Playa del Carmen is located between Cancun and Tulum as much geographically than in its style and vibe. This city is more quiet than Cancun, known for its wild parties and industrial city life, yet does not have the hipster, laid back feel of Tulum. Its proximity to all the worthy destinations of Yucatan makes it a desirable place to stop for few days while traveling around the peninsula. Playa Del Carmen is also known for its giant resorts and adventure parks nearby, but that’s not all. Read on to find out what more the beach town has to offer.

• Relax at the Beach
• Snorkel with Turtles
• Swim in Cenotes
• Cozumel Island
• Stroll on 5th Avenue
• Eat Mexican Food
• Visit Chichen Itza

1. Relax at the beach

Yes, we mainly come to Mexico for its white sandy beaches and the turquoise coloured waters. Playa Del Carmen offers just that. The long strip of perfect beach with tons of cafes where you can rent a sun bed for the whole day and lie sipping margaritas is a perfect place to start your holidays.

2. Snorkel with turtles at Akumal Beach (and avoid the scam)

Located south, just 30 min drive from Playa Del Carmen, this stunning, protected beach is a place where you can swim with turtles all year long.

↬ Attention : Only now, at the time of writing this article, have we realised that we had been victims of a very well organised scam at this beach. If you plan to visit Akumal beach and see the beautiful marine life, keep on reading and enjoy this beautiful beach without getting scammed.

In March 2016, Akumal Bay was declared a marine protected area. Throughout the next years various guidelines were put in place ostensibly to help protect the turtles. But they have also caused a lot of confusion. The Akumal scammers are taking this as an opportunity to push their agenda, threaten people, and make money.

The setup

There are men posing as officials by the entrance to the beach area claiming that tours and lifejacket rentals are mandatory to snorkel. They demand a high price, claiming that you cannot pass them without paying the beach entrance. They also say that snorkelling is allowed only with a guide and wearing life jackets. 

And so we payed. It seemed extremely highly priced (I think it was about 30 euros each!), but it was our first day in Mexico and let me tell you, that they are really convincing. They have name tags, official looking tickets and will give you a receipt. We were also obliged on previous trips to marine reserves, to pay for the entrance. So we did not suspect a scam. 

The truth

It is true that there are new guidelines that limit the number of snorkel tour participants, require life vests, and say that swimming is only allowed in certain areas. But those apply ONLY to guided snorkel TOURS in Akumal. If you want, you can snorkel on your own in Akumal. It is allowed and free.

You do not have to be part of a guided tour- just stay outside the buoyed section of the bay. You do not have to wear a snorkelling vest or lifejacket—they are only required for those on a guided tour. 

This beach is public, therefore free to enter. There is 50 pesos charge for the parking and if you choose to enter through the CEA Centre building you need to pay $5 USD. But this will include access to their washrooms and lockers. If you don’t need a locker, simply go through the main entrance with your car and ignore them. They will probably try to force you to pay or stop you… But in this case just tell them that you don’t care for the turtles (poor little ?) and that you are here for the beach.

They are just here to try to convince you that if you want to swim with turtles, you need to be part of a tour.

Do your own thing, don’t mind them

Remember: the experience can be done for FREE

↬ TIP : Bring your own snorkel gear. If you don’t have your own, there are rental shops at the beach

We swam for about 30 min under a supervision of “so called guide” and saw about 10 turtles. Those marine creatures are beautiful and it’s amazing to see them swimming freely in open waters. Always keep your distance, do not touch or engage with them at any times. ??

After the swim, you can enjoy a good lunch at Lol-Ha restaurant, that serves great drinks and decent food. 

3. Swim at Cenotes Cristalino and Azul

Located just 20 minutes outside of play of the Carmen, 

You can combine visit to those cenotes with swimming with turtles at Akumal Beach, as its on the way. Both of those cenotes are incredibly beautiful relaxing spots where you can enjoy a refreshing swim in crystal clear waters. Set in a beautiful green, lush jungle, those open waterholes are must see while in the area.

↬ Read : Best Cenotes to Visit in Yucatan

4. Take a day trip to Cozumel Island 

Cozumel is the biggest island in Mexico, located beside Yucatan Peninsula. Its clear and warm water, spectacular coral reefs, and abundant marine life make Cozumel one of the world’s best scuba-diving spot as well as a major resort area. It’s an ideal place for a day trip, where you can enjoy scuba diving, snorkelling or simply relaxing on the beach. Before your ferry brings you back to Playa Del Carmen, take a walk on the broad sidewalk along the seafront at sunset in San Miguel- the main city of Cozumel.  

Practical info

Getting to Cozumel island is very easy with a ferry departing every hour from the pier in Playa Del Carmen. There are two ferry operators- Winjet (orange) and Ultramar (yellow). The round ticket costs 10 USD one way and the ride takes 45 min. 

↬ Read : Scuba Diving or Snorkelling in Cozumel Island 

5. Go for an evening stroll on 5th avenue

This main strip is a pedestrian walkway that runs for about 5 kilometers (3 miles) through Playa del Carmen town. It is lined with shops, bars, restaurants, cafe’s, gelato shops, convenience stores, pharmacies and more….

There is also a lot of street art in Playa del Carmen (and Mexico and general). Definitely worth a tour and a few pictures!

6. Eat some great mexican food

We had only 2 dinners in Playa Del Carmen and even if that not our habit, we ended up in the same place. 

The Fah Bar has great food, its centrally located, is not expensive and we specially enjoyed the live music band. We sang along, while eating our first real and delicious guacamole. 

After a filling dinner, we went for a romantic walk on the beach and stoped for a drink at Zenzi. Here you can relax on the comfortable sofas placed directly on the beach and sip a margarita.  

Other places to eat:

Located a bit further, set in a beautiful lush garden, La Cueva del Chango is a great place for breakfast and lunch. 

Chez Celine serves yummy French food and pastries at any time of the day. 

If you like seafood then try out Los Aguachiles, with great selection of fresh catch and 

El Pirata, restaurant located on the beach, that serves best cevice in town. 

For those of you that enjoy Cuban vibes, go ahead and spend an evening with life music at La Bodeguita Del Medio. 

For vegetarian options eat at Fresco Habito or Clorofilia. 

7. Take a full day trip to one of the 7 New World Wonders, famous ancient Mayan city 

Visiting Chichen Itza is a no brainer if you go to the Yucatan peninsula.

This trip is doable in one day, but we highly recommend staying in the area of Chichen Itza for at least 1 night. The beautiful colonial city Valladolid is a place worth a visit in itself. More than anything else, you’ll be able to get to the Mayan city as early as possible and avoid the crowds & tours that arrive around 11am.  

Where to stay

There is a high variety of places to stay in Playa del Carmen, from hostels to high luxury all inclusive holidays resorts. 

If you plan to explore the nearby area, we recommend staying in the center of the town, close to the beach or the 5th avenue. 

↬ Look for great hotel deals on booking.com

We recommend: Hotel Lunata – 5th Avenue – Mahekal Beach Front Resort & Spa

↬ PS : We are not mentioning any of the adventure parks in the area, as none of those fit our travel style. We also highly discourage anyone who desires to participate in the attraction “swimming with dolphins” in one of those parks. Dolphins are wild animals and do not deserve to spend their lives enclosed in tanks for the entertainment of tourists. ?❤️