Best Chefs of Mexico have Fiesta in October
Best Chefs of Mexico
There is no shortage of fabulous places to eat in Playa del Carmen and foodies can celebrate with the Best Chefs of Mexico.
The four-night October fiesta called “The Best of Mexico Riviera Maya” will be held Oct. 5 – 9 in Playa del Carmen. The prestigious event will feature 10-course tasting menus of original dishes honoring the richness of Mexican cuisine through the use of ingredients, seasonings, and techniques from the country’s different regions. The 5 world renowned chefs participating in the event are:
Chef Carlos Gaytan from Chicago!!!!
Chef Carlos Gaytan was named “Chef of the Year” in 2011 by the American Culinary Federation. He created a revolution in Mexican gastronomy with his Chicago restaurant Mexique, which has been celebrated with a Michelin star and awards from Michelin Bib Gourmand. Mexique opened in May of 2008, in Chicago. Now world renowned, Chef Gaytan is one of the Best Chefs of Mexico and with great creativity, love, and dedication he applies his knowledge of French cooking techniques and ingredients to his roots of traditional Mexican cuisine, creating a revolution of Mexican gastronomy.
Mexique has received much recognition since its opening, including one of Chicago magazine’s top new restaurants of 2009, best restaurant of 2010 and received its first star in the Michelin Guide in 2013.Most recently Carlos was awarded “Chef of the Year 2011,” by the American Culinary Federation.
Chef Francisco “Paco” Ruano, Guadalajara
Chef Francisco “Paco” Ruano began his culinary journey in Spanish Basque Country at the Escuela de Cocina Luis Irizar, then throughout Europe in some of the best restaurants in the world, such as Spain’s Mugaritz and El Celler de Can Roca, and Noma in Denmark. In 2013, he opened Alcalde restaurant, widely considered one of the best in Guadalajara’s exciting new dining scene. He’s considered one of the Best Chefs of Mexico.
Chef Mikel Alonso
Chef Mikel Alonso’s restaurant, Biko, is regularly named among the world’s 50 Best Restaurants. Biko is all about ‘techno emotional’ cooking – a term commonly associated with Spain and the progressive cuisine of chefs such as Ferran Adrià – the stuff most diners familiar with the style used to call molecular gastronomy.
Under executive chef Xavi Perez Stone (“Best Chef in Mexico” 2013 and winner of “Iron Chef 2014”) and alongside chef Bruno Oteiza, Alonso, one of the Best Chefs of Mexico, created the singular menu at Velas’ Cocina de Autor, in Playa del Carmen, the first all-inclusive restaurant to earn Five Diamonds from AAA. Food & Wine also named it among the world’s “100 Best New Food & Drink.
Click here to see the menu at Cocina de Autor
Chef Ricardo de la Vega, Mexico City
Chef Ricardo de la Vega’s passion for the culinary arts has taken him to leading Mexican hotels and restaurants in Puebla, Oaxaca, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo. As executive chef of Frida in Playa del Carmen, he focuses on modern explorations of Mexico’s culinary riches. He is widely considered to be one of the Best Chefs of Mexico
Click here to see the menu at Frida’s
Chef Zahie Téllez, Mexico City
Chef Zahie Téllez’s culinary style blends her love for Mexican and Italian cuisine, enriched by her Lebanese and Mazatec roots. She’s greatly admired for her cooking skills as demonstrated for six seasons on television’s “El Gourmet,” as well as her popular restaurant, Jose Guadalupe Platos de Cuchara in Playa del Carmen and is considered one of the Best Chefs of Mexico .
Visit Zahie Téllez’s Facebook page
The tastings take place at the Grand Velas Riviera Maya. Nightly rates start at $393 per person per night based on double occupancy, and include a luxury suite, à la carte gourmet meals at a variety of specialty restaurants, premium beverages, 24-hour in-suite service, and more.
Caminarte Art Walk in Playa del Carmen
Caminarte Art Walk
I have always loved buying paintings by local artists that depict the natural beauty or culture of an area. In Playa del Carmen there are lots of opportunities to buy lovely pieces. My favorite artists are Marco Pat, Jaccobo Roa and Jose Llehi Sol, and my favorite place to buy local art is on Fifth Avenue at the Caminarte Art Walk.
Every Thursday night there are artists that set up easel on 5th Avenue at the Caminarte Art Walk. This program has successfully been going for years, supporting artist and the arts in Playa. It’s not just some mediocre artists – some of the artist are internationally recognized and just show here on the side. This is a great opportunity to buy from local artist as well to take a stroll and enjoy the vibrancy of 5th Avenue.
