// Our Honeymoon : Mexico pt. 1

Mexico was amazing! I had no idea what to expect when we booked it because I had never been, nor had I really wanted to go. I'm so glad we ended up deciding on Mexico though. It was above and beyond any vacation I could have hoped for! This first part that I'm sharing today was our first 5 days in Cancun. It's easy to think of Cancun as "MTV Spring Break" style but we had such a different experience. First of all, we started looking at all inclusive resorts in the area and we had even decided on one to book. We waited for about a month before deciding to go ahead, and when we tried booking the room/resort we wanted, the price was magically $600 higher. After thinking about it for a while we realized we're just not "candlelit dinners on the beach" kind of people and we'd probably spend the entire 5 days feeling awkward. An online friend suggested up AirBnB, and even the specific two that she had booked (her trip was the week before ours). We fell in love with her suggestions and it was so much cheaper! We were able to stay in Mexico for 9 days rather than 5, and we still spent less money. 
isla mujeres dock
the incredible backyard of where we were staying
AirBnB is basically a database of apartments, houses, condos, and rooms for rent for travelers. To put it simply, you live like a local. We were lucky enough to book a private apartment/condo in Cancun, right at the north end of the Hotel Zone. Downtown Cancun was a 2 minute bus ride away, and we had private lagoon access. We thought we'd be bummed not to be directly on the beach (it was just across the street), but we only spent 15 minutes on the beach the entire time. We were more interested in the culture around town. Our hosts both in Cancun and Tulum made us breakfast every single morning, and eating local cuisine was awesome. We spent the rest of our days trying various taco trucks, fruit carts, and local restaurants. Not to mention shopping at the local markets.

Mike and I prefer to kind of do our own thing so this ended up being the best call yet. We packed our bags and set off for Cancun. We arrived on a Tuesday and we were a bit overwhelmed for lack of sleep, traveling, a jam-packed flight, etc so we moseyed around our place and then fell asleep at 4pm or so. We slept for like 16 hours straight. We ventured out the next morning and started learning our way around the city via public transit.
playa caracol (snail beach)
On most days you could find us riding the bus here or there, and then shopping around. On our last full day in Cancun we decided to sail over to Isla Mujeres via catamaran. It was a gloomy morning to start so our boat only had 10 passengers, including us. It ended up being so great because it was an open bar, had great music, and we were able to meet/get to know some of the other passengers. We adored this one couple who we spent the most time with. We snorkeled in the Caribbean (with a sting ray, octopus, squid and schools of beautiful fish!), ate a yummy meal at the club house, held + kissed a Nurse shark (!!!), and got gelato on Isla Mujeres. It was such a perfect way to spend the day. I highly recommend it to anyone who goes to Cancun! 
our humble abode
Most evenings were spent in the pool at our apartment. It overlooks the gazebo and lagoon, and loads of beautiful boats. We'd walk down to the neighborhood convenience store, load up on beer and spend the later hours watching the nightly storms blow in from the pool. The two or three nights that it stormed a bit (very briefly) were perfect because it really forced us to relax for once. We're bad about just going and going and going on our vacations that we forget to unwind a bit. This allowed us to lay up inside, burn through several series on Netflix, and hang out.
carvings on a coconut we passed every day
catamaran sailing + playa caracol
If you ever decide to stay at/near where we did, you absolutely must go to this little food stand outside of the neighborhood OXXO mart. They serve cactus tacos! And they are delicious! We connected with an American who had been living in Cancun with his wife for 15 years and he ran an excursions booth. We'd stop and talk to him almost every morning and he recommended it to us. I have to admit, I was super skeptical but it was so good. I'd eat it again in a heartbeat!
After 5 days of intense heat and humidity (but gorgeous scenery!), we boarded an ADO bus to Tulum where we spent the next 4 days. I'll share those photos soon!

Thanks for being patient enough for the film to get delivered from the lab, and letting me share our incredible trip with you. I want to go back every single day! Here's to hoping we get our wedding photos back soon, too. :)

43 comments:

  1. Cancun looks amazing! Have to say AirBnB is one of my greatest discoveries, so nice to stay like a local and so much more affordable.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It all sounds SO perfect! I might have to pick your mind sometime about that apartment that you stayed in. The Mister wants to go to Mexico and I've been the hesitant one - this post might be turning the tides. And speaking of tides...that beautiful water! Wow! And you got to kiss one of your shark friends. Awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Seems like you had a very relaxing honeymoon. Relaxation, in my opinion, is the most important aspect of any vacation :)

    Great photos! What shows did you watch?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We watched all of Franklin & Bash (loved it!) and we started (and watched half of the first season of) Revenge! SO GOOD!

      Delete
  4. So pretty! I'm so happy you had such a good time. And that gazebo looks like the best place on earth.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful photos! I just got back from Tulum! I have yet to post my pictures though, hopefully this week! WOOHOOO! That place is just lovely, we had such a great time, looks like you guys did too! I can't wait to see your photos :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. These photos are gorgeous, makes me desperate to go somewhere sunny! I'm glad you had such an amazing time. I'm totally fascinated by those cactus tacos, one of the pizza places round here used to do a cactus pizza and it was amazing xo

    ReplyDelete
  7. This place looks amazing. Glad to know you had fun!

