Life's a Beach | Expat Life in Playa del Carmen : Fun, Isla Mujeres, Travel

5th Annual Whale Shark Festival Set for June 15-17, 2012 on Isla Mujeres

Rob Kinnon — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:20:00 GMT

The 2012 Whale Shark Festival has been announced in the following Press Release!

Isla Mujeres, Mexico - Feb 02, 2012 -- Celebrating the beauty and culture of Isla Mujeres, Mexico, and championing the need to preserve a fragile marine ecosystem, eco-tourism travel agency Ceviche Tours and the Isla Mujeres Department of Tourism announce the Fifth Annual Whale Shark Festival, a community extravaganza that showcases the achievements, traditions and environmental splendor of Isla Mujeres.

The Festival will be held June 15-17, 2012 in Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Last year thousands flocked to the family-friendly Whale Shark Festival, which offers guests an opportunity to participate in eco-tourism adventures such as swimming with whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean and an endangered species; swimming with sailfish; join in traditional dancing performed by local troupes; exploring ancient Mayan ruins and much more.

Proceeds from the Whale Shark Festival will be donated to Amigos de Isla Contoy, a 501c3 non-profit organization that is involved in the education of the local population on sustainable marine conservation and eco-tourism.

The Whale Shark Festival is an effort to raise awareness for the need to preserve the area's marine ecosystem. Isla Mujeres is part of the second largest barrier reef on the planet, and serves as the nursery of the Caribbean and the migratory path of whale sharks, sea turtles, water fowl and game fishes. "Sustainable eco-tourism engages guests in the effort to preserve the culture of Isla Mujeres, their way of life and the marine environment," said John Vater, who co-founded Ceviche Tours with his wife, Adriana, and longtime friend and Isla Mujeres native Luis "Cuco" Refugio and his family.

Swim with 200+ Whale Sharks Kicking off the Festival will be the whale shark bloom, when hundreds of these gentle giants come together to swim in a group near the coast of Isla Mujeres. As many as 1,400 whale sharks may make their way through the waters north of Isla Mujeres every summer according to Dr. Robert Hueter, Director of the Center for Shark Research, Mote Marine Laboratory and scheduled speaker at the 2012 Whale Shark Festival.

The Isla Mujeres Tourism Department Director, Eyder Jahil Hoth Perez, stated, "Through this event tourism awareness about the whale shark has increased over the last several years, especially regarding the need to protect all our species and natural resources. Eco-tourism-related activities have also been creating a new culture of respect and care for our natural resources in the new generations of islanders. In this, children have been playing a very important role toward changing behaviors that were unsustainable in the long term."

Guests of the Festival can participate in a wide array of activities:

Swimming with Whale Sharks -- Guests can swim with whale sharks and join a conservation effort spearheaded by ECOCEAN, a non-profit organization that maintains the global Whale Shark Photo-Identification Library, a visual database of the unique markings, or spots, that can identify individual whale sharks and track them. Guests can add their underwater photos of the whale sharks to ECOCEAN's global database.

Fun for Families -- The festival will feature many educational children's activities about environmental conservation.

Academic Seminars and Film Showcase -- Scientists from around the world will attend to present a series of Academic Seminars on marine biology, sustainable eco-tourism and Mayan architecture. Renowned marine biologist Rafael de la Parra, who discussed his groundbreaking research, "An Unprecedented Aggregation of Whale Sharks, Rhincodon typus, in Mexican Coastal Waters of the Caribbean Sea" at last year's Whale Shark Festival, will again be speaking and also organizing the 2012 panel of distinguished speakers.

Booking travel travel arrangements and bookings to swim with whale sharks can be made through the Ceviche Tours Website ( www.cevichetours.com ).

For a complete listing of Whale Shark Festival activities and for more information, visit www.whalesharkfest.com.

"We Move Forward" - An International Women's Day Retreat on Isla Mujeres!

Rob Kinnon — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:58:00 GMT

On March 8, 9 and 10 2012, a special 3-day International Women's Day Conference, We Move Forward, is taking place on Isla Mujeres. The conference is for women interested in life-long learning, personal and professional growth at all stages of life. It is a well blended event that combines daily inspirational speakers with practical interactive workshops, movement sessions (yoga, pilates, batuka), a connection/networking session, local entertainment and a history lesson from a Mayan elder.

