Playa del Carmen Tourism Information

Playa del Carmen Services and Shops

Playa del Carmen is one of the most attractive and popular vacation destinations in the Mexican Caribbean, Peninsula Yucatan. Located in the heart of the Mayan Riviera, 50 km (32 miles) south of Cancun International Airport. The Riviera Maya 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). You generally fly into Cancun International airport from where you can take a bus transfer that leaves every hour from the Airport to Playa del Carmen. The transfer takes approx. 1 hour. There is also the possibility to fly to Cozumel Island, from where you cross with the Ferry. The Ferry is close to the bus terminal, only a couple minutes walking distance. This is one of the busiest spots in all of Playa del Carmen.

Playa del Carmen stretches from the beach west to highway 307 and beyond, however the tourist zone is the area along the coast. Most tourist buses pull into Playa del Carmen turning off the highway at Benito Juarez Avenue, which was the first road going straight to the beach, when Playa del Carmen was a small town, 20 years ago. The bus drives to the downtown bus terminal which is located right on 5th Avenue, a few steps to the beach and the Ferry.

The well-known 5th Avenue ‘Quinta Avenida’ is the main street that runs parallel to the ocean, around 300 meters from the water and is the most famous shopping avenue in the whole Riviera Maya.. Playa del Carmen has everything you could possibly need on a vacation. There are lots and lots of stores, laundromats, hardware stores, hair salons, grocery stores, tattoo parlors, health stores, gyms...and many more!

You can buy snorkel- and diving equipment, bathing suits, sandals, American cigarettes, Cuban cigars, really anything you need or desire! And most everything is found on 5th avenue or a short walk off of it.

In between the water and 5th are many small hotels, beach clubs, bed & breakfasts, Rentals, Timeshares, and many restaurants. A myriad of dining options ranging from roadside taco stands to upscale, fine-dining restaurants line 5th Avenue, downtown's pedestrian walkway. Enjoy local Mayan cuisine or choose from a variety of international eateries, including Italian, French, Argentinian and Thai restaurants. For local dishes venture up Juarez Avenue or past 10th Avenue to sample authentic Mexican food.

Playa del Carmen Beaches

At Playa del Carmen you’ll 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 kite boarding – 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.

Playa's beaches are one of the most beautiful beaches in the world! Along 5th, in the tourist zone the beaches are all clean white sand. Within a short walk to almost any point on the Playa main beach is a bar/restaurant. There are also a number of snorkeling, dive and fishing boats ready to take you out.

The beaches closest to the ferry docks are the busiest and you have to walk either north or south to find seclusion. Outside the tourist zone the beaches are lined with jungle.