretty much embraced by the public. The kids LOVE the new playground, and as events return to the big new amphitheatre it will be embraced more. The public bathrooms being re-opened are also very welcome. We are wondering what happened to the public WiFi though, and why the new clock that was added more recently is stuck permanently at 5:45.
Construction on Ave Rojo Gomez
As we write this, Avenue Rojo Gomez, our “main drag” where all the restaurants are located that we are going to tell you about in this post, is being ripped up and repaved with stamped concrete. So far the work has gone quite quickly and looks very nice, but there is still a lot left to be done and the Christmas break is coming.
The work was required so that our water company could upgrade their pipes. After they finish their work, other crews are pouring concrete and stamping it as a replacement for the potholed asphalt we used to have. It will look similar to the roads around the square when it is finished.
We could type for a long time and never cover all the new restaurants in town. If you have been away from PM for more than a year, some places have opened and then closed in your absence! For this update, we will focus on the main road in town on the beach side, Rojo Gomez. Come walk with us!
Starting at the square and working our way north, first up is yet another T@cos dot com. There are now three T@cos dot com in Puerto Morelos. Yes, we have two gas stations, two Chedrauis, two OXXO’s beach side, and three T@cos dot com. The new one is over the new jewellery store on the northwest side of the square. It shares a menu, and I believe a kitchen with another T@cos dot com location across the street (can we call it #2?). The “original” T@cos dot com, now labelled as such with a funky neon sign remains as well. (We’ll call it #1)
There is also My Little Italy at the top of the street, selling Italian pizza and pasta.
Moving north on the east (beach side) of the street, we had a big taco place called “Taqueria Los Chachalacos”. They are a small chain restaurant with locations in Cancun and Tulum. We mentioned them in our Town Update in the spring. I say “had” because they have since closed. They promise to be back soon, but the rumour mill says they are done in Puerto Morelos.
Across the street is a brand new restaurant called Penรญnsula. We are hearing very good reviews about this lovely-looking establishment, but have not had a chance to check it out yet. They are serving classic Yucatecan dishes like lime soup, fish tacos, and cochinita pibil but with a contemporary flair.
Photo courtesy of Crepe Street
On the south side of Peninsula is Crepe Street, this is the cafe where diets are broken because they specialize in delicious desserts, crepes and big milkshakes. They have coffee to of course, but you are going to need something sweet too! (You are on vacation after all)
Restaurante Casa Moro is between Peninsula and El Campanario
Beside Penรญnsula, still heading north, is the new El Moro restaurant. Stay with me now, this gets a bit complex. El Moro’s restaurant used to be right in front of their hotel. Now they have opened it on the property next door to them on the north side.
This building, seen here as Franco’s barbershop in 2019, is no more.
To build it, they knocked down a small building that used to be many things, including a phone repair shop, a barbershop (pictured above), a gift shop, and for long-time visitors to Puerto Morelos, “Goyo’s office”. They also renovated an old house that for a few months was a very cool music venue called “Lauro’s” owned by PM’s own rock star, Hector Romero. We first told you about them in our December update. It was a very busy and fun place for a few months. Unfortunately, it closed. We happen to know that Hector will open again a new location soon (more on that later).
But I digress, it is now Restaurante Casa Moro. El Moro has also changed their name to Casa El Moro (from Hotel El Moro and before that, Posada El Moro). They are serving wood-fired pizza and as a grand opening special, 2 X 1 drinks, which is drawing people in.
El Campanario serves up great steaks on Rojo Gomez
Next to El Campanario, a completely new restaurant to tell you about. Icaza has two locations in Cancun, and now one in Puerto Morelos. The space they are in was formerly a gift shop/gallery called “Artisolo”. The shop closed many years ago and the building has sat empty. Now Icaza is serving up breakfast and brunch with some interesting variations on traditional breakfast/brunch favourites.
Fajitas at El Pirata. So Good! Photo courtesy El Pirata
Next to them, you have the venerableCantina Habanero, which is hosting live music again. Across the street areLa Pizza Nostra, known for their pizza, steaks and empanadas, and El Pirata which is now offering Saturday Paella classes for just $200 pesos (which includes the class, paella and sangria!) and the “farm to table” experience at Koox Ich Kool.
Next door is a popular cafe,Las Robles. They have breakfast, salads, vegan choices and coffee of course.
Still moving north, we have The Burger Underground, which has more outdoor seating now and Panna e Cioccolato which will tempt you with gelato and other cafe treats. And across from them is the newRuta 40, a small takeaway place that serves empanadas.
