Cancun Beach Sunday: Playa Tortugas

Woke up to blue skies, warm weather, and sunshine… another great day for a Cancun Beach Sunday!

Mexican Caribbean Paradise: Cancun

I spent this great Cancun Beach Sunday visiting some family & relatives that came from Mexico City to enjoy this Paradise; yes, even us Mexicans know the jewel we have and we enjoy it just as much! They stayed at a hotel in Cancun’s Hotel Zone, where we first met and lounged for a while at the pool area. The Jacuzzis seemed really inviting, so I indulged and relaxed away at the warm, bubbly water…

We stayed there for a while, enjoyed some nice family time with our relatives, took up some sunshine at the beach, and finally I ordered a delicious grilled hamburger for lunch, as I hadn’t had anything but a glass of orange juice after waking up earlier in the day; I was starving! Maybe that’s why the burger tasted so delicious, lol! Or maybe it was a real good burger, too!

Suddenly, the sky turned a little dark & cloudy…

… and a little rain started falling! It quickly turned into downright heavy rain, but as its always the case, it only lasted a couple of minutes and then just as quickly as it began, it was over, and the sun was shining again!

Cancun Is Safe Tip: These kind of “flash rains” are very common in Cancun, and they are nothing to worry about. They just form seemingly out of nowhere, and as quickly as they start, they usually pass over, and the sun shines again; its only a matter of waiting for a while!

There was this really cool & nice bar at the beach!

So after a while there, we decided to move to another spot. My family and I went now to Playa Tortugas, or Turtle Beach, one of the favorite beach of the Cancun locals, as well as the rest of the world!

Playa Tortugas is at Km 6.5 of the Cancun Hotel Zone, right in front of a now closed place called “Pepe Tigers”, and also infront of a big local tour operator offices. Getting there is really easy: Just hop into any bus going to the Hotel Zone, they all stop there! Just kindly ask your driver to let you know when you are in Playa Tortugas and they’ll gladly do it!

As we already said, Playa Tortugas is a local favorite. Many local families go there on Sundays to unwind and have a good family time & fun at the beach. They pack ice coolers with beverages and lunch, and they make their own beach pic-nic in Cancun! You can also find people from just about any part of the world getting a healthy dose of sunshine & sea at Playa Tortugas any day!

Cancun Is Safe Tip: We’d like to remind you again that its a good idea to rest well and sleep early the night before going to the beach, in order to be able to get up as early as you can and arrive to the beach in the first hours of the morning. Why? A variety of reasons, actually! In the early morning and until past mid-day, the sun rays are not so hot and the weather is more fresh & breezy; you can also pick the perfect spot to lie down, as not many people are gonna be crowding the beach! Also, have you ever watched the sun rise at the beach? You have to do it!

Playa Tortugas is also home to a Little pier; you can both take a ferry or other boats to Isla Mujeres, or you can also shop around for souvenirs, as they recently are doing some work on the pier and more little shops selling handcrafts, clothing, & souvenirs are opening.

While taking a walk at the pier we came across these amazing animals: 2 “Barracudas” just fished out of the water! Look at the size of these things! And the teeth! Yikes! Can you imagine getting a bite from one of these cuties? Well, it happens sometimes, and let us tell you, it is definitely not pretty! Don’t have to worry much though, barracudas usually don’t come near the shore, you only may come across them if you dive or snorkel a little deeper, and even so, if you don’t get too close to them, they won’t see you as a threat and they’ll leave you alone.

 

Barracudas are usually cleaned up, cut and prepared right away, to make a delicious fresh ceviche

There are a lot of empty beach chairs waiting for you , as you can see!

Cancun Is Safe Tip: Most beaches in Cancun have beach chairs/beds available. Most of the times they belong to a restaurant or business that will either rent them to you for a price for the day, or ask you to order something to drink or eat in order to use them. It’s always best to ask before using one and then having somebody come to tell you that you cant use it without paying. Plus, prices aren’t high: a normal beach bed / chair rent fee for a day is between 8 to 10 USD.

You can also order something to drink or eat and have it delivered right at your spot by a waiter!

Cancun Is Safe Tip: You can also find this service at most Cancun beaches. The waiters are normally working for a restaurant or bar and will approach you to offer their services. It is not obligatory to order anything to be on the beach, though. You only need to order anything if you want to use the chairs or beds, if you don’t plan in doing so, you can be at the beach as long as you want without a problem.

As in most beaches in Cancun, you can find restaurants & bars right at the beach in Playa Tortugas. Prices always vary, so the best is to scout around a little first; compare prices & promotions, or as we like to say in Mexico “If the place is crowded its probably good!” lol, some common Mexican folk culture for you! =) You can also always ask the locals: we are more than happy to help!

The sea was warm & delicious, as you can tell by the many people enjoying it!

After a great day with my family & relatives at Playa Tortugas, we decided to call it a day, since we were pretty worn out by all the sun! We hugged & said good bye, and off I went again to my place, for a much needed & relaxing bath, refreshment, and some time to chill out and write about the great Cancun Beach Sunday I had!

Until next Cancun Beach Sunday, we’re sending much sunshine & warm wishes from Cancun to you!

Remember, Cancun is Safe & a beautiful place to visit! Come see for yourself!

For watching our complete Flickr photo gallery for this Cancun Beach Sunday, please click here.

Posted by: Camilo Olea