🌴It Really Is a Jungle Out There! [VIDEO]

✨ Good morning Insiders! Happy Tuesday!

If today’s email seems a bit less chipper and a bit shorter than usual, it’s because I finally got whacked by the nasty bug that’s been going around. It’s almost insulting to have a common “winter” cold when it’s 80° and the beach is calling! 🤧 

I want to say GRACIAS to everyone who supports this newsletter by submitting events or pointing out changes for the Live Music Line Up (that’s you Dan and Kathy!). It’s just little ole me behind all this and I’ll take as much help as I can get!

In today’s email you will find:

• Don’t miss your property tax discount window!

• An important tax update for vacation rental owners

• Events announced for Cozumel’s famous Carnaval

All this and more brought to you with support from reMarkable, AG1, and our featured sponsor Timeless Beauty.

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

— Michele Kinnon

SPONSORED BY TIMELESS BEAUTY

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WHERE AM I?

📸 We are going to mix it up a little bit this week and see how well you know the Riviera Maya. Take a look at the photo below. Do you know where I am? Reply back with your best guess. The first 5 people to guess correctly will get a shout-out in next week’s newsletter!

📸 If you would like to see your photo featured here, follow and tag @rivieramayainsidermx on Instagram or send it to [email protected].

IN THE NEWS

News from the Riviera Maya and beyond. You don’t have to know everything—but you should know something. Here are a few stories that caught my eye in the news last week

🌊 Unseasonal Sargassum Arrives Early, Raising Red Flags
It’s only January, but sargassum is already washing up on beaches across Quintana Roo from Xcalak and Mahahual in the south to Cozumel, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Puerto Morelos. Experts say this early arrival could signal a season as intense as 2025. With more than 7 million tons floating in the Atlantic, tourism-dependent areas like the Cancun and the Riviera Maya could be hit hard. Erratic ocean currents and climate change are being blamed for the shift. Read more

📱 New Cell Phone Registration Rules Take Effect in Quintana Roo
A new mandatory cell phone registration process rolled out in Quintana Roo this month. Beginning January 9, all mobile phone lines must be linked to an INE or CURP as part of a federal effort to curb phone scams and fraud. The deadline to comply is June 30. After that, unregistered lines risk being canceled. The process can be done online or in person through your provider and applies to prepaid, postpaid, family, and business lines. Read more

🌿 Court Orders Calica to Restore Damaged Land South of Playa
A federal court has ruled that Calica, the Mexican subsidiary of U.S.-based Vulcan Materials, must submit a reforestation and environmental compensation plan for more than 2,000 hectares of land it quarried south of Playa del Carmen. The area—now part of a federally protected reserve—suffered decades of environmental damage from limestone extraction. Calica’s legal attempts to delay the ruling were denied, and the order now stands. Read more

🎭 Cozumel Carnival 2026: A Century-Old Celebration Returns
Get ready for one of Mexico’s most iconic and long-running festivities—Cozumel Carnival 2026 is officially on! With over 150 years of history, this beloved island tradition kicks off January 17 with Pre-Carnival voting events, parades, and family-friendly fun. The main celebration runs February 11–18, featuring three massive parades, live concerts, costume contests, and a whole lot of tropical flair brining Caribbean joy to the streets of Cozumel. Read more

📚 Mérida English Library Marks 30 Years
For three decades, the Mérida English Library has been a cornerstone of the city’s international and bilingual community. What began as a small volunteer-driven collection has grown into a welcoming cultural hub, offering books, language programs, talks, and a place to connect in a city shaped by growing global ties. As Mérida’s foreign and bilingual population has expanded, MEL has evolved alongside it, helping bridge languages and cultures. This February, the library celebrates 30 years and invites the community to celebrate with a grand Gala. Read more

Start your year with clarity

Written by Shane Parrish and reMarkable, this workbook helps you pause and reflect. Rather than add pressure, it relieves it, bringing clarity to what truly matters.


A simple reset for January. A thoughtful way to review your year.

