Playa Del Carmen is located on the Caribbean shoreline in Mexico, between Cancun and Tulum. Mexico is full of incredible destinations and I hope one day to see them all. But until then let’s get into Playa Del Carmen and how to have the best Mexican holiday! 

In this particular area of Mexico there is so much going on and I found Playa Del Carmen to be the perfect place to base yourself. Playa itself has heaps to do so you never need to travel far to have fun. But still not too far away there are so many awesome places you need to visit, beaches, historical sites & cenotes.

A few years ago I stayed in Cancun, living the life of luxury. Cancun is basically one long strip of massive, all-inclusive hotels, spread out along a beautiful beach. My husband & I lived like kings and queens. Drinking cocktails on our balcony and being served the most delicious food at any time of the day. But I do love the simple life so when we planned on going to Playa Del Carmen we wanted to get a smaller, less “fancy” hotel. I found Playa to be less of a luxury destination and the beach wasn’t as good as Cancun but it’s definitely got a lot more going on right at your doorstep.

Accommodation:

We stayed at Cielo Hotel for 3 nights. It had the most perfect location, just off the main strip. The hotel is a 2 story walk up and the rooms are so cute. The design felt very Mexican and not just a generic modern style hotel room. I suggest when booking to request a room on the highest level as these rooms have a lot more natural light. 

The hotel rate doesn’t include breakfast but the restaurant downstairs gives Cielo guests 50% off their bill. We ate there a few times and the food was really good. The reception staff were just beautiful as well, they were so helpful with directions and advice on which Cenotes we should visit.

5th avenue is the main strip in Playa Del Carmen, so you’re definitely going to want to stay very close to here. The street is full of shops, bars, restaurants, and hotels.

Playa Del Carmen is a food lover’s paradise and 5th avenue has a lot of dining options. But the best Tacos I had weren’t on 5th avenue! Head west up the street, walking away from the beach and you’ll find smaller, less commercial restaurants and these are generally always cheaper. Our favorite was El Fogon; cheap and delicious authentic Mexican cuisine. 

Getting around Playa Del Carmen:

From Cancun Airport;

Once you have exited the international terminal, turn right and head towards the bus bay. This was a cheap and easy way to get to Playa Del Carmen and you don’t need to purchase the tickets in advance. Throughout the day these busses departed every 15-30 mins and cost 178.00 pesos per person. The bus stop in Playa was only about a 5-10 minute walk to Cielo Hotel.

Mexico Colectivos in Playa Del Carmen:

Colectivos are a great shared transport option. They run between Playa Del Carman, Cancun & Tulum. We only had to walk about 5 minutes from our hotel to the pick-up point and it cost 45 pesos each to Tulum.

Day Trips from Playa Del Carmen:

Tulum:

The attraction to Tulum for us was the Mayan Ruins overlooking the ocean and the beautiful beaches. We got a Colectivo, which took about 45 minutes. Close to where you’re dropped off in Tulum is an information stand. A man approached us straight away, he explained he’s here to offer assistance, directions, answer questions and we aren’t required to pay or tip him.

In the end, we purchased our tickets from him. For 33USD each we got; entrance to Tulum ruins, a map with directions to a nearby beach, once there we got a boat ride along the coast that gave us panoramic views of the ruins and 30 minutes of snorkeling. The ruins were really cool, the Mayans definitely picked the perfect location. You can purchase a guide to take you around the site, which was 1,300 Pesos but we didn’t want one. The site isn’t that big and all signs are in English and Spanish.

The man who sold us the tickets claimed this beach was the best in Mexico, mmm it was beautiful but I wouldn’t say the best. There’s is a couple of hotels and food vendors along the beach, so plenty of people around.

We were also told that it was Turtle nesting season so there’s a 99% chance we’ll see Turtles while snorkeling! That was either bull shit or we were just very unlucky because we didn’t see any. It was also a regulation to wear a life vest in water. This was a complete pain in the ass as they didn’t fit well and made it very hard to swim.

