Puerto Morelos is a trannquil beautiful town in the Riviera Maya

Puerto Morelos is a fishing village on the coast of the Caribbean Sea, Southeast of Mexico. It has a unique personality, shortly after being there anybody could perceive the peace in which people live at this place.

For this and many other reasons, Puerto Morelos has enchanted many tourists in recent years, so much that some of them have decided to stay and live in this magical town. But what makes Puerto Morelos that special?

Puerto Morelos, despite being a small town that does not seem to have much movement compared to Cancun or Playa del Carmen, has a history older than them. It is the oldest port in the state of Quintana Roo, from where products used to be exported from the jungle, such as palo de tinte, cedro, chechén, vanilla and chewing gum, long before Cancún existed as a city. It has always been a quiet fishing village with beautiful wooden houses, a pier and that is tilted since a strong hurricane in 1967.

We could even say that the lighthouse is the icon of the town. Later, chewing gum production began to decrease, since then the main economic activity had been fishing. Today, it is the focus of many vacationers looking for a peaceful retreat and contact with nature.

Another historical and oldest fact of Puerto Morelos is that it was an important point of settlement of the Mayan culture, there are vestiges of the Ekab Cacicazgo.

Proof of these are the structures located in the jungle and coast, "Coxol" located 1 kilometer north of the town, "El Altar" located in the botanical garden Alfredo Barrera Marín, the "Albarradas Mayas" found in a peten in the mangrove to the south of the town, and the "Pyramid of Muchil" near Punta Brava to the south of the town.

Definitely one of the biggest reasons for the increasing touristic activities of the port is its reef, declared National Park, part of the second greater reef of the world and the best thing is that it is to only 500 meters away from the beach. To get to the reef, it is common to go on a snorkeling tour boat but some adventurers swim to get there.

The reef is ideal for snorkeling, you can also dive but it is not recommended as the water is shallow in some sections of the reef. The sea water in Puerto Morelos has of course the turquoise characteristic color of the Caribbean but with a difference, the underwater vegetation gives it a beautiful and unique jade green color that distinguishes it from all the others.

South of the entrance of this beautiful port is the Botanical Garden, a sanctuary of the Mayan jungle in which you can enjoy the flora and fauna of the region, with animals such as the spider monkey and the coati

Of course, the enjoyment of the Mayan jungle as it is also includes the enjoyment of one or two mosquito bites, so we recommend you to always carry a eco friendly repellent at hand. (Especially if you go in the afternoon)

For the wildlife lovers, also near the entrance to the port is Crococun, a small zoo that houses boas, ocelots and as a main attraction, crocodiles of all ages. It will be an interesting experience to see these fascinating animals up close, of course you will always be at a safe distance and in a controlled environment.

If you visit Puerto Morelos you can not go without taking a walk in the center of the town, the main square is surrounded by local craft shops and different restaurants to delight the palate, it is also on the beach, so when you walk around the square you can enjoy a beautiful view. In the evenings the center is full of typical food stalls of the region, such as the delicious marquesitas, a cone of crunchy crepe stuffed with cheese and a sweet ingredient like nutella or cajeta, you can not go without tasting them.

Now you know what activities you could do when you visit this wonderful town: Puerto Morelos. The moment you start the journey you will wrap yourself into its peculiar peace, just like if you were a local.

Make sure to visit it and be part of it!