Last August, I visited Cabo San Lucas, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortez, and was greeted by torrential downpours and flooding in the streets. I had to roll up my pants to cross a street that literally had a fast downstream current! All this in an area that receives an inch or less of precipitation in a year! Some locals told me that it hadn’t rained at all in over two years. While I got “lucky” on my Cabo visit, most visitors will have nothing but sunny days in Cabo.
By contrast, the Mayan Riviera, situated on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, can have a midday downpour of rain almost any time of year, though it is entirely possible, from November through April, to have weeks pass without a drop. Many vacationers have an entirely precipitation-free holiday. During this high season, hotels are at full price, with extra-expensive weeks around Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Easter/Spring Break.
During these drier months, a rogue rain shower usually ends up as an excuse to step under a palapa for some uber-fresh ceviche or tacos de pescado, made with the catch of the day. I don’t think I even need to mention it is also a great time to indulge in a Margarita.
By the time lunch is finished, the rain has passed and then it’s back to the serious business of tanning all sides of the body equally. On a side note, in the Riviera Maya, swimwear is skimpier than you might be used to at home. Brazilian cut bikinis are de rigeur and the Euro Speedo is, rather unfortunately, ubiquitous. Topless sunbathing, while technically illegal in Mexico, is common at beaches south of Cancun, though many resorts frown upon it. We love the swimwear by Maaji, which has a comfortable amount of coverage but flirty details in tropical and tribal prints, and reversible patterns.
June is officially the start of hurricane season, and it is also beginning to get uncomfortably hot in the Mayan Riviera. The first tropical storms are starting to form, and those ominous looking clouds on the horizon are headed toward land, and that means toward you. If you are planning an event from June to November, you will need to have an indoor backup plan. Rainstorms can be accompanied by thunder and lightning, and tropical rain is the kind that can soak you in just minutes. Now, as much as I love those “trash the dress” photo-shoots, I’m pretty sure you don’t want to trash the dress during your wedding!
Now after that description, you may be asking why would anyone want want to have their event in The Caribbean during hurricane season? There are a couple of compelling reasons. First of all, it’s summer break, so more of your friends and relatives may be able to attend. Secondly, there are huge price cuts on airfare and hotel during the rainy season. Thirdly, hope springs eternal that you’ll get lucky on the weather! And if you are a nature lover, a few miracles of nature occur during this hot and sticky season. June and July are known for the appearance of the enormous and prehistoric looking whale-sharks, a gentle giant that frequents the area near Isla Mujeres and Holbox. And come October, tiny sea turtles fight against the odds and emerge from the sand to make their way into the ocean, where they can live as long as 80 or more years.
So, with opportunities for fun and adventure year round, all you have to do now is set a date!
Mehndi in Paradise 