Why Playa Del Carmen, Mexico?

This was my first ever solo trip out of the United States when I made my travel destination Playa Del Carmen in December 2010. I chose this beach destination because I wanted to go somewhere warm and not too far from the United States.

I picked Playa Del Carmen since it met my criteria of having an international and cultural vibe per advice from friends who had been to both Cancun and Playa Del Carmen.

Things to do

I took an all-day tour to Chichen Itza which is an amazing pyramid and one of the “Seven New Wonders of the World”. The tour included a lunch and trip to the cenotes (caves). There are several other day trips possible out of Playa Del Carmen as they have something for every age group and are very affordable.

Playa Del Carmen has a happening vibe for their nightlife as you will encounter many dance clubs and entertainment shows at nighttime.

Self Tours:

I strolled along the beach and the main strip which includes many retail shops and vendors which can take some time due to taking in the scenery and people watching. Be prepared to hassle with the street vendors as they always keep saying “almost free my friend”.

During my stay, I even made a trip to Walmart which is only about a 20 minute walk away from the beach in case you need some toiletries, etc while on your trip. One can take the ferry from the beach of Playa Del Carmen to Cozumel which usually runs once per hour during daytime hours but unfortunately due to timing issues I was unable to take that island adventure.

Getting around/safety

I flew into Cancun from Atlanta but took an air-conditioned bus that took me to the bus terminal in Playa Del Carmen which costs about $8 for a one-way ticket. This is the cheapest transportation option as taxis and car rentals will costs you at least 10x more and can be ripoffs for the fees they charge.