Home
Buddyfinder
Gear
Divelog
Forum
Search
 
World ▫ North America ▫ MEXICO ▫ Puerto Morelos
Understand

It's the ideal location for those who want a quiet beach vacation away from the glitz, but with ample tourist amenities. The town has just two principal streets and you can walk from one end to the other in about 15 minutes.

You can get by with English, but Spanish is not superfluous. Most places accept US dollars but not credit cards. Almost all prices are quoted in Mexican Pesos´s and it is generally cheaper to pay in Peso´s, than in US dollars.

The reef just off the shore is a national park. Buildings in Puerto Morelos are limited to three stories by local bylaws, to preserve the village type of character.

There are two parts to Puerto Morelos, the former fishing village on the coast, now Hotels, Condominiums, Restaurants and Tourist shops, and the second part about 2 Km. inland and adjacent to Highway 307, on the western side. The inland portion is mainly single level dwellings for the local workers.

Get In


By plane

The nearest major airport is in Cancún International Airport () () . It is 20km away from Puerto Morelos and is Mexico's second busiest airport.

By car

Puerto Morelos is situated at the junction of Route 307 and an unpaved road into the interior. This unpaved road is the eastern terminus of La Ruta de los Cenotes, a network of minor roads that allows access to many cenotes in the interior. At Puerto Morelos, the beginning of this road network is marked by an archway. The waterfront is about 2km from Highway 307. Puerto Morelos is about 30km south of Cancun, 30km north of Playa del Carmen, and one hour north of Tulum.

By bus

Buses from Cancun and Playa del Carmen traverse route 307, the coastal highway and the main highway into town:
  • Riviera/ADO bus to Playa del Carmen from Cancun airport (MXN65), hourly from 10:30. The bus departs from Terminal 2, east end (terminal faces north). Buy ticket just inside terminal or on bus. Ask the driver to stop at Puerto Morelos.

  • Riviera/ADO bus or city bus to downtown Cancun (el centro). At the downtown bus terminal, catch the Mayab bus to Tulum or Riviera bus to Playa del Carmen. Ask the driver to stop at Puerto Morelos. Buses stop on the highway, about 2km from town; take taxi to town (MXN22).


    • Get around


    There are many local taxi´s around, they gather at a taxi stand on the west side of the main square in Puerto Morelos. Many of the long term visitors use bicycles to get around town. There is also a local rent a car agency - Alas Rent a Car.

    See

  • Sit on the white sand beach in the shade of a thatched palapa

  • Visit the Jardin Botanica just outside town

  • Birdwatching in the mangroves

  • Browse the various shops around the central square.


    • Do

  • Swimming. Near the shore, water temperatures average about 27°C (80°F) year round. Freshwater swimming is available inland, at several cenotes. At cenotes that are not exposed to sunlight, temperatures are colder, and a partial wetsuit may be necessary for anything more than a brief dip.
  • Reef Diving. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef lies about 500 meters offshore. It is closer to the shore near Puerto Morelos than it is at most other points along the coast of Quintana Roo. Several dive shops and nearby resorts offering diving on the reef.
  • Cenotes. Inland from Puerto Morelos, many cenotes are accessible along the unpaved road to Central Vallarta. Snorkel in a cenote (a sinkhole fed by an underground spring, very attractive to marine life) a few meters out in front of the Ojo de Agua hotel or the Puerto Morelos Reef, about 500-1000 meters from shore. You can rent equipment at the dive shops around town and swim there yourself, or book a boat trip outside the Casita del Mar (north end of town, on the beach) for USD22. Downtown operations offer trips for USD25.
  • Almost Heaven Adventures (two locations: one in the heart of Puerto Morelos, the other in the Ceiba del Mar Hotel at the north end of town) +52 9988710230 - dive, snorkel and fishing trips, jungle tours, also sells equipment. For those who want to try out scuba diving but are not certified, try a resort course. Night snorkeling trips are also popular.


    • Buy

  • Alma Libre Bookstore . Large selection of used English paperbacks, plus new books of local interest. They take trades too.

  • Browse through metal and clay sculptures at Artisolo

  • Check out the local crafts at the Mayan Handicraft Center

  • Buy a hammock, a serape, or a postcard at the souvenir shops off the town square


    • Eat


    Most places don't take reservations, and there can be a wait for dinner, especially around 7 or 8 in the evening. Sundays are the most crowded. There are a number of very cheap restaurants not listed here. If you eat at these places, stick to food that is cooked to order, as some dishes may not be fresh. If you have a kitchen, you can buy groceries at Casa Martin on the town square, but it's more like a convenience store than a supermarket.

    Budget
  • Earth Foods & Juice Bar - fresh local food.

  • El Tios - tiny place across from the lighthouse; very inexpensive tortas, soup or Mayan food.

