Neighborhooding: Akumal, Mexico

Living la buena vida at La Buena Vida in Akumal

Along the coast of the Yucatán peninsula sits a town called Akumal, in between the spring break crowds of Cancun an hour north and the Insta-fame hungry hordes in Tulum 30 minutes to the south. First scouted by my sister and her husband nearly 20 years ago, Akumal is now my family’s favorite destination for a Mexican vacation. It’s a typical Mexican beach town, with a host of tourist-friendly waterfront bars & restaurants to the east of the highway and a town “puebla” with everyday conveniences and authentic local spots to the west along the jungle side.


Check in

Pool on the beach in Akumal
Sunset over the beach in Akumal
Fresh beach coconuts, cut down by the Airbnb host
Welcome dinner on our first night in Akumal – coconut shrimp, chicken mole, ceviche, salsas, chorizo

From all-inclusive resorts, to long-term apartment rentals and beachfront villas, there’s a massive variety of accommodations to suit every mood and traveler. On our most recent trip in March ’24, we stayed at a beachfront villa and really lived it up, with chefs coming to cook a traditional dinner on our first night and a woman who came and did massages and facials on another day. Everything was super easy to schedule in advance through the Airbnb host.


Where to Beach

The beach in Akumal

In short, pretty much anywhere. If your accommodations don’t offer beach access, then a little tip would be to visit Beached Bikini Bar and hang out on the beach in front in between margaritas and nachos.


Where to Eat

La Buena Vida at night
Maureen & Dan at La Buena Vida, March 2024
The whole fam at La Buena Vida, March 2024
Riona & Justin, La Buena Vida, March 2024
The $12 shots of 1942 and margaritas at La Buena Vida

La Buena Vida: Along a rocky beach sits a spot with treehouse seating, bar swings and $12 shots of 1942 (sadly up to $30 now).

Jungla Cafe

Jungla Cafe: In the same development as La Buena Vida, Jungla is a cool breakfast spot for traditional Mexican breakfast alongside almond milk matcha lattes.

Turtle Bay: A very Americanized menu, but a good spot for a chicken tikka masala pizza or a burger for when you just can’t do another plate of nachos.

Jungle Fish Beach Club: This place is packed with American and Canadian retirees (and a classic rock cover band, for good measure), but the food is really good and the views are A+.


Where to Drink

If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a dog or two at Beached Bikini Bar
Riona at Beached Bikini
Beached Bikini’s frozen mango habanero margaritas

Beached Bikini Bar: I’ve drunkenly and soberly anointed this bar The Greatest Bar in the World since first visiting a few years ago. And I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a major motivating factor in booking our accommodations this year, since the villa was right next door. Beached Bikini is a laidback bar directly on the beach with tables and chairs in the sand and swings for bar seats. They serve awesome margaritas and the food is pretty good too.

Casa Cervecera Pescadores in Puerto Moreles
Riona & Justin, me & Bill at Casa Cervecera Pescadores in Puerto Moreles

Casa Cervecera Pescadores: If you’re arriving at Cancun Airport and heading south, then this has to be the first stop on your trip. Located right on the main highway, Pescadores is a tasting room serving craft beers. An A+ spot for a few games of Monopoly Deal and some beers to officially kick off your trip to Mexico.


Worth a Detour

Bean bag chairs on the beach + excellent people watching = Cinco Tulum
Cinco Tulum
Drinks at ARCA Tulum
R&J at ARCA Tulum
Hartwood Tulum
Beach buys, Tulum
Cinco Tulum
Cinco Tulum

Tulum: It’s a 20-30 minute drive south of Akumal to explore the Tulum ruins, the bustling downtown, as well as the beach road. Hit up Burrito Amor for burritos and cocktails with a healthy-ish bent right downtown, glamp at Cinco Tulum right on the beach (or head to their beach club for a day of shrimp nachos, margaritas and people watching), grab drinks at ARCA (but don’t stay for dinner), and make sure to book a table at Hartwood in advance — worth the hype.

When in PDC… Senor Frog’s?
Senor Frog’s in PDC
El Fogon in PDC
The cheesiest torta at El Fogon, PDC

Playa del Carmen: Fun for a night or two, ‘PDC’ is home to El Fogon, a restaurant with food so good that I told our server it was my favorite restaurant in the entire world and that I loved him. His response? ‘Thank you?”

Swimming in a cenote

Cenotes: There’s at least a dozen to choose from all along the highway between Cancun and Tulum.

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