Mexico’s Mayan Riviera region is one of the top travel destinations on Earth…
Maybe the most surprising fact about Nomad Paradise: Mayan Rivera of Mexico is that the number of visitors continues to increase. Cancun airport (which serves the entire region) actually received more arrivals in September 2021 than September 2019 (yes, even while much of the world remains restricted or closed!)
Accessing through Cancun airport is easy: you can fly direct from almost anywhere. And very importantly, Mexico remains completely open to foreigners, as it has throughout 2020 and 2021, unlike many other countries that have made nomadic life difficult to varying degrees!
Mexico automatically grants 3-month or more commonly 6-month tourist visas (easy to renew) upon entry to citizens of practically every North American and European country, so you don’t even need to worry about paperwork if you’re looking to check it out for a few months. Just bring your passport!

The region features year-round sunny tropical weather, awe-inspiring beaches on the Caribbean coast, tons of tourist attractions and plenty of visitors from different nationalities and profiles. There is something here for everyone! (…as long as you’re OK with 77-86F / 25-30C weather in the winter months!)
Let’s see how the Mayan Riviera stacks up on my 7 Criteria of Nomadability…
1. Weather
Rating: A
Weather was one of my primary motivations for escaping Canada for the tropics. It was a pain point I used to dwell on annually in the winter for several years before actually taking action to leave.

Canada, as we know, is frozen and devoid of sunlight for 4-5 months every year. As a result, my mood dropped severely every year in the late autumn and winter months. It felt like forever.
Living in the Mayan Riviera, I don’t have that problem. Depression = completely gone.
We enjoy the sun 350 days per year. In January the average high is 82F/28C. I’ve celebrated Christmas Day and New Year’s Day on the beach and swimming in the Caribbean sea. (It feels even better living here than on holiday!) From November through April the weather is as close to perfect as you could imagine!
Summers, on the other hand, can be rather hot and sticky. Travelling seasonally is an option I have used in the past. Either way, I would happily choose a Playa del Carmen summer over a Toronto winter! After suffering years of trauma in the Canadian cold I will not ever complain about too much hot / beautiful weather. Especially not when I’m within minutes of being able to cool off in the Caribbean sea, or a pool, and have A/C indoors and in my car.
2. Quality of service: What can you do and how pleasant is the experience?
Rating: B+

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3. Language: Will your life be limited by a lack of fluency in the language of Spanish?
Rating: A-
4. Internet speed and reliability: This must not be taken for granted in Latin America
Rating: A

5. Cultural compatibility & expat community: Is the culture friendly? Will you have easy access to other like-minded individuals (including other nomads)?

Rating: A+
6. Ease of Access / Travel: Ease of travel and getting to/from your home country. This matters if you have friends or family who may want to join you or visit.
Rating: A+
7. Safety: Will you have an experience of security in your person and property?
Rating: B
Personally, I’ve never seen any gang violence in Nomad Paradise: Mayan Rivera of Mexico. I’ve been pickpocketed (once in 3 years), have heard of friends being harassed or robbed by police (usually when they are walking alone at night), and have heard of taxi driver misbehavior as well.
On the other hand, other types of crime or violence that are quite common in my home country of Canada actually seem to be less common here. On a typical night out in Canada it is normal to witness one or more violent altercations per night. This is no exaggeration. So far I have only seen 2 altercations (fights/brawls) in my 3 years in Mexico. Walking around at night in the tourist-friendly areas has been safer than in downtown Toronto.
Within Nomad Paradise: Mayan Rivera of Mexico, there are 3 main hubs to choose from in this tropical region, all within 1.5 hours of each other on the highway.
- Cancun (population 971,798) the famous destinations has been one of the top tourist retreats on earth for what feels like decades
- Tulum (population 46,721) has become one the trendiest places on Earth for party people with some money to blow, or those people looking for a “spiritual retreat”
- Playa del Carmen (population 304,942) seems like many nomad’s perfect mix: sandy beaches, fast internet, & walkability between the town and beach, which distinguishes it from both Cancun and Tulum
And smaller municipalities such as Puerto Morelos, Puerto Aventuras, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres.

Your optimal destination in the Nomad Paradise: Mayan Rivera of Mexico of course depends on your personal situation, your priorities and your goals.
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