Download the workbook

EXPAT LIVING

Sharing local insights, practical tips, and community stories to help you feel at home in Mexico, no matter how long you’ve been here.

🐆 It’s a Jungle Out There!

Last week, a beautiful juvenile jaguar was spotted early in the morning on the north side of Puerto Aventuras. The sighting occurred near the Barlovento area, and the cat even wandered briefly through the corridors of the Marina Mia condominium complex before slipping back into the jungle on the Hard Rock property.

This young jaguar is part of a known family group that is monitored on the Hard Rock grounds. It poses no threat to people, but the sighting is an important reminder that we are living within an active wildlife corridor.

Please keep pets indoors at night and always on leash when walking, especially in quieter areas and near green spaces. Encounters like this are rare and incredibly special and also a cue to stay aware and respectful.

We’re guests in their jungle. If you haven’t already, take a look at the video. It’s a powerful reminder of just how wild and extraordinary this place still is.

🏠 Don’t Miss Out On Your Predial Discount!

If you own property in the municipality of Playa del Carmen, now’s the time to take care of your 2026 property tax (predial)—and save some money while you’re at it.

The Ayuntamiento de Playa del Carmen is offering early-payment discounts for predial paid between January 1 and February 28, 2026:

25% discount if paid January 1–15
15% discount if paid January 16–31
10% discount if paid February 1–28

There’s also some relief if you’re behind on past years:

100% off late fees for 2023–2025
75% off late fees for 2020–2022
50% off late fees for 2019 and earlier

Paying early = real savings, and clearing past balances is easier right now than it’s been in years. For official details, payment options, and requirements, visit playadelcarmen.gob.mx or stop by your local municipal office.

If you are in Tulum, Puerto Morelos or another municipality other dates and discounts may apply. Be sure to check with your official local government website or social media platforms.

🏦 2026 Changes for Riviera Maya Vacation Rental Owners

If you host on a digital platform (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking) heads up: Mexico’s 2026 fiscal changes put even more pressure on platforms to share transaction data with SAT and withhold taxes more aggressively in certain situations. The goal is simple—make it harder for platform income to go unreported.

What matters for hosts is your setup. If you haven’t provided an RFC (or your account info doesn’t match what SAT expects), you could be hit with maximum withholding. Some 2026 summaries also indicate stricter handling when payouts go to foreign bank accounts, which may increase IVA withholding compared to what some hosts are used to.

Bottom line: don’t guess. Talk to your accountant about your specific situation (persona física vs moral, regimen, invoicing, payout destination, etc.) and make sure your platform profile is aligned before you get an unpleasant surprise.

NOTES ON NAPKINS

Fun for foodies of all kinds! Here are some of the delicious gastronomic offerings that caught our eye and tempted our palate this week!

Our friends at Josephine’s Jungle Dining Experience are kicking it up a notch this week, turning a simple dinner into something quietly special. They’re offering a lobster special that feels indulgent without being over the top, and honestly, it’s hard to resist.

Savor a succulent 6–7 oz lobster tail served over fragrant basmati rice with the vegetable of the day, plus your choice of soup or salad. And because Josephine’s understands the assignment, the meal also includes a glass of wine. All of it, start to finish, for 950 pesos.

As always, it’s not just about the food. Dinner at Josephine’s is slow, relaxed, and surrounded by jungle greenery, candlelight, and soft music — the kind of place where you linger, catch up with friends, and forget what time it is.

This special dinner is only being offered January 15, 16 & 17. Lobster tails are limited, so reservations are a must. If this sounds like your kind of dining experience, be sure to claim your spot today.

👉️ Reserve your table in advance via WhatsApp: +52 984 233 3733.

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🐠 The Caribbean Gastronomic Festival Is Coming to Cozumel

Food lovers, mark your calendars (and maybe book a hote room). Cozumel is getting ready to host the 5th edition of the Caribbean Gastronomic Festival, scheduled for February 21 & 22 in Benito Juárez Park. If you love discovering regional flavors, artisan products, and fresh takes on Caribbean and Maya cuisine, this one seriously needs to be on your radar.