Where is Caminarte Art Walk?
The location is mostly from 24th Street until 32nd Street on 5th Avenue. Although the big night is on Thursdays, there often are smaller displays, often on Sunday nights next to Quinta Alegria Mall on Calle 16 between 5th Avenue and 10th Avenue, just a block from Porto Playa Condo Hotel and Magia Beachside Condo Hotel.
What can you find at the Caminarte Art Walk?
You will find paintings, photographs, small sculptures and more. Often artists work on their pieces during the show. They will greet you with a big smile and be happy to tell you about themselves or a particular art piece of theirs. Continuing your walk along Caminarte you might find glass blowers, airbrush painters and much more. Many times you will find musicians walking up and down serenading the visitors to Caminarte.
Caminarte” is a combination of two Spanish words, camino (walkway) and arte (art). Thursday nights on 5th Avenue, the main shopping and restaurant avenue in Playa del Carmen, you can walk and find yourself among the local artists participating on this special night. https://www.locogringo.com/caminarte-a-new-way-to-see-playas-5th-avenue/
Enjoy Tequila Anyday
Let’s all Celebrate Tequila Day! Oh, Wait, that’s June 24!
Who doesn’t love a good Margarita? But then again, who doesn’t love an outstanding tequila to just sip? The most important ingredient, of course, is the tequila. Here’s how to find the best and make the best tequila drinks!
Tequila is the Champagne of Mexico! Made from the blue agave plant, tequila was named after the small town of Tequila in a valley west of Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico. Mexican law actually states that no liquor can be labeled tequila unless it comes from the western state of Jalisco (or select districts of other Mexican states).
While many of us enjoy tequila cocktails such as the margarita, tequila sunrise, and mojito, a good tequila can be savored like a good whiskey. Tequila is experiencing a renaissance of sorts as savvy drinkers discover it can be sipped like a fine brandy or whiskey.
List of Best Tequila’s In The World
Try these links for lists of the best tequila in the world
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-18-best-tequilas-in-the-world-2014-11
https://www.thestreet.com/story/13230869/1/here-are-the-10-best-tequila-brands.html
How do you pick the best tequila’s to sip, not mix?
Avoid mixto tequilas; they’re fermented with a mix of blue agave cactus and other sugars, such as cane or grain alcohol, and tend to be rough stuff. Instead, seek out tequilas made completely from agave — they’re much smoother.
Watch out for brands that don’t cite “100% agave”, as those brands have added coloring and sugar to obtain the gold color. Gold tequilas are not typically aged, and usually contain only about 51% agave tequila. Sometimes 100% agave gold tequila is made by combining silver tequila and an aged tequila, such as reposado or añejo. Since quality aged tequila has a gold hue, the addition of the coloring was a marketing tactic to improve one’s perspective of cheaper brands.
For zesty or spicy flavors, go for blanco or silver tequilas, which are virtually un-aged and retain the punchy agave flavors. Silver tequila, sometimes referred to as blanco, is rarely aged more than a couple of weeks, making it the purest form of tequila. It is often considered the best type of tequila to use in mixed drinks, and is commonly seen in margaritas.
Another type of tequila is Reposado, which means “rested” in Spanish, and reposados rest anywhere from two months to a year before they are bottled. Reposados take on the gold hue from the barrels in which they are aged. They are typically aged in oak or white oak barrels, and the type of barrel changes the flavor of each distillery’s tequila.
If you are going to sip tequila instead of mixing it with other ingredients, Añejo tequila is best. Añejo means “vintage”, and they are darker than reposado tequilas. Añejo tequilas are aged from one to three years, and are considered the best type of tequila for sipping because of their smoother flavor.
Best Margarita Recipe
Ingredients:
2 oz tequila
1/2 oz Cointreau
1 oz lime juice
1/4 oz simple syrup
lime wedge and course salt for garnish
Other Tequila drink recipes
http://www.chron.com/entertainment/restaurants-bars/article/Cool-cocktails-for-National-Tequila-Day-8392363.php
https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/07/6-cocktails-to-celebrate-national-tequila-day.html
How Is Tequila Made?
Tequila is produced by removing the heart (piña) of the plant in its eighth to fourteenth year (depending on growth rate and whims of harvester). Harvested piñas normally weigh 80–200 pounds (40–90 kg). This heart is stripped of its leaves and heated to convert the starches to sugars, which is fermented and distilled.
