The top 7 day trips from Playa del Carmen

02.12.2024 - 16:39 / lonelyplanet.com

Dec 2, 2024 • 8 min read

Flanked on one side by the world's second-biggest reef and acres of untamed tropical forest on the other, Playa del Carmen is the perfect hub from which to explore the wild and wonderful Yucatán Peninsula.

As one of Quintana Roo's biggest cities, there is plenty of fun to be had in Playa del Carmen and the warm welcome you receive will make it difficult to tear yourself away. But everyone needs a break from the urban buzz and there's a wealth of fun adventures on your doorstep.

From laidback islands and outdoor adventures to stunning Maya ruins in the depths of the jungle, these are the best day trips you can take from Playa del Carmen.

If there’s one thing worth dragging yourself away from the shores of Playa del Carmen, it’s the cenote (freshwater springs). Under the thick jungles of the Riviera Maya lies a dreamy underworld of natural turquoise pools and water-filled caverns. Swim amidst clear-as-glass waters, with stalactites overhead and ancient boulders beneath your feet, while spider monkeys and iguanas roam the lush tropical forest surrounding you.

The Maya civilization revered the cenotes and made sacrifices here as offerings to the gods. Today, they are equally venerated by outdoor adventurers drawn to this unique setting.

Over 6000 of these freshwater pools are peppered around the Yucatán Peninsula, and a few of the lesser-known ones are found near Playa del Carmen. A trio of cenotes – Azul, Cristalino, and Eden – are located side by side, making it easy to do a cenote-hopping tour of your own in just one day. All three are open-air pools with water deep enough for grownups to plunge into from the cliff’s edge and shallow pools for the little ones to wade in.

How to get to the cenotes from Playa del Carmen

The three cenotes are just a 25-minute drive south along 307 Highway. Each one has its own entrance gate, car park and changing facilities. To get there on public transport, head to the lineup of colectivos (shared vans) on Avenida Juarez, under the highway underpass, and catch one going in the direction of Tulum. Let the driver know where you’re going, and he’ll drop you off at the cenote’s entrance.

Don’t let the inviting panorama of swaying palm trees and sugary sand fool you – the real star of Akumal lies beneath the waves that lap its shores. Thanks to the seagrass meadows and the protective Mesoamerican Reef, Akumal is the best place to snorkel alongside turtles in the Riviera Maya. If you’re lucky, you might even spot manta rays and squid.

It’s mandatory to join a guided tour if you want to snorkel within the protected area. Standard prices of M$400 Mexican pesos (US$19.60) per person include snorkeling gear and life vests. Seafood restaurants and hotels line the