Playa del Carmen Mexico, simply called “Playa” by many locals, is a beautiful coastal city on the Caribbean Sea in Mexico. Just like Cancun, Playa del Carmen is a very popular tourist destination for people around the world. A vacation to Playa del Carmen often includes trips to the beach, shopping, and snorkeling.

The center of activity in Playa del Carmen Mexico is 5th Avenue. The street runs parallel to the Playa del Carmen beaches and is full of shopping centers, restaurants, and hotels. No matter what time of year you visit, you’re sure to experience street performers showing off their talents of fire breathing, dancing, or singing. Head to 5th Avenue anytime after midnight to experience the bars and nightclubs.

Playa del Carmen beaches are known for their white sand and clean swimming areas. Every beach is near a restaurant or a swimming or snorkeling outfitter. If you want to go on a fishing excursion, many Playa del Carmen hotels offer excursions or can help you arrange a day out at sea with one of the local fishing outfitters. The busiest Playa del Carmen beaches are the ones closest to the ferry piers. It’s possible to find more secluded beaches outside of the tourist zone.   

Playa del Carmen offers all kinds of restaurants serving Mexican, American, and Italian cuisines. Many of the restaurants on 5th Avenue are American chain restaurants. To find more authentic Mexican restaurants, walk along one of the side streets away from the beach. The hotels of Playa del Carmen Mexico are known for their buffet-style restaurants, which are usually included in the nightly price of the hotel room.

It’s nearly impossible to travel to Playa del Carmen and not go shopping. There are dozens of interesting stores between 5th and 30th Avenues that sell everything from Mexican handicrafts to computers and the latest fashions.  

Most people travel to Playa del Carmen by flying to the Cancun International Airport. Playa del Carmen Mexico is about an hour-long drive from Cancun. Visitors can rent a car or take one of several busses. The majority of Playa del Carmen can be explored by foot or you can rent a bicycle. Taxis are fairly inexpensive and will bring you anywhere you need to go.

The best time to travel to Playa del Carmen is in the winter when the temperatures are in the 80s. Summers can get very hot and humid. However, if you don’t mind the heat, it’s possible to find some great deals on airfare to Mexico during the summer.