Don Mexkal will keep you up late!
A few steps further north lands you at Don Mexkal. They are hosting live music again in their spacious outdoor garden, and they are the local experts on all things mezcal. They stay open a little later than most places, they have cost us a lot of sleep over the years because we stay there too late, but we always, always have a good time.
A few steps away is a newer place called Che-Itza. They have inexpensive Mexican food.
After them, on the west side of the street, you will find Tanino’s. This restaurant often has music, including our favourite local band The Nobodies.
Are you still with me? Hope so, we have not even gone a block yet!
And about half a block north is now a new little restaurant row that is popping up. Across from Salciccium Food Truck Village, which closed in May, and shows no signs of reopening as a restaurant, is I Wanna Pizza. This local favourite has also been closed for the last year and a half, but the owner is working hard to get it reopened and tells us this should happen any day now.
Lauro’s is back in Puerto Morelos at a new, bigger location on Rojo Gomez
Al la Burger used to be on the south side of I Wanna Pizza. It closed a few months ago and the space has been taken over by… are you ready for this?…. the new Lauro’s! Hector and his team converted the old burger space into a rock and roll stage in record time, and they opened past weekend, picking up exactly where they left off, with food, drink and lots and lots of music. Their new location is much bigger than their previous spot, so there is much more room to rock!
Jalisco House serves up Mexican favourites.
To the north of I Wanna Pizza, there is another new Asian restaurant called Yum Yum Wok. They are serving up made-to-order noodle bowls and more. Their location is where the fish restaurant Tony the Tiger used to be. And next to them is a Mexican restaurant called Jalisco House. They serve tamales, tacos, etc.
The town square is finished! It was completed on May 19, 2021.
And the kids are really enjoying the new playground.
There is even a clock, that is right twice a day.
For those of you that have not been here in a few years due to COVID, you are going to return to a new central square on the beach side of the town.
And right now it has been lit for the holiday season.
Slowly, but surely, activities are starting to return to the square, including the Puerto Morelos Stage Band…
And of course, the artists can be found every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, selling their local art.
The building of the new square was quite controversial as most people were happy with the old one. And we are not here to debate the issue. We just thought we would give, those of you that haven’t seen it, a look at the new square and some of the Christmas decorations.
Until you can get here, enjoy what you have to look forward to on your next trip to Puerto Morelos.
Salsa lessons going on in the new gazebo that is lit for the holidays
Picture yourself here!
There is even a very popular selfie spot!
For the first time in the almost 20 years we have been here, the lighthouse has been lit for Christmas!
We have updated information that you will need for your Puerto Morelos vacation! These pages are constantly being refreshed, so be sure to bookmark them and check back with them frequently.
We are working on a series of town updates which we will try to have for you soon. There have been lots of changes since many of you were here, so many new restaurants, even we have trouble keeping track of all of them!
We have just checked with the taxi drivers here in Puerto Morelos and these are the latest rates. Keep this on hand and always confirm rates before getting into a cab. MORE INFORMATION HERE
Keeping this guide up to date is a full-time job with all of the changes that take place in Puerto Morelos. There are new places opening every week! Check out our guide for the latest. MORE INFORMATION HERE
It looks like it is going to be a very busy season this year. We look forward to seeing you here. If you haven’t booked your vacation rental for this season, we still have a few vacancies, but they are going fast. MORE INFORMATION HERE
This morning was one of “those mornings” we live for here in Puerto Morelos. As you can see, the Caribbean Sea is as calm as a lake and the beach is empty, clean and sooo inviting!
Hope you are planning a trip to Puerto Morelos soon! We still have some space available for fall and winter in our suites at Casa de los Viajeros. Come see us!
This one commemorates the centenary of the death of General Emiliano Zapata Salazar, a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution of 1910โ1920.
The coin is slightly larger than a 10 peso coin and is a dodecagon, meaning it has 12 sides, rather than being round. It’s heavier than any other Mexican coin and also heavier than any coin I had on hand, here’s a comparison:
There will be more commemorative coins on the way, honouring among others, Mexican writer & poet, Ocatvio Paz and the namesake of our town, Josรฉ Marรญa Morelos. Of course, the familiar blue 20 peso bill featuring Benito Juรกrez is still being accepted everywhere in Mexico and will be for many, many years.
Things are great in Puerto Morelos, the town square finally opened and we have so many new restaurants to tell you about! We will have all the details soon in a future post.
