Like most good resorts, the Mexican hideaway of Mukan offers much to do: kayaking, snorkeling, bike rides, boat tours, yoga, spa and so on. It turns out that most guests don’t all that much care.
“The big luxury here is experiencing a place so peaceful and magical,” says general manager Nathalie Soler. “People usually just lie on the beach or take long walks. People come here to rest, to be disconnected.”
There are few places so close to a large city—Cancún is less than three hours away—that feel so remote. Mukan is the first luxury eco resort in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Mexico’s largest protected areas. (There are a handful of small guesthouses, private homes and a few small towns in the reserve.) Built on a strip of land between a lagoon full of mangrove stands and the Caribbean Sea, Mukan has a strong feeling of being at the end of the world.
The boat journey through the lagoon from Tulum is only 45 minutes, and yet the vibe couldn’t be more different. That trendy town can feel like Williamsburg-on-the-beach, with its juice bars and hipster boutiques, and while it’s temping to say that Mukan feels like it could have existed in Tulum 20 years ago, that rings false. The biosphere will presumably never become like the rest of the crowded Riviera Maya coast.
Mukan itself is quite tiny, with just five bedrooms in the main house and four freestanding beach bungalows, and it took the American owner nearly a decade to navigate the restrictions on land use and obtain all the necessary permits. There’s a strong sustainability component, with solar panels and a wind turbine for energy, a water purification system and buildings made of local materials. The landscaping is minimal, to say the least—there’s not even a paved pathway to the bungalows, spa or restaurant, and for most meals, the staff sets up private tables at various spots on the beach. I don’t think I wore shoes once in a three-day stay (as a guest of the hotel), and there was almost always sand between my toes.
The hotel opened a year and a half ago under a different name but has recently finished a series of upgrades under the management team that’s been behind some of Mexico’s best small resorts, including Chablé, Ikal del Mar and Hotel Esencia. They worked with masters of Mexican art to decorate the public spaces with ceramics, colorful textiles, pottery and books about Mexican culture. (There are more updates planned.)
Outside, there are green forests, pristine wetlands, extensive mangrove stands, cenotes, forested inlets, sandy beaches and many animals including jaguars, migratory birds, marine turtles and colorful fish. There are sunrises over the sea and sunsets over the lagoon. Although it’s occasionally blighted by seaweed, the beach stretches for miles in both directions, and it’s unlikely that you’ll see anyone else.
It’s just endless nature, and even the name honors it—Mukan is more easily pronounced version of the Maya word xmucane, meaning the creator of everything surrounding the property. It’s hard not to give gratitude.
Prefer the Mexican interior? Check out my story on Muyan’s sister hotel Chablé.
