🌴 5 World Cup Watch Parties Planned in Quintana Roo

🌴 Good morning, Insiders!

We are on off on an adventure through the mountains of Chiapas but that doesn’t mean we aren’t keeping up to date with all the news back home! And this week, there is a lot to report!

In today’s email you will find:

All this, plus the Riviera Maya Events Calendar are brought to you with support from our Featured Sponsor Launa Brockman with Paradise Professional Services.

For the very best newsletter experience, choose the option above to Read Online.

— Michele Kinnon

If you own property in the Riviera Maya, your policy likely includes a separate deductible for named storms. And it may not be what you think.

Many property policies in hurricane-prone areas apply a percentage-based deductible once a storm is officially named. That’s different from your standard flat deductible.

For example, instead of a fixed peso amount, a named storm deductible might be 2%–5% of your insured value. On a $5,000,000 MXN condo, that could mean a deductible of $100,000–$250,000 MXN before coverage applies.

Named storm deductibles typically activate once a storm is formally designated — not only if it makes direct landfall.

This isn’t a reason to panic. It’s a reason to understand your policy.

Many homeowners remember their standard deductible but don’t realize a separate storm deductible exists — or how it’s calculated.

Before the season gets underway, it’s worth double-checking your coverage.

👉 Review your policy and confirm how your named storm deductible works
📩 Or contact Launa Brockman for a full coverage review: [email protected]

Know your numbers now — so you’re prepared for whatever comes this season.

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📸 Congratulations to everyone who guessed that last week’s photo was taken at the hotel in Paamul. The first reader to chime in was our friend Larry K. Well done!

Where am I today? Reply back with your best guess. Be the first reader to guess correctly and look for your name in next week’s newsletter! If you are reading online, pop me a quick email!

⚽ World Cup Watch Parties Coming to Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo won’t host any World Cup stadium matches, but local fans will still get a taste of the action. The state plans to set up free public viewing areas in Cancún, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Tulum, and Bacalar, with giant screens, food vendors, music, and fan-zone atmosphere for Mexico’s matches and the knockout rounds. Malecón Tajamar in Cancún will be the main site, with space for up to 10,000 people. With Uruguay also expected to base in Playa del Carmen, the Riviera Maya may feel closer to the tournament than expected. Learn more

🏛️ Chichén Itzá Remains Closed as CATVI Dispute Continues
As of May 25, Chichén Itzá remains closed to visitors while negotiations continue over the new visitor center built as part of the Maya Train-related infrastructure. The dispute involves artisans, tour guides, local representatives, INAH and state authorities, with protesters demanding guarantees that local vendors will not be displaced under the new operating model. Community leaders say they are not blocking the archaeological zone or federal highway, but the site remains shut while talks continue. Learn more

🍽️ Quintana Roo Keeps Its Michelin Stars
Quintana Roo continues to hold its place on Mexico’s Michelin map, with Cocina de Autor Riviera Maya, HA’ and Le Chique all maintaining one Michelin star in the 2026 guide. The state also earned Bib Gourmand recognition for Axiote, Cetli, Mestixa and Punta Corcho, along with a dozen additional Michelin-recommended restaurants from Cancún to Tulum. This years awards show the Mexican Caribbean’s dining scene is growing into a serious draw for international foodies. Read more

🌮 Puerto Morelos Plans a New Taco Route
Puerto Morelos is working on a new “Ruta del Tacón,” a taco-focused tourism route designed to promote local restaurants and encourage visitors to explore more of the municipality. The plan includes a passport-style system where diners collect stamps at participating businesses after trying special taco offerings. Those who complete the route could receive promotions connected to the Ruta de los Cenotes, linking the town’s food scene with its inland nature attractions. Around 20 local businesses are expected to participate, giving visitors one more reason to eat, explore and linger a little longer. Learn more

🛍️ La Isla Mall Location Confirmed in Playa del Carmen
After years of rumors, the planned La Isla shopping mall in Playa del Carmen finally appears to have a confirmed location. The major commercial center is slated for a large parcel at CTM Avenue and Federal Highway 307, across from the city’s motocross track and near the El Campesino soccer field. Plans call for shops, restaurants, cinemas, entertainment areas, parking, gardens and public plazas. While no official tenant list has been released yet, the location alone is big news for Playa’s fast-growing northern corridor. Read more

⚖️ Maya Communities Want Clearer Rules After Xcaret Ruling
Nearly two months after Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled against Grupo Xcaret in a case involving the commercial use of Maya cultural symbols, community representatives in Quintana Roo say the issue is far from settled. Local leaders stress they are not opposed to Xcaret, but they want clearer rules to ensure Indigenous communities are consulted and fairly benefit when their cultural heritage is used in tourism branding. The case could become an important precedent for the Riviera Maya, where Maya imagery, language and traditions are deeply woven into the visitor economy. Learn more

