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Playa
del Carmen, Mexico
- This town attracts many in their 20's & 30's. Playa del
Carmen offers a value proposition. Beach vacation without having to
commit to the cost of the Cancun's prime location resorts. Centrally
located to meet your needs.
 Hoteles
This little Caribbean beach town has grown
tremendously in popularity during the last decade. There's a good reason
for that - Playa is a fantastic place to spend your vacation, hang out,
or live. The town has grown along the beach, so wherever you go, you
will feel the closeness to the ocean. The main street is called Quinta
Avenida, or 5th Avenue. Sometimes it's just called La Quinta. It is a
pedestrian walkway and a common point of reference. Avenues, avenida
in Spanish, run parallel to the beach. They are given numbers in
increments of five, 5th Ave, 10th Ave, etc. Streets, calles, are
perpendicular to the coast and they have even numbers north of Juarez
and odd numbers to the south.
Between El Zocalo and Avenida
Constituyentes - The town basically has two parts. Let's
start from the dock and the main square, El Zocalo. Going west from here
is Avenida Juarez, where you will find the bus station, post office,
police and most banks. Now head north on 5th Avenue, walking parallel to
the beach. This first part of Playa is where you find most hotels,
restaurants, bars and shops. Basically, the town gets less crowded the
further north you get. Not that Playa is very crowded as far as towns
are concerned. The next big avenue you get to is called Constituyentes
(constitution) and it ends on the point of the beach where the big
yellow hotel Porto Real is located. On the beach between the dock and
this point you have a choice of many nice hotels, restaurants, bars and
dive shops.
Between Constituyentes and Coco Beach
- On this bay the beach is less crowded and
not as developed. There are a few beach clubs, where you can rent lounge
chairs and umbrellas (normally cheaper than in the first bay), a couple
of restaurants and a few hotels. The beach and water here is the best
Playa has to offer, wide, white, soft, a super gradual drop off...¡que
playa! In this section of the Quinta are some very cool hotels and condo
complexes. More hotels, bars, restaurants and shops appear on a monthly
basis. The beach ends in another point, Coco Beach.
Coco Beach and Beyond
- On this point you will find a couple of
restaurants and dive shops. Chunzubul reef just outside Coco Beach is a
good place to snorkel. It also provides a protected natural port for
Playa's dive boats. North of Coco Beach, the beach gets emptier and
emptier as you keep going north. Here's a good place to be on your own.
West of La Quinta
- Away from the main drag, Playa changes
character. Further from the beach, the town becomes more residential and
more Mexican, if you will. Don't ignore this part of town. On 30th
Avenue there are plenty of excellent little restaurants with authentic
Mexican food. This is also where you find the two large grocery stores,
San Francisco and Super Maz. This part of Playa may not be as pretty,
but you can eat some good antojitos here!
Playacar -
South of the dock is an area called
Playacar. This planned development is where all the big, all-inclusive
resorts are located. You'll also find the golf course, some private
homes and condos, the aviary, and some interesting Mayan ruins.
Everywhere is Good
- Hopefully you have a somewhat clearer
picture of Playa from this little description. One more thing needs to
be said, though. Playa is small. To walk from the dock to Constituyentes
will take you about 10 minutes and to Coco Beach another 10 minutes. So
regardless of where you chose to stay, you will be within walking
distance of everything in town. If you think it's too hot to walk, taxis
are cheap and plentiful.
The pace of life in
Playa del Carmen varies considerably. At times it reflects the
gentle waves that bathe its shores with their warm, white sands, and at
others, it mirrors the rhythm of Quinta Avenida, with its improvised
artists, and dozens of languages blended into a single murmur.
Everything about Playa is surprising. Grand hotels and resorts rub
shoulders with small, traditional hostels, while dozens of snack-bars
and cafés jockey for space with elegant, first-class restaurants. Life
in Playa del Carmen is characterized by variety and diversity.
Ferry services in Playa del Carmen -
The ferry to Cozumel Island is located in Playa del Carmen, with
scheduled trips there and back several times a day. You'll also be close
to the Eco-Parks in the area.
Nightlife in Playa del Carmen - The
evening offers a number of options such as places to dance and shake off the
insomnia caused by Caribbean nights, popular fiestas on the beaches and lively
bars. Down the 5th avenue you will find a bunch of bars and discos with a great
friendly and lively ambiance. Some of best places to dance are El Espiral and El
Señor Frogs. If you'd like to have a drink and listen to good music, Captain
Tutics, Safari and The Blue Parrot are all excellent choices.
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