Puerto Morelos: The Mexican Town that Surprised Me!

Puerto Morelos, Mexico is a small fishing town located between Cancun and Playa del Carmen. I had no idea what to expect, other than what I had heard from other YouTube creators like Tangerine Travels and My Trish Advisor (follow them both to learn lots of great things about Mexico!!!). But I found out Puerto Morelos might be the best beach town in Quintana Roo. And it has a reef for snorkeling just 300 meters off shore.

I had booked just one week here, but good restaurants, live music, and the strong WiFi in the area that made Puerto Morelos a great place for digital nomads led me to extend my stay for a full month. These are just some of the best restaurants and bars that I highlighted in this video.

Cafe Amancia: A spot for great coffee, although I usually got the mocha made with Mexican chocolate. WiFi here is the fastest I have found at any coffee shop in Mexico (170 Mbps), almost as fast as coworking spaces in Playa del Carmen and Cancun. I worked remotely form here many mornings.

Mangata: This is where I came for breakfast more often than anywhere else. They also have super fast WiFi that allowed me to work there, but also a great menu. Their Facebook page markets themselves as a health food restaurant, and they did sneak spinach into my chilaquiles, but I loved this place despite my aversion to “healthy food.” They have a huge smoothie selection as well.

Lola y Moya: This is truly “Grandma’s Kitchen.” Each time I came here I met people who eat here several times a week. Anytime I see new dishes somewhere I need to try them, and the Tarascos (eggs over a corn tortilla with ham, beans, and green salsa) was my favorite breakfast dish in town.

Dive Lodge: How can you explain how great a Dive bar right on the beach is? They have a great cocktails named after some of their best customers, and I aspire to become one of these great customers. It’s a walk form downtown, but you can spend the whole day here in their beach chairs.

Boquinete: We had the most romantic and one of the best meals in Mexico here. The location is right on the beach, and they have a fantastic menu. The sax player during our dinner made it even better.

Lauro’s: This is THE spot to come for live music in Puerto Morelos. The owner, Hector, is an unbelievable guitarist and plays some nights by himself and other times with a guest singer. Other local bands also come here. One night I was here a big group was in town for a birthday, and one woman who has apparently won a Grammy got up and sung several songs with him. Come for the music but stay for the food. All dishes are served in a molcajete.