Playa Sonrisa is the perfect quiet getaway. If what you want is a secluded spot to chill out on a beach, relax and do nothing, and if you're happy at a clothing-optional resort then this is place.

Here are some things you should know about Playa Sonrisa before booking.

The drive from Cancun airport is (legitimately) five hours. (I don't think you can shave much time off of that.) The road is excellent the whole way, except for the last 6km, which is along a pitted dirt "beach road". But any rental car can make it safely - you don't need an SUV. And if you're coming, do rent a car, because I imagine bus/taxi in this part of the world is quite difficult.

There's almost nothing close to Playa Sonrisa: no stores, few other restaurants, no nightlife. You can drive in to Xcalak (6kms away) and they have a few restaurants and some small stores with bare necessities, but you'll want to stock up on anything you might need in Playa on the way down. The resort is "off the grid", so it's powered by solar arrays and a generator. What does that really mean? No hair driers, but plenty of power to recharge your laptop / iPod / Kindle, lights and fans whenever you want them, etc. The resort has WiFi Internet, if you're sitting in the right spot and the winds are blowing the right way, which works well most of the time.

There's a full cash bar on the honour system, with cold drinks and most liquors that you'll want. Murph and Cindy serve breakfast (included) and lunch (very reasonable, usually around 60 pesos) every day, and a very palatable three-course dinner every weeknight (100 - 200 pesos all-in). We found Cindy's soups to be outstanding, especially. On weekends when they don't serve dinner, consider the Leaky Palapa in Xcalak, which is the best restaurant we've found in Mexico (open Saturday to Tuesday, typical cost about 300 pesos per person all-in). But ask Murph to make you a reservation, as they are often fully booked.

What is there to do at Playa Sonrisa? A whole lot of nothing. Most of our fellow guests spent their time sitting on the beach or dock, soaking up sun and reading, or walking in the water. The beach there is lovely, but bring some water shoes if you want to walk in the water, as the bottom is mostly rocks, shells, or seaweed. If you're looking for pure white sand and an ocean in which you can easily swim, you might be disappointed, as the water is somewhat shallow. On the upside, there were never more than a few non-naturist people per day walking on the beach (and no vendors.)

As for the naturist aspect, we felt completely comfortable being naked on the beach at any time, and almost all other guests were similarly at ease. The resort is big enough that you never need to be close to anyone else if you want a bit more privacy - there are easily enough deck chairs and hammocks for everyone. No one seems to go nude in the bar/restaurant, although it's permitted outside of meal times.

And bring enough cash. You should budget at least 350 pesos per person per day for food and incidentals - more if you intend to drink a lot. There's no ATM in Xcalak - the closest ATMs are in Mahahual, about an hour's drive away. There's gas in Mahahual, too, and none in Xcalak.

Murph (Donn) and Cindy always went above-and-beyond to make us feel comfortable. They seem to have boundless patience, and are committed to the guest experience and naturism (which is a feat after ten years.) It was our first naturist getaway, and we can't imagine a better first time.

It has been a while since our visit to Playa Sonrisa, but my wife and I still discuss going back. Everything positive stated in other reviews is true... Cindy's cooking is excellent, Murph and Cindy are gracious hosts. We are fairly active so we spent most of our time kayaking in the waters and snorkeling- which we did for hours without ever getting bored. The nearby road is great for short biking trips to town which we did as well. Even the dogs are friendly. My suggestion for first-timers is to carefully read Murph's web page with guidance on how to get there and so forth-- lots of information, all of which I found accurate. We travel a lot and in many ways this was the best vacation we have ever experienced.

We found Playa Sonrisa on Trip Advisor and based on the many excellent reviews, spent a week there in mid April. We loved everything about Murph and Cindy's delightful property. The beach is wide, shaded and immaculately raked each morning - we spent hours comfortably reading, chatting or napping on the well maintained chairs and lounges. The pier with palapa was a favorite spot to watch the water, birds and boats in the distance. Our room was comfortable and restful, although we spent most of our time outside. The big palapa was a great gathering spot for meals and hanging out - we spent several long evenings talking with other guests until midnight. Cindy and Murph create perfect meals depsite a limited supply of groceries - we ended up eating almost every night at Sonrisa despite other close-by options. Best of all is the relaxed feel of the place: we have never been so comfortable at a holiday spot. So much so that we returned to Playa Sonrisa at the end of 2009 and plan to spent our Christmas holiday there again in Dec 2010. Diving is excellent if you're experienced -- lots to see although current can be heavy. Road from Cancun is excellent so the five hour trip passes quickly, If you like to explore the area a jeep is a wise rental investment.

I would highly recommend Playa Sonrisa to anyone looking to explore the REAL Mayan coast. The owners of Playa Sonrisa help put every worry and care behind as they spoiled us with amazing food, brews and romantic sunsets/sun rises.

Unfortunately our stay was during a tropical depression, but even through the crazy weather, we really enjoyed our own space (the beach front property is warm and welcoming and very comfy).

The trip to Xcalak (ish-kal-ack) was very easy! I speak elementry spanish and my Scottish hubby doesn't speak any spanish - yet we were very comfortable leaving the dirt of Cancun to the bus station. We took a bus from Cancun (for about $12 US dollars each) for 5 hours and transferred at a small town then took a taxi directly to Playa Sonrisa. Be sure to book a return taxi back to the little town, as transport is somewhat limited out in Xcalak. Super easy and very do-able ---- especially for something so remote and relaxing. Totally worth it. And to be honest, the Mexican bus system is almost better than the buses in the United Kingdom.

The food is homecooked and was worth the price we paid (between $10-$15 for dinner). But the owners are very open and encourage you to explore.

The room itself if a single style hut with mod cons including ensuite plus separate sink. A very large comfy bed. We slept with the fan on to move the warm air, but found it wasn't uncomfortable without A/C.

I would highly recommend any one to this place - especially if you have sometime to get out and explore! The coral reef is in sight from the dock and there are thousands of fish for snorkling....just avoid the tropical depressions!