Playa del Carmen
From Wikitravel
Playa del Carmen is resort town on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. It's 45 minutes south of Cancun on the Mayan Riviera, and offers a more relaxed atmosphere engineered for lounging and beach frolic.
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Get in
Buses can be taken directly from Cancun airport, for around $10. To get to the bus terminal, go right after exiting the main terminal and walk about 200 yards. Purchase a ticket (buying it in Pesos will save you a few dollars) right before exiting the terminal.
Get around
VW Bugs for $45/day. Some of them are hacked off to resemble convertibles. Scooters are a dangerous, but available, alternative. Tourists comprise at least half of the automobile traffic and tourists simply cannot drive.
There is a closed off street where all the taxis are centralized, right next to the plaza. It costs $4 to get to most all-inclusives.
There is an Alamo outlet on this same street.
See
Do
Rent a canopy bed on the beach. Draw the canopy back and catch the rays, then pull it back again for an afternoon nap. Mamitas beach has plenty of beds and great music playing during the day. Be aware that many women do go topless in Playa del Carmen and this is one beach where you will definitely be exposed to this.
Ceviche and cerveza all day. Livin.
Nightlife is definitely happening in Playa del Carmen. If you are interested in nightlife (dancing, drinks late until the evening/morning), then be sure to visit Blue Parrot, Santenera, and Hotel Deseo. The Blue Parrot has a fun fire show around 9 PM some nights, beach dancing, swings at the bar, and plenty of dancing. Santenera has a beautiful roofdeck bar. Deseo also has a roofdeck bar, but it comes with beds. Very relaxing and beautiful.
Scuba diving is plentiful, though the reefs are off the shore and require boat to get to. All hotels have a dive shop, though some can be found in the city itself. Better open-water scuba diving can generally be found in Cozumel via the ferry. Several dive shops in Playa del Carmen do offer cavern diving about an hour inland, which cannot be found in Cozumel.
Mexican ruins are available by 2-6 hour bus rides.
Buy
The touristy part of the city is laden with shops. These basically sell the same products - shirts, bracelets, and souvenirs, but for varying prices depending on the mood of the shopkeep and your haggling/seduction skills. Every shop hires outside sitters to "amigo" you into taking a closer look, but don't settle for the absurd price they'll label you with.
Eat
Octopus Tacos at the PlayaMaya hotel on the beach. Wonderful.
Drink
Sleep
Playa del Carmen has a variety of all-inclusive resorts as well as typical hotels. All-inclusive resorts provide food, drinks, and activities such as live-music and organized excursions. Although this relieves some of the burden of planning, it can also be limiting. The resorts are generally secluded, and prevent one from experiencing the sights, sounds, and tastes of the city.
You may also choose to stay at a condominium/apartment which are reasonably priced and available in the heart of the town and near the beaches.
Get out
There are two competing companies that will ship you across to Cozumel for around $7. The dock is in the center of the city, south of the plaza. Boats leave roughly every hour, and the ride itself is 30 minutes.
The central bus station, right next to the taxi street, sells rides to the entirety of the Yucatan peninsula.