The Rockarte Festival is coming to Playa del Carmen again! Come see one of the best culturally-fused events on the Riviera Maya on Friday and Saturday, July 30th and 31st starting at 5:00pm on the beach at Zenzi and Wicky's beach blubs, 10th Street and the beach. The event is free to the public.

Rockarte is a cultural event of diverse artistic disciplines, including music, dance, art and photography, fire performers, comedic mime expressionist and more, all in an effort to raise awareness, promote and support cultural activities in Mexico.

The Rockarte festival provides a stage for local artists to showcase their talents. The festival provides an opportunity to share many forms of artistic expression and generate a new, cultural fusion-of-the-arts in society. This year the line-up will consist of many local Playa del Carmen singers, bands and artists as well as a few travelling here from Mexico City and Guadalajara to participate.

The show is every year in Playa but founding member, Luis Santana (also lead singer of one of the bands on the line-up from Guadalajara, Red Lake Circus says "the aim is to take Rockarte on the road and tour more parts of Mexico in the coming years in support of local talent in other parts of the country."

The inaugural show that took place February 28, 2009 at the hip Zenzi beach club was a huge success attended by over 1,500 people. Zenzi will host this year's festival, along with their neighbor, Wicky's, as the show expands to two days and attendance expected to increase.

For more information, such as the line-up and the gallery of photos from last year, visit the Rockarte website.

Be sure not to miss this one if you're in the Playa area this weekend!

Though Corona is brewed in Mexico, it tends to be a more common option in the U.S. In fact, not all bars here on the Riviera Maya carry it. So if you're normally a Corona drinker, it may be time to expand your horizons!

Here's our guide to the beers most commonly found in Playa del Carmen:

• Bohemia. Comes in a dark bottle with gold foil on the neck (or silver foil if it's the darker version called 'Obscura'). Bohemia is a bit more expensive than other beers, but it has a robust taste and is a bit of a status symbol.
• Dos Equis. Advertised on billboards throughout the region, Dos Equis (XX) comes in lager (green bottle) and amber (tinted brown bottle). The lager is more common and goes better with lime, but if you like the darker, more full-bodied beer, Amber is becoming increasingly more popular.
• Indio. This amber beer, only found in Mexico and on the Riviera Maya can be a hard one to find, has a mellow but not timid body and a very smooth finish. If you can find it try it!
• Leon Negra. A bit of a microbrew, this dark and flavorful beer is locally brewed in Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan. Sometimes hard to find but a definite favorite if you enjoy dark beer.
• Modelo. Sold by the single can in convenience stores, like most beers, this light-bodied beer is favored by many locals and goes nicely in a cooler at the beach.
• Montejo. Made at the same Merida brewery as Leon Negra, this beer is a regional brand of Southeast Mexico and is a pilsner-type beer.  Although from this region, it's still sometimes hard to find.
• Negra Modelo. A dark beer from the "Modelo" family of beer, is sometimes sold at a slightly higher price than other beers. It's normally served in a glass and Negra Modelo lovers often say, "it goes great with steak".
• Sol. Commonly found at beach bars, nightclubs and convenient stores. Sol is what most Corona drinkers opt for when their Corona isn't available. Also frequently served with a lime like Corona.
• Superior. Served in a dark tinted bottle, which helps keep it from getting "skunked" on a sunny day, this full-bodied beer is sold at a discount in most grocery stores and is widely available at local bars.
• Tecate. One of the most popular beers in Mexico and commonly served in cans, Tecate is best enjoyed with plenty of salt and lime. A popular choice at sports bars.
• Victoria. Mexico's oldest beer, this lager has a nice carbonation, a touch of bitterness and a golden brown color that's much deeper than the other south-of-the-border beers you may be used to.

You have a favourite…? Tell us!

Foto: Jacob Romero

La pesca deportiva es una de las actividades más comunes en la Riviera Maya, aquí hay diferentes temporadas para salir a pescar a mar abierto diferentes tipos de peces, las temporadas están divididas según el pez que se busca, por ejemplo: la temporada de pez vela es entre los meses de marzo y junio o para el marlín azul, la temporada es de marzo a octubre. Hay peces como el wahoo, atún o algunos peces de arrecife como el huachinango, jurel, mero, mojarra, etc que su temporada es todo el año.

También hay tours de pesca que son organizados en Puerto Aventuras por gente especializada en esta práctica y que cuentan con barcos totalmente equipados para este fin. En Punta Allen, también se organizan torneos de pesca de mosca muy cerca de la laguna de Muyil.