Go anywhere in Mexico and you are going to see vehicles on the road that you would never see anywhere else. Beyond the generic white vans and little white cars that seem to make up most of the vehicles in our state, you will find the unique, the unusual and the downright weird. I present to you, some of our favourite cars and trucks we’ve spotted. Most of these are from our town, but a few are from other spots in Mexico. Enjoy!
One of the more unusual vehicles ever to roll in Puerto Morelos, this truck sported a classy palapa roof as a camper. As we recall, the palapa was in good shape, but the truck was not, and its lack of a muffler made it easy to hear it coming. We took this pic back in 2015. I have not spotted it recently.
This truck belonging to Materiales Tauro in the Colonia is a proud survivor of Wilma. Wilma was an especially nasty hurricane that hit us in 2005. It did a lot of damage, but the town sprang back nicely. We took this photo in 2015. Not sure if the truck survived old age as well.
Rob’s first car was a Ford Maverick, so he’s happy to still spot them on occasion in Mexico. Ford only made them for 7 years and stopped making them in 1977, but you can still see one on the streets, or even in car shows. This one was on the cobbled roads of Guanajuato, Mexico.
Whoever loaded this truck deserves an honourary degree in engineering. We assume the boss told him to make one trip, but bring all the produce to town. We took this pic in the Colonia in 2016, but we often see similarly loaded trucks around town.
Volkswagen Beetles are ubiquitous in all parts of Mexico. They are relatively inexpensive, fun and they seem to run forever. We joke that every man, woman and child in Mexico can fix a Beetle. They are also fun to customize, so you will see many versions in Mexico that VW never intended. Volkswagen has a giant factory in Puebla where the last “old” Beetle rolled off the assembly line in 2003. It is still on display there. The “new Beetle” was also built in Puebla. Its last edition was built there in 2019. We spotted this one, with “all-natural” air conditioning on the streets of PM. It looks like a whole lot of fun.
You will also see many Volkswagen Combi vans around Mexico, though most of them don’t smile as big as this one. An actual “clown car”, this one brought a travelling circus to town in 2016.
This vehicle looks perfect for Puerto Morelos! It belongs to a local man who has lived here for many years, so you might just spot it rolling through town.
This pic isn’t so much about the car, but the situation. Back in 2018, the town suddenly moved ahead with its project of redoing all the roads around the square. The road this car drove into town on, no longer existed after it was parked for a few hours. We imagine the driver was just a little bit surprised after having dinner at a nearby restaurant. Not sure how the driver did it, but the car was gone the next day.
We are not sure what was going on at Ojo de Agua Hotel on this day in 2106, but it certainly drew a lot of well-parked police cars!
This truckload of marigolds is for the Day of the Dead celebrations in Michoacรกn. There were many of these trucks overloaded with the most beautiful cargo ever. We were in Patzcuaro for the Day of the Dead in 2015.
This fantastic “5th Beatle Beetle” was spotted in Puerto Morelos.
We’re sharing some of our favourite vehicles as an attempt to “drive” you into coming to Puerto Morelos! ๐ We are now taking vacation reservations for next season. With so many people finally able to travel in 2021, 2022 is looking VERY popular. Contact us today to book your place. We have lots of availability right now if you are missing your favourite beach town.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our website so you never miss a post! Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for exclusive pictures of Puerto Morelos. Fresh photos most every day! Hope to see you soon in Puerto Morelos. Check out our extensive website InPuertoMorelos.com for all the info on your favourite town. Hasta Pronto!!
A big HOLA from your favourite town on the Mexican Caribbean, Puerto Morelos! We’ve had a challenging and interesting spring here. Lots of new stuff to tell you about.
We continue to add new restaurants! Spyder Cafe opened on March 2 and staged its grand opening on March 6. Itโs a small chain that originated in Spain but is now focusing on Mexico. As we mentioned in our last update, they have an unusual concept. They are a combination cafe, bar, rental outlet for cool electric bikes and tattoo parlour. While it is part of a chain, the location is owned by a long-time Puerto Morelian who grew up here. Spyder Cafe already has a location in Tulum and they are planning locations in Playa del Carmen, Cancun and all over Mexico.
The location in Puerto Morelos has proved to be very popular, especially on weekends when they have live music. Their menu leans heavily on big burgers, but they have other food choices too.
Los Chachalacos finally opened on the last day of March. They specialize in tacos and they know their craft well. Importantly, they make their own tortillas right on site, and they have an Al Pastor going all the time. They are still putting the finishing touches on the place, but their abundant staff is ready to serve you. The tacos are served piping hot and almost instant. They have a full bar including cold beer and margaritas. You will find them in the old Don Pepe’s space (if you go back that far) on Rojo Gomez, between The Godfather Jewelry store and the newly-opened Spyder Cafe.
