🌴 Your Insider Update from the Riviera Maya - October 27

🎃 Good morning, Insiders!

How lucky are we to live in a place where three very unique celebrations come together in one extraordinary week?

Here on the Riviera Maya, Halloween is enthusiastically embraced with costume parties and trick-or-treating. Día de Muertos brings marigolds, sugar skulls, music and beautiful public altars. Hanal Pixán connects us to the much older traditions of the Maya world, as families prepare special foods and welcome the spirits of their loved ones home.

Each celebration has its own meaning and we can enjoy all three without leaving the Riviera Maya. Thursday’s newsletter will have our roundup of Halloween parties, altar displays, processions and cultural events across the Riviera Maya. So, don’t miss it!

However you celebrate, enjoy this very special season in paradise!

— Michele Kinnon

Today’s newsletter and 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. Know someone who you think would enjoy this newsletter? Share it with them!

📸 Congratulations to everyone who guessed that last week’s photo was taken at the Royal Haciendas Resort. Myrna B. was the first to guess correctly. Lydia P. grabbed the extra points for knowing the exact room number.

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!

🔐 Xcaret Admits Massive Data Breach
Grupo Xcaret says email addresses and mobile numbers for about 8,300 park customers were taken in a security incident. It says card and bank details were not exposed, but the contact information could be used to make a fake reservation payment request look convincing. Xcaret says it never sends payment links by text. If a message says you owe more for a park visit, check with Xcaret through its official website before paying. Read more

✈️ Will New Incentives Bring Flights Back to Tulum?
After several airlines cut routes, the Mexican government is offering three more years of incentives to encourage flights to Tulum Airport. That could mean more choices for travelers, but the airport operator has yet to explain the terms, and no previously cancelled routes have been restored since this announcement. Learn more

🪸 Mexican Caribbean Has Lost More Than 70% of Its Living Coral Cover
The region’s reef decline began decades before the recent marine heat waves. UNAM scientist Lorenzo Álvarez Filip says coastal development and wastewater pollution weakened corals, leaving them more vulnerable when extreme ocean heat struck in 2023 and 2024. He is calling for tighter controls on development and pollution to protect what remains. Learn more

🌿 Maya Ka’an Makes National Geographic’s 2027 Travel List
South of the Riviera Maya resort corridor, Maya Ka’an offers a different way to explore Quintana Roo: paddle Sian Ka’an’s waterways, learn embroidery from Maya artisans or hear the Caste War’s history in Tihosuco. National Geographic has named the region one of its 25 best places to visit in 2027, putting its community-led tours in the spotlight. Read more

🌊 Puerto Aventuras Begins Installing Its Sargassum Barrier
After months of planning, shipping and weather delays, crews have started placing the 1.5-kilometer barrier intended to protect Bahía Fátima, the Yacht Club inlet and Kantenah inlet. Some residents wonder why work is starting now, when little sargassum is arriving. Installation will happen in stages, and there’s no completion date yet or proof of how the barrier will perform during the next heavy influx. Read more

🏖️ Playa Keeps 15 Blue Flags—Even as Sargassum Keeps Washing Ashore
Eight public beaches and seven hotel beaches have renewed their Blue Flag status. But what does that award mean when sargassum can cover the sand and keep swimmers out of the water? The rules allow natural seaweed if it is properly managed. With more than 35,000 tons removed from Playa’s beaches this year, the harder question is whether the flag tells visitors enough about conditions on the day they arrive. Learn more

18 years ago, we helped a wonderful couple purchase this condo in Playacar. That feels like another lifetime! Now, after nearly two decades of enjoying their Playa home, they're ready to pass Casa de Sueño along to its next lucky owners. And there's a lot to love about this one.

Located in Rosa Blanca, a small 12-unit complex in Playacar Phase 2, this fully furnished 2-bedroom, 2-bath penthouse offers something particularly appealing: the peace, security and greenery of Playacar, but just an easy walk to the beach, 5th Avenue, restaurants and the Cozumel ferry.

The condo has a lovely private terrace overlooking the golf course, tropical gardens and pool. It comes completely turnkey, with access to the Reef Beach Club.

But here's another big plus. Over the years, the owners have built up a loyal following of repeat vacation renters, many of whom will undoubtedly be eager to return. That's a wonderful head start for anyone hoping to offset ownership costs while they're away.

A great location, a well-loved home and an established rental history. This one deserves a closer look.

If you open the app on your phone, you will see that Uber is now taking ride requests in Playa del Carmen and Tulum—but the service may not be what you are expecting.

In Playa, the service launched as Uber Taxi. Rides booked through the app are currently being fulfilled by members of the Lázaro Cárdenas del Río taxi union. Tulum’s rollout is still fresh, but local taxi drivers have also been invited onto the platform and users should expect them to fulfill many of its requests.

Why this model? Earlier this year, Uber and MX Taxi announced a national alliance that allows licensed taxi drivers to accept app bookings while remaining independent. It gives Uber a way to expand while giving traditional drivers access to its technology and loyal customers.

For riders, the immediate advantages may be more reasonable rates, advance fare estimates, driver information, trip tracking and an in-app record. What this does not do is free travelers from the grip of the taxi unions and their alliances. So, if you are trying to avoid taxis, check the vehicle category before confirming and do not assume Uber solves that problem.

Airport transportation remains a separate issue. Federal officials maintain that app-based services still lack authorization for airport transportation. Keep a trusted authorized driver, the ADO bus or prebooked transfer in your travel plans.

Día de Muertos and Janal Pixán offer visitors a wonderful opportunity to experience traditions that remain deeply meaningful to local families.

