This Week (Sep 18 - Sep 24, 2026)

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Fishing pier reopens, tourist fee hike, condo permit drama, & seaweed in skincare news!

Puerto Morelos Insider

Sep 18, 2026

Your Weekly Window Into Paradise

Friday September 18, 2026

👋 Welcome to this week’s Puerto Morelos Insider

Low season may be settling in, but this week is a good reminder that Puerto Morelos and the coast still know how to keep things moving.

World Wellness Weekend is here, and there are plenty of events happening up and down the coast from Cancún to Tulum. Salsa in the square returns and there's live music, food festivals, art to enjoy, and other reasons to head out and have fun.

Today, Friday, September 18, is also your last chance to see the What We Learned to See art exhibition at the Puerto Morelos Cultural Center and Museum.

A practical heads-up if you are out and about Saturday: participating locations across the Riviera Maya will hold an earthquake simulation drill at noon.

Inside this issue, we also look at the reopening of the historic fishing pier, a proposed tourist entry-fee increase, the Alux 33 court ruling, and a possible new use for sargassum that could someday make its way into skincare products.

See you out on the town! 😎

This Week’s Insider Picks

1. 🇲🇽 Mexican Traditional Costume Party with GLOW

María Bonita is keeping the Fiestas Patrias spirit going with a colorful night of traditional Mexican dress, live music from GLOW, a Mexican menu, and a photobooth.

Come dressed in a traditional costume from any Mexican state if you want to join the contest. The best look takes home a prize, but it should be a fun night even if you simply come for the music and the atmosphere.

Date: Friday, September 18

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: María Bonita

Admission: Free admission. Reservations encouraged.

2. 💃 Puerto Morelos Baila (salsa dancing in the town square)

Sunday night brings live salsa music and dancing to the heart of Puerto Morelos with another free community evening at Parque Fundadores.

La Maina will bring the live salsa sounds, so make plans, bring your best moves, and enjoy a lively night out with family, friends, and anyone who feels like dancing in the square.

This is the kind of easy local event that makes Sunday evening feel like Puerto Morelos at its best: music outside, neighbors gathering, and plenty of room to dance.

Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026

Time: 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Location: Parque Fundadores

Admission: Free

3. 🎨 Women of Mesoamerica Art Exhibition

The Puerto Morelos Cultural Center and Museum is featuring Women of Mesoamerica, an exhibition celebrating the beauty, identity, and cultural richness of women from Maya peoples across Mesoamerica.

Through the artwork, visitors can explore traditions, customs, and daily life from a perspective that recognizes the natural cultural environment of these communities. It is a worthwhile quiet-season stop, especially for anyone looking to spend an hour somewhere meaningful and air-conditioned.

Dates: September 12 through October 9, closed weekends

Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: Upper-level hall, Puerto Morelos Cultural Center and Museum

Admission: Free

Insider Tip: Catch of the Day

When at a seafood restaurant, ask “¿Qué llegó hoy?” (“What came in today?”). The best answer may be boquinete (hogfish), robalo (snook), huachinango (red snapper) or even something you were not expecting like pez león (lion fish).

Rivieara Maya fishermen consider the boquinete to be an exceptional eating fish. But it's less common on the local menus. So get it when it's available.

Puerto Morelos was built around fishing, and the most local seafood meal is the one guided by the day’s fresh catch, not a pre-planned order.

Local News

Puerto Morelos' Historic Fishing Pier Reopens After
Years of Storm Damage and Reconstruction

A Long Road to Recovery

Hurricane Zeta hit the area in 2020 and badly damaged the pier. It took years to get permits and funding before construction could finally start in August 2024.

Built in Two Stages

Workers rebuilt the pier in two phases, costing about 10.5 million pesos total. The first section opened in March 2025, and the final section was completed on September 10, 2026.

Who Paid for It?

Here's something interesting, your hotel stay helped pay for this pier. The project was funded through a local environmental fund supported by hotels and tourism businesses. It was actually the first big public project ever completed using that fund.

Why It Matters

Local fishermen and boat operators use this pier every single day for their work. The pier sits near Puerto Morelos' famous leaning lighthouse, making the waterfront one of the most recognizable spots in town.

Mexico Is Raising Its Tourist Entry Fee
by 35 Percent in 2027

The Fee You Never Knew You Were Paying

Every international tourist flying into Mexico already pays a fee called the DNR. It's built into your airline ticket, so most people never notice it. The proposed increase would raise it from about 988 pesos (about $58 USD) to 1,334 pesos (about $78 USD) per person.

