Hey Guys, hey! 👋🏽 Ok, so my birthday was back in March and I decided to take my first solo trip! I guess I’m on a road to self discovery, or whatever….But if I’m being honest, I was pretty scared. With all that’s going on nowadays, I just didn’t know what to expect, or if I’d even enjoy myself. But let me tell you, I’m glad I did it.
The task of deciding on a place to visit was pretty daunting. Because, let’s face it, the world is vast and I want to go everywhere. However, after much thought, I chose México, because, I don’t know, it just felt like a good start to traveling by myself. It was overseas like I wanted, not costly & from what I heard from other blogs, Solo Traveler friendly.
I booked through Vacation Express. With them, everything is so effortless. It’s like a Travel Agent at your fingertips without the extra cost of actually hiring one. You can find a host of all-inclusive vacations through their site, and their customer service has been impeccable for me. Give them a try!
Where I Stayed
I stayed at the Beautiful Rui Palace Riviera Maya, in Playa Del Carmen. It’s an all-inclusive 4.5-star hotel, and it didn’t disappoint. The landscaping, the restaurants, and the hospitality; were all worth the stay.
👉🏾 If the resort is aware of your birthday, they’ll have a little surprise waiting for you at some point during your stay. When I first arrived there was a cute teddy bear towel sculpture with a rose and candy on the bed. After I left out the room for a while, I came back and was greeted by an upgraded version of that 🎉.
What I Did
Ok, so if you ever followed any of my previous vacations, you know that I’m a HUGE thrill seeker. This vacation though, was a lot different. I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere, where I just stopped to breathe. No kids, no man, no errands to run, no work…. Just pure relaxation and alone time. That’s what I did on this trip; I had no grand excursions planned. But my soul was yearning for silence and stillness (and a few margaritas🍹 😉), and got just that.
I had only 2 days to spare and spent most of my time at the pool. There are two, but of course, my favorite was the one with the swim-up bar 🤭 and a clear view of the beach 🏖️.
Aside from this, I spent some time on the sand, watching live entertainment, and did a lot of whooole lot of eating 😋.
The property has 7 restaurants with specialties from around the world, including Japan, Mexico, and Italy. Everything Amazing! My favorite was the Krystal’s. Not only because it was one of the upscale dining options, but because the waitstaff made me feel sooo special when they sung their version of ‘Happy Birthday’ to me. I never told them it was my birthday, which made the experience that much more special ☺️ (later I found out that some of the restaurants will have a special note by your room number if the front desk knows it’s your birthday 😉).
The Takeaway:
The resort? Oh that’s a 10/10! This location didn’t miss the mark, especially if you’re looking for a property that’s family friendly.
Family friendly 🧑🧑🧒🧒✅
Good food 🌮✅
Amenities 🏊🏽✅
Cleanliness 🧹✅
Staff & customer service 🛂✅
Nightlife 🪩✅
Drinks 🍹 ✅✅✅✅✅✅
Available excursions 🤿✅
What more do need?
Pros and Cons of Solo Travel:
I enjoyed myself. Would I had rather gone with others? Ehhh, yes and no. In this case, I cherished my time alone, but that didn’t come without sacrifices. Here are some pros and cons to taking a solo trip vs going with others.
Pros: I got the peace and quiet I’ve been longing for, for some time. There’s no pressure to do things you don’t want to do, there’s no one there to oppose the things you do want to do, and you move at your pace. Want to take a nap in the middle of the afternoon? Cool… Want to wake up at 5am to start the day? That’s cool too. Literally no pressure.
Cons: The downside of traveling solo would include; wanting to share the experience with someone and generally feeling safer. For me, I chose not to do certain things because I was alone. I felt like, if anything were to happen to me, or if I just up and disappeared, no one would have a clue, until it’s too late (that’s just the way my anxiety ridden mind thinks). So yea, I played it safe because of this.
Side note: I realize that most people still set out to explore, even when they’re by themselves. If you ever plan to visit this location, they do have your average scuba, parasailing and snorkeling excursions you can partake in. Besides that, you can also book through third-party agencies, like Sunwing and Expedia.
Be sure to check out my 10 Important things to Know for Solo Travel, post!
Have you stayed at any Rui Resort? Are you opening to traveling solo? Leave a comment and let’s chat!
Are you following me on Instagram? 🤔
TTYL
LEXI 💋
