Playa Del Carmen Is a small, fun and young town south to Cancun, known for its Parties. There’s also a variety of food, shopping, nice beaches and for It’s proximity to many attractions that make it into a very convenient home-base for day travels around Quintana Roo. For example, 19 kilometres west to Playa del Carmen there’s the vacation Island Cozumel that I highly recommend visiting.
Where to stay in Playa del Carmen? Hostel! I stayed there for a week in hostels named Hostel Che and The Yak. Both of them are very helpful and have rutin organized day trips like many other hostels in the area. In a young environment like Playa’s, it’s very fun being in a hostel and anyway I was outside exploring every day the whole day so it didn’t make any sense spending extra on a hotel.
Getting to Playa from Cancun is very easy as there are direct bus lines. I bought my tickets from a company named Ado a day before, just to be on the safe side.
Top 5 Day Trips from Playa Del Carmen
#1 Isla Cozumel
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#2 Akumal Beach
#3 Cenotes
A cenote is a sinkhole, formed by water percolating through the limestone soil for thousands of years. The cenotes are common in this part of Mexico and you can find some that aren’t touristic at all. You can enjoy the water, snorkel or even just sit by it and read a book.
Here’s a list of Centotes I know and love:
- Cenote, Jardín Del Eden
- Cenote Azul
- Sac Actun
- Xcacel beach and cenote
- Xcacelito
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Cenotes Labnaha
Getting there by car or Colectivo. obviously changes from cenote to cenote but there are basically 2 main ways for all. You can rent a car and use google maps, or go via a Colectivo from their station at central Playa del Carmen.
#4 Chichén Itzá
Chichen Itza is an ancient Mayan ruins site, on the Yucatan Peninsula not far away from Cancun and Playa Del Carmen.
The site is very well preserved unlike other Mayan Ruins sites, it gives a more realistic feel of how the site must have looked back then.
The mathematical accuracy of the construction is amazing and you get to learn about the rich history of this area that includes human sacrifices for “the gods”. I strongly recommend having a local guide in order to truly understand what you are seeing… I had some knowledge about the Mayan culture before and found the tour fascinating.
Ik Kil cenote is a short drive from the site, you will find Cenote Ik-Kil. it’s very touristy and not spacious so I recommend going before the busy hours.
Getting there via organized tour is simply annoying! They take you to irrelevant places to get you buying products they are offering and then you get less time at the main ones. I strongly recommend renting a car and even staying the night at a close town or village and explore.
#5 Tulum
