Playa del Carmen - Town, Beaches, perfect starting point

Playa del Carmen is a Mexican town with a bit more than 150'000 permanent inhabitants. The town was still a little fishing village some decades ago. With the growing tourism it experienced a big boom and nowadays, Playa del Carmen offers everything - a lot of hotels, hostels, restaurants, clubs, bars, tourist shops and of course a long, white beach which is accessible to everybody. This makes Playa del Carmen different from Cancún, where access to the beaches is restricted because of the hotels in front of the beach. Playa del Carmen also has a very long shopping street (5a Avenida / 5th Avenue). 

Playa del Carmen is located 42km from the international airport Cancún and around 70km from the city of Cancún. Playa del Carmen is the perfect starting point for trips to different sights and tourist attractions, such as the ruins of Tulum, Cobá or Chichén Itzá, the theme and leisure parks Xcaret, Xel-Ha, Xplor, Xenses, the nature reserve Sian Ka'an, the beautiful beaches of the Riviera Maya or islands such as Isla Mujeres, Cozumel or Holbox. You can find more information about those places by clicking on "excursions" in the menu on the right. 

Tourists from all over the world stroll along the Fifth Avenue, Playa del Carmen's shopping street and pedestrian zone which extends over several kilometers. Souvenir shops, restaurants, bars and hotels string together. In the evening there's a lot of movement on the Fifth Avenue. Sellers and waiters usually speak English quite well. 

Just one street further away from the beach, Playa del Carmen is much calmer. The 10th avenue for instance is still very touristic, but prices are lower and not indicated in US dollars anymore. It's worth leaving the 5th Avenue and see the real Mexico (starting after Avenida 15/20). 

Not far from the Fifth Avenue there are big supermarkets such as Walmart, Sam's or Mega (Mexican supermarket). Whoever wants to buy something is advised to go to those supermarkets and not to the Fifth Avenue. 

Taxi drivers ask for more money if they pick up people from the Fifth Avenue. Already one Avenue further (Avenida 10), this extra fee disappears. The taxi drivers have to respect defined prices within Playa del Carmen. Ask the driver how much the trip to your destination would be before entering the taxi. Short distances within the town should not cost more than 50-70 pesos, longer distances within Playa del Carmen max. 100 pesos.

If you don't rent a car (car can be rented together with the holiday home. Learn more about the prices by contacting us: info@playa-mexico.com), it's worth travelling by ADO (bus company for the South of Mexico: Autobuses del Oriente) or Colectivos, small minibuses, which go to the towns and villages in the area.

For further distances, take the ADO. There are two bus terminals:

• One is located where 5a Avenida crosses Avenida Juarez.
• The other is located where 20 crosses Calle 12 (street).

The Colectivos start in Calle (street) 2, between Avenida 15 and 20. They cost just a few pesos and drive along Carretera Federal, the main street, direction North to Cancún and direction South to Tulum. You can ask to stop on the main street at each corner, you just have to inform the driver on time. The prices are fix and listed inside the vehicle. You have to pay when you get off the minibus.