Papaya Playa Project

Each morning begins with a cold-pressed juice and a sun salutation on the roof of a private casita with views of the ocean on one side and endless jungle on the other.

Then I take a dip in the plunge pool before walking barefoot down the beach, the sun radiant against my skin and white sand between my toes. I swim for a while in the ocean and lie in the shade, disappearing into a book of poems. In the afternoon, we hike into the jungle, learning the ancient wisdom of its wild vegetation. The evening falls like a prayer, and I hear the calls of night birds. I hear the pounding of drums. I hear tremendous Caribbean waves crashing against the shore.

Dotted along a 900-meter stretch of private beach and nestled at the edge of the jungle, Papaya Playa Project is a sustainable complex of beachfront cabins and cottages on the Mayan Riviera in Tulum devoted to enjoyment in simplicity. Healing rituals include yoga, tai chi, various forms of massage, and meditation, while Papaya Playa’s connection to a global community of DJs and music makers helps create a spirit of creative collaboration, not to mention unrivaled parties. There’s even an amphitheater on the beach, where guests can come together to perform, present, or communicate in their chosen fashion with music, readings, inspiring lectures, and more.

“Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Emilio Heredia has spent the last 30 years dedicated to his own spiritual development through the study of yoga, karate, the Tao, and corporal psychotherapy. His business expertise is equally profound. With degrees in electronic engineering and finance, he has served as chairman of various financial institutions in Mexico and New York. Twelve years ago, Heredia moved to Tulum with the vision of merging his passion for personal development with his financial know-how. The result is a sustainable community that learns from and gives back to the local Maya.