Here’s a guide to the best places to watch the Super Bowl in Playa del Carmen.

Sports Bars & Classic Game-Day Spots

The Admiral Sports Bar & Grill

One of the most popular sports bars in Playa del Carmen. Known for its multiple large screens, strong drink menu, and classic game-day food, this is a go-to spot for watching major sporting events like the Super Bowl.

Sport Bar Quinta

Located on Fifth Avenue, this bar combines the lively tourist atmosphere with sports entertainment. Expect a crowded but energetic environment, perfect if you want to experience the Super Bowl right in the heart of Playa.

Los Tabernacos Sports Bar

A well-known local sports bar with a loyal crowd. It usually shows major sporting events, including NFL games, making it a solid option for Super Bowl night. Arriving early is recommended.

3 Amigos Sports Bar

A casual sports bar option with screens and a laid-back vibe. It’s worth checking in advance to confirm their Super Bowl broadcast.

Boston’s Pizza Playa del Carmen

A great choice if you want a comfortable pub-style experience with pizza, beers, and multiple TVs showing the game.

Bars & Restaurants with a Great Atmosphere

Zenzi Beach Bar

If you like the idea of watching the Super Bowl just steps away from the ocean, Zenzi is a fantastic option. While not strictly a sports bar, they often broadcast major events and offer a relaxed beachfront vibe.

Lucky Wings

Perfect for classic Super Bowl food: wings, burgers, and beers. A good place to enjoy the game with friends in a casual setting.

La Taberna

A bar-and-grill style restaurant with a cozy atmosphere and good food, ideal if you want to enjoy the game without the chaos of a packed sports bar.

Fives Rooftop

For a more social and upscale experience, this rooftop bar is a great place to meet people before or after the game, combining drinks, views, and a lively crowd.

Special Super Bowl Events

The Fives Downtown Hotel & Residences

This venue often hosts a special Super Bowl viewing party, featuring live game transmission, themed food stations (nachos, hot dogs, burgers, ribs), open bar options, and music. It’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for a more festive, organized event with a party atmosphere.

Tips for Super Bowl Night in Playa del Carmen

• Arrive early or make a reservation: Super Bowl night is extremely popular, and many venues fill up fast.
• Ask about promotions: Many bars offer drink specials, wings, and combo deals for the game.
• Wear your team’s jersey: It’s all part of the fun and helps set the mood.

The post Where to Watch the Super Bowl in Playa del Carmen appeared first on Riviera By Jana.

This victory means that both locals and tourists can now enjoy one of Tulum’s most beautiful coastlines without any charge. This is a crucial step for Tulum public beaches and a win for sustainable tourism in Tulum.

A Victory for Public Access in Tulum

For a while, many of Tulum’s most spectacular spots were becoming difficult to access due to private development. This made it hard for people to simply enjoy the natural beauty that makes Tulum so special. The restoration of access to Playa Mangle sets a strong precedent that Tulum’s beaches are a shared resource. This action proves that authorities are committed to protecting these areas for everyone’s enjoyment, preserving the unique character of Tulum’s ecotourism.

How to Visit the New Playa Mangle Public Access

The public entrance to Playa Mangle is now located exclusively through the new Parque del Jaguar. This designated path allows you to walk right onto the beach. This makes it easy for anyone to find and enjoy this wonderful spot. If you’re looking for a free beach in Tulum, the new Playa Mangle access is the perfect option.

We believe that this decision marks an important step toward a more equitable and sustainable future for this beautiful region. When you visit, remember to respect the natural environment. Enjoy the beach, and know that you are part of a community that values and protects these precious spaces.

Faena Residences Tulum
More info

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What is a Pre-Sale Property?

A pre-sale property is one that is purchased before it’s fully constructed or completed. Buyers typically invest in these properties based on floor plans, renderings, and developer promises. Pre-sales are common in Riviera Maya’s booming real estate market, where new developments are constantly underway.

Benefits of Buying Pre-Sale in Riviera Maya

1. Lower Initial Costs
   Pre-sale properties often come with lower prices compared to completed units. Developers usually offer attractive pricing to incentivize early buyers, allowing you to lock in a property at today’s rates in a market where prices are steadily rising.
2. Flexible Payment Plans
   Many developers offer installment-based payment plans during construction, making it easier to manage your budget compared to paying the full amount upfront for a resale property.
3. Modern Designs and Amenities
   New developments in Riviera Maya typically feature contemporary designs, smart home technology, and state-of-the-art amenities like infinity pools, gyms, and co-working spaces that appeal to both homeowners and vacation renters.
4. Customization Options
   Buying pre-sale allows for customization, such as choosing finishes, layouts, or fixtures, so your property aligns perfectly with your vision.
5. Higher Return on Investment (ROI)
   Early buyers often see their property appreciate in value by the time construction is completed, making pre-sale an attractive option for investors.