    ReplyDelete
  8. wow looks so amazing!!
    You lucky lucky Girl!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh my goodness these pictures are amazing! You are making me want to go back to Mexico so badly! I've been twice, with my family, but its been many many years since then. Thanks for sharing these!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautiful beautiful photos! And I second airbnb, we used it when staying in NYC- so much cheaper and a far more authentic experience than the holiday inn. Can't wait to see wedding photos!

    ReplyDelete
  11. What dreamy photos. As I look out my window at snow, these photos leave me longing for a warm and cozy, relaxing vacation in a gorgeous country like Mexico.

    I'm glad you had such a great time!

    ReplyDelete
  12. These pictures are absolutely stunning. I'm so jealous of that crystal clear water.

    ReplyDelete
  13. wow, this looks amazing!
    i'd love to go to mexico one day, it seems like a stunning place.
    can't wait to see the rest!
    xo, cheyenne

    ReplyDelete
  14. Looks GORGEOUS.

    xo Ashley
    luckylittlebird.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. It looks so beautiful and wow the water is amazing and blue clear.

    ReplyDelete
  16. This looks beautiful! I love AirBnB, such a great site with so many amazing places to stay. The boyfriend and I are very similar, in that we've never had a beach holiday and would most likely spend our time exploring a town or just walking around rather than beaching it up haha!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Gosh, these photos are dreamy! It looks so beautiful there!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your honeymoon looks magical! Thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. It all looks so lovely! It looks like you had a brilliant time :) I really can't wait to see the rest. I can't wait for your wedding pictures either! Eek! <3

    www.little-beast.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. This looks amazing! I'm in the middle if doing posts about my honeymoon to Vietnam on my blog. We did the full on luxury honeymoon thing at the end but used airbnb for the travelling around part at the beginning. It's an amazing site and we've stayed in some amazing places in Europe and in Asia that we found on there. The best was a really quirky apartment in Amsterdam with a waterbed in the bedroom in the basement, a freeze of a beach across an entire wall of the dining room and the quirkiest kitchen I've ever seen! X

    ReplyDelete
  21. This sounds like the most perfect honeymoon, I can't wait for the rest of the pictures! I hope to get married/honeymoon there someday too. :)
    stephanie

    ReplyDelete
  22. stunning!! that sounds like the best time ever!! and your pictures are dazzling; what camera did you use?!

    xo!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks! all film photos for the blog + Him and Honey are shot using one of two Nikon F4 cameras :)

      Delete
  23. What a gorgeous place! I haven't really thought about Mexico as far as our honeymoon goes yet, but I might actually consider it, especially with my new language skills (which are laughable.)

    I hope that you had a wonderful honeymoon and have a great marriage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't speak any of the language but I'm really glad Mike sort of can! It was so helpful haha

      Delete
  24. that looks pretty darn fun!


    http://owleyevintage.blogspot.com/
    http://www.etsy.com/shop/OwlEyeVintage

    ReplyDelete
  25. This looks perfect! Mexico is such a special place.

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  26. Ahh-mazing photos! I especially love the boat tied up to the dock.. take me away!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Looks like you had a great trip! I really want to go on a road trip sometime and stay in some cute, AirB&B places. They hace the coolest/most unique places ever on that site! <3

    Glad you had a good honeymoon! I can't wait to see the rest of your honeymoon/wedding photos. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  28. This seriously makes we want a holiday so, so badly!
    -Kati

    ReplyDelete
  29. amazing! love your choice of photos and great writing about the holiday! :)

    Barnicles

    ReplyDelete
  30. It looks very lovely. I have known a few people who have gone there, but I have never seen what it looks like there. Thank you for the "tour". It is great that you had such a wonderful time too!
    +Victoria+

    ReplyDelete
  31. Oh my gosh, what a beautiful vacation! Good for you!

    xx Cait

    ReplyDelete
  32. Sounds and looks AMAZING! A much more fulfilling trip than in an all inclusive for sure. And your own lagoon? OMG!!

    Mexico is SO beautiful and not the cliché people expect. My husband's mother in from Acapulco and most of his maternal family lives there and the first time I visited I was so surprised by how luxuriant nature is. I fell in love with their culture and the food. I can say I left a little piece of my heart there and am happy we are planning on going again next year!

    Thanks for sharing pics of your honeymoon, you two must have had such a relaxing lovely time :)

    Virginie xo

    ReplyDelete
  33. Gorgeous, gorgeous photos. I absolutely love film photography. I already signed up for that site -- I love traveling, and it sounds like an awesome way to do it!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Your honeymoon looked amazing! Congratulations!
    I loved the picture of the boat tied to the dock. It gave me inspiration for a painting!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Hello! congrats on your honeymoon! I also agree that it was a great choice to come to México because that made your experience the most beautiful! Also another great choice was to look for a nice houses for rent in Cancún the only thing you should have done was trying Corona or Pacífico beer!!

    ReplyDelete

HEY! Thanks for dropping by. xo KB