10 Things to do at the beach in Puerto Morelos, Mexico
If you’re looking for an affordable do-it-yourself beach vacation with lots of things to do, I can’t thing of better place to spend time than on the stretch of Caribbean sand in Puerto Morelos, Mexico.
There’s plenty to keep you busy at the beach in Puerto Morelos, Mexico. Or, just kick back and relax under a beach umbrella or palapa (like these at Dia & Noche).
Where is Puerto Morelos and how do you get there?
Located on the Riviera Maya between Cancún and Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos is a great alternative to the larger towns around it, yet it’s only 15- minute drive south of the Cancún airport by bus, taxi or rented car.
Why visit Puerto Morelos?
If you’re looking for an alternative to the large, all-inclusive resorts, but you still want an affordable beach vacation, then Puerto Morelos could be right for you. The town has its own unique style that blends its fishing village origins with a worldly bohemian vibe. Instead of giant high-rise hotels, Puerto Morelos is dotted with quaint beachfront hotels and inns, low-rise condominiums and palapa-covered beachfront restaurants, most of which are locally owned and operated. You can expect a great beach trip with great food, great snorkeling and scuba diving and welcoming locals.
10 things to do at the Puerto Morelos beach
Puerto Morelos has lots of amazing things to do that don’t involve the beach, but for the purposes of this post, I’ll be focusing on all the things you can do when you’re spending a day at the beach.
There are lots of places along the Puerto Morelos beach, where you can rent loungers like these.
1. Rent a palapa.
Stroll along the beach in Puerto Morelos and you’ll find lots of beachfront hotels, restaurants and beach clubs that rent loungers shaded by a large umbrella or palapa—a traditional Mexican shelter with palm-thatched roof. Some of my top favorites are My Paradise Beach Club, Unico Beach Club, Don Ernestos Restaurant and Dia & Noche. The latter offers a discount for guests of the Grand Hotel Gota de Sal, one of my top picks for affordable beachfront stays. Instead of paying the regular price of 250 pesos, I paid 150 pesos (approximately $7) to rent a palapa for the entire day.
A relaxing massage on the beach.
2. Get a massage.
Utter relaxation is what a beach vacation is all about and there are many spots in Puerto Morelos that offer beachfront massage services. I am thankful I found Arlette, a massage therapist who works from a raised hut on the beach next to Dia & Noche. While waves lapped onto shore, gulls squawked and distant laughter filled the air, I was face down on an open-air massage table getting the best deep-tissue massage I’ve ever had while on vacation. Thanks to her magic hands, I was able to release any residual stress from back home. I paid 600 pesos (approximately $31) for a therapeutic massage, but Arlette’s rates starts at 300 pesos for a half-hour relaxing massage. You don’t need a reservation, but her spots can fill up fast. Take your chances or reach out to her via WhatsApp (+525539184401) to book a massage in advance.
Wade into the shallow water alongside the Puerto Morelos beaches to spot the abundant sea life that lives on the Great Mayan Reef, such as this yellow stingray.
3. Go snorkeling (or scuba diving) right from the beach.
Puerto Morelos has an underwater playground just offshore. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, most often called the Great Mayan Reef, stretches all the way from the Yucután Peninsula to Honduras. It’s the largest in the western hemisphere and the second only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. The section of the reef in Puerto Morelos has been set aside as a protected marine reserve, which makes it one of the best places on the Mayan Riviera for its abundant aquatic life, including healthy corals, fish, lobster, eels, sea turtles, rays and nurse sharks. There are many dive shops that can arrange snorkel and scuba trips by boat from the nearby pier, but there a few place to wade in and immerse yourself in the aquatic world right from the beach. A dive hut next to Dia & Noche rents all the gear, but if you bring your own snorkel equipment, you can do it for free. The best spots are right in front of Dia & Noche or the Ojo de Agua Beachfront Hotel because the buoy line extends out pretty far into an otherwise busy channel with boat traffic.
Fried hogfish at Dia & Noche.