⚽ Iran’s World Cup Plans Shift to Mexico
Iran’s national football team has moved its 2026 World Cup base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, after receiving approval from FIFA. Federation officials cited security concerns tied to the conflict in the Middle East, along with visa and travel logistics, as reasons for the change. The new location keeps Team Melli close to Southern California, where they will face New Zealand and Belgium before heading to Seattle to play Egypt. Read more

🐝 Tulum Celebrates Bees, Honey & Maya Tradition
Tulum’s annual Bee Festival brought together local students, families, and honey producers to celebrate World Bee Day and the region’s deep connection to beekeeping. Beyond the honey tastings and melipona bee exhibits, the event highlighted something bigger: the growing effort to protect native stingless bees and preserve Maya meliponiculture traditions in Quintana Roo. The timing was especially meaningful, coming just days after melipona honey from the Zona Maya corridor received official geographical protection from the Mexican government. Read more

🌊 Puerto Morelos Turns Sargassum Into Opportunity
Puerto Morelos is at the center of a new effort to turn sargassum from a costly beach problem into useful products like biodegradable plates, packaging, fertilizers, bioenergy and even building materials. Through the Caribe Circular initiative and a planned circular-economy development zone, private companies, hotels, restaurants and researchers hope to collect and process the seaweed before it reaches the shore. The goal is ambitious: creating a local industry from one of the Mexican Caribbean’s most stubborn environmental challenges. Learn more

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This has quickly become one of our more popular newsletter segments. So let’s give it another go! Can you guess the listing price of this villa from just one photo?

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If you have children in preschool or primary school in Puerto Morelos, this is one of those small but meaningful opportunities worth paying attention to.

The municipality is inviting young students to participate in “Write Your Letter to the Future,” an initiative encouraging kids to imagine what Puerto Morelos might look like in the year 2050. They’re asked to reflect on what they love about the town today, what they hope it becomes, and what message they’d send to the children who will grow up here decades from now.

Selected letters will be placed inside a Time Capsule that will be opened in 2050. It’s a simple idea, but a powerful one. For families who’ve chosen to build a life here, it’s a chance for kids to connect with their community and think beyond the present moment.

Letters must be handwritten and submitted to the municipal libraries in Puerto Morelos or Leona Vicario. The deadline for submission is June 5th.

For expat families raising bicultural kids here, this is a beautiful way to help them reflect on where they live — and imagine the town they hope to inherit.

Here’s a small but useful reminder for Mexico residents booking flights into the country: if you have temporary or permanent residency, you should not be charged the DNR, the visitor fee paid by foreigners entering Mexico as tourists.

This charge is often buried in your airfare under names like Mexico Tourism Fee, Tourism Tax, DNR, or listed with the ticket’s other taxes and airport fees. Many travelers never notice it because it is rolled into the final price.

The problem is that airline booking systems are not always set up to recognize foreign residents of Mexico. They may only ask for your nationality, and unless you are a Mexican citizen, the system may automatically add the fee. But Mexican residents are not entering as tourists. They hold a different immigration status and are exempt.

Before booking, check the tax breakdown if the airline shows one. If you see the DNR added, contact the airline and explain that you are a temporary or permanent resident of Mexico. Be prepared to provide a copy of your residency card and ask that the fee be removed. Do not list yourself as a Mexican citizen unless you are one.

Already paid it? You can request a refund from the airline or booking agency that issued the ticket. Send your ticket receipt, passport, residency card, and a brief explanation that you were charged the DNR in error because you are a Mexican resident.

It may take a little patience, but it is your money. Go get it.

Some restaurants become part of the fabric of a place. Oh Lala by George is one of those.

Long before Playa had posh rooftop tasting menus and curated cocktail programs, Oh Lala by George was where you went for anniversaries, proposals, birthdays, and “just because” dinners that felt like milestones. It has been a go-to for special occasions for the past 15 years. That kind of longevity in this town is rare.

But…all good things do eventually come to an end and Maison Oh La la is closing their doors and transitioning into Oh Lala Private Events, Catering & Banquets. Service continues through June 5, giving all of us one last chance to sit at those tables, order a favorite dish, and say goodbye properly.

Before the doors close, they’re hosting one final Chef’s Table on May 28 at 8:00 PM. Ten guests. Five courses. Wines from Bodega 12 Lunas in Somontano, Spain. A two-hour, guided experience that feels exactly right for a farewell.

