Best Things to Do in Playa del Carmen: Top Attractions & Tips

Attractions in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is a pure beach destination and there isn’t a whole lot to see in town itself. The real highlights are the beaches and the surrounding area. If you’re planning a road trip through Mexico, we recommend spending 3 days in Playa del Carmen — that’s plenty of time to hit the most important spots.

If you’re staying a week or more at a resort, Playa del Carmen also makes a great base for day trips to other parts of the Yucatán.

Beaches of Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is primarily a destination for beach vacations — and for good reason. Some of its beaches rank among the most beautiful in all of Mexico.

The main city beach is open to the public. The water is calm, the sand is soft, and there’s a huge selection of beach bars. The downside: it fills up fast.

For something more relaxed and even more paradise-like, head to the beach at Playacar. It’s about a 20-minute walk from the city beach, also public, and only accessible on foot or by bike — which keeps the crowds down.

Beautiful beaches near Playa del Carmen

If you want to explore more of the coastline, here are our top picks:

• Playa Punta Esmeralda (north of Playa del Carmen)
• Playa Paraiso (Tulum)
• Playa Akumal
• Playa Delfines (Cancún)

You can find more details about the beaches along the Riviera Maya in our dedicated beach articles.

5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen

Sooner or later, you’ll end up strolling down 5th Avenue. This pedestrian zone runs parallel to the beach for nearly 3 kilometers and is seriously fun to explore.

Restaurants and shops of every kind line the street, making it a great spot for shopping and people-watching. Come evening, certain sections of the Avenida transform into a party strip — if you’re looking for a night out, you’ll find it here.

Along with the beaches, 5th Avenue is really the only major attraction in the center of Playa del Carmen. For everything else on this list, you’ll need to head a little outside of town.

Cenotes near Playa del Carmen

Cenotes are karst limestone caves filled with crystal-clear water. They’re not just stunning for photos — you can also go swimming and diving in them.

The Yucatán Peninsula has several thousand cenotes, and a number of them are right near Playa del Carmen. Our favorites are Cenote Azul and Cenote Jardín del Eden, both located about 25 kilometers south of town.

You can easily visit on your own. From Calle 1 Sur between Av. 50 Norte and Av. 45 Norte, colectivos depart regularly toward Tulum and stop at both Cenote Azul and Jardín del Eden.

Day Trip to Cozumel

Cozumel is Mexico’s largest Caribbean island and sits just off the coast of Playa del Carmen. You can reach it by ferry — the crossing takes about 45 minutes and drops you off in the main town of San Miguel de Cozumel.

The really paradise-like beaches are found in other parts of the island. Our top pick is Playa El Cielo in the south of Cozumel — it’s seriously gorgeous.

We recommend heading over early in the morning and renting a bicycle in San Miguel. That way you can cover a lot of the island comfortably in a single day.

Alternatively, you can book a guided island tour on-site. These usually depart near the ferry terminal on Cozumel.

El Cielo Beach & Palancar Reef tour with beach party

Private buggy tour on Cozumel with snorkeling & lunch

Ferries to Cozumel

Two operators run the crossing: Ultramar and Winjet. Both depart from the Muelle de Playa del Carmen in the center of town, and their prices are roughly the same. A round trip runs about 500–600 MXN. Prices do change from time to time, so check before you go.

Current departure times are listed on the websites of Ultramar and Winjet. Ferries run every one to two hours, and you can book tickets directly on their sites.

Book Ultramar ferry tickets online

Day Trip to Rio Secreto

Rio Secreto is a vast underground river cave system south of Playa del Carmen — think of it as several cenotes all connected beneath the earth. It’s absolutely one of the top things to do near Playa del Carmen.

The underground river is packed with stalagmites and stalactites, and because it’s so enormous, you’ll encounter very few other visitors. You can only explore Rio Secreto on a guided tour, where you’ll be kitted out with a wetsuit, headlamp, and everything else you need.

Note: Rio Secreto is not suitable for people with claustrophobia.

Guided tour of Rio Secreto including lunch

More Day Trips from Playa del Carmen

Beyond Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo has plenty of other standout destinations — Cancún, Tulum, and Isla Mujeres among them. If you’re doing a road trip around the Yucatán, don’t skip any of them.

If Playa del Carmen is your home base for the whole trip, day trips are your best bet. Here are the excursions we’d recommend:

• Chichén Itzá with cenotes and Valladolid day trip
• Mayan ruins of Tulum, Cobá, and cenotes day trip
• Day trip to Holbox Island
• Isla Mujeres and Isla Contoy day trip

We’ve also put together a full guide to the most beautiful highlights on the Yucatán — worth a read before you go.

Practical Tips for Playa del Carmen

Here are a few practical things to know before your trip to Playa del Carmen.

Where to stay in Playa del Carmen?

Playa del Carmen has a huge range of accommodation. From budget B&Bs to boutique hotels and stylish luxury hotels, there’s a great option at every price point. Check out our hotel guides for Playa del Carmen for our top picks on where to stay.

Is Playa del Carmen dangerous?

No — Playa del Carmen is a safe destination. You can walk through the center during the day and in the evening without any issues. Just keep an eye on your belongings in crowded spots, especially on the beach.

What’s the weather like in Playa del Carmen?

The climate is tropical, so it’s warm year-round and you can swim any time. During the rainy season (roughly May to October), it gets very hot and humid. The dry season is the better time to visit — lower humidity, plenty of sunshine, and slightly cooler temperatures.

Getting There and Getting Around

Playa del Carmen is well connected by bus. Two ADO terminals serve the city, with routes to Cancún Airport, Valladolid, Mérida, and more. You can buy tickets online at the ADO website, or through ViajoMucho or Checkmybus if the ADO site gives you trouble.

For Tulum, Cancún, and Akumal, colectivos are the way to go. They depart roughly every ten minutes, cost very little, and leave from Calle 1 Sur between Av. 50 Norte and Av. 45 Norte.

Within Playa del Carmen itself, you can walk almost everywhere — or rent a bike if you prefer.

Seaweed in Playa del Carmen

At certain times of year, the Riviera Maya gets a lot of seaweed washing up on shore. In Playa del Carmen, the risk is highest during April through August. That said, it’s impossible to predict exactly when it’ll be bad — it’s partly a matter of luck.