Working Remote in Mexico
The moment my husband started working from home, the scheming began. If you’re from the Midwest or have visited for any length of time, you know that the months of January and February (okay March too) are prime time for getting the heck out of Dodge. Temperatures drop in the negatives, the clouds layer on like a weighted blanket for weeks at a time, and a winter storms come and go, shutting down the town as they so please. Glorious right?
It only took me until my late 20’s to decide that I was going to be a proud, young snowbird no matter the cost. And turns out that cost is rather high if you’re trying to stay in the US. We were hoping to escape Indiana for about a month from mid-February to mid-March in pursuit of working poolside with a beach view, great wifi, and in walking distance to restaurants, grocery stores, you name it. A lofty list you might say, that would run us an easy $7k+ in Florida or California. Enter Mexico - the perfect solution to high standards on a budget. At first I was a tick nervous about committing to a month at an Airbnb in a town in Mexico where we’d never visited, but those nerves evaporated within moments of arriving to our home for the month - Playa del Carmen.
After a TON of research, we landed on Playa del Carmen for a couple of reasons:
Proximity to the Cancun airport.
Large expat population aka good wifi and other foreigners.
Affordability.
Walkability - we didn’t get in a vehicle our entire month there except for Airport transit.
Reputation for being safer than surrounding tourist towns.
WHERE WE STAYED
There are so many incredible Airbnb’s in Playa and for not knowing the area well, we totally lucked out with ours. The location was PERFECT and the amenities were great. We stayed at La Residencia on Calle 38. Calle 38 is right off of the main strip, 5th Ave., where tons of restaurants, bars, and stores are located, but just far enough that it’s nice and quiet. Calle 38 is a tree-lined street with tons of cute cafes, restaurants, and shops, AND it runs right into the beach with public beach access.
If you’re planning a stay in Playa, the exact Airbnb we stayed in isn’t necessarily a must (although we enjoyed it), but the area certainly is!
WORKING REMOTE
While working remote wasn’t a totally new concept to me since I’ve been working from home for the entirety of my business, working outside of my home office for an extended period of time definitely changed my work habits. Because we were living right on the beach with an unexplored city surrounding us, I made an intentional effort to work ahead and lighten my client load for the month so we could fully experience Playa! On average, that looked like working from around 9am-1pm and then packing a bag and heading down to the beach. You’d be amazed how much you can get done in 4 hours when the beach is your reward. A couple of other things that helped me that may help you if you’re thinking of working remote:
Setting expectations with clients. Before taking on a new client, let them know that you’ll be out of the country and your response times will look different than usual. I still had calls with clients, responded to emails quickly, and met all deadlines, but setting this expectation helped me make sure that clients weren’t feeling devalued while we were there.
Having a designated workspace. While my husband had no issue being productive from the pool cabanas, the lure of the water and views was too much for me to focus on my work. If we go back, I think I’ll opt for an airbnb with a more official work setup or look in to co-working spaces in the area to help with this.
Invest in a second screen. Depending on your line of work, this may not be necessary for you, but as a designer this was huge. My husband and I both bought these portable displays to use for the month and it helped a ton. If you’re super in to tech and screen quality you may want something a little nicer, but these did the trick for us.
Try a time management strategy. I personally love doing a Pomodoro to log some focused hours. I mean let’s be honest.. the 8 hour work day is dead. Dead to me at least. I use Nesto.cc for a Pomodoro timer!
WHERE WE SHOPPED
GROCERIES - this was one of the biggest wins of the trip. A short walk from our Airbnb was Selecto Súper Chedraui - a great local grocery store where we could find most things we were wanting. They also have an incredible eat-in area where you can get pizza, steak, sandwiches, tacos, and more for CHEAP. It’s of course still different from the States so there are some things you won’t find here. If you’re wanting more selections, you can grab a taxi and go to the Walmart that’s just a few miles away.
CLOTHES - I was really surprised by how much good shopping there was in the area from cute local boutiques to bigger stores like H&M, Sephora, and Pull & Bear. There are also a ton of touristy shops along 5th Ave. I’d recommend putting on your walking shoes one of your first days there and walking all the way down 5th Ave to check out all of the options available and get a feel for your surroundings.
WHERE WE ATE
BREAKFAST:
Arcana - the most aesthetic cafe around by far but they don’t allow laptops so come to enjoy a smoothie bowl and a coffee before the beach.
Ojo de Agua - There are a couple of locations throughout Playa and they’re both great. This was a go-to work spot for us.
Chez Celine - A french-inspired brunch spot off of 5th. It’s always busy so you may have to wait for a little while.
COFFEE:
Ah Cacao - Good, affordable coffee and a decent workspace. It’s a chain so there are multiple locations throughout Playa but I’d recommend sitting outside at the location on 5th Ave nearest Calle 38.
LUNCH:
Chela del Playa - If you talk to my husband about our trip, the “Torta Wannabe” sandwich at Chela del Playa will come up in the first 5 minutes. He still dreams about it. They have a cool ambiance and craft beers on tap.
Lido - Probably my favorite place from the trip. It’s a laid back restaurant that’s great for any meal, right on the ocean, great atmosphere, computer friendly, delicious cocktails, and great live music almost daily. It’s a must check out IMO! It is a little off the beaten path so if you feel like you’re lost you’re probably almost there.
DINNER:
Nicoletta - Great spot for a fancy Italian dinner. It’s definitely overpriced for the food but they make up for it with the experience.
Aldea Corazon - Another great experience - Aldea’s is unsuspecting at first when you enter off of the busy 5th Avenue, but then before you know it you’re walking into an old cenote and dining by a little waterfall. It’s wild. It’s more of a local food focus and definitely worth a visit.
Illios Greek Restaurant - We didn’t go here but walked by many times. It’s beautiful and owned by the same owners as Nicoletta’s so I imagine it’s also a great experience.
Mae Thai - This restaurant was right across the street from our Airbnb and makes for a great dinner date. The Pad Thai and spring rolls were a favorite.
Piola - Also on Calle 38, Piola is a popular pizza spot with unique ambiance. If you’re expecting American pizza, you’ll be disappointed, but if you’re open to something new I’d bargain you’ll enjoy yourself here.
MISC RECOMMENDATIONS
AIRPORT TRANSIT: Private Transportation Riviera Maya. We booked roundtrip transport with them before our trip and had an incredible experience. Both of our drivers were super professional and kind and we’d absolutely use them again.
SAFETY: Mexico gets a bad rep in this regard and I get it, but we truly felt so safe in Playa del Carmen. My take on it is be smart, not scared. We were almost always back to our Airbnb by 10pm, steered clear of the party scene, and stayed in touristy areas. During the day and even into the evening I felt safe walking around by myself. If you haven’t traveled internationally much, one thing that may come as a shock is the police presence. There are a lot of police around 5th Ave because it is such a touristy area so don’t be shocked to see armed police at most intersections.
Overall, we loved our time in Playa del Carmen and I highly recommend it if you’re looking to get away for an extended trip. If you’re thinking about going and have any questions, shoot me an email!
