Home Page Property Description Rental Rates Playa del Carmen Photos Virtual Tour Contact Us   PLAYA DEL CARMEN Playa del Carmen is a stunning beautiful cosmopolitan town on the coast of the Caribbean Sea located about 35 miles south of Cancun on Mexico's Riviera Maya. In the 2005 census the city had a population of about 100,383 people, and is rapidly growing in population. It is the third-largest city in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, after Cancun and Chetumal. Playa del Carmen has beautiful alabaster-white beaches, gentle surf and a laid back lifestyle. Originally a small fishing town, tourism to Playa del Carmen began with the passenger ferry service to Cozumel, an island across the Cozumel Channel and world-famous scuba diving destination. While passing through, many people realized that it was a nice place to relax away from the crowds of Cancun but with the same quality beaches and turquoise waters. Today Playa del Carmen, or just "Playa" as it is colloquially referred to, is the centre of the Riviera Maya concept, which covers from Cancun to Tulum and the Sian Ka'am biosphere reserve. Playa is a stop for several cruise ships, which dock at the nearby Calica quarry docks, about six miles south of the city. A Mayan-themed "ecological theme park", Xcaret (pronounced "e-shcaret") is a popular tourist destination just south of the town. Tourist activity in Playa del Carmen centers on the Quinta Avenuda, or Fifth Avenue stretching from calle 1 norte until calle 34, a pedestrian walkway located just one block inland from the beach, and lined with boutique hotels, shops, bars and restaurants. Elements within the Playa del Carmen local community and government have attempted to retain Playa del Carmen's reputation and charm as a small fishing village and artist's colony, without becoming as large or tourist-dependent as Cancun. To this end, the city passed an ordinance limiting buildings to three stories. A few four-story buildings were built before the ordinance. Playa del Carmen is currently expanding north beyond the Colossio section and on the other side of highway 307, the Ejido. Playacar is a privately owned residential part of Playa del Carmen just south of the Zocalo where many of the all inclusive hotels, the aviary and the Playacar golf course are located. There is a significant European influence in Playa, with a number of local business proprietors drawn from the European expatriate community. Lodging runs the gamut from youth hotels to upscale, boutique hotels and condos available in all price ranges. A myriad of dining options ranging from roadside taco stands to upscale, fine-dining restaurants line 5th Avenue's downtown's pedestrian walkway. Enjoy local Mayan cuisine or choose from a variety of international eateries, including Italian, French, Argentinean, Japanese and Thai restaurants. For local dishes venture up Juarez Avenue or past 10th Avenue to sample authentic Mexican food. A typical day in Playa, as the locals call it, can be spent relaxing under an umbrella along the breathtaking Mayan Riviera beaches sipping a margarita. The azure sea is the perfect temperature for a swim, and the ocean breeze is steady enough to keep you cool. Seaside bars and restaurants are located all along Playa del Carmen beaches and are the perfect place to kick off your shoes and enjoy lunch with your toes in the cool, white sand. During the afternoon, you may browse the many shops and markets along 5th Avenue. Banks, pharmacies, one-hour-film developing, liquor stores and supermarkets are located downtown and nearby. After dinner at a palapa-roof restaurant, there are plenty of fun bars on the beach and in town where you can kick back with an ice-cold cerveza and watch live music. Listen to rock, folk, mariachi, and Mexican bands all around town and dance live Salsa music at the Mambo Café. Playa is the perfect location and there are many opportunities for day trips from Playa del Carmen to explore Mayan ruins, snorkel, swim in a cenote (underground cave), or explore the charming islands of Isla Mujeres or Cozumel. Modern public transportation systems make it easy, and affordable, to explore the Riviera Maya from Playa del Carmen. Hop the bus and explore the ruins at Tulum, Coba or Chichen Itza. Catch a collectivo bus to snorkel the lagoons at Xcaret or Xel Ha. Take the ferry to Cozumel and dive in the world-famous reef. Busses from Playa del Carmen to downtown Cancun depart every 15 minutes. If you prefer a more serene atmosphere, Akumal and Tulum are a short distance away. You might want to spend a day visiting the historical churches and buildings of colonial Valladolid. There are now 12 championship Golf Courses in the Mayan Riviera, including Mayakoba, host of the PGA Tour's Mayakoba Golf Classic in February. Playa del Carmen is in the centre of paradise with its close proximity to everything the Mexican Mayan Riviera has to offer.