Playa del Carmen open air markets
Laura Winfree from Playa Realty Executives put together a great list of Playa del Carmen open air markets in or near Playa del Carmen. Her blog is reprinted below. Click here to go to her website
List of Playa del Carmen open air markets
Kava Kasa Market
Where: Kava Kasa at Calle 22 between 5th and 10th Avenues, Playa del Carmen
When: Every Tuesday from 11am to 2pm
Facebook pages: Kava Kasa Local Market Kava Kasa
Primarily a yoga center, the charming open-air palapa at Kava Kasa also serves as a local market on Tuesday mornings. Here, you’ll find all kinds of local products, including artisanal bread, coffees, handmade jewelry, artisanry, eco-friendly alternatives and healthy cuisine (like vegan tamales!). One of the best Playa del Carmen open air markets
Sábado de Tianguis
Where: Parque La Ceiba, Calle 1 Sur and Diagonal 60 in Colonia Edijal Playa del Carmen
When: 3rd Saturday of every month
Facebook page: Parque La Ceiba
The serene and lush setting of Playa del Carmen’s famed Parque La Ceiba provides the ideal backdrop for a nature-inspired local market. These weekend events not only feature a market selling local food and products, but also family activities like book readings, craft workshops, games and more. One of the most family friendly of Playa del Carmen open air markets
Puerto Morelos Market
Where: Casa Caribe B&B in Puerto Morelos, Avenida Rojo Gomez
When: Several events a year during high seasons (6 events coming up this 2016-2017 season: November, December, January, 2 in February, March, with the 1st market of the 2016 high season will be Saturday, November 26 from 11am to 5pm)
Facebook pages: Puerto Morelos Market Casa Caribe
This bright and colorful indoor-outdoor market is hosted in the garden area in the town of Puerto Morelos, a 30 minute drive north of Playa del Carmen. Each event has over 40 vendors selling jewelry, clothes, arts and crafts, and all kinds of delicious food. Best of all, the Puerto Morelos Market features 3 – 4 food trucks at the entrance. There’s not much mmore in Puerto Morelos, so it’s a popular Playa del Carmen open air markets. Organizer Jorie Germann Maloney tells us, “This year, we will be adding live music and a craft class at each market. (Each time it will be different.) Since we got perfect weather at all 3 last season we know that won’t be the case again, so we are renting shade/rain protectors for the whole property so it’s a rain or shine event!!”
Farmer’s Market at El Pueblito
Where: El Pueblito area of Mayakoba resort about a 20 minute car ride north of Playa del Carmen. One of the more higher end of Playa del Carmen open air markets
When: No set schedule, but roughly once a month (next Farmer’s Market is Saturday, September 17 2016 from 5pm to 8pm)
Facebook page: El Pueblito at Mayakoba (El Pueblito posts a calendar for upcoming events on their Facebook page at the beginning of every month)
This charming Mexican-style square has become a gathering place for Riviera Maya locals thanks to their frequent family events, with outdoor movie nights, yoga, concerts and more. Over the past few months, their Farmer’s Markets have provided a beautiful atmosphere for an evening of Mexican cuisine and locally sourced products. El Pueblito says this is “an event for the whole family, where local producers offer a wide variety of gastronomic products, artisan products, and healthy products.
All this surrounded by good music and activities for children.” Even though it’s located at the luxurious Mayakoba Resort, entrance is still free!
Coco Beach Eco Market
Where: The pool area of Les Alizes condos, Calle 46 and Calle Flamingos, Playa del Carmen
When: Friday mornings from 9am to 11am (the market is currently taking a break for the summer, but they will be back starting October 7, 2016)
Facebook page: Coco Beach Eco Market
A popular choice for the Playa del Carmen expat community, the Coco Beach Eco Market features a variety of healthy, fresh, locally-made cuisine and food products set around the lovely pool area of Les Alizes condos. In addition to health food, you’ll also find products like handmade jewelry, home décor, and plants.
Mercado Vegano Playa
Where: Varies between different park areas of Playa del Carmen
When: Every few months
Facebook page: Mercado Vegano Playa
Designed especially for vegans living in the Riviera Maya, this vegan event in Playa del Carmen is much more than just a market. In addition to stands selling locally made products, you can also enjoy vegan-themed workshops, presentations and cuisine made right at the event. Mercado Vegano has also started hosting similar events in Cancun.
