PARADISE BEACH
We left The Money Bar at 12:16pm in the pouring rain. We arrived at Paradise 8 minutes later at 12:24. I had in my notes that it would cost $10 for "us" to get from the MB to Paradise. Once adding on the rest of the family...he told us $30 for the 8 minute trip. Hmmm, I think we were over charged but what could we do. I reality, it should have been maybe $20-25.
Amazingly, it had stopped pouring down by the time we got there. So, everything was just wet.
Now Paradise was a place that I have wanted to come to every time we have been to Cozumel. But, as always, something else would spark my interest and we would go there instead. I have read good things about Paradise and a lot of people seem to like it here. From the pictures I have seen online, it looked like a beautiful and amazing place. Well, I was about to find out if I felt the same way as others.
So far it looked beautiful and everything was nicely landscaped.
When you walk in, you first come to the pool area. There's a bar/restaurant and seating in this area under a huge palapa.
We picked a table under the palapa at the bar area and put our things down and instantly the kids ran for the pool. The sun came out and it looked beautiful.
Of course it was still cloudy, so we'd have sun and clouds off and on the rest of the day...mixed with more rain of course. But for now, it was nice out.
The pool had ledges in certain spots, all the way around it, that would be a great place for smaller children to play and they had lounge chairs in the water. I thought that was pretty awesome myself.
I love this ledge all the way around. There were several places to get in and out of the pool too. That made it nice.
The pool had ledges in certain spots, all the way around it, that would be a great place for smaller children to play and they had lounge chairs in the water. I thought that was pretty awesome myself. There were several places to get in and out of the pool too. That made it nice.
I kept hearing some loud sounds. It sounded like birds off in the distance. I decided to go check it out.
I went down this brick path and headed toward the beach area. I found the noise makers. They were very loud! I heard someone say one of their names is Rico but I can't remember the other. The birds were located at yet another bar/restaurant area. It was huge and really nice.
I decided that I wanted to head out to the beach and check things out.
It was a beautiful area and beach. There is plenty of shade here and plenty of chairs as well. There just wasn't anyone here.
The beach area kinda reminded me of Playa Mia.
After briefly checking out the beach, I headed on back to the pool area because before I left, we had ordered food.
The menu: (click to expand)
I ended up getting some type of plate that had a lot of different things on it. When we're in the REAL Mexico, I like to try different REAL Mexican food. I ended up with the Mexican Platter.
Everything was SO GOOD! It was also SO MUCH. I couldn't eat it all.
The hubby got a burrito and couldn't stop talking about how good it was.
So I was telling Sakari about the birds and wanted to go show her. I knew she would be excited about it. Off we went to go find them.
Only we didn't see them where they were last time. But, we could hear them. We kept looking around and they were on the roof now. The other one was in the tree.
Another look at the beach area. Such a beautiful place.
They also had a gift shop off to the side of the restaurant (seen on the left hand side in one of the pics).
We would check out the birds one last time and then head back to the pool area.
When we returned, Sakari started yelling "It's a vulture! Look at it".
Personally, I thought it was fake. It stood there like that forever. Then I spotted another one over by the restrooms.
Exploring around a little more.
They had quite a few outdoor showers in a really nice area. Also some beds arount the pool.
A few more of the beach area since it was sunny and I was at the opposite end.
Back to the pool we went for a little bit of fun. The water was so warm and felt so good and the sun was shining.
The guys kinda hung out at the bar most of the day. Prior to leaving for this cruise (a week) the guys went in on a business together and it was very hectic the week before leaving. They were on their phones a lot and making sure that their new business they left behind was running smoothly. Us girls...well we were busy just being on vacation and enjoying every minute of it.
Above-below...I love trying to accomplish these. They are very hard to do, especially when the water is moving...which is always. It may take me 25 pictures just to get one decent one. But when I do...aha ha ha aha ha! I'm thrilled.
After awhile, we all decided we wanted to spend a little time at the beach. We had been at the pool area since we arrived (other than just checking out the beach for a short period for pictures).
We all gathered our things and headed down to the beach.
Along the way the birds had moved again.
