Playa del Carmen, MX

As many of you know, I took a sabbatical from my full time job as a healthcare professional.  I really just wanted to take some time to focus on my restaurant and find a new purpose in life.  To jump start my sabbatical and celebrate my birthday, I booked a week long trip to Playa del Carmen.  It was supposed to be a solo trip, but 2 of my best friends decided to join me.  Playa, as the locals call it, did not disappoint.  Fly into Cancun and take a taxi or pre-book transportation to Playa del Carmen which is about an hour South of Cancun.  Transportation is about $50 one way.  We booked an Airb&b right off of 5th Avenida, which I would describe as the Mexican Vegas Strip.  It is a few miles long strip of shops, restaurants, bars and clubs.  Everything we needed was literally right there.  The beach was 2 blocks over from the strip so a short walk.  Here are some of the dope spots we went to:

Kascabal Prime Seafood: They have an outdoor patio that's such a vibe.  Order the stone crab claws.  They came in this huge ice bucket and were dirt cheap.  Drinks were also good.

Kool & Mamitas Beach Club: They are literally right next to each other.  You can book a beach chair and enjoy food and drink service.  They do have a minimum purchase requirement for the beach chair rental but after lunch and a few drinks, it is easy to meet.

Thompson Rooftop: The rooftop at the Thompson Hotel was unmatched.  Such a dope vibe.  I loved this place so much that I went twice.  You can reserve a cabana or bed for free and pay for a pool day pass which was only like $12.  The food and drinks were delicious and service was great.  They surprised me for my Birthday with a sign, dessert and sparklers. 

Sonora Prime: This steakhouse takes up the entire block.  The decor is beautiful.  I really loved all of the foliage.  They offer table side cocktail service which was a nice touch.  The food was good.  I think they have multiple locations on 5th.

Chez Celine: The line for this French cafe is out the door so I knew it had to be good.  We waited about 30 minutes to be seated. The omelette was just ok. The French toast was everything I imagined it to be and made it definitely worth the wait.

Aldea Corazon: A hidden restaurant off of 5th Avenue. I think at some point, it used to be a cent.  We were supposed to stop in for drinks but really just walked through to take pics. 

Mamba & Prana are across the street from each other.  This street is where are the night life happens.  Mamba and Prana both offer drinks and hookah, go-go dancers, sparklers and loud music.  If this is your type of scene, this is where you want to be. 

Alux Restaurant: A restaurant inside of a 10,000 year old cave. Definitely a must go to.  The food was decent, but the experience was everything.  This place really deserves its own post.

Chez Waffle:  A cute little waffle spot. I got the churro waffle which was delicious.  I would recommend going here for breakfast and then hitting one of the beach clubs because they are right across the street.