Celestun, Mexico

The great beach town sans tourists and future home of my winter restaurant and beach hotel.
I have found a new favorite haunt in terms of quiet little coastal fishing villages of Latin America. In Celestun, Mexico, just 75 kilometers west of Merida, you can find everything from Scuba Diving to Flamingo Breeding. If you are looking for beach luxury and bland food, head back to Cancun but if you are looking for beach adventure and tasty eats at a very slow place, then park yourself in Celestun.
Highlights included our hotel stay at “Maria Del Carmen” on the south side of the beach front. Carmencita (a tiny round Mayan lady) told us it would be $35/night for a beach front room and to “pay me whenever you get the chance.” This transaction was definitely a steal for both parties involved. Although the rooms were modest (no tv), they were clean with hot water, air conditioning and a fabulous ocean view with private balcony.
We trekked up and down about six miles of open beach full of mostly local people although there were a scattering of Euro-Speedo-Banana Hammock-clad tourists. I fell in love with a beach front restaurant called Café Avila, which served fabulous Ceviche and Filete con mojo de ajo (Fish with garlic sauce). The fish was fresh AND seafood was the only thing on the menu—my motto: keep it simple, keep it local. Plus, we had fat little beach dude missing an eye and walking around selling yummy Elote. Doesn’t get much more authentic than that.
Night life is much more laid back in terms of partying all night long. Bars close early, so buying liquor or Mayan Moonshine from the local “liquoria” is crucial if you want to drink past dinner time. However, most places turn a blind-eye if you want to bring in a bottle and keep it below the table and we happily obliged to this rule.
You can also do anything here in terms of outdoors: sea kayaking (most popular), flamingo watching (there is a Flamingo Eco-Preserve here), scuba diving, snorkeling, wake boarding, and plenty of fishing.
The last night we had a great pizza on the terrace of a restaurant on the town square called “El Lobo.” R fell head over heels for the chica working there in her flattering skin tight mini-dress. Perhaps that’s why the restaurant was so crowded….
Although the next time we go, we’ll probably rent a car, Second class busses leave from the Merida Terminal Noreste every hour ($10 roundtrip). However, despite Celestun being laid back, the busses leave on time. Yours truly ended up chasing one down the dirt road out of town because we thought we might “just have a quick beer” before we left. We eventually caught the bus and learned our lesson!