  • Hola Asia - pan-Asian; entrées around MXN80.

  • Le Café D'Amancia - on the square, best coffee and healthy breakfast.

  • Mama's Bakery - at the north end of town; coffee, pastries, and sandwiches.

  • fresh fish - buy from fishermen at the pier or at their stall on the north side of the zocalo, and cook it yourself.


    • Moderate
  • Bodo's in the Hacienda Morelos Hotel on the beach, south of the square. Owned by a chef from Switzerland. Expertly prepared seafood. Menu ranges from spaghetti with shrimp sauce (MXN75) to giant shrimp with tequila sauce or Caribbean lobster (MXN195); also includes Wiener Schnitzel and Jaeger Schnitzel.

  • La Marina El Cid, a little south of town, overlooks the marina and serves a fresh seven-seas ceviche, as well as other good seafood and Mexican standards. Service is as good as the food and view.

  • Le Marlin Bleu - tasty shrimp tacos and more

  • L´Oazis Restaurant and Grill - Features Canadian style food, fish, Mexican food and deserts, with excellent cappuccino coffee. Run by Martine and Flavio from Quebec, Canada. French, English and Spanish spoken. Located on the south side of the main square of Puerto Morelos.

  • Portobello's - on the town square next to Alma Libre Bookstore

  • caracol - has delicious cheese and seafood fondues, among other Swiss and international specialities. A fun food experience!


    • Splurge
  • John Gray's Kitchen Avenida Ninos Heroes - posh and pricy; excellent food by a former Ritz Carlton chef - reservations recommended. The Mexican-influenced crab cakes are a must. Also makes one of the better margaritas along the riviera; not too sweet.


    • Drink


  • Earth Foods & Juice Bar - fruit & vegetable drinks

  • Don Pepe's Ole

  • Gioconda Pizza Bar

  • Tuna - Great beach bar and Restaurant with live music most evenings.If you want to check the events visit


    • Sleep


    All types of lodging are available, including modest hotels right on the beach. If you are booking within a few weeks of your travel date, you may have to contact several places to find a vacancy.
  • Amar Inn - headquarters of environmentalists

  • Apartment FLOR - Fully furnished center apartment

  • Cabanas Puerto Morelos - units with kitchenettes

  • Casa Cri Mar - Fully furnished 2 BR House

  • Costello villa - Fully furnished 2 BR Villa ocean Views

  • Casa Vista Al Cielo - fully furnished 3rd floor 2 bed 2 bath apartment next to the mangrove jungle just off the beach; USD600/week (USD800/week Dec.23-Jan.)

  • Casita Blanca Condominiums - Quiet beautiful beach front Condominiums for sale or rent.

  • Ceiba del Mar - all-inclusive resort

  • Home Vacation Rentals

  • Mono Azul Long and short term rentals in hacienda garden apartments, 2 blocks from the beach. Two appealing apts. plus a rooftop suite.

  • Hotel Ojo de Agua - small hotel on the beach

  • Marina El Cid - new all-inclusive resort

  • Posada Amor - bed & breakfast

  • Rancho Sak-Ol - adults-only resort south of town, on beach

  • Santa Fe Bed & Breakfast

  • Villas Playasol - Two bedroom, beach-front condominiums featuring a big blue pool and gorgeous tropical gardens. Very popular, with a great beach.

  • Caracol - hotel & restaurant - nice and clean hotel in the center, some rooms with fridge, TV and AC - run by a Swiss couple (Tel: 0052 998 871 0232)

  • Casa de los Viajeros Well-located, large one-bedroom apartment from $500/week


    • Get out

  • Visit Mayan ruins at Tulum or Chichen Itza

  • Take the ferry to Cozumel from Playa del Carmen

  • Visit Cancun via highway 307 for shopping and dining. A 30 minute drive.

  • Visit xcaret - a large nature and culture park that is 6 miles south of Playa del Carmen. A 45 minute drive south on highway 307 from Puerto Morelos.


    • Puerto Morelos is a town in Quintana Roo, Mexico's easternmost state on the Yucatan Peninsula.

    There are two parts to Puerto Morelos, the former fishing village on the coast, now Hotels, Condominiums, Restaurants and Bondage shops, and the second part about 2 km. inland and adjacent to Highway 307, on the western side. The inland portion is mainly single level dwellings for the local workers.

    Puerto Morelos stands in the north-east of the state, about 36 km south of the resort city of Cancún. It has historically been the main port between the mainland of Yucatán and the Island of Cozumel, and an automobile ferry used to run from Puerto Morelos to Cozumel. The town is named after Mexican independence leader José María Morelos.

    Puerto Morelos has grown rapidly with the development of tourism and as of 2003 is estimated to be the home to some 2,000 people.

    One hundred meters from shore, lies the Puerto Morelos portion of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, and is designated as a National Marine Park.