Drawbacks of Pre-Sale Properties

• Uncertainty and Delays: Construction timelines can be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, leaving buyers in limbo.
• Developer Reliability: It’s crucial to vet the developer’s reputation to avoid risks associated with unfinished projects or subpar construction.
• Limited Immediate Use: You can’t move in or start earning rental income until the property is completed.

What is a Resale Property?

A resale property is an existing home or unit that is ready for immediate use. These properties are sold by current owners rather than developers.

Benefits of Buying Resale in Riviera Maya

1. Immediate Availability
   Resale properties are move-in ready, making them ideal for buyers who want to start enjoying their new home or generating rental income right away.
2. Established Neighborhoods
   Resale properties are often located in well-established communities with mature landscaping, existing infrastructure, and a strong sense of community.
3. What You See is What You Get
   Unlike pre-sales, you can physically inspect a resale property before purchase, ensuring there are no surprises regarding its condition or layout.
4. Negotiation Opportunities
   Depending on the market, buyers may have room to negotiate the price or request repairs before closing, potentially reducing the overall cost.
5. Turnkey Deals with Furniture
   Some resale properties come fully furnished, offering a great opportunity to strike a deal that saves you the time and cost of outfitting your new home. These deals can be limited, so acting quickly when such options appear on the market is crucial.

Drawbacks of Resale Properties

• Higher Upfront Costs: Resale properties often require full payment or mortgage financing without the phased payment options available for pre-sales.
• Limited Customization: You inherit the existing design and finishes, which may not fully align with your preferences.
• Potential for Repairs and Renovations: Older properties might require additional investments in maintenance or upgrades.

How to Decide: Pre-Sale or Resale?

Your decision should align with your goals, timeline, and financial situation. Consider the following:

• Are you an investor? Pre-sale properties offer potential for higher ROI but come with longer timelines.
• Are you relocating soon? Resale properties provide immediate availability and a clearer picture of what you’re purchasing.
• Do you value customization? Pre-sales allow for more input on the final look of your property.
• Are you risk-averse? Resale properties reduce uncertainty as you can see exactly what you’re buying.

Why Riviera Maya?

Both pre-sale and resale properties in Riviera Maya offer unique advantages thanks to the region’s strong tourism industry, growing expat community, and increasing demand for vacation rentals. From Tulum’s bohemian vibe to Playa del Carmen’s bustling charm, you can find the perfect fit for your lifestyle or investment goals.

Final Thoughts

Navigating Riviera Maya’s diverse property market requires insight into both current offerings and future developments. Unlike many other regions, there isn’t a centralized MLS (Multiple Listing Service) system in place here. This makes it crucial to partner with an experienced, honest and well-connected real estate advisor. Such a professional has the local knowledge and network needed to access exclusive listings, evaluate developer reputations, and uncover hidden opportunities that might not be publicly advertised.

A skilled broker can also help you understand which neighborhoods are poised for growth and further development, whether you’re looking for a high-return investment property or your dream home. With their guidance, you can navigate the complexities of this unique market and make a confident decision tailored to your goals.

By weighing the benefits of pre-sale and resale options and working with the right expert, you can invest wisely in one of the world’s most desirable regions.

The post Buying Pre-Sale vs. Resale Properties in Riviera Maya: Which is the Better Choice? appeared first on Riviera By Jana.

Mexico has achieved universal health coverage, and its public healthcare system is used by most Mexican residents. Despite this, the private healthcare sector has grown considerably, driven by increasing disposable income, the rise of medical tourism, and the demand for higher quality healthcare services.

When moving to or visiting a new location, especially in a foreign country, access to quality healthcare is often a top priority. In Quintana Roo, particularly in popular areas like Playa del Carmen, Cancun, and Tulum, the medical services available are not only accessible but also of high quality, with a wide variety of options. This makes Quintana Roo a safe and reliable choice for residents, expats, retirees, and tourists.

Accessible Medical Care in Quintana Roo

One of the key advantages of living in or visiting Quintana Roo is the accessibility of healthcare services. Whether you’re in the heart of Playa del Carmen, the bustling hub of Cancun, or the serene town of Tulum, you are never far from a hospital or clinic. Public hospitals, private medical centers, and specialty clinics are spread throughout the region, ensuring prompt access to care.

