Explore Playa de Carmen
Playa del Carmen or Playa as it is called by the locals has acquired international fame in the unprecedented short span of just ten years. Playa is a fascinating town that attracts visitors from all over the globe who want to see for themselves what it’s all about: to immerse themselves in its atmosphere, feeling the soft white sand underfoot, enjoying the bohemian nightlife on sandy shores and listening to waves break on the beach of as they sip a tropical drink. People all over the world identify it as the place to go to get to know other cultures and ways of life.
Playa del Carmen is located in the heart of the Riviera Maya, 68 km (42 mi) south of Cancun, it has an ideal subtropical climate with an average temperature of 25º C (77º F) and sunny days throughout most of the year. During the summer, the maximum temperature can reach 35º C (95º F).
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Playa del Carmen evolved from a small village to a lively cosmopolitan city. Playa is a young city, it's approximately 15 year old, at the moment there are around 60000 inhabitants, and 20 years ago in this city lived a group of families of fishermen. Nowadays, it is one the fastest growing communities in the world.
The streets of Playa del Carmen are the favorite stage for anyone with a mission: folk dancers, concheros in pre-Hispanic costumes executing their mystic ritual dance, street performances, strolling minstrels who narrate local legends and artisans working at their craft to the fascination of passers-by.
All along its busy promenades lined with handcrafted stores a mere sampling of Mexican and International creativity and on the city’s famous Playa del Carmen Fifth Avenue, meeting place of extravagant characters, visitors can taste the delicious local dishes at any of numerous sidewalks cafes, where a marimba, trio from Veracruz or heavy rock band entice diners inside. This main axis, 5th Avenue, is a catwalk where the ultra chic meets the hippest funk in a blend of styles, colors, and tastes in the Mayan land that they now all call home.
At Playa del Carmen you will find beautiful beaches looking out onto the Caribbean Sea, which are ideal places to relax or do all kinds of water sports: snorkeling, windsurfing and even kitesurfing, a new and exhilarating extreme sport that combines surfing and parasailing. For those who like scuba diving, there are boats departing from the docks which offer exciting outings to the Great Mayan Reef, the second largest coral reef (system) in the world. There you can dive at depths of more than 10 meters (33 feet) among multicolored fish and coral that has existed for more than 500 years. Near Playa del Carmen you can discover Playa Paamul and Playa Paraiso, two beautiful beaches with calm waters and gorgeous ecological parks: Xcaret and Xel-Ha. Also nearby are numerous sinkholes where you can do rappelling and cave diving while exploring the amazing depths of underground river systems.
The night itself seems to be strolling, the streets, discotheques and bars are animated with live music of all genres: from ska, reggae and hip hop to blues Afro-Brazilian, techno and house. The energy of Playa del Carmen at night traps everyone in this non-stop party that no one escapes from ‘til dawn.
Playa del Carmen, magic, eclectic and yet steeped in tradition is the doorway to those who want to enjoy the natural beauty and culture of the Mayan World, explore the region, mingle with its people and discover the parks of the Riviera Maya. Today, the new alternative to traditional tourism is eco-adventure travel that offers everything from walks through exuberant jungles to millenary cenotes (sinkholes) and Mayan villages, cave diving in the underground river system to solitary lagoons, refuge of monkeys and other marvelous wildlife.
Explore Playa del Carmen