Enjoy paintings, food, art, jewelry and more at Playa del Carmen open air markets which are steps from our properties in Playa del Carmen in the heart of the Riviera Maya/Mayan Riviera (a 40 minute ride from the Cancun Airport). Stay at any of our 6 properties, all are a short walk toPlaya del Carmen open air markets. Contact us for rates and availability at El Taj Ocean, Porto Playa, Magia Beachside, El Taj Beach, Maya Villa, or Villas Sacbe.
Visit our website or call Anna at 708-305-7972 for information, rates and availability
Playa Fest includes activities, culinary events and more
Looking for Something to do In Playa del Carmen this weekend? Try Playa Fest
From September 1 – 4, 2016, Mayakoba resort will be hosting Playa Fest, an event designed for visitors and locaals in the Riviera Maya. Playa Fest will feature yoga, stand up paddle boarding, culinary classes and races… and it’s all to honor the 10-year anniversary of the Fairmont Mayakoba hotel. Playa Fest plans to take full advantage of the resort’s turquoise blue waters and white sand beaches for all kinds of “beachy” activities. You can participate in family-friendly SUP races or take on the Mayakoba Playa Fest Challenge, not to mention mouthwatering culinary events.
Mayakoba is located about 15 minutes north of Playa del Carmen.
Scheduled Events Include:
Thursday, September 1
7:00 p.m. Opening Cocktail Party
Friday, September 2
8:00 a.m. Yoga on the Beach with Jessica Cichra
9:00 a.m. Mangrove Sustainability Workshop
10:00 a.m. Stand Up Paddle Clinic with Nicolas Melani
10:00 a.m. Stand Up Paddle Yoga with Jessica Cichra
11:00 a.m. Sand Sculpture Competition (for junior guests)
11:00 a.m. SUP 1k and 5k Race
1:00 p.m. Cooking Class with Chef Diane DiMeo
2:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony and Lunch with Chef Kori Sutton
3:00 p.m. Beach Volleyball
8:00 p.m. Dinner with Chef Jesus Gibaja
Saturday, September 3
Mayakoba Playa Fest Challenge
8:00 a.m. Sunrise Yoga with Jessica Cichra
9:00 a.m. 5k Fun Run
10:00 a.m. Stand Up Paddle 3k
11:00 a.m. Sand Sculpture Competition (for junior guests)
1:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony and Lunch with Chef Kori Sutton
3:00 p.m. Beach Volleyball
8:00 p.m. Closing Dinner at El Pueblito
Click here to visit the official website with full details on each event and participating chefs and instructors, as well as available packages and pricing with and without accommodations.
Reduced Airfares To Mexico begin Sunday August 21
Restrictions lifted and Reduced Airfares to Mexico Begin Sunday August 21.
Now is the time to book your Winter Getaway!!!
Reduced Airfares to Mexico are a result of most restrictions on flights between the U.S. and Mexico being lifted beginning Sunday, August 21, 2016, a change expected to bring more options and lower prices for travelers. Resort cities like Cancun will see an increase in the number of flights and carriers as well as lower prices due to more competition.
The largest US carriers, American, Delta and Southwest, have already announced that they will offer new flights across the border later this year. United is watching the demand for flights and will respond accordingly, a spokesman said. Reduced airfares to Mexico is being reported by many sources including US News and World Report
The United States and Mexico agreed in December to open their aviation markets to each other’s carriers changing existing rules that had limited two or three airlines from each country to a particular route.
Reduced Airfares to Mexico are expected by many analysts. “This will help reduce airfares for sure,” said George Hobica, founder of the travel site airfarewatchdog.com.
Hobica said base fares between the U.S. and many destinations in Mexico are already low, but both countries impose taxes that inflate the price of a ticket. “The fares are low, it’s the rest that makes it seem expensive,” he said.
For example, on a round trip between Dallas-Fort Worth and Cancun, Mexico — already a popular route — taxes and fees can account for between 20 and 30 percent of the price of a bargain, economy-class ticket of $383 to $585.
Southwest promoted fares as low as $258 for a round trip, although seats were limited and the offer was scheduled to end Sunday.
The agreement between the U.S. and Mexico does not relax limits at Mexico City’s busy main international airport. So the first new flights from U.S. carriers will focus on resort towns in Mexico.
Delta Air Lines Inc. announced Friday that on Dec. 17 it will start daily nonstop flights between New York’s Kennedy airport and Cancun and will run Saturday flights between Kansas City and Cancun.
