Living Playa

There is so much more to Playa than just the beach.  But what is it that really makes Playa special?  Something that those of us who are lucky enough to live here this is very easy to put into words.  It’s a feel, a cosmopolitan atmosphere that is not found anywhere else on earth, a mixture of Latin, North American, and European cultures that come together in a relaxed beachfront scene.  What we can define is some of the activities that this culture meshing has provided, including world class shopping, dining, diving, sailing, fishing, golfing, adventure, cenotes and of course one of the best nightlife’s anywhere!

For us it truly was love at first sight.  We think you will agree….

 

Yet while the clear turquoise blue water is the star o the Riviera Maya, the spotless white powder sand that will never burn your feet is a extremely strong supporting cast member. It is the textbook definition of “Paradise”.

Don’t allow the stars of the program steal the entire spotlight. Present are countless other reasons why so many Americans and Canadians are relocating or calling the Riviera Maya their home away from home. The secret is quality of life. This is what motivates us to live here, there’s hands down no better place!

Situated on the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula precisely between Cancun and Tulum is Playa del Carmen, or “Playa” as the locals refer to it. Playa has something for everyone. A diverse, seductive town that mixes the Mexican flair with a Caribbean mood inspired from cultures from every part of around the globe. The cultural experiences are copious but what truly makes this city consequently only one of its kind are its people. Anywhere you set out the locals (who can be from North America, Europe, and Latin America or yet even Asia ironically) are extremely welcoming and friendly. You continually get the sensation you are part of the community.

We hate to break this to you but,……….the cost of living is 40% lower than anywhere in Canada, plus incredible year-round weather, great food, plentiful golf courses, a budding art community, world-class medical facilities, and an International Airport offering daily flights to the U.S. and Canada (more than any other airport in Mexico), Riviera Maya is one of the most livable areas anywhere for Canadians and Americans. We’re just saying, so why don’t you be the judge for yourself?

Offering here all the ex-pats a resource center, where we’ll constantly be updating helpful information, helping you to make the moving process as simple as possible, while giving you the proper tools to make this an informative decision.

Every day we will promise to give you helpful advice on moving abroad and we know you will not regret it.

GOLF

With 18 Courses in the area, and one that has just been named the # 3 course in all of Mexico, there is no better day trip than choosing one of these fantastic venues and taking a day to explore.  Whether it’s a course with beachfront holes (just imagine how much that real estate is worth!!!!) or carving out an ancient Mayan path in the jungle there is something here that will make any golfer feel special.  Here are a few of our favorites.

RIVIERA MAYA GOLF CLUB AT BAHIA

Riviera Maya Golf Club, which was recently voted the # 3 Golf Course in all of Mexico, has an extraordinary act of architecture where the designer Robert Trent Jones II, has attained an spectacular synergy among the 36 golf holes along with the abundant Mayan jungle integrating natural lakes and cenotes (sink holes) inside the jagged landscape.

PUERTO AVENTURAS GOLF RESORT

The PA Golf course has an exciting and challenging course. This beautiful 36 par jungle golf course was planned in 1991 by Thomas Leman also is still one of the best kept secrets in the area.

EL CAMALEON MAYAKOBA

The Host for the PGA Tour since 2007. Its diverse design – from the jungle to the mangroves then from the mangroves to the most exquisite ocean views – is the distinctive stamp of El Camaleón Mayakoba.

CANCUN GOLF CLUB AT POK TA POK

Cancun Golf Club at Pok Ta Pok, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 1976, still considered a leader within golf inside this region. Those who visit Cancun recognize that playing a round of golf on this course is a must.

IBEROSTAR PLAYA PARAISO GOLF CLUB

Reflecting the elegance of the panorama it occupies, Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club is the newest creation of world-renowned golf course architect P.B. Dye. The vertical movement and distinctive rock design are signatures of a typical P.B. Dye design. This world-class arrangement features surroundings observed single at the most excellent golf destinations round the world.

EL MANGLAR RIVIERA MAYA

This 18-hole course was conceived with extensive admiration in favor of both, the naturally abundant fauna and the environmentally aware parts that encompass it. An impressive resort course among predominant trade gusts of wind that demand pinpoint accuracy and challenges still most of experienced players.

