Amazing Places to Work & Play: Chelem, Mexico
As you may know, Bootstrap HQ has no roots. In fact, the business was built to be completely locationally independent, allowing our team to live and work from just about anywhere.
Working remotely has allowed us to live and work in some pretty unique places. The “Amazing Places to Work & Play” series highlights some of the places we’ve called home. We share what it’s like to live, work and adventure there, offering our candid insights and non-expert opinions about being a digital nomad in a variety of destinations worldwide.
The Destination: Chelem, Mexico
We arrived in Chelem from Mérida, a vibrant, bustling city and the capital of the state of Yucatán. Aside from the friendly Yucatecan people and rich Mexican culture, the two destinations couldn’t be more different. A truly secluded spot, Chelem is made up of just a small town square with surrounding stores & eateries, humble residential homes and a few miles of Gulf beaches. You’ll need a bit of Spanish to get by – but you shouldn’t be in Mexico if that’s not up your alley.
Our home during our time in Chelem was Tzabcan Bungalows, a true oasis just outside of town center. Tzabcan offers six bungalows, a pool and palapa (covered patio) area. Our bungalow was comfortable, with AC in the bedroom, and warm breezes throughout the living room & kitchen area. We spent many of our days on our private patio, working on their extremely reliable wifi – which is hard to come by in the area! It was easy enough to walk into town or to a nearby beach just two minutes up the road. Tzabcan’s hosts put together an extremely helpful and comprehensive guide to Chelem, linked here, which includes info on local businesses, tour companies and activities.
While we spent most of our working hours at home at Tzabcan given the limited amount of public wifi in the area, another work haven was Coastal Coffee, a modern, comfortable café in town with delicious coffee, lunch and wine. We had great luck working there every so often and enjoyed the destination for socializing too. On days we worked from home, we often took coffee & breakfast breaks at Rising Moose Coffee or Café France, two incredible local joints with amazing staff.
Outside of work, we spent time at the beach (which can be accessed at the end of most streets), exercising at the local track and fields in the center of town, or socializing at one of many local eateries. Some of our favorite dinner spots were Tomato Italian Bistro, Chelem Grill and Restaurante Costa Azul. El Bullpen was an incredible place to make friends as they offer regular “Trivia Nights” and live music events.
It’s important to note that there is no ATM in Chelem and plenty of places that don’t accept credit cards, so come with cash and prepare for regular trips to the closest ATM in the neighboring town of Progreso. Progreso is also where you’ll find a larger grocery store, Super Aki. While you can get most of what you need at local markets and convenience stores in Chelem, the bigger stores up the road offer more variety for bulk items. When it comes to transportation, access to Ubers & DiDis are slim. We had the most luck with private drivers – there are some reliable ones listed in Tzabcan’s guide linked above. Some other noteworthy businesses include Rubber Ducky Laundry offering reliable services and Lill Calli Spa, offering out of this world massages and Agua Purificada, delivering drinking water on demand to your doorstep. Don’t miss the Farmer’s Market at Natural Thangs which was great for stocking up on local produce and speciality goods – it’s also a great place for hot breakfast!
All in all, Chelem is great for the digital nomad that likes a laid back vibe and enjoys exploring the path less travelled. The best way to sum up how our team feels about Chelem is: we’re heading back next month for another long term stay.
You can check out all the businesses mentioned above right here. We also created an IG Reel on Chelem linked here for your viewing pleasure.
