Viva Playa Del Carmen 2016

Swimming in a cenote

An afternoon stroll on 5th Ave

Our rental house has its own cenote swimming pool and comfortable daybed 

Explore Coba ruins in the jungle

Jackson loved the tunnel in the ruins

Snorkeling in Yal-ku lagoon

Norah chilling in our private palapa

Eating snack in a hammock -- Jackson knows how to vacation

What a treat! -- frozen yogurt and ice cream on 5th Ave

An afternoon walk to check out the storming sea

First ferry ride

Hello, ocean! Bye, ocean!

We went to Playa Del Carmen on spring break 2016. First time traveling with two kids, we packed as many things as we could think of. But when we stepped out of Cancun airport, we realized we packed too warm for the kids. Although temperature readings are the same as Dallas, the humidity made it felt 10 degrees warmer. We were in the tropical!

Friday our flight arrived 5:30pm and after check-in our house and hunting for dinner, it was almost 10:30pm. Jackson still looked 100% after whole day of excitement. Jackson and Norah both traveled well-- napped two hours on the airplane and didn't get bored/tired the entire way there.

The next day (Saturday) we got groceries and checked out our neighborhoods. Our house is a 3-story house with a rooftop terrace that has a ocean view. We had a cute swimming pool that designed like a cenote in front of the house. Jackson and Grandpa enjoyed swimming in the cave. The house is located in Playacar phase I and is about 5 minutes walk to the beach. This development has Mayan ruins inside and surrounds. It is also adjacent to the famous 5th Avenue and ferry dock. We loved our location.  It gave us some distance away from the crowds but also short walk to shops like Haagen-Daze that brightens Jackson's day.

Sunday we planned to go snorkeling with turtles in Akumal. But pouring rain changed our plan and we went to Cenote Cristalino instead. It was a very pleasant swim. We checked out the rock formations in super clear water and explored in the overhang cave. When we rested our feet in the water, little black fish came to eat the dead skin. I thought this was only in Asia, yet we got it for free in Yucatan!

Monday Will and I went diving in Dos Ojos while Grandpa and Grandma took good care of Jackson and Norah. Norah had an off day and we discovered that she was growing her first tooth!

Tuesday we headed to Coba to check out the ruins. The city of Coba is in the jungle and well shaded -- a good hike for the warm climate. Jackson enjoyed running through the tunnels in the ruins. We were on our way to the main pyramid when rain started to pour, not even with any warning like a thunder or lightning. We were stranded in the jungle, no where to hide and not enough rain gear. Jackson was amazed at the sudden rain and took it as a happy adventure. Norah was hungry and started to cry. We had to wait till the rain stop and fed her. Luckily it stopped soon like somebody up there turned off the faucet. This day was truly an adventure that will have its own chapter in the Leven adventure book.

Wednesday was another snorkeling day. We went to Yal-ku lagoon in Akumal about half an hour south of our house. It was a beautiful place above and under the water. And we were early enough to get a palapa, a covered hut by water. It's very windy on the ocean but the lagoon was calm and protected, a great place to snorkel. Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed the snorkeling and Jackson enjoyed looking for Grandma fish and Grandpa fish. We also had a few visitors in our palapa, iguanas! We reluctantly said goodbye to the palapa after lunch. It's a place that worth coming back.

Thursday we planned a ferry ride to Cozumel. Jackson was in cloud nine when we got on the ferry boat. The sea was very choppy and he had to lay down on Grandma when the boat started to move. After we arrived, we signed up for a glass-bottom boat ride with snorkeling trips to the reef. The salesman told us the ocean is calm and a bunch of other things. We discovered later nothing he said was true. The ocean looked calm but very rough from the boat. We got soaking wet from the splash and the visibility is not so great with restless sea. The water was wavy and current was strong. It was still fun but a little scary stopping at the three snorkeling sites. We saw reefs, fish, turtle and divers under the crystal clear ocean. Grandma and Grandpa advanced from beginner snorkeler to expert snorkeler in one day and graduated with flying colors. ;-) Jackson liked the trip the whole time and had fun waiting at the boat for Grandparents fish to come back. He is showing signs of an adventurer.

Friday we said good bye to the wonderful vacation house and came back to our sweet home.