MOON SPA & GOLF CLUB

Moon Spa & Golf Club is the only Nicklaus Signature Course in Cancun and The Riviera Maya. Designed with a unique concept of environmental conservation, a perfect Ecological harmony has been achieved.

PLAYACAR SPA & GOLF CLUB

Playacar Spa & Golf Club was designed and created under the supervision of the famous Architect Robert Von Hagge. This magnificent Golf Course, par 72 with a distance of 7,144 yards, surrounded by a variety of lakes plus exuberant foliage, is considered the most challenging Course of the area.

KUKULCAN GOLF & SPA RESORTS AT IBEROSTAR CANCUN

Our 18-Hole, Par 72 Championship golf course has been positioned within 150 acres of tropical paradise. With lush fairways tended with the highest care meandering all the way through ancient Mayan Ruins, El Rey (circa 500 A.D.), the Hilton Cancun Golf Club has been surrounded by the natural wonders furthermore the beauty of the Nichupte Lagoon and its teeming wildlife.

PLAYA MUJERES GOLF CLUB

Designed by Greg Norman, the Golf Club Playa Mujeres is a rounded for magnificent and contrast scenarios, all sheltered in widespread natural vegetation and fauna, The landscape combining 2 different scenarios: Beach and Laguna.

PLAYA MUJERES GOLF CLUB

The Lively grouping of mangroves, exceptional Ocean Views to the Caribbean Sea, Incredible Sights and undulating fairways and Greens, makes Riviera Cancun Golf & Resorts the perfect sum of challenges in favor of the most Testing Golfer.

FISHING

“The best salt water fly fishing on earth, hands down!!!”.  That is how a recent angler from the northwest described a day out on the flats.  If you are in the know, then there is nothing more to say than “Grand Slam” this is one of the few places that can offer the holy grail of fly fishing, and there have been those who have lived to tell about it.

If deep sea is more your thing, be sure to check the calendar.  There is a Marlin and Sail fish season, but you can catch Mahi Mahi, yellow tail snapper or grouper all year round.  The proximity to the Great Mayan Reef system make sure that even a novice comes out with a most enjoyable day.  The immense variety of species that exist have turned Cancun, Isla Mujeres, the Riviera Maya, the island of Holbox, and the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve into some of the world’s top locations for fishing.

SNORKELING WITH THE WHALE SHARKS

To those who have not done this, it is a once in a lifetime experience.  It is seasonal June to September, but these fish, the biggest in the world, the small island of Holbox is the starting place for this journey.  En-route to the WHALE SHARKS there are lots of other interesting sights including Wild Dolphins, Stingrays, Flocks of Flamingos, Manta rays, Ibis, Pelicans, Egrets,The Unusual  “Chimay Birds” and much much more.

DIVING

When Jacque Cousteau came here in the 1960’s no one had heard about the world class diving associated with the Great Mayan Reef System.  Today the secret is out.  Cozumel consistently is rated one of the top 3 dive destinations on the planet, and with hidden gems from shipwrecks to reef patches only the most experienced divers are aware of, there is something for every skill level.

For the truly adventurous this area boasts cenote diving.  Those who have done it say it is the closest thing to being on another planet

SKY DIVING IN PLAYA DEL CARMEN

Everybody dreams of doing it, here you can make that dream become a reality.  Imagine jumping out from 10,000 feet, right over the Caribbean.  There are probably better views as you fall to earth, but we can’t think of one.

The guys at Skydive Playa use ram-air canopies with a rectangular form. They in fact move smoothly through the air similar to airplane wings, allowing yet even the novice jumper to make a soft, stand-up landing. The safety factor is at the forefront of their mind, so it does not have to be at yours.  Sit back and enjoy the ride, if you dare….

ATV

Take a trip through the jungle that the Mayans could have only dreamed of.  These 4 wheeled monsters make getting there, all the fun.  At the end of the day most tours end in a cool, refreshing centote to calm down some of that adrenaline.

PIRATE ASSAULT

Board a real Pirate Ship, this one complete with all the bounty of adult beverages as the booty.  If there is going to be a Pirates of the Caribbean show, it might as well take place in the Caribbean.  Sail into the sunset to the island of Isla Mujeres, where you will rescue prisoners afterward indulgence on a lobster or steak dinner on the beach at water’s edge. After dinner, board the ship again for amusing games, dancing, professional shows, and of course going on a splurge from the always-open bar!