Sin duda alguna aquí es un buen lugar para practicar este deporte que requiere de paciencia, fuerza y tal vez algo de maña.

¿Alguna vez has pescado? Cuéntanos tu experiencia y dinos que pescaste.

Photo: Annette

Touch paradise in the world's most beautiful freshwater lagoon, Laguna de Bacalar [>> previous post | Wikipedia entry | Google Maps]. Get lost in the reflection of the sky, leaving you in a magical world where the senses wake up to see, listen, smell, feel and taste, conquering your soul. From sunrise to sunset and into the night where stargazing is a must, you will truly feel in harmony with nature.

This freshwater lagoon, with a bottom of gleaming white sand, is Mexico’s second largest lake and is known to reflect "seven shades of blue". Behold this magnificent sight as blue, green and turquoise tones flow into the Caribbean. Photographs do not do justice to this natural beauty and it must be seen with your own eyes — it's absolutely astonishing.

La Laguna de Bacalar is a nice weekend getaway as it's about three hours south of Playa and two hours from the archeological site of Tulum on the Riviera Mayan. It's best to rent a car (approximately 60 USD a day) and get there on your own time. If not, another option is taking a bus to Chetumal and then take a colectivo (a minivan that serves as a taxi for up to 12 people) to Bacalar, which is around 30 minutes north of Chetumal.

What's the best way to experience Bacalar? Spend one or two nights in the casitas right on the lake. Casita Carolina  is a delightful place about 1.5 blocks south of the fortress, Fuerte San Felipe Bacalar, with casitas priced between 450-600 pesos per night. It has a large lawn leading down to the lake, five fan rooms and a deluxe palapa that sleeps up to four. Also recommended is taking advantage of the Casita's kayaks to explore the lake. You'll never want to leave this place. It's the ultimate getaway for families, friends and individual travelers seeking adventure, tranquility, comfort and hospitality in a truly natural setting.

For a more resort-like atmosphere, try Hotel Laguna, which also offers traditional Mexican hospitality, great service and decent rates as well.

Yaxche (pronounced jag-shey), the Mayan name for la ceiba, tree believed to bring good luck, is also the namoe of Playa del Carmen's Maya cuisine restaurant. It's one of Playa's most respected restaurants, serving authentic Mayan cuisine in unique style. Dining at Yaxche is to enter the Mayan world and find the flavors of the region in an amazing environment that combines both ancient and cosmopolitan elements.

The owners inherited a strong affinity for the Mayan from their ancestors. They dreamed of introducing people to Mayan culture through their cuisine and Yaxche is the fulfillment of that dream.

The main dining room on the lower deck has air conditioning and broad windowpanes that allow the sunlight to flood in. It is decorated with Mayan paintings, mixing the ancient and the modern. On the upper deck, the dining area is a terrace, with wooden floors and a sophisticated atmosphere. The whole deck faces 5th Avenue. You can come for lunch or dinner, or have a "Mayarita" at the bar.

During your Yaxche experience, you'll most probably eat something you've never tried before and be happy you did. Enjoy fish, chicken and turkey in new, native ways, using traditional spices.

Yaxche is an exceptional, award-winning restaurant with excellent service and attention to detail, a "one-of-a-kind" place and a "must" during your visit to Playa del Carmen. View the menu at Yaxche at MayaCuisine.com.

El Alux is in a truly spectacular location and the experience is unforgettable. That's not only because it's under ground, but because it's in a natural cave formed thousands of years ago, what we here on the Riviera Maya call a cenote. So rather than cave diving this is "cave dining"!

As you wander through the cavern, you'll find magnificent stalactites and stalagmites and a small lagoon lit by a blue light that illuminates the waterfall, the sound of which adds to the ambiance, almost as much as the nightly live music.

Alux has a gorgeous lounge and many dining areas with the most amazing, eclectic décor, some of them remote (even hidden!) making it a very romantic spot for an intimate dining experience.

Although some say that the food at Alux is nothing out of the ordinary and that the floor is slightly rocky and uneven (which, after all, you would expect!), the novelty of eating dinner in a cenote more than makes up for it!

It’s a must-see during your visit to Playa… at least to have a drink in the lounge and go for the experience!

Alux is on Avenue Juarez between 65th and 70th streets, just west of Highway 307. For more information visit the Alux website.

See also More cenotes on the Riviera Maya

In Mexico, wrestling or lucha libre has been a traditional sport and source of entertainment since the early years of the 20th century.