4. Eat delicious seafood specialties.
My favorite restaurants in Puerto Morelos aren’t necessarily right on the beach, but those recommendations will have to wait for another day. Even so, there are some great options that come with a side of sun, sea views and live music. Most beach restaurant menus cater to a variety of tastes, but they specialize in seafood given that the fisherman unload their daily catch nearby. At Dia & Noche, I was underwhelmed by the tasteless frozen burger patty I ordered for my daughter. On the other hand, the whole fried fish, which came with a side of grilled vegetables, was flaky and delicious and cost $7. Just north along the beach a ways, Don Ernestos offers two-for-one piña coladas to go with seafood-stuffed avocados, fajitas, ceviche and more. The My Paradise Beach Club is another friendly place with bar swings and happy hour specials, not to mention freshly prepared seafood dishes.
One of the many vendors that stroll along Puerto Morelos selling their wares.
5. Shop without leaving the beach.
My attitude about vendors on the beach has relaxed over the years. When I was younger, I would get annoyed by the people nagging me to buy stuff on the public beaches in Mexico and elsewhere. These days, I view them as a great opportunity for shopping for cheap souvenirs and snacks without leaving my lounge chair. The vast majority of the vendors on the Puerto Morelos beach were respectful as they wandered by peddling their products. From a woman selling handicrafts with her toddler neatly tucked into a woven rebozo on her back, I bought a stuffed purple Octopus handmade in Mexico’s Chiapas region. Another guy was selling cotton candy that came with a light-up headband for my daughter. My friend bought a hammock for half the original asking price. Before he walked away, the vendor said in Spanish: “If anyone asks, tell him it cost 1,400 pesos.” A stream of other vendors selling kites, grilled shrimp skewers, empanadas, candy and more came our way.
The Puerto Morelos Market is held twice a month at the My Paradise Beach Club.
If you’re looking for high-quality artisan-made produces, the twice-monthly Puerto Morelos Market at My Paradise Beach Club is a great place to find locally made art, jewelry, clothing, handicrafts and food.
The shallow water off Puerto Morelos’ beach is perfect for the little ones.
6. Splash around in the shallow water.
Protected by the Great Mayan Reef, the Puerto Morelos beach has a gradual slope as it hits the water and remains shallow for some distance off shore.
A couple watches the sunrise at the beach in Puerto Morelos, Mexico.
7. Watch the sunrise.
It’s a ritual to head to the water’s edge just before dawn as the night sky turns to a brilliant blue, then starts to glow fiery red and orange. A little while later, the sun appears on the horizon to signal the start of the day. It can be chilly and windy in the early morning hours in February and March, so bring a jacket or someone with whom you can cuddle.
Thousands of turtles are born on Puerto Morelos’ beaches during the nesting season, which runs from April to November each year.
8. Keep an eye out for sea turtles.
Of the seven species of sea turtles in the world, six of them are found only in Mexico. Thousands of sea turtles are born on Puerto Morelos’ beaches during the nesting season from April to November. Never touch any sea turtles on the beach or in the water as handling them without proper government authorization is a federal offense. Do your part to protect these beautiful creatures by steering clear of marked nests, limiting light-emitting devices on the beach at night and reducing plastic waste that ends up in the Caribbean Sea, such as straws and six-pack rings.
As the sun comes up, people come out to watch the sunrise near the leaning lighthouse in Puerto Morelos, Mexico.
9. Visit the Puerto Morelos Lighthouse.
The old Puerto Morelos lighthouse is Mexico’s version of the leaning tower of Pisa. The foundations of the lighthouse washed away during Hurricane Beulah in September 1967. The 33-foot-high concrete structure is now disused but has been kept as a testament to the storm, and as a local landmark.
The Grand Hotel Gota del Sal has ground-floor rooms that step out onto the sand.
10. Sleep on the beach for pretty cheap.
If you want to go the extreme budget route, there is camping on the beach at Acamaya Reef Cabanas & Beach Bar, although I can’t personally vouch for it. Here are the recommended places I have personally visited that are right on the beach in Puerto Morelos and cost under $100 per night: Ojo de Agua Beachfront Hotel, Hacienda Morelos and Grand Hotel Gota del Sal, shown in the photo above.
Are you ready to plan a beach vacation in Puerto Morelos? Book now!
Snowbird season is a busy time for Puerto Morelos. The top-rated quaint inns, beachfront hotels and condominiums fill up fast for stays between January and April. Some repeat guests book a year in advance. Don’t wait to plan your trip for next winter.
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All the opinions and observations in this story are my own. I received no payment in exchange for a favorable review.
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