Fun fact: Tacos Al Pastor make me happy!
Not an opening, but a new home for the popular El Campanario. Their new space is on Rojo Gomez, which has become ground zero for Puerto Morelos restaurant options.
The location may be different, but the service, the grill, the sax guy and the bell are all the same.
El Campanario made the move in record time, closing their old restaurant as usual on a Sunday night and opening the following Wednesday for breakfast in their new location. That’s right, they have breakfast now too starting at 8:00 am!
Good news is that they brought their famously over-worked grilled with them, and of course their famous bell. The new space is working out well for them, though not quite as good for Nacho the saxophone player who now has to compete with a lot of other music on Rojo Gomez. Please remember to tip him just before or after you ring the bell.
Photo by El Patio del Campanario
I almost missed that El Campanario has also opened a taco and burger place in the Colonia! It’s called El Patio del Campanario and has opened on Avenue Timรณn, pretty much at the intersection of Av. Timรณn and Calle Chaca (aka Calle Vallarta) That’s the road that goes into the Zona Urbana. It’s just south of Circle K. They are serving tacos, sopes, quesadillas and burgers. They are quite proud of their sauces. It’s all being run by the same family that brought you El Campanario, so you know it’s got to be good. They are open Tuesday to Sunday, from 5:00 PM until 11:00 PM.
Don’t miss The Nobodies at Tanino’s
Perennial favourite Tanino’s restaurant, an excellent choice for food, wine, tranquil setting and music has changed their hours a little. They are now open Thursday through Tuesday, so closed Wednesday night instead of Sunday. They have live music every night, including the very popular duo, The Nobodies on Thursday & Sunday evenings.
Very tranquil setting! (Photo by PECAO fonda de mar)
The big buzz in town in April is a new restaurant in the Colonia. PECAO fonda de maropened April 8, just west of the square in the Colonia. It’s a big, bright and beautiful space, shaded by palms. Seafood is on the menu, including tacos, tostados burritos, fish kibis, fish & chips and more. (We like the sound of the battered shrimp burrito!). They also have vegetarian options.
Owners are Yannick and Gabo, well known in Puerto Morelos. Early reviews of the restaurant are overwhelmingly good. PECAO fonda de mar is open every day from Noon until 7:00 PM.
Workers have expanded the old DK site and added a sundeck. Eventually there will be a roof deck too offering ocean views.
A couple of new places are almost open. The former site of DK restaurant has undergone extensive renovations and the addition of a new deck. There will also eventually be a deck on the roof. The name of the new place will be “El Refugio” and their motto is “In tacos we trust”. They expect to open within a couple of weeks.
Wings Factory, coming soon.
In the highway Chedraui mall, a new wings place has been slowly making progress, we first told you about it in December. It will be called Wings Factory and they will also have burgers and drinks. They say they will be open soon.
Las Palmas in on the south end of Timon in the Colonia.
Lots of new places have opened or are set to open in the Colonia too. We spotted this new cafe on the south end of Timon. It’s called “Las Palmas”. Update: We think this place may be on “pause”It’s not been open in a while and all their tables and chairs are gone. The counter is still there. We’ll keep an eye on it.
New places are also popping up in the mini-mall at the entrance to town on the beachside of the bridge. One that just opened is Puerto’s Corner. They make burgers and wraps. They are open daily from 2:00 PM. We were a bit early when I took the photo. They are right next to the highly-rated La Peskadilla and the rarely open La Penca, which is only open on Sunday and Monday. As you can see in the photo, a new laundromat also opened there.
Centro Quimico
Also in that same strip mall, a new laboratory has opened. It’s called Centro Quimico and they have branches in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. https://centroquimico.com.mx/
It looks like the space beside Chedraui on the beach side that used to be Taqueria Los Tocayos will be opening soon as another jewellery store.
Jesรบs from Merida wants to open his new restaurant by May 15.
Meet Jesรบs. He’s working on his new restaurant which is opening in about 30 days at the south end of town, near the federal dock at the end of Rojo Gomez. It’s going to have lots of outdoor space, and the restaurant will be called “Su Frida”. It will pay homage to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. He’s going to have a wide menu including Mexican food as well as favourites like pizza, pasta and steak. He’s going to have a concept that is very popular in other parts of Mexico, where you order a drink and a free snack will appear. We’ll keep an eye on it and let you know when it’s open.
