Where to Find Zen in Cancun

When traveling, it is always good to get advice from an expert. Let Ava Roxanne Stritt of the blog Spa Travel Gal be your Zen expert and guide you toward places to obtain serenity in Cancun, Mexico.

Sometimes the best vacation itinerary is to not have one. Sometimes a Zen vacation is exactly what you need.

Zen is all about escaping your everyday life to just be. To find Zen when you travel, look for a place that makes you forget you have a schedule, a phone, or notifications to check.

Cancun, Mexico, is one ideal destination for a relaxing, peaceful experience to totally reset your life. The next time you are in the Cancun area, try these places to help you find your own perfect Zen.

A grand spa.

Many spas have some type of hydrotherapy, but the Gem Spa at the Grand Americana Coral Beach has a circuit that would be hard to beat even in European spa villages.

This jewel of a spa offers 40,000 square feet of awe-inspiring spa treatments using chakra-balancing gems, a unique 10-step hydrotherapy ritual, sophisticated design elements, and luxurious spa amenities.

I am not sure which step in the hydrotherapy made me totally forget the outside world; I’m thinking steps one through 10.

Entry to the Gem Spa at the Grand Americana Coral Beach.

At the Gem Spa, hydrotherapy healing effects are achieved through a circuit guided by a “spa butler.” This experience begins in an aromatherapy steam room, where you’re enveloped in a sea of soothing steam, enhanced by aromatic essential eucalyptus oil.

Up next, your senses are enlivened in a multi-jet shower. Then you are off to play with mud. This mud has an extremely high level of healing minerals, which revive the skin while in the steam room.

Next up: a dry-heat wood sauna naturally detoxes your system. Then a cool room with ice crystals closes pores and activates your metabolism. A bubbling whirlpool dip is then followed by a contrasting plunge in a frigid polar pool.

The “pediluvio” pebbled walkway maze highlighted my experience by massaging my feet with soft pebbles and warm water jets. The cherry on the top of this hydrotherapy circuit is a dip in the “pool of sensations,” filled with bubbles, floor geysers, water cascades, and the oh-so-magical neck jets.

I, myself, felt like an extremely valuable gem being polished to perfection. I am certain that all in my group of Gnational Gnomads discovered Zen. I most definitely did.

The circuit was such a delight that I thought about skipping my massage—but I came to my senses. I’m glad I did, too, because the only thing better than those 10 circuits was those 10 circuits followed by a relaxing massage.

A rooftop pool.            

When you think of a hotel pool day in Mexico, your thoughts probably turn to loud music and crazy pool games.

This is exactly the opposite of what I found at the Live Aqua Boutique near Cancun in Playa Del Carmen, an amazing place to just be yourself, relax with friends, or enjoy a good book. Never before have I found a pool that had all my wants and desires, not only in mind, but actually nearby.

Like a good luxury traveler, I love a club floor. Even my daughter describes a club floor as my personal nirvana. This rooftop pool has all the important aspects of a club floor lounge and a heavenly view. As I gazed at Cozumel in the distance from a comfy lounge prepared by my pool butler, my only task was to decide if I wanted sushi or tapas (made fresh at the rooftop restaurant), a cocktail, a dip in the infinity pool, or all of the above.

I chose the latter. Of course.

This boutique hotel is perfection at every turn. If clouds come your way while up on the roof, ground yourself with a visit to the Feel Sense Spa by Live Aqua. This intimate spot feels like your own private spa. Here, before your spa treatment, you can cocoon yourself with both the steam and dry sauna, with an ice feature to cool the senses.

The perfect place to be barefoot.

There’s something about being barefoot that brings us back to our roots. It makes you feel like a child again. And feeling the world underneath your feet is so grounding.

Not to mention it feels good to stretch out your toes. That’s one reason why you can’t have a proper beach vacation without plenty of bare feet in the sand.

But the sandy beaches aren’t the only way to get your shoeless fix. The perfect beach vacation day can be enhanced by a visit to the spa—one that knows the value of kicking off your Sunday shoes.

As soon as I arrived at Live Aqua Cancun, I began my Aqua Spa day. The boots I had worn when I departed the chilly north came off, and I found myself barefoot and receiving a refreshing foot bath in a room so lovely it was definitely Instagram-worthy.

After an attentive hydrotherapy treatment and a fantastically relaxing massage, I was ready to experience more of Mexico. I didn’t want to ruin the Zen I’d found in the spa by squeezing constricting shoes back on my now-relaxed footsies, so I headed outdoors. Shoeless and carefree.

Discovering a resort like Live Aqua for the first time is magical. It seems that exciting features are around every turn.

First and most important, I wanted to feel sand in between my toes. Priorities. So I found a sweet, special bar with swings in place of bar stools.

Imagine a frosty drink in your hand while you rock back and forth on a swing, gazing at the infinite ocean view. That’s the visual definition of Zen right there.

Since I had just arrived, I then headed out to say hello to the ocean in person, and what caught my eye? A cabana with a butler, a waiter, and a foot massage. It was the perfect way to wrap up my day of spoiling my toes, and it sealed my relaxation—from the ground-up.

More a pool buff than ocean addict? Just up the stairs from the cabanas is a swim-up bar, where everyone seems happy and approachable. No need to wear shoes to this bar counter. No shoes? No problem.

I watched as groups of barefoot travelers mingled with other groups, toasting to Cancun and laughing under the eye of the Travelocity Gnome, whom we’d left guarding our towels on the lounge chairs.

Whatever it takes to find your place of Zen, you can find it in Cancun.

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