This year, we decided to do Christmas a little differently. And honestly, it was one of the best Christmases I can remember. No one was stressed running back and forth to the airport or hurrying to the store to get last minute gifts. We spent the whole day together, sipping coconut water and virgin piña coladas while laying in the sun. Literally nothing better. We made a group decision that every Christmas should be spent in a bathing suit. (Although, as far as I’m concerned, every day should be spent in a bathing suit 😉)
Cancun was an absolute dream. We stayed at the Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun, and it was incredible! From the impeccable service to the delicious food to the huge multi-level pool to the private beach, we were all trying to figure out how we could stay forever 😂 The resort was honestly perfect. It has everything you need so that you don’t even have to leave the resort if you don’t want to. But, if you’re feeling adventurous, we strongly suggest hopping in a cab and going out into the city. One of of our favorite places to eat downtown was called La Parrilla. We are BIG lovers of Mexican food, and the tacos and guacamole at this restaurant had us all 😍 Don’t forget to get the fried ice cream for dessert, because…when in Mexico right?💃🏽 We would’ve taken pictures to share with you, but we literally scarfed the food down the second the waiters set it down on the table, so… sorry ’bout that. Ugh, and now I’m dreaming about chips and guacamole.
We spent a day taking a tour of the ancient Mayan city of Tulum to see the ruins of the only Mayan city built on the coast. The whole city is surrounded by beautiful trees and a huge stone wall. You enter through a small little opening and come out to an incredible view of endless green grass with iguanas running all over, giant ruins of ancient buildings, and an impeccable view of the ocean. It is the perfect day trip for anyone who can’t spend another hour laying by the ocean (but like really…who is that person?), or if you just want to explore a little piece of Mexican history.
And if you don’t do anything else when you’re in Cancun, make SURE you go to Gran Cenote. It is part of a system of cenotes in Cancun that are all interconnected by underwater tunnels. You can even scuba dive from one to another if you’re into being trapped in a black tunnel with no way to know which way is up or out (so obviously like that’s not really our thing 😂). Gran Cenote is such a fun and unique experience. You can snorkel, scuba dive, or simply swim inside this huge cave system. But we do suggest getting a pair of goggles, because by just peaking under water, you can see huge stalagmites and stalactites. We didn’t expect to stay for so long, but we ended up spending hours swimming around the cave, venturing into the back, and (mildly) freaking out about the bats flying around and hanging upside down inside the cave. It’s the perfect activity for anyone of any age.
We also took a ferry boat ride over to the little island of Isla Mujeres. The ride itself makes for the most beautiful views of the ocean and is kind of like an on-the-water rollercoaster haha. We also saw a few dolphins diving along side the boat. The island is scattered with little shops and restaurants and a beach full of locals. There’s a part of the ocean where you can walk out from the beach and 70 meters into the water, so you feel like you’re in the deep blue. Except it’s not deep. Or blue, because it’s actually turquoise, haha.
Now to start planning our Christmas in the sun for this year 😉.
Bathing suits: Shop Stevie, JCrew (mine is a few years old, but this is the exact same style just in new colors)
If you’re planning your trip now, please use these links to look for cheap flights, great hotel deals, and other things to do.
