Playa del Carmen, Riviera
Maya, Mexico
The
once sleepy village of Playa del Carmen doubled twice
in population in the last few years, mainly due to Europeans
who discovered the beautiful white beaches, gentle surf,
coral reefs and slow lifestyle.
Playa's
dock is the pier for the 'people ferry' to Cozumel,
so it's only a short trip across the strait to
snorkel or dive on Cozumel's incredible coral reefs.
There
is a strong european influence here, with numerous
restaurants to cater for almost any taste. Over
the years several foreign-owned hotels have brought
the accommodation levels upto 5 star luxury. Combine
that with a relaxed Mexican-Caribbean feeling and you've
got Playa. It's definitely not the place to 'get away,'
but it is a place to enjoy marvelous beaches by day
and a lively nightlife in the evening. It tends to be
the Europeans place to go, to get away from the very
Americanised Cancun.
Getting
Around
To
get to Playa, 68 km (42 miles) South of Cancun, take
a bus from the station downtown (it takes just over
an hour). If you're in the hotel zone, you could try
and negotiate a fare with a Cancun taxi driver to take
you there, but it tends to be expensive.
The
main road into town, Av. Juarez or Av. Principal, depending
on whom you ask, leads you right to the ferry dock and
the pedestrian-only 5th Avenue, running parallel to
the beach. It boasts many hotels, stores and restaurants.
The bus station is situated in Av. 5 and Juarez
and is a hub for further journeys down to Tulum, Chetumal
and Belize. Many hotels are within easy walking distance
from the bus terminal, and the street in front is full
of men on large yellow tricycles (triciclos), who will take
you and/or your luggage cheaply to your hotel in a Mexican
version of a rickshaw. If your hotel isn't close or
you have to go on the back streets of Playa, get a cab
right there. In 1994, in response to the growing popularity
of the town, the streets were torn up for sewer and
water lines. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough money
left to repave them. The water-filled potholes in the
unpaved roads outside of the oldest part of town make
traffic crawl and require zig-zagging to the max.
A
stroll on the beach leads to Playa's attractive lighthouse
(faro), where you can climb its exterior circular cement
staircase to the top. The view is excellent and provides
a great photo oportunity.
Travel
Information
Practicalities
The post office is three blocks back
from the beach on Av. Principal, with the police station
right next door and the Centro de Salud Medical Centre
across the street. You'll find Tourism information on
Av. 5 near the Central Plaza. Several hotels rent out
bicycles, but get a mountain bike to ride through the
potholes and sandy streets.
The
majority of the banks are located on Av. Juarez, most have
an ATM which disperses mexican pesos. There are several
Money Exchanges (Casa de Cambios) located in Playa,
so exchanging money should not be a problem. Exchange
rates vary daily and from place to place. Most shops
and restaurants will accept american dollars.
There
are plenty of 'minisupers' (corner grocery stores) and
fruit shops located in Playa, as well as a few 'large'
supermarkets (Super San Francisco being the most popular. Most
supermarkets accept credit/debit cards, but you should
check on the way in.
The
ferry to Cozumel has a schedule that changes constantly.
If you're going over, just ask about times at any of
the ticket booths scattered around the plaza. Try to
get a ticket on the WJ Mexico, a fast waterjet which
takes about 25 minutes. The Xel-H or Cozumelero takes
about 45 minutes.
For
shopping, the stores of Playa's Av. 5 and surrounding
sidestreets offer an excellent assortment of hand-made
pottery, arts and crafts both local and from all over
Mexico.
Adventures
Most
of Playa's activities involve the water - the beaches
are fabulous for swimming, snorkeling & diving
with a variety of dives geared to meet
each divers needs: from beginners to experts.
There
is also an 18 holes Golf Course for those keen to walk
around.
Playa
del Carmen Party Hopper Tour
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