Being a quaint tropical island is part of Isla's charm, and with this comes limitations to the number of women it can accommodate during this busy time of year. The event offerings are generous and economically priced so if your head and heart are telling you to register we encourage you to do so quickly. Space is truly limited. For more information and to register for this unique event, visit the official website http://www.wemoveforward2012.com/.

Proceeds from the event go to support local charities and sponsorship for local women who otherwise could not afford such an experience.

The Right Time, The Right Place

Isla Mujeres is situated in the turquoise Caribbean waters of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, a 15-minute ferry ride from the city of Cancun. At one time, all of Isla Mujeres was a Mayan sanctuary dedicated to Ix Chel, Goddess of Fertility, Reason, Healing and Happiness, a goddess in whom the Maya put great trust and hope. Her temple sits on Isla’s southern-most & Mexico’s eastern-most point. It is here that Mexico is first blessed with the dawn of each new day.

WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE:

Vision - Your experience starts the moment you register. You will receive a ‘Note To Self’ that contains the beginnings of self-discovery, your personal vision of your desired future. Begin it. Bring it. Shape it while on Isla.

Voice – Speakers will tell their inspiring stories, and facilitators will guide the sharing of all – everyone has a voice and will be heard.

Values – Goodness, learning, fun and contribution are the values guiding this event. What values guide your actions? Join us and you will see.

Vessel – Our bodies physically move us forward to our own beat. At the event, you get to choose the mind, body, movement session that is playing your tune.

Together we will share an experience like no other – we will feel the impact that personal vision, values, voice and vessel have on our ability to move us forward in a desired direction. And, we will begin to experience all of the fun there is to be had along the way. While this is primarily an English speaking event, there are Spanish speaking options offered. Come meet and be inspired by renowned women. Share your story and learn from others. Find your own beat. Connect and clasp hands with others. Move forward.

Destination: PEACE - A Volunteer Vacation on Isla Mujeres Mexico

Rob Kinnon — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:11:00 GMT

Destination: PEACE has announced the dates and posted a preliminary itinerary for its next Volunteer Vacation on Isla Mujeres. This unique retreat, scheduled for March 5 - 11 2011 will include Level I, Level II and Master Reiki Certification workshops and will include opportunities to engage in community activities benefiting the local residents of Isla Mujeres.

This past August, I was invited to tag along with a group from Destination: PEACE for a few days of their retreat which was organized in cooperation with PEACE Isla Mujeres. With accommodations in a luxurious private villa overlooking the Caribbean, this group was treated to daily Yoga workshops in a pristine oceanfront setting. During the course of their stay, attendees participated in a self-defense workshop organized for the women in the local community, a yoga workshop tailored especially for children and a dog wash/walk to assist a small no-kill animal shelter on the island. We also had time to sample local cuisine, visit the turtle nursery and sanctuary, check out the grounds of Mundaca's "castle" and explore the island by golf cart.

My scheduled only allowed me to spend two days observing and documenting the group's activities but in that time I was able to get a very good feel for the passion of the organizers and their commitment to the local residents. Katherine Fisher, founder of Destination: PEACE, spent many years as a volunteer and later board member for PEACE Mexico, a not for profit started by her sister Molly Mendez Fisher and based out of Nayarit. PEACE stands for Protection, Education, Animals, Culture and Environment and these are the areas of focus for each incoming group of volunteers. A successful business woman committed to community service, Katherine conceived Destination: PEACE as a way to provide an opportunity for travelers from all walks of life to experience different volunteer programs, to become immersed in another culture and work side-by-side with other volunteers and residents to create and maintain sustainable community initiatives. These wonderful trips offer meaningful, often life-changing, experiences for the participants and help the most needy segments of the population in Mexico, a country Katherine has grown to know and love over the past decade with a portion of the proceeds from each retreat going to support community based programs that benefit the residents of the area, both human and four-legged.

If a vacation in Mexico is in your plans, why not make the time you spend meaningful? The Destination: PEACE groups are purposefully kept small so that the experience is more personalized. The next retreat on Isla Mujeres is in March but if you are unavailable at that time, contact Katherine@peacemexico.org to see if she can plan a Volunteer Vacation around the dates of your trip or connect you with a cooperating community service organization near your chosen destination. The vacations range in cost from $999 to $1399. The cost includes all activities, workshops, food and transportation on the Island. It does not include airfare or transportation to/from the airport. Private, customized vacations can also be arranged. There are so many ways to contribute to the lives of the local residents. Why not find your niche and see how rewarding this kind of vacation experience can be!