Playa del Carmen: Medical Centers and Clinics

Playa del Carmen is home to several well-regarded hospitals and clinics offering both emergency and non-emergency medical services. Some of the top medical facilities in the area include:

• Hospiten Riviera Maya: A well-known private hospital that caters to both locals and expats, offering a range of medical services, from emergency care to specialized surgeries.
• CostaMed Playa del Carmen: This medical center provides high-quality healthcare services, including general medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, and surgery.
• Playa International Clinic: Known for its multilingual staff, Playa International Clinic is popular with tourists and expats for minor emergencies and medical consultations.

Quality of Medical Services in Quintana Roo

The healthcare quality in Quintana Roo is comparable to that of developed countries, especially within the private sector. Many doctors and medical staff in Playa del Carmen, Cancun, and Tulum are bilingual, with many having trained internationally. This makes communication easy for English-speaking expats and visitors. Medical facilities are equipped with modern technology, and most private hospitals adhere to international standards.

Cancun, as a major metropolitan area, boasts a range of top-tier hospitals, such as Hospital Galenia and Amerimed Hospital, which provide advanced treatments and specialized care, including cardiology, oncology, and orthopedic services.

Affordable Healthcare in Playa del Carmen

One of the most attractive features of Quintana Roo’s healthcare system is the cost. Medical procedures, consultations, and even surgeries tend to be significantly more affordable compared to the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe. This has contributed to a growing trend in medical tourism. Playa del Carmen and Cancun, in particular, are known for offering affordable yet high-quality procedures, such as dental treatments, cosmetic surgery, and orthopedic procedures.

Variety of Medical Services: From General Care to Specialized Treatment

The variety of healthcare services in Quintana Roo covers nearly every medical need. General practitioners, specialists, and alternative medicine professionals are readily available throughout the region. Common medical services include:

• General and Preventive Care: Routine checkups, vaccinations, and preventive medicine are easy to access at clinics and hospitals across Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Cancun.
• Emergency Services: In case of emergencies, 24/7 ambulance services and emergency rooms are available at major hospitals, including Hospiten and CostaMed.
• Specialty Care: Whether you need a cardiologist, neurologist, or dermatologist, Quintana Roo’s medical professionals are highly trained to handle a wide range of specialized medical conditions.
• Dental Care: Playa del Carmen and Cancun are particularly known for their top-quality dental services, from general cleanings to implants, often at a fraction of the cost in the U.S.
• Wellness and Alternative Medicine: Wellness clinics, chiropractic care, and holistic medicine are gaining popularity in Tulum, offering services such as acupuncture, homeopathy, and nutritional therapy.

Cancun and Tulum: Expanding Healthcare Options

Cancun, as the largest city in Quintana Roo, is the healthcare hub of the region. In addition to large hospitals, there are numerous specialty clinics and private practices catering to both the local population and the growing number of medical tourists. Cancun’s Galenia Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), offering world-class medical care and attracting international patients.

Tulum, while smaller, is rapidly growing in terms of healthcare offerings. With the increase in expatriates and tourists in Tulum, medical centers such as Tulum Medical Services are expanding their services, offering a blend of traditional and alternative treatments in line with the town’s wellness-oriented lifestyle.

Medical Tourism in Quintana Roo

Medical tourism in Quintana Roo has been steadily growing over the past decade, with Playa del Carmen and Cancun at the forefront. Patients from the U.S., Canada, and Europe are drawn to the region for its combination of affordable healthcare, excellent quality, and the chance to recuperate in a beautiful vacation destination. Procedures such as plastic surgery, dental work, and fertility treatments are among the most sought after.

Health Insurance and Payment Options

Private health insurance is recommended for expats and visitors, as it offers access to a wider range of facilities and services. However, even without insurance, the cost of medical care is often more affordable than in many Western countries. Many hospitals in Playa del Carmen, Cancun, and Tulum also accept international health insurance plans, making payment options flexible for foreign residents and travelers.

Conclusion

The accessibility, quality, and variety of medical services in Quintana Roo make it an ideal destination for both residents and visitors. Whether you’re settling in Playa del Carmen, vacationing in Cancun, or exploring Tulum, you can rest assured that high-quality medical care is readily available. From emergency services to specialized treatment and wellness care, Quintana Roo’s healthcare system caters to diverse needs, ensuring peace of mind for anyone who chooses this stunning region to live or visit.

