Playa del Carmen – complete guide from Cancun

Playa del Carmen – a completely different experience than Cancun

Playa del Carmen is located south of Cancun and is one of the most popular destinations on the Riviera Maya. Although the distance is not particularly large, the two places feel quite different. Cancun is dominated by the long Hotel Zone with large resorts along the beach. Playa del Carmen, on the other hand, has a compact center where you can walk between the beach, restaurants, shops and bars. This makes Playa del Carmen interesting both as a day trip from Cancun and as an alternative to staying in Cancun for the whole vacation. What is Playa del Carmen known for? Most people associate the town with:

• Quinta Avenida
• the beach
• restaurants
• shopping
• nightlife
• ferry to Cozumel
• central location on the Riviera Maya

Playa del Carmen also works very well as a base for Tulum, cenotes, Akumal and several of the large adventure parks.

Quinta Avenida

Quinta Avenida – Fifth Avenue – is the heart of the tourist area. The long pedestrian street runs parallel to the beach and is full of:

• restaurants
• shops
• bars
• cafés
• ice cream shops
• souvenir shops
• hotels

This is perhaps the biggest difference from Cancun. In Cancun the distances between hotel, restaurant and other attractions can be large. In Playa del Carmen you can stay right in the center and do much of your holiday on foot. How are the beaches? Playa del Carmen has nice Caribbean beaches, but if the perfect beach is the top priority, we would not automatically choose Playa over Cancun. The beaches are closer to the town, and both their width and conditions can vary. Cancun’s Hotel Zone generally has more of the really large and wide beaches associated with classic Cancun images. Playa del Carmen's strength is the combination: beach + town + restaurant life.

Restaurants

This is an area where Playa del Carmen really shines. Since the centre is compact, you can step out of your hotel and choose from a large number of restaurants every evening. This also means that we often find All Inclusive less necessary in Playa del Carmen than at an isolated Cancun resort. If you stay centrally, the restaurant selection is part of the experience.

Shopping

Quinta Avenida is the main shopping area. Here you will find both well-known international stores and a large number of shops selling:

• clothing
• jewelry
• handicrafts
• tequila
• souvenirs

The closer you are to the tourist core, the more tourist-oriented the offering naturally becomes.

Playa del Carmen with children

Yes – Playa del Carmen can be very good with children. Especially families who like to:

• walk to dinner
• buy ice cream
• stroll in the evenings
• not be tied to the resort

may prefer Playa over Cancun. With small children, however, we would be careful about the hotel’s location. A hotel close to lively bars and nightclubs is naturally less ideal than a quieter area a few blocks away.

Day trip from Cancun

Playa del Carmen works well as a day trip. You can:

travel from Cancun in the morning

walk Quinta Avenida

have lunch

visit the beach

shop

eat an early dinner

travel back

But if you already know that the restaurant scene and city atmosphere are important, it may be more interesting to stay a couple of nights.

Cancun to Playa del Carmen

From Cancun Airport the driving time to Playa del Carmen is stated to be about 50–60 minutes under normal conditions. (Lugares INAH) From the Hotel Zone itself you should allow additional time depending on where you are staying and the traffic. Relevant options are:

• ADO bus
• private transfer
• taxi
• rental car

Ferry to Cozumel

Another big advantage of Playa del Carmen is the ferry connection to Cozumel. This makes Playa a very practical starting point if you want a day trip to the island, especially for snorkeling or diving. How long do you need?

Day trip

6–10 hours.

To really experience the town

2–4 nights.

As a main base on the Riviera Maya

7+ nights works well.

Cancun or Playa del Carmen? The short version: Choose Cancun for:

• large resorts
• spectacular beaches
• classic All Inclusive
• an easy holiday

Choose Playa del Carmen for:

• walking distance
• restaurants
• city life
• a more flexible vacation

But this question deserves its own guide.

Our assessment

We would especially recommend a trip to Playa del Carmen if you are in Cancun for 10 days or more. It provides a nice contrast to the Hotel Zone, and Quinta Avenida and the centre make the area feel much more like a small holiday town than a traditional resort area.