Hi, I’m Cristal, an Australian travel writer based full-time in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I use Playa as my home base while exploring more of Mexico and travelling further afield whenever I get the chance.
Tofu Traveler is where I share practical, first-hand travel advice based on the places I’ve actually spent time in. You’ll find destination guides, transport tips, honest comparisons and plenty of the small details that are useful when you’re trying to plan a trip for yourself.
Living in Mexico
Mexico has been a big part of my life for years. I now live full-time in Playa del Carmen and use it as a base for exploring the Riviera Maya, the Yucatán Peninsula and the rest of the country. Living here gives me the chance to revisit places, notice what changes and write from more than a one-week holiday perspective.
Before settling in Playa del Carmen, I lived in Oaxaca City for two years. Oaxaca is still one of my favourite places in Mexico, especially for its food, markets, festivals and surrounding villages. If you’re planning a visit, start with my guide to the best things to do in Oaxaca City.
If you’re heading to the Caribbean coast, my Playa del Carmen travel guide is the best place to start. It brings together my local advice on where to stay, transport, beaches, food, day trips and the practical things that are easier to learn once you’ve lived here for a while.
How I Got Started Travelling
I was born in Trinidad and Tobago and moved to Australia with my family when I was young. At 18, after only a year in the workforce, I took a year off and travelled to South America. I spent six months volunteering in Quito, Ecuador, learned Spanish, learned to scuba dive and then continued through parts of Peru, Colombia and the Caribbean. That trip changed the way I wanted to spend my time. For years afterwards, I balanced work in Australia with longer trips whenever I could. Eventually, travel became a much bigger part of my life, and writing gave me a way to turn those experiences into something useful for other travellers.
How I Travel
I tend to travel independently and slowly enough to get a feel for a place rather than rushing through a checklist. I’m especially interested in local food, culture, wildlife, beaches, diving and the everyday logistics of getting around.
I’m also vegetarian, so food inevitably makes its way into my travel planning. Some destinations make that wonderfully easy; others require a bit more research. Either way, I like finding places that are genuinely useful for travellers who don’t want every meal to revolve around meat.
What You’ll Find on Tofu Traveler
I write the kind of guides I look for when planning my own trips: what an area is really like, how long to stay, where to base yourself, how to get from one place to another, what something actually costs and whether a popular experience is worth your time.
Playa del Carmen and Mexico are a major focus because they’re where I have the deepest local experience, but Tofu Traveler also covers destinations I’ve explored across Central America, South America, Africa and beyond.
Thanks for visiting. I hope something here makes your next trip a little easier to plan.