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Laura built Coco’s Animal Welfare clinic from scratch, driven by her immense compassion, determination, and ability to unite people who want to see lasting change. While their main focus is providing low-cost sterilization, their activities extend far beyond that. This is a deep dive into her life’s work. Please spread the word, and if you can, help support them.

Today is a sterilization day, isn’t it?

LR: We are a permanent sterilization clinic for cats and dogs; we sterilize animals everyday apart from Wednesdays and Sundays. Tuesday is cat day and we sterilize around 50 cats. On the other days it’s a mixture of 20 dogs and cats. We sterilize street animals (we run a TNR Trap Neuter Return program for feral cats), rescued animals, animals from other rescue organizations along with peoples pets who’s can’t afford to take them to a private vet clinic.

You come from Wales, what brought you to Playa and when?

LR: 19 years ago, when I was 17, I came on holiday with my family to stay in a hotel. I just fell in love with Mexico and the sun, because the weather in Wales is terrible. I also loved the culture, the dancing and the music.  I got a job and I ended up staying, It was supposed to be just for 6 months but I’m still here.

Could you tell us the story of Coco’s Animal Welfare from the beginning?

LR: At the time, I didn’t know that many people here and I was given this little rescued kitten called Coco who was with me all day, everyday…She was the cutest little kitten, little Coco. 

When she was only 8 months old, she was run over and died.  The security guy knocked on my door and while laughing told me my cat was dead. I went and picked her up from the side of the road and it just completely broke my heart. 

In the UK it is very common for cats to go inside and outside. I was brought up in a small town and it was normal for cats to be free, I didn’t realize that things were different here in Mexico and that it is better to keep the cats inside. Many people here treated cats like vermin and they can be poisoned, run over, get abused in many terrible ways. People don’t drive as carefully if there is a cat on the road, sometimes people actually swerve to try to hit the cat instead of to avoid it. 

It was a mistake to let Coco outside and I learned a big lesson there. The security guard found it funny and whoever hit her just drove off without a care in the world. After losing my sweet Coco I wanted to change how people felt and wanted to make a difference. I wanted to help all the other cats that I came across.  A week later, literally 7 days after Coco passed away I went to the supermarket, I was really sad as I passed the cat food section thinking, “I don’t need to buy cat food anymore!” – I was really upset. On the way home in a car I heard a squeaking sound and I just knew it was a kitten in need of help! It was late at night, pitch black but I yelled “stop the car!” and climbed into the jungle in the middle of the night to rescue this little squeaking kitten. We named him Rambo and we kept him. From there on a few weeks later another kitten, Luna, came along. 

I started getting in touch with some local people who were helping animals and I learned about a program called TNR (trap, neuter, return). There were lots of feral cats outside my house, I started trapping them, having them neutered, returning them, feeding them and it all began there. I spoke with local vets and  got 7 of them in total to donate 2 free surgeries a week. Everyday  was a different clinic, and many friends of mine started helping, dropping off the cats for their surgery and picking them up again later in the day. Once they had recovered, we would put them back creating stable cat colonies that no longer reproduce. We also started taking in the kittens, getting them healthy and finding forever homes for them. It all started very small and grew quickly which was when I decided that something bigger needed to be done. This was when I created the non-profit – Coco’s Cat Rescue dedicated to TNR, education and rescuing and finding homes for small kittens. It was important to me that Coco’s did not become a shelter because it’s not the solution and I felt strongly that a bigger difference could be made in focusing on solving the problem with sterilization and education.  That’s how Coco’s Cat Rescue began and very quickly we managed to get funding to get a small house which we turned into a permanent spay and neuter clinic. We hired our own full-time vet, who would sterilize animals every day and from there on it grew and continued growing.  We didn’t want to leave the dogs out and saw such a need for help there too so we started helping dogs as well and very soon we became Coco’s Animal Welfare. We now have 4 vets working full-time and a new incredible  clinic which  we’ve grown into and we are now able to help even more animals.

Where do you think all the compassion comes from?

LR: I always loved animals. My parents helped me rescue whatever I found as a kid: a dog, a bird, a cat, a bat, a seagull, whatever I found… I ended up with two goats, I had a sheep and a cow. When I was little, my father worked on a farm and there was a calf that was really sick and he brought it home and put it in the living room for the night for us to look after. I think my dad bringing animals home from the farm had an influence on my love for helping animals.  I always loved animals, I was very lucky my mom and dad let me adopt and help different animals as I was growing up. 

