Playa del Carmen is located about 45 minutes south of Cancun International Airport.  Once a sleepy fishing village, this once quant resort town is quickly becoming Cancun’s tourism rival.  It boasts the same clear waters and beautiful beaches as Cancun with smaller hotels and daily ferry service to the island of Cozumel.  If you visit Playa Del Carmen you must walk down avenue quinta.   It is a pedestrian only street located just a few blocks from the beach that runs parallel to the ocean.  There are hundreds of boutiques, restaurants and bars on this avenue.  One of my favorite bars is located right on the beach; all the tables and chairs are right in the sand.  This is a laid back option for people who don’t enjoy the crowded beaches or loud nightclubs of Cancun. 

Things to see and do in Playa del Carmen

Xcaret  - This place has it all including animals, ruins, a beautiful beach, cenotes, snorkeling and even swimming with dolphins for an extra fee.  It’s located not far from Playa del Carmen.  Make sure to stay for the ball game and cultural show in the evening.

Quinta Avenida – A thoroughfare which runs perpendicular to the beach and has numerous shops restaurants and even boutique hotels.  It is a must see and hard to miss when visiting Playa del Carmen.

Night Clubs – There are a variety of clubs popping up in Playa such as Coco Bongos.

Beach Clubs – These are found a long the beach and for a small fee you can enjoy a beach chair, lounger or bed and wait staff to serve food and drink.

Scuba Diving – There are plenty of dive shops here to take you to the second largest barrier reef in the world.

Cozumel – Is easy accessible from Playa Del Carmen by the ferry which usually runs on the hour.

Tulum – A spectacular archeological site located about one hour south of Playa del Carmen overlooking the stunningly blue Caribbean Sea.