u/OLUISSANCHEZ

La Catrina began as an illustration by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada, first published in 1913, after his death. Years later, Diego Rivera included her in his famous mural Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park, helping turn her into a icon recognized around the world.

Her elegance carries a sharp reminder: no matter your money, status, or appearance, we all share the same ending. Apparently, you can’t take your money with you. The hat, however, seems negotiable.

Today, she’s closely associated with Día de Muertos, when we remember loved ones through flowers, their favorite food, and stories we still tell. This is part of who we are.

If you’re visiting Playa del Carmen around November 1–2, look out for the altar displays at Parque 28 de Julio. Take your time with the details—each altar tells a story about someone still remembered.

What would you want your loved ones to place on your altar?
last picture Diego Rivera, the Mexican muralist . Frida Kahlo’s husband

Es en Playa del Carmen, como guía lo vi y me gustó y quiero saber su nombre. Gracias.

Sharing something different for anyone bringing a camera: “Domingo de Pajareada” at Parque Cancún on Sunday, October 4, from 6:30–8:30 a.m., meeting at La Ballena.

The activity is listed as free, and park entry requires registration. Bring your camera, binoculars if you have them, water and insect repellent. Keep some distance and let the birds do their thing!

Park registration: https://www.parquecancun.org/registro/

There’ll be four nights of live music at Teatro de la Ciudad, October 1–4, with Santa Sabina, Scott Paddock and Sole Giménez among the performers.

Throughout October, Explayarte will also host free workshops, masterclasses and other activities, with a special appearance by Switzerland’s 60 Miles.

Thought I’d share for anyone who enjoys listening to music, or learning how to play it.

Hi, I’m Oscar. My wife Judith and I are certified guides and the family behind Tours Aldea. We live here, guide our own tours and speak directly with the people who book with us. There’s no intermediary between you and our family.

We’d love to show you three places we enjoy sharing: the Maya ruins overlooking the Caribbean, the clear water inside Taak Bi Ha cenote, and Yal-Kú, a beautiful lagoon where freshwater meets the sea and you can snorkel among colorful fish.

Total price for your private group:

• 2 guests — $7,425 MXN
• 3 guests — $9,240 MXN
• 4 guests — $11,055 MXN

This is your own day, at your group’s pace. The price includes pickup and return in Playa del Carmen, a private vehicle and certified guide, all required entrance fees, the equipment needed for swimming and snorkeling, water, snacks and photos we take for you along the way. For Reddit guests, we also include three tacos and one drink per person at a local taco spot.

Guiding is what we love doing. We enjoy the conversations, the questions and the moment someone sees a place through a new perspective. We hope you feel that care throughout the day and take home something more personal than a checklist of stops.

Trust is earned, so I’ve put the total prices and inclusions here from the start. If you join us, you’re welcome to tell others what the experience was really like. , on Google, Tripadvisor or here on Reddit, in your own words.

Staying outside Playa del Carmen? Tell us your hotel and group size, and I’ll give you the full price before you decide.

Oscar Sánchez | Tours Aldea

Thank you to the moderators for giving local guides and small family businesses a space to introduce ourselves. It means a lot to have the chance to share who we are with travelers here.

Working with visitors in Playa del Carmen, I’ve seen many people choose mezcal because of the worm in the bottle.

But here’s the useful part: the worm does not prove quality, authenticity or tradition.

Mezcal has a much older history in Mexico. Distilled agave drinks were already developing centuries ago, long before the worm became part of the commercial image of some bottles.

Tequila and mezcal are related, but not identical: tequila uses blue agave, while mezcal can use different agave species and production styles.

So if you’re buying mezcal, don’t pay more just because there’s a worm inside.

Look instead at the agave, the place of production, the producer and the process.

And yes, the “worm” is actually a larva associated with maguey. In some parts of Mexico, those larvae are also toasted and eaten.

Mexico gave the world more than ingredients like corn, chile, tomatoes, cacao, avocado and vanilla. It also developed techniques such as nixtamalization, which transforms corn into masa for tortillas, tamales and many traditional dishes.

Tacos are absolutely worth trying, but they’re only one part of Mexican cuisine.

My local tip in Playa del Carmen: visit a small neighborhood fonda and ask, “¿Qué comida del día tienen?”

You may find pipián, mole rojo, mole de olla, pozole or another homemade dish that tourists rarely try. One meal away from the main tourist streets can become one of the most interesting experiences of your trip.

What Mexican dish would you like to try beyond tacos?

I graduated from Universidad Veracruzana in a tourism program focused on community development.

Part of that training included tourism culture, community tourism, heritage valuation, tourism product design, legal responsibilities and understanding how tourism affects local communities.

Those ideas stayed with me.

Today, working as a guide in Playa del Carmen, I see why they matter. Tourism is not only about moving visitors from one attraction to another. It is also about protecting heritage, respecting local identity, supporting the people who live here and creating experiences that are responsible for both the visitor and the destination.

That is also why I take the professional side of this work seriously. I’m a federally accredited guide through SECTUR, credential No. 14439, registered in the RNT, and I work with authorized tourism transportation using federal plates.

When you have spent years studying, getting certified and building a career, you learn not to treat it casually.

One shortcut, one irresponsible decision or one moment of greed can damage something that took years to build.

For me, doing tourism the right way means protecting the visitor, the community, the heritage and the profession itself.

Supporting local doesn’t mean doing things informally. Local tourism can be professional, legal, responsible and still keep the benefit closer to the community.

A Canadian traveler was almost scammed, and unfortunately, many cases like this are never reported.
If you’re coming to Playa del Carmen, pre-book your transportation and choose a company or certified guide that gives you something in writing: the agreed price, what is included, pickup details, and service conditions.
Having a written confirmation or service contract gives you something to refer to and helps protect you if there is a problem.
Sometimes saving a few dollars can end up costing much more. Check real recommendations, use Reddit, and choose reputable providers.