Why Hotels Are Pushing Back

For a family of four, the new fee could push total entry costs close to $300. Local hotel leaders say the higher cost makes Mexico less competitive with other Caribbean destinations. They also warn that hotels often end up covering these fees themselves to keep guests happy.

What Happens Next

The new rate would kick in on January 1, 2027, if Congress approves it. The Cancún area is already seeing fewer international visitors in 2026. Adding more costs to an already expensive trip could make things worse.

Federal Judge Voids Puerto Morelos Condo Permit,
Rules State Agency Never Had the Power to Issue It

What Happened

A civil rights group called DMAS took the Alux 33 condo project to court, and won. The judge ruled that the state environmental agency, SEMA, never had the legal power to approve the project in the first place.

How Developers Tried to Work Around the Rules

Federal officials had already said no to the project. Instead of giving up, the developers got a state permit from SEMA and used it to get a local construction license.

The court said that was wrong. Only the federal government can approve projects that affect coastal wetlands like mangroves.

Why It Matters

Mangroves protect the coastline, filter water, and support the nearby coral reef. Damaging them hurts the whole ecosystem.

This ruling could stop other similar projects along the coast, proving that environmental laws can make a real difference.

Sargassum Report

The Seaweed Clogging Caribbean Beaches
Could Soon Be in Your Skincare...

That smelly seaweed piling up on beaches could soon be in your favorite lotion. A new project is looking to turn this environmental problem into a business opportunity for coastal towns.

A New Plan for Seaweed

The International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank, is helping a company called Carbonwave. Their goal is to turn sargassum seaweed into ingredients for skincare products, like lotions and creams.

This project is currently in a test phase, with the first results expected next year. If it works, it would create a market for sargassum, giving companies a reason to collect it from the water and beaches.

What This Means for Beach Towns

A successful project would be great news for towns like Puerto Morelos. It would mean more resources and jobs focused on clearing the seaweed that harms tourism and local ecosystems.

Other companies are also finding creative uses for sargassum. Entrepreneurs are already turning it into construction blocks, fertilizer, and even sandals.

This project offers hope that a real, long-term solution to the yearly seaweed invasion is coming. It could turn a major nuisance into a valuable resource for everyone.

Local Events Update

Low season may be settling in, but the local calendar is still hopping. There are new beachside happy-hour options, live music, food, karaoke, and several good reasons to make plans beyond the weekend.

Looking ahead, Puerto Morelos has two especially distinctive dates to put on the calendar: the CoralCun Voices of the World Festival next Friday, followed by the return of La Sirena and Chef Umberto’s 7 Deadly Sins pop-up dinner. And yes, the Mar de Almas boat parade for Janal Pixan is officially set for November 1 and 2.

DJ Argenis Tropical Vibes
Saturday, September 19, 10:30 p.m. (Micheladas del Semaforo)
DJ Argenis brings Tropical Vibes to the rooftop for a late Saturday night out. Free admission.

El Arrecife Food Festival
Sunday, September 20, noon to 10:00 p.m. (Parque Fundadores)
The El Arrecife Food Festival returns to the square with a wide variety of dishes, family-friendly food options, and a seaside setting. Free admission.

Happy Hour with Makurube
Sunday, September 20, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. (Diving Bar)
Settle into the shaded palapa with an ocean view and live sounds from Makurube. Free admission.

Live Music with Toxic Band
Monday, September 21, 10:00 p.m. (Micheladas del Semaforo)
Catch Toxic Band’s weekly live set for a late Monday music option. Free admission.

Happy Hour & Karaoke
Thursday, September 24, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. (Diving Bar)
A new afternoon karaoke option by the beach, with all drinks half price during happy hour. Free admission.

CoralCun Voices of the World 2026 Festival
Friday, September 25, 6:00 p.m. (Parque Fundadores)
Choral and folk singers from Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Mexico, and beyond will perform at the 14th International CoralCun concert. Free admission.

The 7 Deadly Sins Pop-Up Dinner by Chef Umberto
Wednesday, September 30, 6:00 p.m. (KI Restaurant)
Chef Umberto’s multi-course themed dinner begins with a welcome cocktail hour, followed by dinner at 7:00 p.m. Cost is 700 MXN. Reserve ahead, seating is limited.

La Sirena Reopening Party
Thursday, October 1, 7:00 p.m. (La Sirena)
La Sirena reopens after a month of upgrades and maintenance. Free admission.

Mar de Almas, Janal Pixan 2026
Sunday, November 1 through Monday, November 2, from 6:00 p.m. (Main Pier)
The Janal Pixan celebration will bring decorated boats, a boat procession, concerts, ceremonies, costume contests, artisan displays, and more to Puerto Morelos. Free admission.