🌴 Your Insider Update from the Riviera Maya - November 3

🌴 Good morning, Insiders!

And just like that, spooky season is in the rearview mirror. The costumes are being put away, the altars are coming down and—if your house is anything like mine—there may still be a little pan de muerto sitting on the counter.

This is one of my favorite times of year in the Riviera Maya. The evenings feel a little cooler, our beloved snowbirds are trickling back in and there is a sense that the whole region is waking up after the long low season. Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, Christmas decorations are already on display at Sam’s Club and calendars are filling up faster than most of us would like to admit.

But for now, sit back, pour another cup of coffee, and take a few minutes to catch up on what is happening around us. Let’s get into it!

— Michele Kinnon

Today’s newsletter is brought to you courtesy of our Featured Sponsor, Dr. Luigi Palermo and Timeless Beauty.

📸 Congratulations to everyone who guessed that last week’s photo was taken at one of the entrances to Xcaret. Penny B. was the first one to guess correctly!

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!

🏘️ Tulum Home Sales Fall by Half
Tulum home sales dropped from 3,487 in 2023 to 1,711 in 2025, while prices fell an estimated 14% over the past year. Analysts say the market holds nearly four years of inventory at the latest sales pace, with roughly 7,000 more homes somewhere between planning and construction. The hoped-for reset is toward retirees, remote workers and full-time residents—not another wave of speculative vacation rentals. Read more

🐬 Mincho’s Death Puts Cancún Dolphinarium Back Under Scrutiny
Mincho, the dolphin whose 2020 show injury helped spur Mexico’s “Ley Mincho,” has died in a Cancún facility already under federal oversight. He had been seriously ill, but a necropsy is still needed to establish the cause of death. Eight dolphins remain at the site, where officials have been weighing whether they can safely be moved. Read more

💧 Sewage Threatens Punta Esmeralda Cenote
Centinelas del Agua says untreated wastewater from Colosio homes that remain unconnected to the sewer system continues to reach local water bodies, including the cenote at Punta Esmeralda. Monitoring has found contamination levels that rise and fall, prompting temporary closures when readings spike. If the cenote is closed, respect the notice: clear-looking water is not proof that it is safe. Read more

🚕 Tulum Taxi Driver Suspended After Uber-Related Attack
Quintana Roo’s mobility institute suspended a Tulum taxi driver accused of participating in an attack on another union member who was accepting a trip through Uber. The incident illustrates the tension behind Tulum’s new app-based service: an Uber booking may still be fulfilled by a traditional taxi driver operating through the platform. Read more

🌿 Playa Lots Marketed Before Environmental Approval
ECB Desarrollos is accepting 20,000-peso reservations for lots in NATIVA, a 90.9-hectare project near Xcaret, while Semarnat is still reviewing its environmental impact statement. The proposal includes villas, apartments, commercial areas, cenotes and an artificial lagoon on land where 28 at-risk species were identified. Read more

🏖️ Beach Club Approved Inside Puerto Morelos Reef Park
Semarnat has authorized Club 8, a 761-square-metre beach club with a palapa bar, kitchen, restrooms and beach furniture, on a federal shoreline inside the Puerto Morelos reef park. Mexican beaches remain public, but residents worry that furniture and service areas can effectively squeeze out non-customers and threaten sea turtle nesting. Read more

🗺️ Tulum Residents Put 400 Road Hazards on the Map
After heavy rains and utility work left potholes, trenches and sinkholes across town, citizen group Tulum Unido created an interactive map that residents can update themselves. More than 400 problem spots were logged, and the map drew nearly 5,700 views within a week. Read more

This is not your standard Riviera Maya beach house. La Palapa at Blue Ivy began with a traditional Caribbean palapa, and instead of hiding that history, the finished home makes it the star. Massive zapote posts, palo de rosa beams and cedar doors give the place a character you will not find in a cookie-cutter condo. It sits just north of Puerto Morelos town centre, with the beach across the street and jungle behind it. Not a bad combination.

The two-bedroom, two-bath home saves the entire second floor for the primary suite, complete with a soaring palapa roof, wraparound terrace, walk-in closet and open-air shower. Outside, there is a private pool, landscaped garden, sunbathing area and outdoor kitchen—everything you need to make the most of the Caribbean weather.

La Palapa is being sold fully furnished for $799,000 USD and has an established vacation-rental history. The current land-use designation may also allow third and fourth floors, offering you room to expand.

👉 Take a look at the full listing.

Maybe—but don’t cross it off your vacation budget yet. Federal lawmaker Ernesto Sánchez Rodríguez says he will ask Quintana Roo to eliminate the fee paid by foreign visitors, arguing that it adds to travel costs when tourism is already under pressure.

The debate has also raised a fair question: where does the money actually go? State law sets the charge but does not earmark its revenue for a specific purpose, such as beach care or tourism promotion. That does not mean the money is missing; it means the published documents do not clearly show travelers what Visitax pays for.

For now, VISITAX remains in effect. The 2026 rate works out to 293.28 pesos per foreign visitor, and it is separate from the federal fee generally included in international airfare. If you need to pay, use the official state website and don’t be fooled by lookalike sites. Save the QR receipt to your phone and take a screenshot in case you cannot get online at the airport. If a website or collector quotes something substantially different, stop and verify what you are being charged for.

The reef is one of the reasons people come to the Riviera Maya: to snorkel above coral, watch fish gather and see what lives beneath that turquoise water. It also supports local livelihoods and helps protect the coast from waves and erosion.