Family Fun on Isla Mujeres

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:04:00 GMT

For quite awhile now, the Kinnon family has considered Isla Mujeres the perfect family getaway. We often joke that we are Isla's "bridge and tunnel" people! If you lived in Manhattan and took the Jitney to the Hamptons every weekend from Memorial Day to Labor Day you will know exactly what I mean. Generally, it's a family affair. Me and Rob and the kiddos, often accompanied by Jill and, most recently, our pal and photographer Kat. Last weekend, there was a rush on the island. One of our customers and half a dozen Playa friends, knowing we spend so much time there, rang us up to see if they could join us at our favorite hotel Casa Ixchel and spend a weekend exploring the island. As we would essentially be taking over the whole place, this promised to be big fun!

Friends JJ and Kim and son Kaj met us at the hotel accompanied by Ashlie and Gerry and birthday girl Judy. Damon followed later that afternoon. Everyone settled in quickly, acquired golf carts and set about sightseeing. Unfortunately, Rob picked up a nasty stomach virus, the one that seems to be circulating through Playa, so we stayed behind to keep him company and floated in the pool with a few "boat drinks".

Daddy and the Bird

Casa Ixchel Boat Drinks!

A few hours later and a quick run around the island, they returned to find us still pool side, cocktails in hand! We enjoyed a few appetizers on the deck watching the sunset, then moved upstairs where Miguel and the boys had set up a long table for us under the palapa, over-looking the ocean. We settled in for a delicious dinner and more cocktails. The perfect ending to a lovely relaxing day.

The crew poolside

Calamari with Asian dipping sauce

Kim chillin'

Sun setting

The Casa Ixchel pool at dusk

The next day would bring sad news to the Kinnon family and Rob returned to the mainland, leaving us to our own defenses. Not in the mood for much of anything, we hung by the pool while our friends enjoyed a fabulous breakfast at Mango Cafe and toured the island a bit. JJ and Kim had some friends to meet on the island so, late in the afternoon, we all met up for cocktails at another island favorite, Jax. Owners Michael and Jackie were both on hand to greet us as well as Mel and Sally from The Soggy Peso. We chatted about island life, real estate and live music and enjoyed the beautiful views over Playa Norte. No Kinnon trip to the island would be complete without stopping in for breakfast or lunch at Jax and it was nice to finally chat with Jackie in a more social setting.

Dinner was a less than intimate affair at Olivia, one of our very favorite restaurants on the island, where we were joined by another Playaense Joe Colada and a friend. We all tucked into the delicious Mediterranean fare and enjoyed the atmosphere under the palapa in the garden. Later, we carted over to the zocalo where The "Abuela" was being crowned. It seems that every resident on the island was in attendance to root for their favorite Grandma or Auntie! The kids amused themselves on the rickety wheeled vehicles set out for rent while we strolled about and took in the scene. As we had a big morning planned the next day, we returned to Casa Ixchel and (some of us) turned in early.

Damon at the helm

Cart races!! (Just kidding Wayne)

Restaurant Olivia

Delicious Mediterranean food

Greek tapas

Las Abuelas Bonitas

This being the migration season, we had all planned to swim with the Whale Sharks this weekend and take in the festivities of the annual Whale Shark festival in Centro. Ceviche Tours was running with very competitive discounts for all of us FM2-3 holders and we were looking forward to a fun day on and in the water. Rob and I have wanted to do this for several years but really wanted to be sure the kids could handle the snorkeling comfortably. After our recent trip to Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley, we knew they were totally up for it! Unfortunately, the seas were very rough, with swells of 10-12 feet and the Whale Sharks in the area, were diving low to avoid the turbulence. On a recommendation from our operator, we decided to postpone our tour for a week or two. As we live so close by and can come back any time, there was really no reason to brave the vomit inducing waves with little or no chance of actually seeing these magnificent creatures.