Where do you get the donations for ongoing activities?

LR: Auctions, major donors, grants, non-profits, international organizations and events. It has been challenging during covid as we haven’t been able to have live fundraising events.

How often do you organize fundraising events?

LR: We do 2 online auctions per year, one in the spring and one in the fall. We also have our big anniversary cocktail party in March each year which has a live auction as well. In total 3 fundraising events a year, one live an two online.

How are you and Coco’s doing nowadays? 

LR: Since we began we have achieved: 44,977 spay and neuter surgeries on dogs and cats, 1.284 kittens rescued, 402 dogs rescued,  10,955 cats and kittens helped by our rescue support program and 6,245 dogs helped by our rescue support program.

It has been a challenging time with covid but all things considered we are doing really well.

 We have different programs at Coco’s to help animals. Our main program is the permanent sterilization clinic which runs 5 days a week, we sterilize 20 animals every day and 50 cats on Tuesdays, that is our main mission as through sterilization we are preventing so many from being born to suffer on the streets. We also have our cat and dog support programs. Initially, these programs were for rescued animals for people to access low cost medical care, including consults, vaccines, deparasite medications, kitten milk and bottles for new born kittens and support. Since the pandemic, we opened the program up for pets as so many people have been affected economically and can’t afford to go to a regular vet clinic. We trust people to not take advantage of the services offered at Coco’s because we don’t want to affect the economy of the local vet clinics. We ask people if they can afford it to please go to a local vet clinic and support the local businesses, if you can’t then come to us. We try to help the people who need help. The support program is run daily with 15 minute consults going on every day (8:30 AM until 3:15 (we close at 12 on Wednesdays and don’t open on Sundays)).

We have a cat café program which is really amazing, its mainly done in all inclusive hotels like the Riu hotels and resorts . With this program we go into the hotel, trap all the cats, bring them here, they get sterilized, rabies, vaccinations, deparasited and then go back to the hotel.  The hotels build really nice  ‘Palapa Cat Cafés’ – little feeding stations and they feed the cats twice a day so it becomes a healthy, stable colony of cats, and they stop eating food from the restaurants.  It’s win-win situation that works really well. 

We also have a very small program for adoptable kittens, we have three adoption rooms which I’ll show you in a minute. We are not a shelter, because if we become a shelter, we will not be able to focus on spay and neuter and all our funding would go to food and medical care for them and we would not be solving the problem. By sterilizing we are working on the solution so we focus on that but we do have three adoptable kitten rooms. We have space for 15 kittens at a time. 

Then we have our Cachito fund, which is a very small fund named after my dog, who passed away last year – Cachito. He was rescued 11 years ago and was in a terrible state. A donor heard about his story and decided to start very small fund for any of the Coco’s team members who rescue a dog, this fund is available to help with their medical care. The team member takes care of the dog in their home. We don’t usually have dogs staying at the clinic but as you can see we have two dogs here right now so sometimes we have had to make an exception. We try to really focus on the mission so as not to turn into a shelter.

Do you have any estimate of how many cats were roaming Playa when you moved in compared to now?

LR: Playa del Carmen is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and with this growth the animal population has exploded. It’s hard to know the approximate numbers. What I can say is had we not been here, things would be a lot worse. We’ve seen a big improvement in how people act and how animals are treated. Cats before were treated as vermin, they were killed, poisoned; now we’ve got people calling us saying “Hey! Can I borrow your trap? I want to TNR the cats that are outside my house.” Before it would have been that they wanted to kill them. A lot of the hotels used to poison the cats. One hotel manager even told me in an interview that they shot 80 cats as if it was nothing. We’ve seen a really big change in people’s attitudes. Of course there is still a lot of work to be done. I feel like it’s never ending because Playa has grown so much and there’s still so many people that don’t sterilize their animals so they continue reproducing.  

What strikes me the most that you offer also free sterilization for those who can’t afford it for what I really just want to say thank you for. 

LR: We send a message to everyone that asks for the minimum donation to cover our costs for a cat or a dog. Underneath that text it says if you can’t afford this then tell us as we have a limited number of free or donation based surgeries because we still want to help you. If we said free sterilization, then everybody is going to come and no one is going to give a donation. We try to ask the people that can afford it to cover the basic costs of the sterilization. That way we make sure we are helping the people and animals who need it the most.

Do you have any background check for adoptions?

