Tag: beachbar

Tulum Travel Diaries; Turquoise Swims With Ancient Turtles

February 10, 2026

Being my first time in the Caribbean Sea off the shore of Mexico, I was super excited to go snorkelling with turtles in those iconic crystal clear waters. It was a bucket list moment and such a special memory we will cherish forever.

We discovered the tranquil village of Akumal beloved for its sea turtles grazing on seagrass in the shallow bay.

True to its Mayan name ‘place of the turtles’, Akumal welcomes visitors to swim side by side with the spectacular sea life including lots of tropical fish and stingrays too.

Only a 40-minute taxi ride from Tulum we arrived in the quaint village at midday, so started by grabbing a spot of lunch at an authentically whacky local Mexican restaurant.

I had a refreshing plateful of fruit with an iced coffee, whilst my boyfriend had a classic burrito which he claimed to be the best he had during our trip. Local food done well and at a fraction of the prices we were used to in Tulum!

We hadn’t pre-booked any particular tour but instead found a local guide when we arrived on the beach and it was only about £25 each for an hour long guide, lifejacket and snorkel equipment hire.

After a group briefing on the beach, we paddled out together and soon enough we encountered our first sea turtle; but the further we swam out, the clearer the water was and we were able to see the sea turtles in all of their glory.

Every few minutes they have to come up to surface for air and one of them popped up their head right by me! The coral reef and tropical fish were also mesmerising and we even got to see a sting ray on the bottom of the seabed.

In total we probably saw about 5 or 6 different turtles in the hour we were out there and it was a magical experience I’ll cherish forever.

After snorkelling we showered off the sand, changed into dry clothes and went to the beach bar where there was a band playing live music.

We ordered a portion of pico de gallo with tortilla chips as an afternoon snack along with a beer for my boyfriend and a crisp glass of white for me.

Sat there overlooking the white sand beach with the late afternoon sun glistening on the water and the band playing vibey tunes from the bar, I felt in full holiday mode bliss.

On our way back to the taxi rank I spotted a local gift shop where I couldn’t resist a cute little turtle figure for my niece and a fun sombrero hat fridge magnet for my mum.

I’d highly recommend visiting Akumal if you’re looking for somewhere in Mexico to snorkel with turtles as you can also make a day of it with the quaint town offering authentic local food, boutique shopping and a relaxed, beachside vibe perfect for holiday makers wanting to lap up the Mexican sun ❤

Turkish Tales; Balmy Nights

June 26, 2023

Whilst Balmy Beach Resort is a tropical paradise by day, it also comes alive at night with live music every evening and cocktails served until the early hours.

I love getting dressed up for evening dinners on holiday and having fun with cute outfits I wouldn’t get a chance to wear out at home.

With our first proper evening at the resort being a Friday night, weekend vibes were in the air from noon and by dusk the live DJ was getting the atmosphere buzzing at the beach bar.

I wore this Stradivarius skort paired with my favourite floral wrap frill blouse, these ASOS woven sliders and my new Dune white crochet handbag with gold chain which I brought in duty free at the airport.

When we were at the airport on our journey over to Turkey, I also decided to really splash out and treat myself to these magnificent MuiMui sunglasses.

I wanted to debut them for our special romantic dinner for two on Saturday evening at the Balmy a la carte restaurant.

First up though, it was sundowners at the beach bar where I enjoyed a glass of bubbly in this beautiful champagne flute looking so elegant next to by cute new bag.

Having got a golden glow from the first few days of sun, I decided to wear this white body con middy dress I got in Australia years ago paired with my pear detail sliders, a pair of oversized white shell earrings and my By Alona gold chain pearl necklace which I wore almost every night, the perfect holiday jewellery piece.

I was feeling very St Tropez in all white complete with those killer sunnies and sipping my champagne at that beautiful boho beach bar.

There’s nothing like dining al fresco on holiday with that salty sea air and mellow pink and blue sky as the sunsets and dusk draws in.

We had a wonderful evening together enjoying delicious food and being looked after so well by our lovely waiter; can you tell he was making me laugh here 😉

Sunday night I wore this tropical print maxi dress which is completely backless and features a flattering thigh split. Very little accessories needed with this number, the dress does all the talking.

That evening the live music was over at the garden bar, where we sat in the charming surroundings of the courtyard and could gaze up at the stars in the night sky.

Monday night I went a little more casual with these black crochet Zara shorts, my boho print bardot style croptop, those timeless ASOS plaited sliders and my usual gold jewellery to complete the look.

And once again we found ourselves down at the buzzing beach bar for post dinner drinks and another live band session.

For the final night we got dressed up and ready for dinner in time for golden hour down by the pool and beach bar.

I had to get out my favourite summer minidress from Abercrombie & Fitch, paired with this pastel pink shell detail ASOS clutch for a pop of colour, and of course my new MuiMui babies.

That golden hour glow was giving me all the fuzzy feels and I just wanted to bottle that magical moment forever.

Once the sun hid behind the mountains and the pastel pink sky set in, we went for pre-dinner cocktails at the beach bar.

We couldn’t have wished for a more exquisite setting for our final dinner at Balmy Beach.

Later in the evening the crescent moon came out to sit just above the mountains at dusk; how peaceful and spiritual this moment felt.

And so that marked the end of our stay at Balmy Beach Resort and we couldn’t be more grateful to the staff who were so kind and friendly in making our time there an absolute joy and pleasure.

Sunset views and moonlit hues; goodnight Balmy Beach ❤

Summer Holiday Countdown

June 11, 2023

We’re almost halfway through the year and I’ve only taken one day of annual leave off work, so a holiday is well overdue and needed at this point. With that in mind, last week me and my boyfriend booked a summer holiday to Turkey which we’ll be jetting off to on Thursday and I can’t wait!

We usually like to get a holiday in earlier in the year to escape the long winter here in England, but with my work schedule having been very busy, we haven’t had the opportunity to get away properly until now.

We’ve booked an all inclusive stay at Balmy Beach Resort Kemar, located right on the Turkish coastline of the Mediterranean sea with the mountains just behind.

This is a brand new hotel having only opened this summer, so I’ve got high hopes for this adult only luxury resort.

The interiors and decor of the resort are giving Bali/Greek vibes and I’m obsessed. I can see myself spending a lot of time relaxing in those hammocks reading my book before cooling off in the pool, absolute bliss.

The grounds of the resort look stunning and they have everything to offer from a fully equipped gym, a beautiful spa, water sports on the beach and evening entertainment. I’m keen to try out paddle boarding on this holiday as it would be the perfect sunset activity.

The food on offer at the resort looks incredible with six different outlets to choose from including an a la carte restaurant, the barmy beach bar and a chef’s table fine dining experience which we might have to try for ourselves.

Of course I have my eye on the fabulous selection of cocktails too which I’ll have served poolside or by the beach bar at sundown.

I’m very much looking forward to a break at this gorgeous luxury resort soaking up the sunshine, relaxing with my boyfriend, eating delicious food and experiencing life the Turkish way. Balmy Beach Resort awaits… ❤