If you’ve ever celebrated something important there, this one’s for you.

📍 Maison Oh Lala by George is located on Avenue 10 between Calles 28 & 30 in Playa del Carmen. Reservations can be made on OpenTable.

In another lifetime, I sold fine wine and sake professionally, so I’ve seen firsthand how often sake is misunderstood. In Mexico especially, it’s frequently limited to a warm pour at the end of a sushi meal, without much thought to style, temperature, or pairing.

That’s why I appreciate what Maki Mori is doing with its upcoming sake master class in collaboration with NAMI Sake, winners of the Tokyo Sake Challenge 2026.

This is a structured tasting designed to clarify what many diners never fully learn. Four distinct styles of sake will be presented alongside carefully selected Japanese dishes, with guidance on aroma profiles, texture, serving temperatures, and appropriate pairings. Temperature alone can dramatically shift perception, revealing nuance that is otherwise missed.

This exclusive event will take place on Friday, May 29 at 7:00 PM and reservations are required. At $1,350 MXN per person, the experience includes the guided tasting, curated dinner, and a certificate of participation. For those who enjoy Japanese cuisine but want a more informed understanding of what’s in their glass, this is a worthwhile evening.

📍 Maki Mori is located on 5th Avenue between Calles 38 & 40 in Playa del Carmen. Reserve via Whatsapp +52 984-449-6495.

If you really want to understand Puerto Morelos, you have to taste it.

This weekend, the Festival Gastronómico Sabor a Mar brings together some of the town’s strongest culinary voices in the Casco Antiguo as part of Marina Day and the municipality’s 10th anniversary celebrations. And this isn’t your everyday food fair. It’s a snapshot of what this fishing village has grown into.

Chefs from Punta Corcho, El Huerto del Puerto, Origen | Cocina de Brasa & Playa, Pecao Fonda de Mar, Muelle Once, and Mar-Bella will be cooking throughout the weekend. If you know these kitchens, you know they take seafood seriously. Wood fire, clean flavors, local catch, and a clear respect for where they are.

The event runs May 30 & 31 from 12 PM to 10 PM at Parque Fundadores and Ventana al Mar, right by the water where all of this begins. You can wander from stand to stand, try a few things, sit with a drink, and watch the sun shift over the Caribbean. Don’t miss it!

Say hello to Indra! At 7 years old, sweet Indra is finally ready for the peaceful life she deserves. Rescued from a small village with a severe case of TVT, a transmissible cancer, Indra bravely completed all her chemotherapy treatments and came through it with grace and resilience. Now healthy and cancer-free, she’s looking for a family to spoil her a little.

Indra’s dream life is simple: nice walks, cozy cuddle sessions, and plenty of uninterrupted nap time. She’s gentle, loving, and happiest just being near her people.

Indra is spayed, fully vaccinated, parasite-free, and current on all preventatives. If you have room in your heart for this beautiful survivor, email [email protected].

Below are a few standout events coming up soon that are worth planning for. Some may even require tickets in advance. This is just a small curated selection from the full calendar. Browse the complete list by clicking HERE. Don’t forget, you can add your own events for free.

• May 26: Bingo Supporting Cause4Paws at Tulipan, Puerto Morelos

• May 28: Chef's Table at Maison Oh Lala! by George in Playa del Carmen ($)

• May 28: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Live Orchestra Experience at Teatro de Cancún ($)

• May 29: Sake Master Class at Maki Mori Nigiri Bar, Playa del Carmen ($)

• May 29 - 30: 2026 Puerto Morelos Fishing Tournament at Puerto Morelos ($)

• May 30: Mar & Vino: Paella & Wine Festival at Cancun Country Club ($)

• May 30 - 31: Festival Gastronómico "Sabor a Mar" at Parque Fundadores & Ventana al Mar, Puerto Morelos

• May 30 - 31: Spring Fundraising Bazaar at Hekab Be Activity Center, Akumal

• May 30 - June 7: 14th Mexican Caribbean Ocean Festival across Puerto Morelos, Cancún & Playa del Carmen

• May 31: ONLY PLANTS – Green Market at Zitla Ceiba, Playa del Carmen

• June 3: Swan Lake – Russian Ballet of St. Petersburg at Teatro de la Ciudad, Playa del Carmen ($)

• June 13: Thai Fest at Mayakoba – 8th Edition at Banyan Tree Mayakoba ($)

• June 16 - 17: Playa del Carmen Grill Fest at Parque Fundadores, Playa del Carmen

To access the full list of Riviera Maya events and happenings and the Live Music Lineup for this week, click on the links below!

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