LR: A few weeks ago someone on social media got really angry with us for asking for too many questions when we adopt kittens out. She wanted a kitten but didn’t agree on our adoption requirements. She thought that asking for a picture of her house and her electric bill was a security risk. We were of course just trying to make sure that the kitten was going to a good home.  We do have a lot of requirements but it’s because we need to. Unfortunately, we have experienced some terrible cruelty, including people trying to adopt black cats to sacrifice on Halloween, and it’s because of this that we have such a strict adoption process.

 We want our dogs and cats to go to people committed to their welfare. We therefore ask for a minimum donation of $ 300 pesos that includes: sterilization, first-year vaccinations, deworming and an ID tag as well as all necessary tests. Our requirements are: 

Video of your house where doors, windows and patio are appreciated. 

Fill out the adoption application

Copy or photo of your identification on both sides (Passport)

Copy or photo of proof of address

 A home visit is made to finalize the adoption of dogs. Adopting a dog is a lifelong responsibility, as they can live for more than 20 years we ask people to consider this and that you can take your dog with you if you move from Playa in the future.

For cats we must make sure the windows are secure, that if they have a patio it is enclosed, we want cats to be inside cats.

How many animals do you have yourself?

LR: I have 2 cats: Luna and Pixie. I also run a cat hotel in my house, for people that go on holiday so I have plenty of animals. If I didn’t have the cat hotel, I might have had more pets myself, but there are plenty of cats at home. 

When was the hardest period of time?

LR: When covid started, that was one of the hardest times. Trying to keep my staff safe at the same time as trying to make sure that we were still helping animals.  It was clear the utmost priority  had to be keeping our staff safe and then from there we needed to work out how we could continue helping the animals. We wrote extremely strict protocols, had to say goodbye to all our volunteers and made sure all the essential staff could get to work safely on bikes to not risk catching covid on public transport. Bikes were donated and things came together very quickly. At the beginning of the pandemic we only attended to urgent care cases, we had the help of Dr Erika from IFAW, who came everyday to help us. One of our vets was high risk so we had to keep her protected and safe. It was a very hard moment in time because everybody was scared, we needed to help the animals who were being abandoned  because people were leaving Playa. We had to balance keeping everybody safe while offering care for these animals. This was why at the start of covid we paused our sterilization clinic and worked on all the urgent medical care for those that had lost their jobs, had no money and had sick pet. We focused on urgent sterilizations, urgent surgeries and urgent medical care. It was a really hard moment, but it was also a really good moment that united our team as we all came together and worked really hard. 

I think that one of the hardest ongoing challenges of Coco’s is raising money for something that doesn’t tug at the heart strings. If we were a shelter and I showed a video of 100 dogs needing food, everybody would donate, but when you say donate to Coco’s so we can sterilize a bunch of animals is not something that you think “Oh, I must donate because they need to sterilize all those animals”. It is really hard to raise funds for sterilization. People want to donate to a puppy that got run over or the kittens that got rescued but our main goal is sterilization and what we mainly need is funding for our ongoing sterilization program. Raising money is one of the biggest challenges for Coco’s. You are not showing pictures of injured or starving animals . However if we sterilize all the animals there won’t be anymore puppies needing help, or dogs without food. What we are trying to do is to bring a solution via prevention. Getting people to realize this and donate is definitely a big challenge. 

What keeps you going when it’s hard?

LR: My team! I would say my Coco’s Family, because we are more of a family than a team and I mean that. I know it might seem a little corny but it’s true and we keep each other going and of course my love for the animals.

If you weren’t doing this, what would you do? Anything in the world…

LR: I would love to have a house big enough to foster or adopt children that have nowhere to go. That is a dream of mine. I love children and I would love to help them as well. We managed to do some events for children with Coco’s, We’ve been to the poor communities and have given out Christmas presents, food, shoes and clothes. We have taken a Dr out with us to give consults for the families, and vets to help their animals.  We have managed to join the two together. It’s impossible to only help animals when you see so many people also in need. We have also worked educating children on animal welfare by visiting schools and by showing them a fun puppet show that talks about animal welfare and what cats and dogs need in a  fun way. 

Tell me more about the community outreach program.

LR: Years ago there was a jaguar that attacked some dogs in the invasion area of Playa del Carmen. Right at the back of Playa there are these electrical lines and underneath them all the way along people have built little shacks and it’s called ‘invasores’. A little boy came into Coco’s when we were in the old clinic and said, “I need to kill this jaguar that killed my dog!” We talked to him and explained that jaguars are an endangered species and how killing it wasn’t an option. With help from IFAW we started working in the area sterilizing the animals and making sure they had basic medical care going there with IFAW once a month to help the animals. The jaguar was eventually relocated by the correct government authorities.