GET MARRIED OR RENEW YOUR VOWS

This might be the biggest adventure of all.  The Riviera Maya is the most innovative of the tourist hotspots to have your Destination Wedding as well as having that dream honeymoon. Playa Del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Tulum and Cancun possess a widespread offering of areas plus variations to coordinate your destination wedding, renew your vows or ask over for that special someone’s hand in marriage. Having your big event in the Riviera Maya provides numerous choices for your guests from a Ceremonial Wedding to a Minimalistic Style with a Relax Ambiance or a Caribbean Wedding to a Theme Wedding.

QUALITY HEALTH CARE

As health care expenses continue to rise by staggering amounts in the United States, a growing number of citizens are looking internationally to discover quality medical services for more sensible costs. Due to potential cost savings of up to 60% to 70% on medical treatments performed abroad, Americans have begun to merge dental work, cosmetic procedures, or specialized surgeries with holiday time plus in a number of cases with enough of cash left over to bring the entire family.

Again the Riviera Maya is at the forefront of this new venture a respite from the astronomical US health care costs and prescription medical expenses that have been rising since the 1960′s.  Today medical tourism is a multi-billion dollar international industry. In recent years Mexico has realized the capability in the market they pose to US citizens looking for medical services abroad. The combination of Mexico’s rich civilization, mild climate, idyllic beaches along its highly regarded hospitals also medical professionals, as well its proximity to the US, has appealing to numerous Americans in search of medical services.

The advantages of medical tourism are, not to understate, eye-catching. Price alone has been a sufficient motivating aspect for most. In accordance to the National Coalition on Health Care, more than 12 trillion dollars has been spent by US people for the previous 7 years on just health care, however in contrast with additional states anywhere services are a great deal less expensive the NCHC reports that Americans do not have a higher satisfaction rating or feel that they receive superior service than before these astronomical increases began.

Quality has been the foremost concern while getting medical attention abroad. Various hospitals in Mexico boast global accreditation’s and furthermore it has become customary that medical professionals and specialists study  abroad outside of Mexico in either Europe or other parts of North America. Also, insurance agencies are starting to consider medical tourism as well, lured with the appraised value of attention provided overseas, and some organizations have begun identifying explicit international hospitals and clinics as permitted and approved providers.

Staying Healthy in México

Health has been a number 1 priority in individuals relocating to Mexico. The Riviera Maya particularly for foreigners typically have to go through a cycle of physical adjustment in Mexico, seeing as general standards of sanitation frequently leave much to be preferred, and plus due to the reality that here there are various kinds of bacteria’s that your body will be introduced to and will have to develop  immunity to. In order to be fully up to date and on top of the best health methods, hospitals, and medical professionals in Mexico, the MedToGo book is the perfect handbook.

Healthy Options

Riviera Maya offers numerous parks plus a few close by get-away choices for weekends, among the beach or spas and natural springs. There are as well many quality sports clubs and fitness centers in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Costs differ however are normally on the higher side. Talk a physician before undertaking a fitness routine.

Insurance

While Mexico has extremely useful physicians and doctors they charge significantly less than US or European doctors. An appointment can cost as little as $30 to $50 USD. Clinics operate under exceptional conditions in all major towns, and particularly in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Still ultimately the well-being and safety of your family relies on good medical and health insurance.

Health and Medical Care

When it comes to health care and medical in Mexico, lots of expatriates have their fears and their doubts. Coming from international locations with some of the finest hospitals and health care in the world, mostly unfamiliar expatriates with what to expect in Mexico. The reality of the subject is that there is no need to press the panic button. In truth Mexico has a number of incredibly well operated hospitals with excellent care, and additionally at significantly lower cost. Take a peek in our insurance segment for additional information.

National Coverage

There is a way for non-Mexicans to enter into the national health care system in Mexico, very inexpensively, when they are full time residents.  IMSS, the Mexican National health care system, provides services including a trip to the doctors clinic, hospital expenses (covering minor sickness and injuries) as well intensive care facilities for a mere $225 / year.  Feel free to contact us for more information.

