Playa del Carmen Holidays

from £485 per person

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Playa del Carmen holidays 2021

Taking you to the heart of the Riviera Maya, holidays in Playa del Carmen offer sun, fun and seriously gorgeous beaches year-round. Mexico’s Carribean resorts don’t get more picture-perfect than this.

There’s barely anything you can’t do on holidays to Playa del Carmen. As this resort city has grown, so has its incredible array of restaurants, shops and watersports. By day you can tee-off at a world-class golf course, lounge on a private beach or visit ancient Mayan ruins. By night, you can sip cocktails looking out to sea or dive straight into the bar scene.

Diving in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, or just Playa as it’s often known, is a year-round diving destination. On the reefs just offshore, experienced and amateur divers alike can spot bull sharks, eagle rays and turtles. Inland, you can even dive in the Yucatan’s cenotes, azure sinkholes that plunge deep into the region’s limestone plateau.

Overview
Things to do
Places to stay

Why book Playa Del Carmen holidays

Discover the best beaches

The beaches go on and on in Playa del Carmen, just think of sugary white sands and turquoise waters...

Amazing all inclusive resorts

The choice is amazing in Playa del Carmen, so it's pretty easy to lay back on a sun lounger and sip on an exotic cocktail

Sample the local food

Head down 5th Avenue for a taste of Mexican street food, the taco trucks have you covered!

Perfect for watersports

You'll love the thrilling beach activities here, why not try diving and see what you can find in Mexico's waters?

Great national parks

Explore Mexico's ecotourism at Xcaret Park, which has everything from swimming spots and jungle ziplines

Stay active

Like golf? Have a game during your Playa del Carmen holiday at one of the resort's top golf courses

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Your guide to Playa Del Carmen holidays

Time to explore

Top attractions

From the beach to the bars, the fun never stops on Playa del Carmen breaks. This is a true holiday playground.

A day at a beach club is an essential Playa experience. Vibes vary enormously: you could hit the sand early for a juice and sunrise yoga session or dance on tables as the sun goes down.
You don’t need any diving experience to snorkel off the coast of Playa del Carmen. Take a guided tour of the reef at nearby Puerto Morelos for your best chance to spot rays, turtles and barracudas.
Hit the links at the 18-hole Hard Rock Golf Course, designed by world famous architect Robert Von Hagge, or the PGA championship course, El Camaleón.
Pedestrianised 5th Avenue, or Quinta Avenida, is the commercial heart of Playa del Carmen. Come for a stroll, to dip in and out of the shops or to check out the myriad restaurants and bars.
After dark head to 10th Street or 12th Street to find Playa del Carmen’s party scene. You can hop from cocktail bars to clubs that get wilder and wilder as the night wears on.

Adventure activities in Playa del Carmen

There are plenty of ways to get your pulse racing on holidays in Playa del Carmen. Thrilling zip-line courses and wet ‘n’ wild watersports are just the start of the action.

Hop on the back of a jet-ski to get your adrenaline kicks right from the beach. Waverunners can get up to speeds of 70 miles an hour.
If you’ve got a good head for heights, strap in for a parasailing flight. Rides start around 15 minutes and you can do them in tandem with a friend if you’re feeling nervous.
Prefer to get your thrills on dry land? Buckle up and head into the jungle an ATV tour, accompanied by a local guide who’ll help you master some new tricks.
The Extreme Canopy Tour at Selvatica is the wildest, most adventurous zip-line adventure near Playa. There are some 50 natural and theme-park-style attractions at Xcaret Park on the edge of Playa del Carmen. Highlights include the Xcaret Mexico Espectacular show and shallow cenote-like pools for younger kids.

Food & Drink

Eating out

Whether you’re dreaming of poolside margaritas or pushing the boat out for a gourmet dinner, there’s a restaurant or bar that will cater to your every whim.

Simple meals in Playa del Carmen centre on one thing: seafood. Whether you’re eating in a casual taquería or a candlelit beach bar, expect to see plenty of loaded fish tacos and tostadas.
When it comes to international cooking, Playa’s best restaurants have almost every cuisine covered, from sushi and pizza to Thai and Argentinian.
It’s all about the atmosphere on all-you-can-drink sunset cruises, which set sail daily from Playa in high season. Vibes vary from chic parties with on-board DJs to rowdy booze cruises.
Superb coffee is farmed across Mexico, the beans travelling from the states of Oaxaca, Veracruz and Chiapas on their way to your cup in Playa del Carmen. You might also see café de olla, which is sweetened with brown sugar and spiced with cinnamon.
You can leave your holiday to Playa del Carmen with recipes as well as memories. Cooking classes here usually start with a spin around a local market before you kit the kitchen.

Mexican dishes to try in Playa del Carmen

Don’t miss trying at least a few of the Yucatan’s traditional dishes as well as more widely known Mexican classics.

Ceviche, raw fish cured in lime juice, is a Carribean coast staple. There’s no end to the different toppings, although chopped onions and coriander are the most common.
You might be surprised how often you find yourself ordering soup on scorching summer days. Light and fresh sopa de lima is addictively good, made with shredded chicken and sweet limes. Top a bowl with crispy fried tortilla chips.
Rich and succulent cochinita pibil, slow-cooked pork, is a must-try and the Yucatan’s best-known dish. The recipe is thought to be more than 1,000 years old.
Got a sweet tooth? Try marquesitas, the Yucatan’s answer to a French crepe. Nutella and Edam is unexpectedly the most popular local filling.
As for drinks, skip the tequila shooters and sip mezcal instead. This smokey agave spirit has a flavour all its own – and it adds an amazing depth to cocktails.