Wrestlers like Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (1971-1984), better known as "El Santo" and Oscar Gutierrez (b. 1974), aka "Rey Misterio", are famous names around the world and their wrestling masks have become hugely popular in Mexico.

The colorfully designed masks, often representing animals, gods and ancient heroes, make great souvenirs. You'll find them all along 5th Avenue…

At Xcacel you'll find two beautiful and largely undiscovered "gems" that not many people know about unless a Riviera Maya local tells them the secret! First, enjoy the remote shores of the beautiful, sheltered sandy Xcacel beach with very unspoiled dunes, surrounded by abundant vegetation and palm trees. It is an extremely quiet, perfect for seeking solitude away from crowds. The beach is wide and the sea is the most unbelievably turquoise water that is generally calm and warm. The snorkeling here is excellent.

By night, Xcacel serves a different and far more important purpose, as the first line of defense in the battle to save the giant white and loggerhead sea turtles. Biologists, paid workers and volunteers come from April to early October to help preserve the sea turtles' eggs from predators and humans. Long before the Yucatan was discovered, these remarkable gentle creatures came to these shores to lay their eggs and give life to future generations. Today, however, they face extinction. For this reason, this turtle nesting ground is a national preserve. Witness this amazing event after 9pm, as female turtles use the darkness for protection when laying their eggs.

The second gem at Xcacel is the Hidden Cenote. Beyond the beach and the dunes, there's a narrow sandy path surrounded by impenetrable jungle. Follow the path to the very end to find this incredibly beautiful hidden cenote (Xcacelito), which shines like a mirror of water reflected in all the trees and mangroves surrounding it. The cenote water's fresh, so you can swim or snorkel. There are lots of small tropical fish living there and you can see the stones and fossilized coral hidden below.

How to get there:
From Playa del Carmen, Xcacel is 46km (30 miles) south, past the hotel Bahia Principe and about 4km (2.5 miles) south of Akumal. There's a sign on Carretera Federal 307 marking its entrance but take note, the sign is on the north side of the highway and difficult to spot when traveling south. You'll need to make a sharp U-turn to get across the highway. It's best to go by car or taxi, but if there's no car to take you, you can take a collectivo (local bus). The drivers will know where to stop. Upon arrival, cross the highway, then walk the stretch of dirt road to the beach. Once at the beach, there will be a guard shack on your right. The beach is open to the public, however, since it is a national preserve under the National System of Protected Areas (SINAP), you are often asked give a small donation to enter (generally no more than 10 pesos per person).

Enjoy these most spectacular hidden treasures of the Riviera Maya!

Este domingo en México y otras partes del mundo se celebró el día del padre y desde IHRM queremos desearles a todos los padres un muy feliz día y que lo hayan celebrado con las personas que aman.

En México es típico celebrar el día del padre con una parrillada en el jardín, acompañada de cervezas para disfrutar con la familia y tal vez con algunos amigos o en uno de los restaurantes favoritos de papá.

Otro tipo de celebración es la que se organiza en las escuelas de los niños, donde los alumnos organizan bailes con coreografías deportivas o bailes típicos de algún estado del país. El hecho de que los padres vean a sus pequeños haciendo un esfuerzo por realizar un bonito baile para ellos o de verlos vestidos con sus trajes regionales, es un regalo que no tiene precio para papá.

Sin duda alguna este día es muy divertido e importante. Pero no olvides que no necesitamos un día especial para decir a papá o a mamá o a cualquier otra persona de la familia, lo mucho que los queremos.

¿Cómo celebras el día del padre en tu país?

If you come to the Riviera Maya and step foot in Playa, there is one thing that’s a must-see and that's a Mike Grabow show!

He's been playing all around the heart of Playa del Carmen for months now and always delivers an effortless and amazing acoustic performance. Mike's incredible voice is often compared to that of Gavin Degraw or Martin Sexton.

Mike's currently performing his original material as well as popular covers in venues on-and-around the famous 5th Avenue such as: Luna Blue, Siesta Fiesta, The Beer Bucket, Wickys, KY6 and more. You can often hear his voice from the street as you pass by when he's performing. Mike continues to expand his fan base by leaps and bounds, from the new waves of tourists that come to visit to the local people here in Playa del Carmen who catch his show several times a week. Mike continues to write new songs and develop his live performances and each show just gets better and better. Give Mike some fresh air, a little raw emotion and a guitar, and he'll show you just how good life can sound!

Find out more information about Mike and his show schedule here in Playa visit mikegrabow.com or find "Mike Grabow's Official Fan Club" on Facebook.