Public altars, exhibitions and processions are created to be shared. Take time to notice the photographs, favourite foods and personal objects placed for those being remembered. Look without touching and avoid blocking an altar for the perfect photograph.

In Playa del Carmen, even the city-organized procession on November 2 ends at the municipal cemetery. It is a public event, so participants and onlookers are expected. The destination does, however, call for a change in tone. As the procession reaches the cemetery, families may be praying, tending graves or sharing personal moments with those they have lost.

Cemeteries are not necessarily off-limits to respectful visitors. Simply follow the crowd’s lead, speak quietly, give families space and ask before photographing people, graves or private ceremonies. A friendly “¿Puedo tomar una foto?” goes a long way.

Halloween invites playfulness. Día de Muertos and Janal Pixán invite participation too, but with curiosity, appreciation and respect.

You must have noticed…pan de muerto is suddenly everywhere!

The familiar version is a soft, round loaf scented with orange blossom, orange zest or anise and finished with sugar. But there is no single pan de muerto. Across Mexico, it appears as sugar-covered rounds, human figures, animals and even flowers.

And those distinctive decorations on top? That’s not just the baker getting fancy. The strips of dough crossing the loaf are called canillas and represent bones. The small ball in the centre is commonly interpreted as a skull, while the round loaf represents the continuing cycle of life and death.

Riviera Maya bakeries add their own flourishes, including chocolate, cream, cajeta and other fillings. Beyond giving bakeries an excuse to tempt us from August onward, pan de muerto has an important job. Placed on the altar alongside photographs and favourite foods, it is an offering for the returning souls.

For the rest of us, it is best enjoyed fresh with coffee, hot chocolate or a cup of atole. ¡Provecho!

One of Seaside Rotary’s proudest community relationships is with Contando con un Amigo, a small community school in an underserved settlement called Torres de la Paz.

Through Feeding the Future, the club provides 90 children with two nutritious meals, three days a week. For children facing food insecurity, those meals can mean the difference between a full stomach and going hungry. The club has also installed a reverse-osmosis system that supplies safe drinking water to students, teachers and their families. 

Although the settlement sits beneath high-voltage power lines, the school has no access to electricity. A solar system with battery backup powers the water system, classroom lights and fans. When its batteries failed, school leader Honorina turned to Seaside Rotary.

Several club members knew Roger Sherman through solar installations completed by his company, EcoCentro. Roger was eager to help, and Seaside Rotary and EcoCentro worked together to replace the faulty batteries and restore power.

Programs like this depend on local businesses willing to step up. Our heartfelt thanks go to Roger and the EcoCentro team.

Watch the EcoCentro video and learn more about this charitable project. Considering solar for your home or business? Please consider EcoCentro so they can DO MORE GOOD in our community.

Thor is 6 years old and a joy to spend time with. He came looking for us at the shelter when a hurricane was about to hit. This guy is so smart and knew where he would be safe. Thor loves to get out and about with people. A walk is his idea of heaven. He is also down for a quiet cuddle. Thor is neutered, fully vaccinated, parasite free and up to date on all his monthly preventatives. If you would like to learn more about Thor, send an email to [email protected].

This week’s calendar is predictably packed with Halloween, Día de Muertos and Janal Pixan events, but I’ve kept those out of today’s picks. Watch for Thursday’s Weekend Roundup email where I’ll pull together the holiday celebrations and parties in one place.

Dirty Martini Lounge 4th Re-Anniversary Party October 28 | Dirty Martini Lounge | Playa del Carmen | From 3 PM - Dirty Martini celebrates four years since its reopening with cocktails, music and an anniversary party that continues into the evening. Your friend and mine, DJ Greco takes over at 9 PM for karaoke, and local residents receive 20% off all day.

Free English Stand-Up Comedy October 28 | Iguana Comedy Club | Playa del Carmen | Doors at 8 PM; show at 8:30 PM - International performers and a rotating lineup of comics take the stage for a free English-language comedy show. Seating is limited; a $5 USD guarantees your reservation and includes one drink.

Hernán Cattáneo October 28 | Martina Beach Club | Playa del Carmen | Doors at 9 PM - Argentine DJ Hernán Cattáneo opens his Mexico tour with a four-hour progressive-house set presented by Concept Night. The event continues until 7 AM Thursday. Tickets are available through Concept Tickets.

Paamul Eco-Market October 29 | Paamul Community Center | Paamul | 9–11 AM - The popular Thursday morning market reopens for the season with local produce, seafood, baked goods, cheeses, empanadas, handcrafted wine, jewelry, clothing and recycled creations. Bring a shopping bag and perhaps a cooler.

Speed Dating at Wine O’Clock October 29 | Wine O’Clock | Playa del Carmen | 7 PM - Match Playa brings singles ages 30 to 50 together for an evening of short, face-to-face conversations. Reservations are required. Keeping an open mind is recommended.

Symphony in a Cenote October 30 | Fairmont Mayakoba | Playa del Carmen | 6–9 PM - A string ensemble performs contemporary favorites by candlelight inside a private cenote beneath the jungle. The experience is limited to 50 guests and includes transportation from the resort, champagne and chef-prepared canapés. Reservations are required.

End Polio Now 3K & 5K Charity Run October 31 | Starting at La Comer | Tulum | 6 AM - Rotary Club Tulum invites runners, walkers, families and dogs to choose between a 3K or 5K route supporting the international campaign to eradicate polio. The suggested donation is 150 MXN.

📆 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.

To access the full list of Riviera Maya events and happenings for this week and beyond, click on the link below!

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

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