We just got back from a very interesting week at a resort South of Playa del Carmen past Puerto Adventuras and North of Akumal call Taninah. http://www.taninah.com Taninah is a small eco friendly resort located a couple of miles into the Jungle.



For you textile optional crowd it’s across the road from Hidden Beach. The property is “Off the Grid” and is unique that it relies on Composting Toilets, Solar, and generator for power and water for most purposes pumped out of a Cenote.




The resort if you want to call that is rented in total for each client group and can accommodate up to about 35 guests in various Casitas and Buildings. Our group had twelve adults and nine kids ranging from 6 months to 15 years old. There was more than enough room for each family to have their own space.

If you like Mexico, need a place for a large group and want a little adventure this is the place. Kids were always entertained with a zip line, mini golf, ping-pong and pool tables and of course the pool, hot tub and the resorts own Cenote for swimming. If you were inclined they had a 900 meter jogging track and a scenic 3.5 mile run to the main road and back (HWY 307). I was running the road, daily training for a half marathon in Houston that I ran last Sunday, with the faithful resort dog Luna always at my side. It was not unusual on my mourning run to see Monkeys and Turkeys of all things along with a Toucan or two and other interesting birds.



The accommodations were first rate and consisted of screened Palapa Houses with fans. Never was I uncomfortable with just fans, and the owners swore it’s not much different in the summer. Bugs just were not a problem although most used bug spray at dusk and suffered an occasional bite. I actually never put any on and as far as I can tell never received one…anyone know the incubation period on malaria? I think it had to do with the bats taking care of bug problem. They came out at dusk, which entertained us prior to getting dark.


Three meals were part of the package along a starter pack of beer and water and a few bottles of wine and liquor. The staff made a supply runs each day and any thing that was needed was purchase and we paid cost plus 20% on the final bill. Most meals were simple with a Mayan twist and although not five star dining all of us looked forward to what the Chef put out. Fish tacos to Mayan French Toast, all were very good. Every afternoon Guacamole and Ceviche showed up to make sure the afternoon passed without hunger.

The beach at Xpu-Ha , Diving at Paamul and Akumal, and fishing at either Puerto Adventuras or Akumal were only a few min away. Also Maya ruins at Tulum, Coba, and Muyil.

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The girls did a cave dive and a reef dive with ScubaMex out of Paamul. Diving here is still inexpensive with a single tank dive with equipment $39.00 and if you bought a package of seven dives the price dropped to about $30.00 per dive. A Cenote cavern dive starts at $80.00 with equipment, a dive master per four divers and all fees. ScubaMex is a good organization and highly recommended.

The Taninah Staff was a highlight. The Owners met us the first night but left the day-to-day operation with Karl a Englishman, by way of Canada, living in the Maya Riviera with his family for the last three years. Most of the time any coordination was done via a Nextel radio/phone. The on sight staff consisted of nine Maya men ranging from late teens to mid-fifties all from the same village three hours away who stayed on sight and took care of the grounds, cooking, cleaning and maid service. Mayan was the primary language of the staff and about half spoke some Spanish…Turn over in staff was non-existent and they took great pride in their jobs. The Maya are tough, proud and short…most of the staff was less than 5’2”. When we asked for the volleyball net to be set up the staff seemed to all smile…Now you have to understand my wife’s brothers and my daughters all who play, or have play competitive club, high school or University Volleyball, know how to play the game. So do the Maya…and these guys are good…of some 15 games most were won by only a few points, the Americanos only won one game! I guess when the national sport used to sacrifice the captain of the losing team you soon learn how to win.

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It was a neat place that I would go back to and recommend for those of you who would like to plan a family event in a semi-exotic location.

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