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“Hello SOUL-shine,” Francesca welcomed me with a smile as warm as Southern Mexico’s summer weather.

After meeting in Curacao, journalist and full-time muse Francesca Cruz welcomed me to Quintana Roo via Cancun’s international airport. A three hour car ride later, we arrived in the jungles of Bacalar, an off-the-beaten path destination. The kind that makes you say “aguas!” which means both “watch out” and “water” in Mexico.

Los Aluxes (Villa), Laguna Bacalar, Mexico

Secret and secluded, the Laguna Bacalar is a water-land for the wandering, combining fresh water and cenotes for seven shades of blue. It is the largest laguna in the Caribbean.

Clearly, we were rooting wrong when playing M.A.S.H.

A swing, the sun, a waterfront shack… who needs a mansion?

TravelBreak.net - Travel Photos: Mexico's Tropical Southern Point

Best Photos of Quintana Roo, Bacalar

Together, we embarked for some of Quintana Roo’s hot spots… literally, it was hot!

Kohulinch- Mayan Ruins

A real life tomb-raider, absent of Angelina Jolie, but ram-sacked for jade, jewels, and treasure, Kohulinch is a historic landmark worth a stop.

Cenote Azul, Bacalar

A fairy-like lagoon, this cenote is “peace” defined and thus a piece of paradise.

For a luxury escape experience, Akaki offers enchanting waterside cabanas.

Acclaimed for wellness, the Akaki experience includes traditional temaskal rituals, kayaking, bikes, boat tours, and yoga.

Tajama Ha Cenote, Greater Playa Del Carmen

Cenote Azul

Playa Del Carmen

After a few days in the jungle, we opted for the perfect balance between traveler and tourist with the beach city of Playa Del Carmen. Rich in culture, activities, shopping, and a growing hub for food, Playa falls somewhere between Cancun’s tourist setting and Tulum’s backpacker feel.