All about our kid friendly spring break in Cancun, Mexico. It's pristine beaches with turquoise waters and white sand, wonderful people and delicious food.
Like I mentioned in my last post that earlier last month we went for a holiday to Mexico. Cancun to be precise. You are sure to fall in love with it's pristine beaches with turquoise waters and white sand. A destination with modern luxurious hospitality and shopping, while on the other hand we were a stone throw away from some of the best Mayan ruins, all on a stretch of 14 miles (22 kilometers) of warm sandy beaches. I couldn't ask for more. Ever since I have gotten back, the beaches of Cancun have been on my mind. More so when I think of Cinco de Mayo (May 5th), a celebration that to commemorate the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces. Since Mexico on my mind and I didn't get a chance to share anything about the trip I am going to share with you lots of beautiful, breathtaking pictures of the lovely Carribean and ofcourse some of the food and fun we had. I hate to say this, but I lost a lot of our pictures of the Mexican food, the Mayan ruins and Isla Mujeres, as one of the hard drives crashed. To make up for all the food, at the bottom of the post is a special roundup of all our Mexican recipes as a Cinco De Mayo special.
[adinserter block="2"]
Where we stayed?
[adinserter block="3"]We stayed at the Westin Lagunamar, a great place to be with family. Although it was spring break, the crowd at the resort was very family friendly. It's a great place to be at as the resort in itself is self sufficient. An awesome infinity pool and swim up bar kept us cool and satiated with the Pina Coladas (recipe coming soon) and Margaritas. Little A loved pool hopping from one pool to another and enjoyed the shallow waters of the baby pool. In the mornings we would get into the pool and post lunch step out on the beach, where little A loved playing with sand while we relaxed, swam and enjoyed the serene view. 3 pm to 4 pm was Happy Hour so we made sure we didn't miss out any Pina Coladas and Fruit Punches then too. Before heading back to our villa, we would pamper ourselves in the hot tubs wrapping up our cocktails and smoothies (for A). The resort also has numerous restaurants serving different cuisines. So one of the days we enjoyed a Mexican food with traditional Pinata and Mariachi. The musicians were super talented. The resort also has a Market Place where you can buy groceries and swimming essentials. A couple times I made lunch but the rest of the times we enjoyed the food outside. This location is also bang opposite the famous La Isla Mall, which has some great restaurants and stores. They have a professional photo studio onsite that takes pictures of every family visiting. Best of all is the view, overlooking the sea. Every villa overlooks the sea...when we got back home Little A was disappointed to not wake up with the view below.
[adinserter block="2"]
What did we do there?
[adinserter block="3"]Bludge!!!We wanted to relax and enjoy quiet times, so we didn't do a whole lot of touristy stuff. We were so content we our resort that we didn't feel the need to step out at all. However one of the days we did take a local bus and ferry to the colorful Isla Mujeres (meaning Island of Women) to get a taste of the island life. This island is 14 kilometers off the Yucatán Peninsula coast. It's one of the favorite destinations for travelers who seek natural beauty, island serenity, and a slower pace of life—all without compromising its cultural traditions. I fell in love with this place. It is a contrast from the luxurious hotel strip in Cancun as it has more of a hippie vibe. People are warm and friendly and so laid back. As you walk across the island, the local stores are filled with Souvenirs and local treats and goodies. I was delighted to spot street side vendors selling fresh coconut cream and sliced mangoes. This place had my ideal restaurants "On the beach" .
[adinserter block="2"]
[adinserter block="2"]
What we ate?
[adinserter block="3"]We had some really good food through out. The night of Mariachi, we had an awesome spread of Mexican food with almost 52 varieties of Mexican dishes. Wow, I was just going crazy trying all the different types of salsas, guacamole, ceviche, soups, fajitas and what not. I actually took a video of the whole spread which was on that hard disk that crashed. The rice puddings and Tres Leches were lip smacking an ofcourse their hospitality is number one. Another night we headed across to the mall and ate at Thai Lounge. We had a booking reservation for 6 pm. The restaurant has some really authentic Thai decor and each table is under a palm shelter or palapas, with an ambient of tables and. It sure was a romantic candle light dinner as we watch the sun go down. Yes we saw the sunrise and sun set both from just across the road!!! We order some green curry, spring rolls and pad thai noodles and I was impressed to get such amazing Thai food in Mexico. I have to admit it is a hidden gem in the mall. We also found an Indian restaurant Elephenta next to the Thai restaurant. The next day little A was craving for Dal and Rice so we tried this awesome Indian restaurant. Apparently it's the same owners as Thai lounge, so the concept was pretty much similar except that the decor in each shelter was Indian. It was a serene view and I would have never thought I was enjoy such good Indian food in Mexico.