Southwest Airlines Co. announced that on Dec. 4 it will start flying daily from Los Angeles to Cancun. American Airlines Group Inc. will begin flying between Los Angeles to Cancun on Dec. 15, a spokesman said.
Take advantage of reduced airfare to Mexico and visit us in Playa del Carmen, in the heart of the Riviera Maya/Mayan Riviera (a 40 minute ride from the Cancun Airport). Stay at any of our 6 properties, all are within a 1-2 block walk to 5th Avenue where everything takes place. Contact us for rates and availability at El Taj Ocean, Porto Playa, Magia Beachside, El Taj Beach, Maya Villa, or Villas Sacbe.
Visit our website or call Anna at 708-305-7972 for information, rates and availability
Halloween and Day of the Dead in Playa del Carmen
Halloween and Day of the Dead
Halloween and Day of the Dead are a big deal in Playa Del Carmen! In Playa Del Carmen it is usually a four or 5 day holiday with Halloween events beginning with a parade on 5th Ave October 29, continuing with parties and costumed trick-or-treaters on October 30th and 31st, and continuing with Day of the Dead events on November 1st and 2nd.
Halloween is typically celebrated the same way in Playa del Carmen as in the US with costumes and parties. Consider bringing a costume for yourself and joining the fun! Most bars will have costume contests and parties till the wee hours in the morning. The most popular areas are from Juarez Avenue until 34th St. all along 5th Avenue.
One thing that is different from other countries is the happy vs. scary. When you are out on Halloween night in Playa Del Carmen you will notice how HAPPY everyone is! Families, adults, kids, dogs, everyone is smiling and having a good time. It is not really about scaring people compared to other places and perhaps this is a carry over of the Mexican view of celebrating life and not making death a scary thing. At any rate, Halloween is an amazing time in Playa Del Carmen! Tip: Bring small coins and candy for kids who dress in costumes and travel the street in groups. Children do not really go house to house trick-or-treating here but it is a local custom to bring kids in their costumes to 5th Avenue and walk around and get candy.
For those of you that want to see a lot of costumes and stroll around for free, 5th Avenue in Playa Del Carmen becomes one big parade of scary and funny creatures from October 29 – November 2. If you are in Playa Del Carmen during this time of year you should definitely plan to go out these nights.
Day of the Dead: Day of the Dead, on the other hand, is an important Mexican Holiday celebrating and honoring loved ones who have passed away. You will also see altars set up in numerous public areas honoring someone who has died and inviting them to return to earth for a visit. Altars are built for a specific person who has died and will contain items that have reflect the character and personality of the deceased, personal possessions, or items that had special meaning to that person. The altar invites the deceased back and shows that the family has not forgotten the loved one. Common items include a picture of the deceased, Day of the Dead symbols like skeletons, orange and yellow flowers, colorful perforated paper and more. Day of the Dead followers believe the spirits of the dead will return to earth to visit with their families. It’s a long hard journey from the afterlife back to earth, so traditional Dia de los Muertos altars include nourishment and refreshments for the returning souls, toilet articles to freshen up,
History of Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos originated centuries ago in Mexico, and is a festive, joyous holiday for celebrating, remembering and honoring those who have passed. Day of the Dead is Mexico’s most important holiday, which means they invest a lot of time and money into celebrating Dia de los Muertos, moreso than any other holiday.
The Day of the Dead falls on November 1 and 2 of each year, coinciding with the Catholic holidays All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Most people celebrate Day of the Dead out of love and commitment to their loved ones, but some people celebrate this holiday out of fear! Mexico is rampant with folk tales that tell what happens if someone neglects their ancestors on Dia de los Muertos. If a spirit returns to find that no one has built an altar for them, or that their loved ones only left them paltry offerings, they will feel sad and angry… especially when they see what bounteous offerings other spirits received!
Neglected spirits may seek vengeance on those who have forgotten them. Additionally, many folk tales describe how those who ignore their deceased loved ones fall immediately ill and even meet their death shortly after the holiday!
Book now for Halloween and Day of the Dead and join the festivities!! Stay at any of our 6 properties, all are within a 1-2 block walk to 5th Avenue where everything takes place. Contact us for rates and availability at El Taj Ocean, Porto Playa, Magia Beachside, El Taj Beach, Maya Villa, or Villas Sacbe.
Hurricane Earl Reaches land in Mexico
Hurricane Earl.