Do you have any activities for kids from Playa?

LR: We have had many activities for kids in the past , we’ve been to schools to talk to the children, we have had puppet shows that teach the kids about animal welfare in a fun way, we’ve also had kitten cuddling every Saturday but this has all been paused because of Covid. Now our whole team is fully vaccinated as of November we are going to start accepting volunteers who are fully vaccinated to come to cuddle our kittens again with our protocols in place. 

If you could put one message on a billboard here in Playa, what would it be?

LR: I always think that sterilization is so important so I think it would have to do something with sterilization, and it would be something like “Help us help them, prevent the unwanted animals from suffering on the street! Sterilize your animal today. Sterilization is the solution! Contact us.”

What are Coco’s short term and long term plans for the future and your ultimate goal?

LR: Continue as we are, that would be short term. Long term, would be to increase the number of animals we sterilize, help as many animals as possible and to educate as many people as we can. I  hope we can do the big sterilization clinics again which hasn’t been possible because of covid. We used to do a big spay and neuter clinic once a year where we did over 1000 animals in 4 days! Those clinics are simply the best! I love organizing them.

Excuse me, once again?

LR: To spay 1000 animals. Well, we did 1273 sterilizations in four days and those clinics days make such a difference. We go to  a school in poor area of Playa, we’ve been to Villas del Sol, Colosio and Las Flores, we go the day before and we set the whole clinic up. We turn a classroom into a surgical room, another room into prep room…so it’s a huge thing! We need at least a 100  people between the recovery, the vets, reception staff to make this a success. It’s amazing, it’s the best week of the year, it’s my favourite thing to do! The goal would be to be able to do that again. I am hoping to do one in 2022 but it all depends on covid and if we are able to use the schools, but that is definitely a goal. As funding allows – to help as many animals as we can. 

 What kind of support do you need the most right now?

LR: We mainly need volunteers for prep and recovery, where you prepare animals for surgery or you are looking after animals while they are waking up from surgery and of course donations to continue offering free or low-cost sterilization. The more donations we have coming in the more animals we can help.

What is required for the volunteers?

LR: We require volunteers to have two vaccines and to wear a surgical mask or an N95 mask.

Volunteers receive training depending on what area they want to help in.

 Prep – preparation is getting the animal ready for surgery. Volunteers need more experience for this job. Some people have a medical background as previous experience is great. We have had volunteers who over time have learnt prep. In Mexico the position of veterinary technician doesn’t exist. We have volunteers and staff who are trained and of course they always supervised by our vets. Prep involves shaving the animal ready for surgery, putting in the Et tube, putting the catheter in and injecting pain meds and antibiotics.

Recovery is looking after the animals after surgery as they start to wake up. Breathing and temperature have to be checked regularly, and the animal stroked, to speed up waking from the anesthetic. The et tube has to be removed, sub cutaneous fluids given, ears checked, and also checked for  fleas and ticks.. Anybody who wants to work in recovery will do a course with our Medical Director first to learn about all the steps needed and then would be paired up with someone experienced. It takes time to learn everything.

We also need volunteers to come and socialize the rescued kittens we have up for adoption or to walk the dogs that we sometimes have waiting to be adopted.

Can it be two different people, one for prep and one for recovery? 

LR: It has to be. You can’t do both those things at the same time. You can learn both but not on the same day. You have to be in one area. Often our recovery people don’t do prep because they would rather be with the animals while they wake up from surgery and then our prep volunteers find recovery boring and they want to be in prep. Usually people have a preference of where they want to be. 

Any last message to Playenses?

LR: Helping us helps so many. When you are sterilizing the animals you are really focusing on a solution to the problem. And even though it may not tug on the heart strings, in the bigger picture, you are helping more. You are preventing what tugs on the heart strings. And that is an important message. 

More on Coco’s Animal Welfare:

cocosanimalwelfare.org

How you can help:

Coco´s Cat Rescue, A.C.

PayPal: info@cocosanimalwelfare.org

Scotiabank Account: 23700143316

Swift: MBCOMXMM

Iban (CLABE): 044694237001433167

OXXO: Scotiabank: 5579 2091 4185 6549

http://cocosanimalwelfare.org/how-to-help/donate/

The post Long Read: Interview with Laura Raikes, the Founder of Coco’s Animal Welfare appeared first on Riviera By Jana.

