Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Playa del Carmen was the centerpiece of our Riviera Maya trip in early 2023 — a week-plus at the Grand Mayan resort at Vidanta, on the Caribbean coast between Cancún and Tulum.
Our experience
We loved this stretch of the Yucatán: white-sand beaches, warm Caribbean water, and the famous pedestrian Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue) buzzing with shops, restaurants, and entertainment just back from the beach. Quinta Avenida remains one of the city's signature visitor areas.
More compact and walkable than Cancún, "Playa" makes a convenient base for exploring the Riviera Maya — cenotes, Maya archaeological sites, Cozumel, and the region's famous snorkeling and diving.
Playa del Carmen was known in pre-Hispanic times as Xamanhá and is believed to have served as a departure point toward Cozumel. Today, ferries still connect Playa del Carmen with the island. Cozumel sits alongside the Mesoamerican Reef, the second-largest barrier reef system in the world, making snorkeling and diving two of the island's signature activities.
Must-sees and must-dos
- Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue) — stroll Playa del Carmen's famous pedestrian avenue for restaurants, shops, cafés, and nightlife.
- The Caribbean beaches — spend time along Playa's shoreline for swimming, relaxing, and easy beach days.
- Cozumel — take the ferry across for beaches, snorkeling, and some of the Mexican Caribbean's best-known diving.
- Cenotes — venture inland to swim in the natural freshwater sinkholes and underground landscapes that are characteristic of the Yucatán Peninsula.
- Tulum ruins — head south for the famous Maya archaeological site overlooking the Caribbean.
- Xcaret & eco-parks — spend a day at one of the Riviera Maya's popular nature, adventure, and cultural parks.
Our pro tip
We found Playa a more walkable, laid-back base than Cancún for exploring the Riviera Maya — you can easily combine beach time and Quinta Avenida with bigger day trips around the region.
Take the ferry to Cozumel if snorkeling or diving is high on your list, and start cenote and archaeological-site excursions early to avoid some of the midday heat.
Browse Xcaret experiences on Klook, Cozumel tours and activities, or Tulum and cenote tours.
For more around town, browse Playa del Carmen activities on Klook.