I’ve had the pleasure of attending the last two editions, in Puerto Morelos and Bacalar, and I can’t recommend the festival enough. These events are beautifully organized, genuinely local, and full of flavor. Think traditional dishes, coastal ingredients, Caribbean spices, live cooking demos, craft vendors, and lots of music. The event brings together thousands of foodies, chefs and producers from across Quintana Roo and features more than 40 unique culinary experiences.

Cozumel’s edition promises tasting pavilions, a “guest ingredient” (always fun to see how chefs interpret it), artisan desserts, and live music. One really nice addition this year: some gastronomy talks will be offered in English, giving visitors and expats a chance to dive deeper into regional food traditions. If you’re looking for an excuse to hop over to Cozumel… here it is.

👉️ Get updates here on the Con Sabor Caribe Mexicano Facebook page

DO GOOD RIVIERA MAYA

Looking for a way to give back or get involved in your community? There is always some GOOD to do! Let us connect you with reputable non-profit organizations and charities working in the Riviera Maya.

💛 Bid for Good: PSOC’s Winter Auction Is Back

The Paamul Service to Others Committee (PSOC) is doing what it does best—and has been for over a decade—quietly and consistently helping to improve the lives and future prospects of those less fortunate in the Maya community.

This year, PSOC is focusing its efforts on two small, remote Maya villages near Chemax: Santa Clara and San Pedro, communities they’ve been working with for several years. Their projects go straight to the essentials: access to clean water, sanitation, food support, and help for children who want to continue school beyond grade seven. In San Pedro, PSOC also maintains a solar power system so families have light at night.

The committee is currently working on a multi-function community building that will serve as sleeping quarters for volunteer teachers with toilets, a medical exam space for visiting doctors, and a storm shelter. My Rotary club is involved in this project so I have been watching this progress with keen interest.

To raise funds to support this and other ongoing projects, PSOC will launch their second online auction of the winter season! Items are donated by generous Paamul residents and businesses including the Dive Shop, the Paamul Restaurant and catering by Chef Shawn.

To participate, join the Facebook group Auction Page for Paamul Service to Others (PSOC) where you can view the auction items, bid or just follow along. The auction begins on Wednesday, January 14 at noon and closes on Wednesday January 21 at noon. Items won must be picked up in Paamul.

👉️ Join the Online Auction Facebook Group, place your bids and help do some good!

¿QUE PASA?  

Here are just handful of upcoming events that you will not want to miss and might need to purchase tickets for in advance. This is just just a small selection, curated from our main list, which you can access by clicking on the link below.

January 16 | Candlelight Concert - Four Seasons by Vivaldi (Cancun)
Enjoy a special performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons performed by the Riviera Maya String Quartet surrounded by candlelight at the Stoa Auditorium in Cancun. $ Sponsored More info here

January 17 – Basic First Aid Course (Puerto Aventuras)
Learn how to respond to emergencies and provide immediate care in this basic first aid course (Spanish) led by the Mexican Red Cross and hosted at Colegio Puerto Aventuras. Meets Protección Civil requirements. The English course will be held on January 24. Cost: 850 MXN per person. Sign up via whatsapp 984 801 0015.

January 17 | 2026 Nations Cup Polo Tournament (Puerto Morelos)
Experience high-stakes polo as teams from around the world compete at El Rey Polo Club. A thrilling afternoon of sport and style. More info here

January 22 – Fundraiser for Leyendo (Playa del Carmen)
Join us at Buzo’s in Playa del Carmen and support literacy and local libraries at this community fundraiser featuring a silent auction, live auction, live music, and a 50/50 raffle. More info here

January 23 | Hughes Family Charity Curry Night (Puerto Aventuras)
Curry lovers gather at Restaurant Latitude 20° to enjoy a range of flavors prepared by local chefs and raise money for charity. Proceeds support Itzé Nah. More info here

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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Thanks for reading Riviera Maya Insider! Let’s chat again next Tuesday!

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