TULUM – Retreat from city life
Most of my friends were deciding where to get-away for the holidays. They were asking me what is the big deal about Tulum? Can you really do Eco-Chic as a family? The inquisitive getaway holiday conversations inspired me to share our journey to Tulum. We were pleasantly surprised and in awe of the beauty in Tulum, Mexico. We found how necessary and important it is to unwind and let go of the iphone, ipad, and get our rhythm back both as a family and as individuals.
We stayed at AMANSALA resort which is also famous for Bikini Bootcamp. AMANSALA is the ideal setting for a yoga retreat, family reunion, beachfront wedding or personal retreat from city life. The village like setting consists of 24 spacious well designed beachfront cabanas. We not only had the benefits of eating delicious organic food but also got to rejuvenate doing yoga, circuit training, mediation, doing long walks on the beach and of course made the most of the spa. A truly relaxing trip….even with kids!
Melissa Perlman, owner of AMANSALA welcomed us with warm open arms and was beyond hospitable. What I loved most about Tulum is how it combines rustic chic with the art of bohemian european flavor. The beaches are crystal clear turquoise.
Our children Tyler and Sofia were happy and entertained everyday in nature, toured the Mayan Ruins and made the most of afternoonwalks on the beach to our favorite spot La Posada Margherita. We would have our daily Gelato and for me the affogato. Here are the highlights of our trip:
- AMANSALA is set on a beautiful part of the of the beach in Tulum, Mexico. Getting to town is a short 10 minute drive or about 30 miinutes by bike. It is an idea hotel to use as a base to explore the surrounding areas. The Mayan ruinsof Tulum are a short bike ride away and the world famous cenotes are all short trips as well.
A must go to for dining with friends or family: HARTWOOD
This restaurant is set in an open air environment located on the jungle side of Tulum’s beach road. The restaurant proudly operates with the use of solar panels as its only source of sustainable energy. All food preparation is executed by hand – with no use of electrical appliances.All of the cooking at Hartwood is done in our wood burning oven and open grill. The dishes are creative and absolutely delicious.
Casa Banana
Casa Banana was my favorite! I may be biased being Argentine but the steak was as delicious as eating in my hometown Mendoza Argentina. Casa Banana is a gathering place located on the jungle side of Tulum Mexico’s beach road, serving up urban rustic food and specialzing in wood-fire cuisine. Their main focus is steak, and our goal is to share the authentic traditions of perfectly grilled meat from our home in Argentina. Favorites include homemade chorizo, fresh caught fish, impressive salads and a thoughtfully selected international wine list. The Malbec was insanely delicious. At night the two-level open-air space is romantically lit with lanterns hanging from a huge, spreading tree at the entrance and votive candles on each table glowing within white ceramic bowls. The managers, both South American, are charming and hospitable, and the bottle-lined bar – overhung with red glass light fixtures and a blackboard stating the wine specials – could have been plucked from New York or Mexico City. The flames from the grill add to the magical glow. The restaurant is frequented by a diverse, well-heeled crowd from Mexico, the US, South America and Europe.
The Mayan Ruins, and the Cenote
Tulum is a less developed beach-bum town, with some small ruins and an excellent cenote nearby. The excellent hotel we were staying with provided us with bikes so we could get around. Our third day there we hit up Gran Cenote. Cenotes are sinkholes – underground caves with swimming holes, and the Yucatan Peninsula has more of them than anywhere else in the world, with a connected underground river network spanning over 150kms. The cenote was beautiful – a big water hole surrounding an island, with a big cave area complete with stalectites that can be swum under and into another cenote. The water was cool, not cold, and super refreshing following the ride in the heat. We had some snorkel gear from the tour guide and it was fun swimming in under the stalectites and popping up into holes.
The look and feel of Tulum was colorful, rustic, relaxed, vibrant and if you think you can’t go Eco-Chic as a family… think again….
Here’s our the {Tulum) life gallery.
Looks like a fabulous trip! I love it there!! Thanks for taking me back! 🙂
Fantastic voyage! great blog 🙂
xx