Hola!! We just arrived back in Puerto Morelos after a summer of travel in Europe. As usual, we’ve noticed lots of changes in your town, including new restaurants and new locations of old favourites. (Click on any photo for a bigger/better view)
Let’s start at the town dock. A pair of hurricanes in 2020 seriously twisted it, giving it a Dali-esque look and making the end of the dock unusable.
Now, it’s finally being rebuilt. The new dock will be a little longer than the old one.
The dock is closed during reconstruction, making loading boats much more difficult, but fishing, snorkelling and dive trips still go on. Progress appears to be slow, but the folks working the dock area say it will be open next month, just in time for high season.
The exchange place at the beach side Chedraui has closed. It’s being replaced with a Michoacán ice cream parlour, so it’s not all bad news. The exchange on the square below La Sirena remains open. If you are exchanging a large amount of money, you will likely get a better rate at CI Banco at the highway Chedraui, but for small amounts this exchange is fine.
Still with money matters, the beach side Chedraui now has 5 ATMs. Citibank, Scotiabank, HSBC, BBVA and Santander. Check with your home bank if they have an arrangement with Mexican banks so that you can withdraw your pesos for free. (For example, the Mexican Scotiabank ATM waives fees for Scotiabank Canada customers)
We have just updated our In Puerto Morelos Restaurant Guide and the downloadable list. As usual, there are sooooo many new restaurants and changes to tell you about. We will start with changes to restaurants you may already know.
Spaghettino (owned by the same family that owns Al Chimichurri) has doubled in size and completed a lovely renovation to its space. In addition to expanding their outside space, they have also added a comfortable air-conditioned dining room. The family has also opened a second Al Chimichurri location in Cancun. And a little aside, co-owner Florencia has just become a sommelier, so we look forward to a new and interesting wine list.
The owner of Taninos has moved an artisanal ice cream shop called Bendito Pecado to the beach side of town. The cute little parlour is located on Rojo Gomez, a kitty-corner from Playa Sol, making it the closest restaurant to our Casa de los Viajeros. Very dangerous to our waistlines! (The shop was in the Colonia before)
Yum Yum Wok has a new location. It’s easy to find though, it is right next door to their old location!
One of our favourite cafes has expanded. Lola y Moya is now open for dinner. You can still go there for breakfast and lunch, but now you can stay for dinner and happy hour!
If you are looking for Osteria Barocca, in the Areia Hotel (formerly We Hotel), they have made some major changes. They moved from the ground floor to the rooftop and have a new name. Portside Puerto Morelos, now open from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm, offers some of the best views to dine by in our town. They are a bit of a hidden gem, you need to go into the hotel and take the elevator to the rooftop to find them, but once you get there, you will find a great place to watch the sunset over the mangrove and sweeping ocean views.
Restaurant Sabrina which was on the main floor of the hotel has closed.
These are just a few of the many changes. The best way to experience them is to stay with us. Right now, we are offering a Holiday Special at Casa de los Viajeros, January rates for the Christmas and New Year weeks. Contact us today for details. We have one—or two-bedroom apartments available just steps from the beach and close to downtown.
We have a lot more to tell you about, so keep an eye on your inbox for more information about Puerto Morelos coming soon. Don’t forget to share this email with your friends.
There is a new food truck village in town! More details to follow…