Casa Candela Residential Villas Designed with Cultural Integrity and Sustainability

Text by Myah Taylor | Photos by César Bejar | June 7th 2023

Story at a glance:

• Macías Peredo Architecture Studio and Studio Habitación 116 collaborated for in Tulum.
• The residential community pays homage to the Mayans in architectural style and color palette.

In Tulum, Casa Candela takes inspiration from the area’s towering Mayan ruins and the dense jungle around it. Mexico-based architecture firm Macías Peredo Architecture Studio and interior designer Studio Habitación 116 partnered with Coba Capital on the project to embody the distinct culture of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and preserve the land indigenous peoples have inhabited for eons.

Paying homage characterizes the entire Candela project, which will ultimately include villas in both Tulum and Valladolid. The first villa in the Tulum community was built in 2021, and construction continues. The final Tulum project will include 12 private, luxury villas near the beach.

Candela has been designed to be at home in its surroundings. “Candela aims to create an architecture that feels like it belongs in its setting,” says Salvador Macías, cofounder of Macías Peredo Architecture Studio. “It doesn’t attempt to imitate anything; it attempts to recall what has existed there since ancient times.”

Celebrated as an integral architectural feature, the surrounding nature filters light through its lush foliage to alter the environment within Candela as the sun moves across the sky each day. This connection—both indoors and out—creates a meaningful conversation between nature and structure.

Protecting the natural area was a major goal of the Candela design team. In Tulum lead architect Diego Quirarte says they achieved this by preserving the soil as well as the flora and fauna on the peninsula—the villas coexist with a botanical garden-style arboretum.

The community stretches across 2.5 acres of land, with more than 70% of it is preserved. More than 1,000 trees have been preserved and 500 have been replanted. Water treatment facilities and firm waste management regulations were also implemented, with the goal to improve the water pumped and returned to the ground so that it’s cleaner than its original condition.

Candela partnered with Watch Water Mexico to ensure water treatment plants and biodigestors are at each development. Candela also utilizes a circular waste system that composts organic waste through a local farm that uses the fertilizer for fresh produce.

Inspired by the Ancients

Enclosed in the jungle, the completed villa rivals a pyramid with its terraced design and neutral color palette. “We like to visit historical vestiges where so many years have passed that nature has done its thing, and where buildings have slowly been eroded and taken over by it,” says Magui Peredo, the firm’s other cofounder.

Large windows carved throughout the exterior give the home an open-air feel, reminiscent of the mysterious structures found on an archaeological site. The building’s warm and glowing nighttime light is a nod to candela, or candle in Spanish. “Even the land is in a shape that is almost like a candle,” says Jana Miháliková, who represents the property for Candela, on behalf of Nest Seekers International, of the circular positioning of the villas around a courtyard.

A private pool and rooftop terraces with 360-degree jungle views bring modern luxury to the Mayan-inspired structures and help architects limit their footprint, Quirarte says. Rooftop sunbeds double as an observatory at night—another tribute to the Mayans, known for their love of astronomy. Architects utilized chukum, an ancient stucco material with roots in the Yucatán, both for its notability in Mayan architecture and its water-resistant properties, as it’s composed of resin from native chukum trees and limestone. “It’s matching the environment where it is built,” Miháliková says.

Interior Design Choices

Inside, the commitment to sustainability and honoring indigenous culture continues. While the terraced architecture is aesthetically pleasing, it also creates more opportunities for natural light, Quirarte says. Indirect light, along with the neutral coloring of the walls and decor, plays into the candle motif. “It gives you the soft, calming atmosphere as a candlelight does,” Miháliková says.

Wood, in abundance on the Yucatán Peninsula, features throughout the inside of the villa, which is decorated with interiors and furniture custom-made for Candela—including what Miháliková calls the Candela couch.

To combat the Yucatán’s hot and humid weather, the property is well ventilated. Thick walls support heat isolation. Three-layered windows improve energy efficiency. Tree coverage provides plentiful, natural shade. All of these elements limit the need for air conditioning and cater to the sustainability goal to further supporting wellness.

Project Details

Project: Candela Villas
Location: Tulum, Mexico
Completion: Ongoing
Size: 7,300 square feet
Architect: Macías Peredo Architecture Studio
Size: 5,587 square feet
Developer: Coba Capital
Interior Designer: Studio Habitación 116

Click to open: https://gbdmagazine.com/casa-candela/

The post Interview for GB&D Magazine about Villas Candela in Tulum appeared first on Riviera By Jana.