After a few more hours of much needed sleep and a good breakfast, we headed out to explore the island a bit. Damon and I played tour guides and led our merry crew to the Tortugranja (Turtle Nursery) over on Sac Bajo. This is a favorite stop for our kids and I knew that Kaj would go nuts for all the baby turtles. If you haven't been here before, I highly recommend it, with or without kids.

Kaj discovers tortugas

Cole spies some Seahorses

Relocated turtle nests

Birdie incoming!

One of the outdoor holding tanks

Handsome fellow

Next, the obligatory photo op stops at Garrafon and Punta Sur and a place to buy some pretty shells for the kids. This guy is set up just in front of the "squatters' village" and is super nice. His shells are also about a 1/4 of the price of those at Punta Sur.

Birdie in charge

The birthday girl

Zip lines at Garrafon

Yeah, I know.

Family photo

Ixchel

The sculpture garden at Punta Sur

New locales for the vendors

The residents of Punta Sur

The famous Shell House

The not-so-famous Shell Guy

After our whistle stop island tour, we made our way back to the hotel for a quick swim, a nap for some and a few more adult beverages. The clouds were really starting to roll in, the wind kicking up and we were glad to not be out on a boat. Mel and Sally had invited us over to their place for Sunday BBQ, so we piled back into our wet carts and headed across the island to The Soggy Peso.

Cole

Incoming!

Birdie and Damon

Geronimo!!

JJ and Cole

As the rain came down in buckets, soggy was certainly the theme of the afternoon but we managed to put together a large table under cover of the palapa to enjoy some beers, a few shots in honor of Judy's birthday and a fabulous BBQ complete with slow cooked ribs, chicken and sausage. Despite the B&B and bar being strictly "adults only", they welcomed our kids for the afternoon letting them play in the yard in the rain while we all relaxed and stuffed ourselves silly.

Indeed!

The Soggy Peso

A BBQ essential

Kaj and Cole

JJ and Mel - Gringos in paradise

Words to live by!

Freddie preps Judy

Birthday shots!

Looks like Birdie will be driving home....

Well, that pretty much sums it up.

The ferry back home...

It was another lovely weekend on Isla Mujeres and it was nice to share our little slice of paradise with friends. We were disappointed that Rob was sick and that we were unable to see the Whale Sharks but plan to return in a few weeks to try it all again. Who wants to join us this time?

Weekend Getaway - Isla Mujeres Part 2

Rob Kinnon — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:00:00 GMT

I'm not, by nature, an early riser but I do enjoy the quiet of downtown Isla Mujeres in the mornings. Watching the shopkeepers open their stores, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and banana bread pouring out into the streets. I try to make a point of letting Rob sleep in and taking some time to myself to wander about and capture images of the island waking up.

Our favorite morning spot, Manana, was closed so we settled in for breakfast at Bistro Francais.

Next, a golf cart ride to Punta Sur, the easternmost point of Mexico. Here, over 150 iguanas happily share their place in the sun with local vendors hawking the usual wares. My purchase of a small handpainted bowl also buys me a banana, a favorite treat of the resident lizards.

After a quick detour to look at a hotel property we are considering for development, we brought the kids to the turtle hatchery. They (we) were all delighted to see and feed all the baby turtles.

Hot and hungry, we spent the rest of our afternoon cooling off in the water at Playa Norte until it was time to return our carts, collect our belongings from the hotel and catch the ferry back to the mainland. Sleepy from the sun, we made our way back to Playa, looking forward to our next opportunity to show off more of this beautiful corner of Mexico we are so happy to call home.

Weekend Getaway - Isla Mujeres

Rob Kinnon — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:57:00 GMT

As a treat for the kids, who returned to school today, we took them away to one of their favorite places for a weekend of fun in the sun. Isla Mujeres has captivated our whole family from the moment we first got off of the ferry from Puerto Juarez. We always stay in the same hotel right on Hidalgo and our children know all the neighboring shopkeepers and restaurant workers. They take great joy in running amok, spending their allowances or, more likely, running their own "tabs" for us to settle up at the end of our stay. I wonder where they learned that trick from ;)

This weekend, we introduced the Carwithen family and our pal Stuart to Isla Mujeres. Needless to say, we have five more converts. We had a fun filled weekend, Rob and Stuart accomplished a fair bit of work researching properties for a new customer and we returned to Playa sun-burnt and exhausted. So much for a relaxing get-away!

