Guide To Playa del Carmen

About Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen (often referred to as just "Playa" locally) was a little, unknown fishing village that was discovered by the traveler's visiting Cancun and Cozumel and is now one of the fastest growing coastal towns in Mexico.

Playa del Carmen offers you the enjoyment of a simple beach holiday without the trappings and characteristics of a modern-day commercialized resort like Cancun. The developments here are low-rise, taking into account the local environment, giving playa a more charismatic and authentic Mexican feel, in stark contrast to the highly commercialized resort experience which is common in many places around the world.

Playa del Carmen is quite a 'young' resort - in that it attracts a lot of people in the twenty to thirty-something age range. They come here looking for a comfortable holiday; to swim, sunbathe, stroll along the wonderful beaches, listen to bands playing in the open air, and dance at a club at night.

Playa has some excellent craft shops that will offer you the opportunity to buy something quite unique to take home with you. See the section on what to buy in Playa del Carmen for details.

A definite advantage of Playa del Carmen is its geographical location: It is close to Cozumel, Cancun, and all of the fabulous archaeological sites in the area, so it makes an ideal base if you want to visit all of the main towns and resorts in this part of Mexico.

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Key Attractions

Relaxing, Sunbathing

Playa del Carmen today is a relaxing place - if you want to unwind, then this place will make an ideal location for you. Topless bathing is, strictly speaking, illegal in Mexico, but lots of people practice it at Playa del Carmen with no trouble. Choose Playa del Carmen when you want peace and tranquility on a beach sunbathing; or to take quiet strolls along soft, white sands with the cool waters of the Caribbean lapping your feet.

Sports Fishing Experiences

Playa del Carmen is one of Mexico's top destinations for Sports Fishing - especially deep sea fishing! Read our Guide to Sports Fishing in Mexico and discover just what a fantastic day out a sports fishing experience can be on your next visit to Mexico!

Diving & Snorkeling

Divers and people who want to snorkel come to Playa del Carmen to enjoy the great waters and excellent diving conditions.

Other Water Sports

Sports Fishing and Kayak rental are the two other main activities people enjoy during a visit to Playa del Carmen.

Day Trips to Cozumel

You can catch the ferry across to the Island of Cozumel for a day. The ferry port is near the town's main square and just a quick walk from the hotels.

Playa del Carmen is Part of The Riviera Maya

The 125km stretch of coastline that stretches from the southern edge of the resort town of Cancun, through Playa del Carmen and the Mayan Ruins of Tulum, finishing at the Sian Ka'an Biosphere, is known as the Rivera Maya.

The Riviera Maya

A number of small towns and villages, nature parks, resorts and the Mayan Ruins of Tulum feature along the edge of this coast. Besides the well known and developed areas of Playa del Carmen and Tulum, the coast's four other main points of interest are:

Puerto Morelos - as yet an undeveloped quiet village, perfect for a break away from the crowds and commercialism surrounding Cancun.

Akumal - one of the least commercialized areas of this coastline, Akumal offers the perfect place to relax away from the hype and bustle of Cancun and other commercially developed areas. The location has a high number of holiday houses for rent, making it a popular place for families and couples who want to enjoy the experience and economy of a self-catering rental holiday.

Sian Ka'an Biosphere is located between Tulum and Akumal and is a federally protected reserve that features freshwater canals, tropical forests, mangrove wetlands, lagoons, prairies and a 70-mile long barrier reef - the second largest barrier reef in the world.

Costa Maya - the area south of the Sia Ka'an Biosphere to the coast off Belize. The area holds attractions for SCUBA divers and sports fishing, although the beaches themselves are not as attractive as the ones further up the coast if you're looking for swimming, bathing and strolling opportunities.

Health Spas: The Riviera Maya is host to some good Resort Spas. For more information about Health Spas, and how to benefit from a magnificent health spa experience in Mexico, connect to the Mexperience guide to Spas.

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Getting There & Around

Getting There

By Air - Playa del Carmen has an airstrip that handles small charter aircraft and private air taxis. AeroCaribe, the main local small aircraft operator, has an office near the airstrip.

Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for Airlines.

By Bus - Local buses and suburban vans carrying holiday makers and their luggage comfortably, travel from Cancun to Playa del Carmen and back daily on a regular basis. The suburban vans "Collectivos" are white and offer excellent value for money, carrying up to 10 passengers and their luggage comfortably for just a few dollars each. You can board them from their base near the bus stations at both Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

By Car - You can drive to Playa del Carmen from Cancun by taking Highway 307. See additional information about Driving in Mexico and Mexico's Toll Roads on Mexperience.

Getting Around

From the Airport - The nearest airport is Cancun. If your package or hotel doesn't include local transfers from the airport to your hotel, you can travel to Playa del Carmen in one of the suburban vans that carry around 10 passengers and their luggage comfortably; these are considerably less expensive than a private taxi.

Tricycle Taxis - In certain areas of town, only tricycle taxis are allowed. They will take you and your luggage very efficiently to your hotel, or to the ferry that crosses to Cozumel.

On Foot - Most of Playa del Carmen is accessible on foot; and for exploring the local area, walking around is by far the best way to experience Playa.

Rent a Car - If you want to travel independently in the region, it may be a good idea to rent a car for part of your stay. This would enable you to travel along the Riviera Maya coast and see the towns and villages along the way; and you can also travel independently to the amazing Archaeological sites in the area including of Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza without the restraints of a group tour package or the limited public transport to these areas. See additional information about Driving in Mexico and Mexico's Toll Roads on Mexperience.

See the Mexperience Travel Center for Car Rental in Playa del Carmen / Cancun.

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Local Events Calendar

Most of the significant local events happen about 30 miles north of here in Cancun.

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Practical Information

Telephone: Connect to the Communications in Mexico Page on Mexperience for full information about keeping intouch and the latest table of national dialing codes.

Exchanging Currency: Most of Playa del Carmen's banks with ATM machines are found downtown on Avenida 5.  During business hours, they and the Casas de Cambio will buy traveler's cheques and cash from you as well. Read about currency exchange in Mexperience's Money Section.

Travel Insurance: We recommend that you are adequately covered with travel medical cover and/or travel assistance cover when you are visiting Mexico. Read the Mexperience guide to Travel Insurance in Mexico for full details and links to specialist insurance suppliers.

Internet Access: Internet cafes are commonplace in Mexico - new ones open and old ones close all the time - but you won't have to look too hard to find one downtown and in the main tourist areas.

Safety in Playa del Carmen: Due to the construction going on in Playa del Carmen, there have been a small number of incidents involving robberies, especially on remote parts of the beach. Take care in these areas, especially after daylight hours.

Local Tourist Office: Connect to the Mexperience Travel Center for details of the nearest Tourist Information office.

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Accommodation

• Find a Hotel in Playa del Carmen

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Restaurants

We have no specific restaurant recommendations at this time.

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When Night Falls

Playa del Carmen stays awake until about midnight, with a few bars staying open later.

There are plenty of restaurants and bars in town that offer good dining, and some night spots which provide live music and dancing for those looking for some active night life.

If you want to party all night, you'll need to travel to nearby Cancun, about 30 miles north of Playa.

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What to Buy in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is a good place to buy arts and crafts and unique curios that you will not find elsewhere. There is a selection of shops in town around the main plaza.

In recent years, the art and craft outlets have been raising their game; they are now offering tourists fine examples of locally and and nationally produced, hand crafted works; effectively undergoing a transition from being tourist craft outlets into specialist craft boutiques.

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Local Climate

The climate in Playa del Carmen is very much like that of Cancun: Hot and humid, but the humidity is not as drenching as it can be in some other places in Mexico. August through October is hurricane season in this part of the world - and the weather becomes more changeable and less predictable during these months. The rainy season is May through October. November through February is the high season on the Riviera Maya, and the weather remains quite hot during these times, which attracts many "snow birds" from northern USA and Canada and Western Europe for winter warmth and sunshine.

Live Weather Report:

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