The water was a little "refreshing" to say the least, but we tackled it. I tried to put my goggles on and see if anything was under the water, but the water was so stirred up there was nothing to see.
When we checked in, they told us it was a $3 admission per person. They told us it was complete use of their facilities. So...there were water toys. I do know that I had read that it was extra to use the water toys, but thought maybe since there really wasn't anyone here that day that they were allowing people to use them. I honestly had no idea but they said complete use of their facilities so....
The kids (and adults) started playing on them. There was maybe another 5 people out there. They do have a guy that stands on the beach and watches everyone and tells them to stop if something is being done wrong I suppose.
They watched everyone play on the water toys and didn't say a word. For a LONG time.
Kam was actually getting used to the water...and even salt water. I was so proud of her.
Now anyone that follows my reviews knows that Billy does NOT get in the ocean. He went in once in Bermuda and swears he was bitten by a fish (he actually did come out of the water bleeding). He has quickly walked out in the water here and there to cool off and ran right back.
Well.....he actually came out and played in the water A LOT!
It was hilarious trying to watch them climb on this blow up. They just couldn't do it! They would fall off every time. Kendra was laughing so hard she was actually crying. Like tears coming down her face laughing.
The hubby really wanted to jump down and "sky" him, but it wasn't happening. They had a bit of an audience with a few people on the beach watching and laughing and the "life guard" watching as well and laughing with every roll off.
So I just have to show you this video. I took so many videos that day of the guys (and kids) trying to get on the blow up toys because it was so funny.
However, thank goodness I managed to get the one video that Sakari was actually able to get on it and her dad jumped. No one had any idea that this would be the result and it was HILARIOUS! There were people on the beach that also recorded it and was laughing and offered to send it to my email for me because it was so funny.
Shortly after this we noticed the "life guard", or whoever he was, walk away and out of site somewhere around the restaurant area or snorkeling booth (I can't remember). A few minutes later he would walk back with another guy who started yelling and motioning them to get off the water toys. They said "you pay money! You pay $18 each". We told them that when we checked in they said the fee included full use of facilities. He said "no you pay $18". So, the fun was over and out we came.
It was sprinkling anyhow so we decided to head back to the pool area. Our beach fun was over.
Back we trotted in the rain to the pool. Since we were already wet, everyone joined in on the fun this time and the boys put down the phones.
Then the throwing contest started. Billy managed to throw Sakari up in the air really high most of the time. B, not so much. The boy weighs so much now.
Another semi-successful
over/under pic of Kam
One of my specialties back in the day was trying to photograph weird things and rain drops splashing was one of them. I successfully managed to capture a raindrop today too.
The minute Sakari took off the mermaid tail, Kam wanted to try it out. She loved it. I would say we have another mermaid in the making.
I would call this a successful over/under capture. hehe
Doing a mermaid pose (notice she
couldn't even get her feet in the
monofin. lol
Here are the restrooms by the pool area. They are really nice!
Walking around and taking more pictures and finding more places I didn't know were there.
This area was closer to the beach and other restaurant and there's a little shop located at the beach restaurant area too for gifts.
Rain again...and I had just put my dry clothes on and was forced to walk from the changing room all the way back to the pool area dodging rain bullets.
I had to take a picture of this huge fan. The reason why is that when we remodeled our living room at home, we replaced the normal sized fan for one of these. You talk about air!!!
Can't forget my little scuba diver pic either!
It was time to start heading back...reluctantly. I just didn't want to go. It was just so beautiful here.
At the entrance/exit, there's plenty of taxi's waiting and it was easy to grab a cab.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
As you can probably tell, we absolutely LOVED Paradise Beach.
It was gorgeous there with beautiful landscaping, excellent huge pool, very nice beach and water toys.
It was a perfect way to spend the day...even with it raining off and on. It did not matter and we had a great day.
The food was excellent and I thought it was a pretty good value for what we got.
The $3 admission per person is more than worth it IMO.
The pop was $2.75 each, so a little more expensive than The Money Bar AND it was fountain pop in a small cup...not to mention it kinda tasted funny to me. But, you drink what you got when that's all you got.
I would highly recommend this place. I would love to go back again some day (just probably not our next visit here because, you know me, I have other places to experience and discover)