[adinserter block="2"]
[adinserter block="2"]
Now if all this food makes you hungry and makes you want to be in Mexico too, we have some quick, easy and healthy Mexican 'inspired' recipes lined up for.
- Fresh Homemade Salsa
- Tropical Fruit Salsa
- Pineapple Guacamole
- Ceviche (Vegan + Gluten Free)
- Broccoli & Corn Quesadilla
- Southwest Chipotle Salad with Avocado Dressing
- Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- Spicy Chipotle Vegetarian Pizza
- Samosa Quesadilla
- Burrito Bowl
Follow us on Facebook to stay updated with all the healthy information we share. Check out our Pinterestboards for all the healthy eating inspiration you’ll ever need. For an unending buffet of healthy photographed food, follow us on Instagram
Alice Taylor says
This looks amazing I'd love to visit Mexico, mostly for the food!!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Alice,
I love Mexican food, as being a vegetarian there are so many options and and its flavorful and spicy and pretty much close to my comfort food, Indian. I was super impressed with the food scene, atleast in Cancun. Maybe because it's a tourist destination. Don;t just go there for the food, enjoy the Caribbean waters too.
Anvita.
HeyDelia says
Loved the pictures! I've been to Cancún before but never to Isla Mujeres. I hope I can go back there soon and see the island myself.
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Delia,
It hasn't even been 2 months that i got back from Cancun, but I want to go there again. Infact the next time I go there, I want to just spend time in Isla Mujeres. It's a beautiful island with it's slowpaced, laid back life. Highly recommend it.
Anvita.
Melanie says
Looks like you guys had a great time. Thanks for the recipes :)
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Melanie,
We had an awesome holiday. I always thought it was a destination for spring breakers but I was proven wrong. As far as the recipes go, if you try them, keep us posted.
Jolina - The Unlikely Baker says
Looks like you guys had a wonderful vacation. Awesome and fun pictures :) And that tropical fruit salsa looks like an absolute delight!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Thanks Jolina,
It was a food family vacation. The fact that mangoes are going to be in season soon, I can't to get my hands onto that salsa :)
Anvita
Ahu @ Ahu Eats says
Lovely photos and recipes. Looks like a wonderful trip!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Thanks Ahu.
We had a great time enjoying the water and the food.
Kathleen says
We just came back from there this week and it was heaven!!!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Kathlneen,
Awwww!!!
Tell me about it. I was telling my husband that I wouldn't mind going to Cancun for another holiday. IF you are planning to write about the trip, let me know. I want to make sure I don't miss that post of yours :)
Anvita.
Gotham Chandna says
Wow you found Indian food! And that ceviche looks so delicious!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Gotham,
Yes!!! and that too some of the finest recipes of India, which were delicious. Well after a couple days my son was craving for comfort food so that's how we found this restaurant.
The ceviche I fell in love with.
Anvita
Sara says
Thanks, that was a good writeup! Was this an all-inclusive resort? If not, how much additional was spent on food and drinks?
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Sara,
This was not all inclusive dear. My husband used his points for the flight and stay. Food and drinks was an additional $500 for 5 days. 3 of the 5 days we dined at high end restaurants while the rest of our meals were inexpensive. Ofcourse a major chunk of that was for the cocktails :)
Dave says
Wow, the water looks so beautiful! That vegetarian platter looks delicious, too!
TheBellyRulesTheMind says
Dave,
It's one of the best beach destinations I have ever been to so far. The food scene was good through out the city.
BTW loved you recent post on murmurations.
Anvita