After unloading at Plaza Almendros, we rented some carts and headed south to our very favorite beach club, Zama. Under renovation during our last trip to the island, we were anxious to see the face-lift, hoping they had not changed too much. We were relieved to see that only the open air restaurant and bar had been expanded under an enormous new palapa. The beautiful multi-level pools that once housed dolphins for Dolphin Discovery remained the same and the beach was as pristine as always.

After a delicious lunch and a full afternoon of sun, we wandered back to the hotel for a quick wash-up before heading out on the town. This weekend, Isla Mujeres continued the celebration of her 158th anniversary and the whole island was abuzz with activity. A huge stage had been erected in the Municipal Plaza and a colorful fair with dozens of vendors and carnival rides stretched out down the malecon. Bands played, people danced and we all shared an evening of appreciation for this wonderful island.

It was quite a night. Stay tuned to see if I survived the perilously ill-maintained carnie rides!

Weekend Getaway - Isla Mujeres Part 2

Unique Pilates Retreat on Isla Mujeres

Rob Kinnon — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:32:00 GMT

A few months back, as you may recall, I took a day trip to Isla Mujeres with a nice gentleman named Frank. The purpose of our trip was to look at Casa Ixchel as a possible investment opportunity for him and a group he had put together back in the States. Well, it turns out that Frank did buy Casa Ixchel and we closed on it just recently. This sale, above all others, was bittersweet for me. I really enjoyed having the sale of the hotel as an excuse to visit the island and had grown quite fond of the staff, particularly Miguel who was always there to welcome us and kept Casa Ixchel in tip top shape. I wasn't sure exactly what Frank and his partners had in mind for the future of this beautiful little place.....secretly hoping he wouldn't really change a thing. As luck would have it, Frank likes Casa Ixchel just the way it is and with the exception of turning over the kitchen to a professional chef and opening an intimate restaurant onsite, doesn't plan on making any drastic changes. Even Miguel is staying on in his capacity as manager. This is good news to all the people who visit Casa Ixchel every year for a bit of solitude and rest. One such person is Misty Tosh, TV producer, food writer, photographer, wanton wanderer and student of the world and all of its mysteries. Her blog Big Sweet Tooth is one of my very favorites. Her adventures in Mexico and around the globe keep me enthralled for hours on end. In years past, under previous ownership, Casa Ixchel had been the location of choice for the PURE Pilates Retreat organized by Misty and some of her friends. I was delighted when the following email from Misty appeared in my Inbox this morning.

Hi everyone! Hope you guys are ready to head to Mexico, because our PURE Pilates Retreat is heading back to Isla Mujeres in 2009!!

*****

This next PURE retreat will shake down from January 27 - February 1, 2009 and once again, our favorite beach-side inn, Casa Ixchel, is hosting us! We can't wait to go back to the lovely Isla again and see all our old friends, check in our volunteering situations, learn a bit more Spanish (we've added a Spanish 101 class to the package),

pound out some Pilates by the beach,and eat our way around the island (we've added a foodie tour of Isla Mujeres to the package, as well).

*****

We've also added some other goodies to the package, so we really hope to see you all there in January

Space is limited, so please see website for all the details.

*****

And, in other good news....

We cut the fee a bit, so for $1699 (single) or $1199 (share), you get:

5 nights/6 days accommodations at Casa Ixchel

2 invigorating Pilates classes per day

Homemade breakfast each morning

An indigenous cooking workshop (with cocktails, of course)

A snorkeling excursion to Isla Contoy, an uninhabited bird sanctuary

A Learn-the-Basics Spanish 101 class

A guided foodie tour of Isla Mujeres

A full day of volunteering

All pilates mats and equipment are provided for your use and

A one-on-one Matt & Jen evaluation is also included in the fee.

*****

And, of course, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

See ya soon (hopefully in Mexico),
Misty

www.purepilatesretreat.com

www.bigsweettooth.com

This retreat is a unique opportunity, not only to get in a good workout with a lovely view but also to really learn about Isla Mujeres, the culture, language and food of Mexico and give back to the community through volunteering. Misty knows the island like the back of her hand is will be able to show you "the real Isla Mujeres" and things you might ordinarily miss. I highly recommend giving this a try. There are just 15 slots and last year sold out quickly. If you would like to attend this one of a kind Pilates retreat, contact Misty through the link to her website.