We were probably played a bit but we still all had a great day and it was definitely worth checking out this beautiful area.

Mexican Cenotes:

This is one of the things Mexico is famous for. Cenotes are natural swimming holes formed by collapsed limestone bedrock. You can access some cenotes by swimming or climbing through caves, down ladders into giant sinkholes, or from ground level.

If you catch a Colectivo heading towards Tulum there’re a few along the highway, just ask your driver to stop. The receptionist at our hotel suggested to us that it’s always best to call ahead to make sure it’s ok for you to visit? Some cenotes are on people’s private property so just in case they’re not there or something.

Kantun Chi Ecopark:

I was traveling with 5 other people on this trip so it was challenging to decide which one to visit but we decided on Kantun – Chi Ecopark. This cost 79USD per person for the full package. It was expensive considering some along the highway only charge 10 pesos. The reason we picked this one was that it was the only one we could book last minute that included a cave (and you can’t access caves without a guide). So for our $79, this is what we got; guided tour of the property, seeing all 5 Cenotes & swimming in a couple. The cave tour was partly swimming and partly walking. Our guide said the cave will take an hour but it was pretty cold so we got through in about 30 minutes, then afterward we got lunch.

The property closes at 5 pm so you’re able to continue swimming in the Cenotes if you want. I really enjoyed this and it was great because compared with some of the smaller Cenotes it was so quiet, there was hardly anyone else around.

When I first visited Mexico and stayed in Cancun we did a day trip swimming with Whale Sharks, snorkeling at MUSA (underwater museum), and Chichen Itza (a large complex of Mayan ruins). I don’t want to get into details about these as we were there a few years ago so I don’t want to share out-of-date information. But have a look into it while you’re there. Each of those activities was amazing.  

Coco Bongos:

Oh my goodness this place is amazing. I’ve been to the one in Cancun and in Playa Del Carmen and Mexico really knows how to put on a show. I had an absolute blast each time. So for those who don’t know it’s a large night club and show. The shows are from 10:30 pm – 3 am and there’ll be music playing between each performance. These shows are epic, so much talent and special effects, they’re honestly so awesome. Some of the shows are the Marvel characters, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, the Mask, and Queen. There’s a large, stage at the front of the room, which is quite high and one on the ground in the middle of the dance floor. Some shows have the performers using both stages or even coming down from the roof, so any spot you get will be good. 

Ticket Prices:

There are a few different ticket options, general standing, standing with table, table, and seats with bottle service. Both times we got just the general tickets (I’d find having a table to restricting because you’re stuck sitting down and can’t stand up to dance as you may block someone else’s view). These tickets are 70USD per person with open bar. In Playa Del Carmen we purchased the tickets the day we wanted to go. To begin with, he wanted 140USD for the two of us, not including express entry, we got him down to 110USD including express entry. 

Regardless of what tickets you decide on, make sure your tickets include express entry. When we arrived the street was literally full of hundreds of people waiting to get in. We arrived at 10 pm and walked straight into the club. 

The second you step foot in the door there are instant party vibes, tickets are checked – handed a drink – security check – tequila shot. 

Inside there are heaps of waiters (they wear white shirts) walking around taking drink orders. I’d asked the guy who sold us the tickets what’s a good tip for a waiter because I wanted them to keep coming back to us. I didn’t want to stand in line at the bar all night. He said 100 pesos per hour, I’m sure that was a generous suggestion but that’s what we tipped and our waiter was fantastic. We’d literally take the last sip of our drink and he was there with another. And, at the end of the night when we had enough to drink, he popped up with two bottles of water. He deserved every peso that night, it was so busy in there and he never missed a beat. 

Playa Del Carmen is such a fun and friendly place for a holiday in Mexico. Day or night, there’s always something going on. If you don’t speak Spanish it’s not the end of the world as most people can speak some English. Although I definitely think you should know some Spanish words and phrases, they appreciate your effort.