But our reef is in trouble. UNAM researchers say the Mexican Caribbean has lost more than 70% of its living coral cover since the early 1980s. Decades of coastal development and wastewater pollution weakened the reefs. Recent marine heat waves from El Niño have dealt them another blow.

We can’t solve all of that on a snorkel trip, but we can avoid adding to the damage:

Look closely, enjoy every minute and do what you can to help the reef recover.

If yesterday’s pan de muerto is beginning to dry out, do not throw it away. Slightly stale enriched bread is perfect for making rompope French toast.

Rompope is Mexico’s creamy answer to eggnog, a sweet drink traditionally made with milk, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla and rum or another spirit. It’s easy to find in any grocery store and delicious!

For two generous servings, whisk together 2 eggs, ⅓ cup rompope, ⅓ cup milk, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Cut the pan de muerto into four thick slices.

Melt a little butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Dip each slice into the rompope mixture for 20 to 30 seconds per side, allowing it to soak in without becoming soggy. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden outside and warm through.

Finish with powdered sugar, fresh fruit or a light drizzle of cajeta. Rompope already brings sweetness, vanilla and spice, so taste before reaching for the syrup.

No pan de muerto goes to waste, and breakfast suddenly feels a little festive. ¡Provecho!

New and Yummy!
There’s a new sweet spot in Puerto Aventuras! Yummy Frozen Yogurt has opened on the back side of the marina. It is owned by the same team behind CASA and that tells us quite a bit. CASA is well liked for a reason: the food is consistently good and quality clearly matters. That sets the bar high for Yummy, but it also gives us every reason to expect the frozen yogurt and toppings will receive the same attention.

Taqueria Safari Closes
We're sorry to report that Taqueria Safari has quietly closed its Puerto Aventuras location. We're not sure exactly when they shut their doors, but it's sad to see another familiar local restaurant disappear from the scene.

Coming soon….
Now we can put a name to that new marina restaurant scheduled to fill the local between Tejas and Isabella. Marina Masala, an Indian Kitchen & Bar scheduled to open in January 2027.

The story begins in Ahmedabad, where founder Shiv Patel ran three Mocha cafés from 2014 to 2020. For this project, he has reunited with chef Pavankumar Shirwas, who cooked alongside him in India and will lead the kitchen in Puerto Aventuras.

The menu promises aromatic curries, tandoori favourites, biryani, naan and masala chai. There is a distinctly Caribbean twist too: the team plans to give local snapper, grouper, mahi-mahi and lobster an Indian treatment, with a short menu cooked to order over tandoor fire. The bar will pair Indian flavours with Mexican agave spirits.

It sounds like something genuinely different for the marina. Read the Marina Masala story, follow @marinamasalamexico for updates and start deciding which Indian dish you’ll try first.

Galleta is the newest guest at Playa Animal Rescue and, according to Jan, she is already earning the title of “scruffy super model.” She is an adult female, and while the rescue is still getting to know her, one thing is already very clear: she is an exceptionally sweet girl. Galleta is currently going through PAR’s medical protocols and will be available for adoption as soon as she has completed them. If that scruffy face looks like it belongs in your family, contact Jan at [email protected] for more information.

November is already filling up with live music, markets, fundraisers and early holiday events. Check the Riviera Maya Events calendar for daily listings, and watch for Thursday’s Weekend Roundup email for our Top Picks.

Mukbil Pollo Festival November 4 | Mercado Diana Laura Riojas | Playa del Carmen | 5–10 PM - Local cooks and vendors celebrate Maya culinary traditions with mukbil pollo, the banana-leaf-wrapped tamal traditionally prepared for Hanal Pixán. Pan de muerto and aguas frescas will also be available. Admission is free; food and drinks are sold separately.

The Nutcracker Ballet November 4 & 6 | Teatro de la Ciudad | Playa del Carmen | 8 PM - Get in the Christmas spirit a little early with World Ballet’s Tour of Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic. Clara, the Nutcracker Prince, the Mouse King and the Land of Sweets are all coming to Playa del Carmen this week.

International Queer Film Festival Playa del Carmen November 5–11 | Cinépolis Plaza Las Américas and other venues | Playa del Carmen | Times vary - The 13th edition of QIFF presents approximately 95 LGBTQ+ films from 26 countries, including features, documentaries, shorts and university productions. The week also includes filmmaker discussions, special guests and a November 11 awards ceremony at Teatro de la Ciudad.

Fandango de Muertos November 5 | Centro Cultural y Museo de Puerto Morelos | Puerto Morelos | 5–8 PM - Puerto Morelos continues its Día de Muertos celebrations with an afternoon of traditional music, dancing and community activities. The family-friendly event is open to the public.

MORSA: A Tribute to The Beatles November 5 | Teatro de la Ciudad | Playa del Carmen | 8 PM - Mexican tribute band MORSA follows The Beatles from the early days of Beatlemania through the ambitious studio albums and enduring classics that came later. 

NOVA FEST 2026 November 7 | Centro Universitario Inglés | Playa del Carmen | From 1 PM - Anime, cosplay, K-pop and gaming come together for an afternoon of tournaments, live bands, dance performances, trivia, raffles, local vendors and a cosplay runway. Admission is 80 MXN in advance or 100 MXN at the door.

GFNY Cozumel 2026 November 7–8 | San Miguel de Cozumel | Cozumel | Times vary - Cyclists from around the world take on Cozumel’s coastal roads in 77-kilometer and 154-kilometer courses, with the island’s famous winds adding to the challenge. GFNY Kids takes place Saturday morning, followed by the main race on Sunday.

📆 Did you know you can also submit your own event to appear on the calendar? Give it a try! The more people who use it, the better it gets.

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