Nomadic Notes Newsletter: July 2011
Playa del Carmen – An ideal home base for the Yucatan Peninsula
Where I’m At: Playa del Carmen
Being a full time working nomad I have been testing out the right balance of work and travel. Currently the one month on/one month off system is working for me. This year I have managed to spend a month in Penang, as well as a couple of months in Chiang Mai in between travels.
While I was in Chiang Mai I met up with a fellow long term traveller, Derek “Wandering Earl” Baron. After a few online discussions we realised that we would both be in Mexico at the same time. It also turned out that he had a spare room for rent in his apartment around the same time I would be there as well. This is what brings me to Playa del Carmen, which will be my home for my next one month off travel.
[The white sandy beach at Playa del Carmen]
I didn’t know much about Playa del Carmen other than it is close to Cancun. When I think Cancun, I think resort town filled with American spring breakers. That is only part of the story though, and after readings Earls article about why Playa del Carmen is such a good place to live, I felt comfortable with the decision to spend some time here.
I have been in Playa a few days now and I sold on the idea of staying for a month. There is no denying that this is a touristic destination, but after scouting the town I see that the most of the tourist shops are confined to one street (5th Ave) which runs parallel to the beach. Further back from the beach, Playa is an every day working Mexican city, but with better infrastructure. There are plenty of local restaurants that are half the price of some of the restaurants on the tourist area, and there is also a Mega supermarket nearby for household grocery items.
[There is more to Playa del Carmen than Señor Frogs]
My home for the next month is a modern and spacious apartment with a swimming pool and wifi included. It’s about a third of the price of what I would pay for the same standard accommodation in Melbourne.
[Living in Playa del Carmen]
Perhaps the biggest attraction of living in Playa is its location on the Yucatan Peninsula. Basing myself here I can make day trips to highlights of the region, such as Tulum, Chichén Itzá and the Cenotes. July is also the rainy season here so it is not so busy, and the rainy days (which I haven’t experienced yet) may encourage me to stay inside more and get some work done before heading off on the road again. After all I am actually meant to be working while I am here.
Over the next month I will be visiting more of the region as well as reporting on living in this great part of the world.