Pharmacies

Yes the pharmacies in Mexico carry the same drugs, in their same potency, as pharmacies in the US.  All at a price that is much more accessible.   To those of us who live here, we don’t question why things are like they are, only that they are and we enjoy the benefits.

Hospitals

In terms of hospitals, the Riviera Maya has been one of the most important expansions of locations in Mexico, with an progression over the last few years.  State of the art equipment anchor some of the most capable hospitals in the area.

Embassies
Jurisdiction: Coast of Quintana Roo from Puerto Morelos to Tulum and Cozumel Island

CONSULAR AGENCY OF CANADA IN CANCUN

Jurisdiction: States of Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatán except the coast of Quintana Roo from Puerto Morelos to Tulum and Cozumel Island

Consular Agency of Canada

Centro Empresarial Oficina E7
Blvd. Kukulcan Km. 12,
Zona Hotelera
77599 Cancún, Quintana Roo – México

Telephone: (998) 883-3360 / 883-3361

Fax: (998) 883-3232
E-mail: cncun@international.gc.ca
Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Consular Agency of Canada
CONSULAR AGENCY OF CANADA IN PLAYA DEL CARMEN

Plaza Paraíso Caribe, Modulo C, Planta 2, Oficina
C21 – 24 Av. 10 Sur entre Calle 3 y 5 Sur, M-35,
Lote 1 Colonia Centro 77710 Playa del Carmen,
Quintana Roo – Mexico

Telephone: (984) 803-2411

Fax: (984) 803-2665
E-mail: crmen@international.gc.ca
Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Emergency Contact

During Office Hours

Should you require emergency consular assistance, please dial the numbers below

The Embassy at (55) 5724-7900 in the greater Mexico City area

If you’re outside Mexico City, you be able to reach the consular section by dialing 01-800-706-2900.This toll free of charge number is available all over the entire country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is reserved precisely for emergency phone calls concerning Canadian citizens. Please note that no immigration related calls will be answered at these numbers.

*IMPORTANT* THE CONSULAR SECTION IS UNABLE TO ANSWER ENQUIRERS ABOUT CANADIAN IMMIGRATION. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE CONTACT THE EMBASSY’S IMMIGRATION SECTION BY FAX OR EMAIL ONLY.

AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCY CONTACT

The Emergency Operations Center of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. An experienced officer is always available to respond to emergency calls. Toll-free from Mexico: 001-800-514-0129

Shall this number fail to work, you can dial the Embassy toll free number: 01-800-706-2900. Your call will be rerouted to Ottawa.

Call collect: (613) 996-8885

E-mail: sos@international.gc.ca

TTY: (613) 944-1310

VOLUNTEER

Cat Rescue in Playa del Carmen, Mexico
A nonprofit company with a no kill policy, devoted to reducing the cat populace in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. They accomplish this via our TNR (trap spay/neuter and return) program for untamed cats, and our rescue, treat, spay/neuter, and tame program for kittens under 3 months. They intend to locate a permanent loving and caring home for all the rescued kittens in their care.

Peanut Pet Shelter

They’re a no-kill animal shelter devoted to rescuing and finding everlasting families for wounded and abandoned dogs and cats. Their shelter is located in Playa del Carmen, heart of the Riviera Maya in Mexico. They concentrate on dogs, however have also opened their hearts to some needy cats.

Angel Notion

Angel Notion is the only medical non-profit clinic positioned in the Playa del Carmen area, Quintana Roo, Mexico. They assist the deprived in the communities all along the Mayan Riviera with medical care, surgical procedures, education, plus dental care, along with various specialties and alternative medicines. They have provided heart surgery for almost two hundred kids, provided cleft palate surgery for over one hundred children, and tested thousands for diabetes.

PGA Tour – VOLUNTEER INFO

Starting from the sandy shoreline of the Mexican Caribbean, in lieu of an entire population and a charming way of life, Mexico’s Only PGA TOUR Event will once yet again capture the international limelight in a way that only the uppermost level of golf competition can. Will be held February 22-26, 2012, the Mayakoba Golf Classic will be executed in Playa del Carmen at El Camaleon Golf Club at Mayakoba, only forty minutes south of Cancun.