Back on the square in Puerto Morelos, believe it or not, [email protected] has opened another location. They are in the newly completed space above the high-pressure jewelry store on the northwest corner of the square. That means that we now have three [email protected] within a few metres of each other on Rojo Gomez. The new space is very big and bright and will have a nice view of the new square when it’s completed.
The new square is looking good. This photo was taken on the northeast corner of the square. That’s the gazebo on the left side of the picture, which is surrounded by partially shaded seating. That white building on the right side of the photo is washrooms.
They are still pouring concrete on the east side of the square. You can see the gazebo and shaded seating well. A lot of the old trees were saved, and many new palms have been planted.
The new square is coming along. We were all kind of hoping it would be done by Easter, but it was not to be. The part that is done looks very nice. We’re all anxious to get our square back. Click any photo for a full screen view.
This view is from the south end of the square, looking north. The new square features a big new playground. Fun for kids and the occasional, over-served adult.
Our new square at night. You can catch this view from La Sirena Restaurant. Photo by Anthony – La Sirena
The whole town is happy to have our big PM sign back. The sign disappeared during the latter part of hurricane season, we assume out of fear that it would be damaged. It finally reappeared, freshly painted, in mid-March. Here’s a look at the finished product.
Much needed patchwork was recently done on our pathway between the Colonia and the beach, and a completely new, heavy duty sidewalk was finished on the opposite side of the road. The pathway is very popular and important to the town, used daily by tourists, workers commuting to their jobs and exercise buffs trying to work off too many tacos. Some patchwork has been done of the tortured asphalt of Niรฑos Heroes too, but much work remains to be done.
In other local news, the local collectivo raised their rates to 10 pesos from 8.
A new tattoo parlour has also opened in town. This is “Feel Ink Art Tattoo“. They already have a location in Playa del Carmen. They opened at the end of March. The place is on Rafael Melgar, across from Hacienda Morelos Hotel. They are decorating their locale right now with very intricate murals.
Visitors leaving Quintana Roo now have a few things to think about when they leave our state. First, they must figure out how to pack everything into that carry-on bag they brought. Then they have to make sure they have a negative Covid test. The type of test depends on where you are from. Guests from the US only need the quick antigen test, while visitors from Canada and some European countries need the more complex PCR test. Luckily, both tests are widely available in Puerto Morelos, with most visitors electing to go to Ojo de Agua hotel. More info on our InPuertoMorelos.com website.
There’s a new thing to do before you leave now us though. Starting on April 1, our state of Quintana Roo requires all visitors (over age 15) to pay a tourist tax on departure. This is a new tax, so it is not already built into your airline ticket. You must show proof of payment when leaving the state. You can pay at the airport, they apparently have set up special machines to handle the tax, or you can pay online in advance and print off your receipt by going to the government’s Visitax.com website. The tax is amount is 224 pesos per person. (about $11 USD or $14 CAD). There’s very little official information to direct you to. This article is about the best we have seen.
We have not travelled anywhere further away than 30 kilometres in more than 500 days, so a trip to Playa del Carmen is about as big of a thrill as we get. They have spent the last year reconstructing their square and a big piece of 5th Avenue. The square is done and 5th is pretty much completed as well. Here are a couple of pics of the new square.
Covid Update: Not too much new to report Covid-wise here in Puerto Morelos. We were lucky enough to be one of the first towns in our state to have the number one dose of vaccinations for our residents over 60. Us younger folks are waiting for our turn, which is supposed to be later this month or next. We remain under a “yellow light”, which means most things are open, just not as late and with a more limited capacity. You need to purchase food in order to buy a drink. You need a mask to enter any public place or any public transport, and they encourage people to wear them anytime you are outside of your house. The ADO bus is still not stopping in Puerto Morelos. The collectivo is running, both in Puerto Morelos and north and south to Cancun.
Live music is back at Don Mexkal. This band is called “Breakdown”. They play a mix of pop music in English and Spanish.
Happy to report that live music is back in Puerto Morelos! Some spots like Lauro’s and Tanino’s have had live music for a while now, usually with one or two musicians. Other places like La Sirena and Don Mexkal are just bringing it back now. The new Spyder Cafe has live music on the weekend. We’ve also seen live music at Mem Al Mare, [email protected] and El Socio Naiz. El Campanario has Nacho playing saxophone every night and sometimes during the day too.
We are now taking vacation reservations for next season With so many people now able to travel in 2021, 2022 is looking VERY popular. Contact us today to book your place. We also have lots of availability right now if you are missing your favourite beach town.
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