Sharing photos of the current ticket prices directly from the ticket office.
They accept cash and cards, but not US dollars.
Buy your tickets directly at the official ticket office and avoid resellers or unofficial websites.
Low season is already much more relaxed, but arriving early is still recommended.

Tulum Is Still Beautiful — But Are We Selling Reality or an Illusion?

This photo was taken yesterday in Tulum. The sargassum is still here. Playa del Carmen has it too, although it is generally easier and more accessible right now.

Both places are beautiful, and both can still offer an amazing experience. But Tulum also has unfinished construction, closed businesses, very high prices, and a tourism model that sometimes seems more focused on selling an image than a place.

That doesn’t mean people shouldn’t visit. Quite the opposite. Come, enjoy it, support local families and small businesses , but come informed. Ask prices before paying, understand what you are buying, and don’t confuse “expensive” with “authentic.”

Maybe the real problem is not Tulum.

Maybe it is what happens when a destination learns that selling a dream is more profitable than protecting the reality behind it.

So the question is: did tourism change Tulum… or did our own expectations, spending habits and search for the “perfect experience” help create the Tulum we complain about today?

Curious to hear what you think.

Just sharing a local spot I like.
Civil is on Calle 32 Norte & Avenida 40 Norte, and it usually gets more interesting after 9 PM. There’s music, independent artists, small events, stand-up, theater and different creative projects.
If you have a project, performance, stand-up set, play or something you want to share, talk to the person running the place , they’re open to giving local creators a space.
Nice to see places like this still supporting local talent in Playa del Carmen. Photo (me) haha

I’m looking for someone who enjoys playing chess and would also like to practice Spanish casually.
Nothing formal , just meet somewhere public, play a few games, talk in Spanish, and have a good time. Any chess level is fine; I’m more interested in practicing and meeting people who enjoy the game.
If you’re learning Spanish and like chess, feel free to message me. ♟️

I keep hearing the same complaints from travelers after the tour, and many times they just didn’t know what to ask before booking.

Chichén Itzá is not only El Castillo.

Did your guide take you around the site for 2+ hours? Observatory, Temple of the Warriors, Sacred Cenote, other structures? Did they stay with you, explain things, help with photos, or was it more like pyramid, picture, bus?

Then the cenote.

Did you actually get to choose one? Or were you taken to the same crowded cenote as everyone else, with 100+ people there?

Same with food. “Local food” sometimes ends up being a big tourist buffet. Nothing wrong with a buffet, but it’s very different from sitting somewhere local and having your food prepared when you order it.

And honestly, who here has ended up paying “extras” during a tour?

Life jacket.
Entrance fees.
Drinks.
Snacks.
Some extra “tax”.
A so-called dock or pier fee.
Something at the attraction that somehow wasn’t included.

For me, if a tour advertises an experience, the real price should include what is normally needed to actually do that experience.

If an attraction has an entrance fee or a required charge, that should be clear before you book.

Sometimes the advertised price looks cheap simply because they don’t show you the full cost upfront. If they did, maybe the tour wouldn’t look so cheap anymore.

And then there are shopping stops you never really asked for.

Another thing I’m curious about:

Has a guide ever asked you for a tip and told you that tips are part of their salary? Or suggested a minimum 10%?

A tip is earned. It should never feel mandatory.

Nobody works for free. A company should price its service so the people doing the work are paid fairly, instead of making the guest feel responsible for their salary at the end.

So for people who already went:

What extra charge, forced stop, tip pressure or surprise did you only find out about after booking?

Maybe sharing it here helps the next traveler know exactly what to ask before paying.

A small local tip for anyone staying in Playa and wanting to practice Spanish, English, German, French, or whatever language you're learning.
Every Wednesday from 8:00 PM onward, people get together at Zitla, on Calle 34 between 5th and 10th Avenue, for a free language exchange.
There's no class and no fee. You simply show up, grab a drink if you want, meet people and start talking.
What I like most about it is the atmosphere. I've seen people arrive just wanting to practice a language and end up making real friendships, local connections and even plans to explore Playa together.
If you're traveling solo, new in town, living here for a while, or simply want to meet people outside the usual tourist scene, it's a nice place to start.
📍 Zitla – Calle 34, between 5th & 10th Ave
🗓 Wednesdays
🕗 From 8:00 PM
💬 Language exchange: free
Sometimes the best way to experience a city isn't through an attraction—it's through the people you meet there.

Before booking, ask for the full name and credential number of the guide who will actually accompany you. Official guides are accredited by Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism, known as SECTUR, and can be checked in its public directory.

The credential has a QR code that can be scanned to help verify the guide’s information and current accreditation. This means the guide has completed the required professional training, which includes areas such as Mexican history and culture, group management and first aid.

You may also hear the term RNT, which means Registro Nacional de Turismo. Tourists can consult official tourism providers here:

https://rnt-consulta.sectur.gob.mx/

You can also consult the official guide directory here:

https://guiadeturistas.sectur.gob.mx/

This does not guarantee that every tour will be perfect, but it gives you a verified identity and an official record of who is responsible for guiding you. Whether you book with a large company or a small local operator, you have every right to ask who your guide will be, whether there are mandatory shopping stops and exactly what is included.

I’m sharing a photo of my own credential as an example of what travelers should look for. Transparency creates trust, and a professional guide should have no problem showing their credentials.

Sigamos resolviendo problemas tácticos :) . Saludos a todos! Si alguien quiere jugar con gusto estoy a la orden

Páusalo y resuélvelo !! Club HOMERICA