We’ll Head to Mexico Again and Again
(For as long as they'll have us.)
We share nearly 2000 miles of border and not quite 200 years of diplomacy with Mexico. Will we last another 200? (Or even four?) It’s hard to say. While we’re still welcome by our neighbors, we’re going to make a point to visit.
These beachy destinations are ideal for chilling out. Our Mexico wish list includes places we’ve been, places our friends have been, and places we’ve been thinking about visiting for a long time. You’ll notice a theme: We’re in the mood for feel-good places rooted in nature, community, and sustainability.
Here’s what we’ve got:
an excellent eco all-inclusive in Playa del Carmen
a vibey healing home on pretty Isla Holbox
a sexy scene south of Puerto Vallarta
a design marvel with great service in Puerto Escondido
Photos courtesy of Ser Casasandra.
Gulf of Mexico
High Vibrations on Holbox Island
Though word has gotten out, the enchanting and colorful Isla Holbox on the north coast of the Yucatán Peninsula still operates largely under the radar of U.S. travelers to Quintana Roo. That’s because to reach the car-free island between the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, you have to fly into Cancún, drive two hours, and board a 25-minute ferry (sometimes accompanied by live mariachi or Rastafarian singers) — and many people don’t have the patience for it. But we think you should throw those rigid travel tendencies out your tiny golf cart (which will take you from the port to the hotel), and take in the mom-and-pop shops selling dream catchers and crocheted bikinis. You’ll be in a rush to get to Ser Casasandra, but the transportation time will get you readjusted to the slow pace of life — the realest luxury flex. You’ll be staying on the compound of Cuban artist and poet Sandra Pérez, who built the house and surrounding casitas (18 rooms in all) from the ground up, piece by piece over time, with exacting ideas about healthy and beautiful food, design, and vibe. The boho bungalows purposely exclude televisions, telephones, alarm clocks, and radios. Instead, guests will find local artwork, bespoke furnishings, and artisan lighting fixtures, as well as a groovy pool and pristine beachfront. The full-on holistic center is a particular passion point for Pérez, who runs retreats in addition to loving treatments in the realm of osteopathy, restorative physiotherapy, and kinesiology. After a few days, you’ll be tuned up and vibrating high — and probably reconsidering whether it’s even healthy for you to return to the U.S. right now.
Read on for beachy romance, boho luxury, Baja charm, and the hotel that makes Pinterest mood boarders weep for joy.