Alux Playa del Carmen
I want to share my experience at Alux Restaurant and Bar in Playa Del Carmen, particularly in their cave bar. If you’re interested, I can tell you more about it and what you can expect during your visit.
If you’re looking for great dining and nightlife in the Yucatan, Playa Del Carmen is the place to be. While most of the action can be found on the touristy 5th Avenue, an amazing restaurant is just a ten-minute taxi ride away from this central Playa del Carmen location. Alux is a natural cave with a cenote (sinkhole) that has been turned into a stunning dining experience. The cave’s incredible stalagmites and stalactites are illuminated by strategically placed lights, making for a truly breathtaking sight.
We decided to skip the food based on the negative ratings it received on Trip Advisor and opted for cocktails instead. The bar had a stage and background music, but there was no entertainment during our visit. The bottles were neatly arranged on shelves that followed the curve of the cave wall. The cocktail menu was vast, and the bartender suggested additional options using fresh fruit, which were not listed on the menu. The price of the cocktails was reasonable at around $100 MXN.
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The surroundings are stunning with a warm and intimate atmosphere. Candles and torches add to the romance, making the cave system a beautiful spot. We took a ten-minute walk around the various dining areas, bars, the waterfall, and the cenote. Although the central spaces have open, cathedral-like ceilings, there are some private areas that provide an ideal setting for a date.
During my one-month stay in Playa, I did not come across this place probably because it is not situated on the primary tourist streets close to the beach. However, it’s definitely worth taking a short taxi ride to get there. I even think it would make an excellent venue for live music performances.
If you’re looking for Alux Restaurant and Bar, you can find it in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. It’s a little bit of a trek from the beach and 5th Avenue – about 4 miles – but that’s because the restaurant is built underground in a natural cave. Just keep in mind that Alux is only open for dinner in the evenings, so make sure to plan ahead and either reserve through your resort’s concierge or via OpenTable.
The restaurant’s ambiance and feel are exceptional due to the skilled work of Alux Restaurant’s designers. They brilliantly emphasized the cave and cenote’s natural beauty. The stunningly beautiful colored up-lighting reflects off the rocky walls, leading to a unique and outstanding dining experience.
Simple and elegant white tablecloths adorn tables that are placed all around the cave. The cave also has a natural cenote with clear water, and its smooth carved rock walls features intricate rock details provided by stalagmites and stalactites.
Alux is not your ordinary restaurant. It is an upscale dining experience set in a unique, naturally formed underground cave/cenote that showcases the beauty of Mexican culture and landscapes, which are popular in the Yucatan Peninsula. Whether it’s for a romantic date night or a special occasion, Alux is the ideal restaurant choice.
The restaurant is called Alux, which is derived from a Mayan Legend about theux tribe. According to the legend, the tribe possessed special abilities granted by the Mayan Gods to safeguard mountains and sacred places. They were agile, mysterious, and mischievous, and preferred to play and sneak around at night while others were asleep. The mythological creature created by this legend was seldom spotted because of the Alux people’s playful and secretive habits
The Alux Restaurant has a diverse menu that features a blend of Mexican and international cuisines. The chefs are highly skilled and utilize top-quality ingredients for cooking. Despite being situated in an underground cave, the kitchen is located on the top floor. The menu showcases Mexican and Mayan cultures through dishes such as Roasted Bone Marrow with Chili Glaze. The combination of flavors is evident in enticing options like Lobster Risotto and Pork Terrine.
Before dinner gets started, you will have the opportunity to visit La Cava. We are wine lovers and could not wait to see the built-in wine cave. It is a bit smaller than I had thought but it was well designed and held a great variety of hand-selected wines from different regions around the world. There are small signs placed throughout the cave categorizing the wines by region. Our server was very knowledgeable and helpful when selecting our wine for the night.
After dinner, you can do an entire cave tour. This is a large cenote with great history and impressive architecture. There are naturally formed rock formations like stalagmites and stalactites. The colorful uplighting highlights the organic beauty of the cave. During our self-guided tour, we saw an event space for larger groups, this would be a gorgeous and unique venue for a wedding reception or celebratory dinner.
I highly recommend adding Alux Playa del Carmen to your bucket list for an exceptional dining experience featuring outstanding service, delicious food, and a unique venue unlike any other.
| The Reef 28 Playa del Carmen |
I recommend these travel resources for Mexico that I personally use:
🏨 Hotels: I have found that Expedia and Booking.com consistently have the best deals on hotels and resorts in Mexico. If you prefer to stay at a vacation rental, check VRBO that is usually cheaper than AirBnB’s added fees!
✈️ Flights: To find the best flight deals to Mexico, I always use Kayak. Remember to subscribe to their price alerts for the travel dates you want. Another great alternative for flight deals is Expedia.
🚗 Rental Cars: I always use and highly recommend Discover Cars because it allows me to compare several car rental companies and view ratings on various factors such as overall value, pick-up procedure, agent efficiency, car condition, and total time taken.
🚙 Cancun Airport Transportation: For the fastest and easiest way to travel, I suggest arranging a private transfer with Cancun Airport Transportation. Honestly, no better way to travel from the airport to your hotel or resort.
🤿 Tours & Activities: For tours and activities in Mexico, I highly recommend using either Viator or GetYourGuide. These websites offer a full refund if you cancel your booking 24 hours before the start of the tour, and they also provide excellent customer service in case of any issues.
🚨 Travel Insurance: I always suggest purchasing travel insurance as a precaution before traveling, especially after a recent accident in a taxi in Mexico. For short trips, I recommend Travel Insurance Master, whereas for digital nomads, Safety Wing is a better option.
📷 Best Camera for your trip: I always carry with me a GoPro, It’s light, compact, takes great video and pictures, and most importantly, it’s waterproof! You just can’t go wrong with one. If you are interested in higher quality video and photography, I always carry with me on my trips and highly recommend the Sony A7IV which I think is the best travel DSLR Camera out there.
☀️ Biodegradable Sunscreen: Remember to include a good sunscreen to protect yourself from the summer sun. I always use and suggest Sun Bum Sunscreen, which is vegan, reef-friendly, and cruelty-free.
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