Hurricane Earl reaches Mexico just south of Playa del Carmen. Late Wednesday afternoon, Earl was a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph), the National Hurricane Center said. It was centered about 150 miles (240 kilometers) east of Belize City and moving west at 14 mph (22 kph).
A hurricane warning was in place for Belize, parts of Mexico and islands off Honduras’ north coast.
Hurricane Earl has reached land with scattered showers and thunderstorms that will result in wet and windy conditions in Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula with winds of 65 mph. Rain is expected, sometimes heavy, until later tonight in Playa del Carmen then clearing. The next few days show some additional showers and periods of sun. National Weather Service reports the worst of the storm is further south in Mexico
A sprawling area of high pressure to the north of Earl will keep the storm moving on a general westerly path.
Hurricane Earl and Playa del Carmen: For guests staying at El Taj Ocean, Porto Playa, Magia Beachside, Maya Villa, El Taj Beach and Villas Sacbe: This Hurricane will hit further south of Playa del Carmen, but unfortunately you will have lots of rain and then it should be clear and sunny days. Please contact our front desk at the condo hotel if you need anything. We are here for you.
For those not staying on one of our properties: we sat out a Tropical Storm in June, 2015. I’d rather have sun, but we made the most of it and ate at Asi Beach Club, Plank, and Imprveist. Went to the Martini Bar and drank wine on our balcony. It could have been worse and actually we’ve had worse vacations!
Tropical Storm Earl
Tropical Storm Earl.
Tropical Storm Earl and Playa del Carmen. The tropical disturbance was found to have reached flight-level winds of 57 mph on Tuesday afternoon. The storm continues to make its way across the Caribbean Sea and is expected to land Belize City Wednesday evening.
Earl is expected to arrive with scattered showers and thunderstorms that will result in wet and windy conditions in Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula with winds of 65 mph.
As of Tuesday, Tropical Storm Earl and Playa del Carmen was tracked moving westward at 22 mph and is expected to slow over the next 24 to 48 hours as the storm approaches land.
A sprawling area of high pressure to the north of Earl will keep the storm moving on a general westerly path. Even though it will slow down a bit over the next day or two, Earl still has less than two days to gather strength before it makes landfall late Wednesday, most likely in Belize, but possibly on the far southeast Mexican coast of the Yucatan peninsula.
For guests staying at El Taj Ocean, Porto Playa, Magia Beachside, Maya Villa, El Taj Beach and Villas Sacbe: This Tropical Storm Earl will pass, but unfortunately you will have lots of rain and then it should be clear and sunny days/. Please contact our front desk at the condo hotel if you need anything. We are here for you.
For those not staying on one of our properties: We sat out a Tropical Storm in June, 2015. I’d rather have sun, but we made the most of it and ate at Asi Beach Club, Plank, and Imprveist. Went to the Martini Bar and drank wine on our balcony. It could have been worse and actually we’ve had worse vacations!
Tulum hotel shut down
Diamante K, a Tulum hotel shut down last week.
Playa del Carmen and the Mayan Riviera love tourists and are one of the top tourist sites in the world, but they work at balancing tourism with ecology and environmentalism. The Mayan Riviera, which merges with the waters of the Caribbean Sea, is a coastal strip that stretches more than 80 miles from Cancun to Tulum and Punta Allen. In Tulum tourism is less developed and it is where most of the Mayan communities in the region live and maintain their traditions, customs and culture. Recently there have been a number of hotel closings in Tulum due to several factors including destruction of the environment, including Diamante, a Tulum hotel shut down last week.
Diamante K has been shut down due to environmental destruction. The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) said they closed the Diamante K, owned by businessman and actor Roberto Palazuelos Badeaux, in Tulum National Park. According to Profepa, the hotel severely affected the forest and general ecosystem in the area and was built without authorization.
Their office reported that due to complaints by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) and the community responsible for Tulum National Park, an investigation was launched on the environmental impact of Diamante K.
They discovered that the accredited Quintana Roo inspectors designated for tourism developments did not submit the environmental impact statement as required by the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).
Profepa found that a fence had been constructed around the perimeter of the Diamante K, which in turn, destroyed coastal forest species on the state’s protected list. These types of low shrubs protect the surrounding soil from harsh weather elements and are home to numerous species of small marine life including the striped iguana, which is currently on the state’s endangered species list.
After the violation discovery, Profea closed the hotel to prevent the continuation of any future development. Additional administrative proceedings are also being sought against the owner of the project in order to restore the destroyed ecosystem.
