Travel Eats: Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya

Along with the picture perfect postcard views everywhere you look, fabulous spa services that will leave you feeling like putty, and an amazingly friendly staff, Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya also offers vacationers a non-stop smorgasbord of fantastic food options. Being that it is an all-inclusive resort, you have the opportunity to sample everything your heart (and stomach!) desires; between the nine dining options, including six gourmet á la carte restaurants, you can happily eat and drink your way from Mexico to Japan.

While Barb and I put in plenty of quality time at the beach and at our favorite swim-up bar, we also spent just as much time exploring all of the food options the resort has to offer. During our entire stay, there wasn't a single meal we didn't enjoy - and we made sure to sample everything from the buffet-style breakfast spot through all of the formal dinner restaurants. Every single restaurant was on point with their food preparation, presentation, and service (there was *so* much delicious food!). Needless to say, I could easily fill ten posts with photos from every meal, but for brevity's sake, I narrowed it down to a few of my favorites from our time in foodie paradise...

Travel Guide: Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya

Despite my aversion to hot weather and my tendency to shift into crispy tomato mode within minutes of baring my blindingly white skin to direct sunlight, I've had it in my mind all winter that I really needed to escape to someone warm. I imagined white sandy beaches, tropical drinks, heated pools, and yes, even loads of sunshine. That urge grew stronger and stronger as the weeks went by, thanks to a crazy amount of work-related stress that popped up early in the year. By mid-February, I was desperate for a break and in need of a serene place to unplug and recharge.

Fast forward to a few weeks later in which I was unexpectedly offered the chance to plan a girls getaway at the gorgeous Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya (aka a little slice of paradise right along the Caribbean coastline) in conjunction with Apple Vacations. Now, I'm not someone to attribute fantastic opportunities to random occurrences of fate or manifestations, but in the midst of a particularly stressful few days, it was as if the universe finally threw me a bone: a gold-plated bone in the form of a luxurious all-inclusive resort in beautiful Mexico. #lifedoesnotsuck