Holiday types

Family holidays

Package holidays to Playa del Carmen offer unbeatable family escapes. With endlesses kids’ clubs, pool complexes and activities, you’ll never run out of things to do.

Exploring the pristine sunken caves at Rio Secreto, the Riviera Maya’s most recently discovered cenote, is simply magical. Kitted up with helmets, wetsuits and life jackets, you’ll paddle through crystal-clear waters and magnificent caverns.
Older kids can learn more about the work of Mexico’s most iconic artist, Frida Kahlo, at the Frida Kahlo Museum on 5th avenue. It takes a chronological approach to her life with audio visual exhibits and plenty of information in English.
Looking for family-friendly after-dark activities? Book tickets for Cirque du Soleil’s whimsical show, Joyà. Featuring their signature mix of music and acrobatics, it’s the group’s first show in Mexico.
It’s just over a two-hour drive to the majestic Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, but visiting this UNESCO World Heritage site is an experience the whole family will never forget.
To explore more of the Yucatan’s natural history, head south to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere. Small-group kayak tours navigate through its mangrove mazes and ecologically diverse wetlands.

Couples holidays

Looking to up the romance on your holiday to Playa del Carmen? Start with private pools and rooftop cocktails.

Trust us, it’s worth getting up at the crack of dawn for a sunrise SUP session. You’ll spend an hour floating and paddling as the sun comes up, with a photographer on hand to capture the moment.
Turn up the heat with a salsa or bachata lesson. Both dance styles are becoming increasingly popular in Playa and plenty of beach clubs offer informal all-welcome sessions.
You've not really seen the Caribbean until you’ve been out to sea. Catamaran tours combine snorkeling with a luxurious onboard meal.
Even if you’re not staying at The Thompson, you can book a private cabana at the adults-only rooftop pool, with its swim-up bar and seriously sultry sunset vibes.
Once you’ve exhausted Playa’s part scene – or it’s exhausted you – book in for a spa day. There are oodles of treatments on offer, from romantic couples massages to body wraps and hot-stone therapies.

Beaches

Beaches in Playa del Carmen

Powdery, white-sand beaches are the biggest appeal of package holidays to Playa del Carmen. Settle in beneath the swaying palms and you’ll feel like you don’t have a care in the world.

Playa’s main beach is a near-uninterrupted strip of gorgeously soft sand, interspersed with sections of loungers and backed by cafés and bars.
Beyond the most central section of beach, strips take their name from the nearest hotel or resort. Shangri La Beach is as central, busy and buzzy as they come, good for both sunbathing and swimming.
Mamitas Beach, and its eponymous beach club, is the place to head for a party. Table service and VIP sections set the vibe.
Less-developed Los Pinos Beach is generally the locals’ choice. It’s a bit more remote, but what it lacks in facilities it makes up for in semi-isolated charm.
With its sparkling freshwater cenote and sheltered sand, Playa Punta Esmeralda is a big hit with families. It’s just a fifteen-minute taxi ride from the centre of Playa.

Best beaches for day trips

Even if you’ve booked an all-inclusive Playa del Carmen escape, it’s worth leaving your resort for at least one day-trip.

Playacar, just to the south of Playa del Carmen, is really a city in its own right. Some of the largest all-inclusive resorts are located within this sprawling semi-gated community – and the beach is superb.
Heading across to Isla Cozumel is the most popular day-trip from Playa. This sleepy island remains relatively undeveloped, with superb beaches and diving.
Playa Maroma is just a short drive from downtown Playa del Carmen but a bit of a hidden paradise. It’s technically a private beach, so you’ll need to have lunch or drinks at one of the restaurants to get access.
The draw to Akumal Beach isn’t just the soft white sand but seeing sea turtles lay their eggs in season.
You’re unlikely to run out of things to do in Playa del Carmen, but if you want a change of scene, head north to the myriad beaches surrounding the Yucatan’s other resort city: Cancun.

What our local experts say

Top 5 swim-up rooms

What could possibly be more inviting on holiday than being able to swim up directly to your room from the pool? We’ve got lots of fabulous hotels and resorts with this luxurious amenity at loveholidays.com – and, thanks to our late deals and low deposit holidays, they’re more ...

Playa del Carmen weather

Jan

26°C

Avg. Dry Days 11

Feb

27°C

Avg. Dry Days 11

Mar

28°C

Avg. Dry Days 13

Apr

29°C

Avg. Dry Days 13

Nov

28°C

Avg. Dry Days 6

Dec

27°C

Avg. Dry Days 7

Your Playa del Carmen questions answered

What’s the best time to visit Playa del Carmen?

If you’re searching for winter sun destinations, Playa del Carmen is a great choice. The weather is warm here year-round, with temperatures rarely dropping below the mid 20s. The driest months are December to March, while hurricane season lasts from June to September.

When is the cheapest time to visit Playa del Carmen?

How can I get to and from the airport?

Which area should I stay in?

What kind of experience does Playa del Carmen offer?

Top Mexico holiday destinations

Want to explore more places like Playa del Carmen? Why not check out some of our top Mexico destinations:

Top Playa Del Carmen hotels

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Prices last checked at 11:21 25 February 2021