Happy Thursday! A couple weeks ago I took a trip with my very good friend to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. We split our trip between a small town called Holbox and another small town called El Cuyo. If you’ll recall, I shared What to Wear in Mexico before my trip, so I am excited to share My Trip to Mexico with you today!
Today, Kelly shares a recap of her Trip to Mexico
Plus, she shares outfits from the trip, shoppable via text widgets
Shop Kelly's Luggage and Tavel Accessories at the end of the post
We flew into Cancun, rented a car, and drove first to Holbox, which is a two-and-a-half-hour drive northwest of Cancun. Holbox is a small town just offshore, so we arrived in Chilaquilá and took a 30 minute ferry ride across the bay to Holbox.
Isla Holbox
At Holbox, we stayed at a beautiful beachfront property called Hotel Mawimbi. We arrived late in the evening, and while it was beautiful, it wasn’t until the next morning at breakfast that I was able to see just how beautiful it was!
Hotel Mawimbi
Breakfast View at Hotel Mawimbi
Later that morning we took a boat ride and we were lucky to see the flamingos who had just arrived for the breeding season. Holbox has a very long sandbar that extends out into the ocean, meaning you can walk a long distance out into the water, and the water depth is only to your knees.
We also boated to a cenote. A cenote is a natural sinkhole that occurs when a collapse of bedrock exposes groundwater. The Maya once used cenotes for fresh water and revered the sinkholes, believing gods and goddesses inhabited them. The Yucatán Peninsula has an extensive underground river system and is the best place to experience centotes.
El Cuyo
After a few days, we made our way to El Cuyo, which is only about 45 minutes from Holbox, as the crow flies, but because there are no direct roads, it was a two-hour drive for us. Along the way, we stopped in Solferino to visit a local gin maker and tour his gin lab. Solferino Native is an award-winning dry gin made with local ingredients sourced from local families. This was the smoothest gin I have ever tasted, with notes of citrus and a cooling anise finish.
Solferino Native Gin Lab
Original Murals by the children and teens of Solferino decorate the Gin Lab Exterior
Once in El Cuyo, we stayed at the beautiful, modern, rustic Costa Chido. Owned by American expats, Ryan and Becky Curtright, Costa Chido is a guest house and kiteboarding school the couple started several years ago. Along with their daughter, Avi, Ryan and Becky welcome friends, family, and visitors with their exceptional hospitality.
The Suite at Costa Chido
In El Cuyo, we had a wonderful dining experience at El Chile Gordo. Run by Kathy Sissens and Oscar Flores, the small restaurant serves up to six adults for a family-style dining experience that takes the diners through regions of Mexico with traditional dishes in a 9-course tasting menu service.
El Chile Gordo
The Menu at El Chile Gordo
My favorite experience was the day Ryan, Becky, and Avi took us to swim in a privately owned cenote at a property transformed into a retreat called Awakening Sanctuary, in Tizimín, Yucatán. Adriana and Martin are building a sanctuary that preserves the jungle environment while creating a space for people to experience it. It’s a truly remarkable property!
Me, with Avi and Becky, swimming in the cenote at the Awakening Sanctuary
While I couldn’t take photos of my outfit at El Chile Gordo, I recreated it for a dinner out once I got home. This Beach Crochet Maxi Dress is one of my new favorite summer dresses! It’s crochet, but the entire bodice (down to my knees) is lined, for a comfortable, easy-to-wear maxi dress.
A pair of slide sandals and a foldover clutch complete my look, perfect for dinner in Mexico (or back home in Athens!).
The north part of the Yucatán was experiencing a tremendous heat wave for May, with temperatures in the high 90s and low 100s. This made spending more than an hour at the beach a bit miserable unless we were in the water – which we were, a lot! The ocean was cool and refreshing. This also meant I pretty much only wore my beach clothes or linen shorts and tank tops the whole time, so I was glad I packed light!
Yesterday, Beth shared how to store and shop for sunglasses. Make sure to click the title or image below to read the article.
is our 40s+ fashion & food contributor. She posts a Daily Look on Tuesdays, writes about Fashion on Thursdays, joins Beth for Fridays with Oscar and shares a new recipe Sunday evenings.
She’s 47, 5’0, and a petite 0/XS.
Kelly also has a food blog called Djalali Cooks, which you can find by clicking the world icon below.
Loved hearing and seeing the trip to Mexico!!!
beautiful scenery…and pictures…felt like I was there and wishing I was.
Hi Patricia, I am so happy you enjoyed my recap! Thanks for stopping by today! xo Kelly
Sounds like a fantastic trip! You were very brave to make the roadtrip from Cancun to your two destinations. Glad you had such an adventure — cenotes!! beach!! fine dining!! And you look fabulous in your crocheted beach dress!
Thanks so much, Deanna! While we were smart travelers, Yucatán is the safest state in Mexico with a very low crime rate, it’s a very comfortable place to travel. It was a wonderful trip! Thanks again for stopping by, xo Kelly