Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya
Playa del Carmen
While the city of Cancun is arguably one of the most well-known travel destinations for American tourists looking for a nice sunny time in Mexico, especially with students on spring break, there are obviously some other equally appealing places to visit in the same region, actually in the vicinity of Cancun, one such place being Playa del Carmen.
Playa del Carmen is a “balneario” resort city located at about thirty-five miles south of Cancun, with a rapidly growing population due to its increasing popularity with tourists and thanks to the presence of a University, the city is the third largest city in the Quintana Roo region.
What once started as a small fishing town, has almost exploded into a continually growing town thanks to the tourism industry. Once that started, the word started spreading about the laid back atmosphere and great beaches that can be found here. The city is so laid-back that its main street, Avenida Quinta, is all pedestrian for about two miles, it’s basically a string of hotels, restaurants, bars and shops that can be walked to and from without fear of being run over.
The lodging options in Playa del Carmen cover a lot of possibilities, from youth hostels to to upscale hotels, with everything in between of course. There are actually over one hundred hotels in the city that you can choose from, thus making accommodation possible for all budgets.
Alongside the many accommodation options there are equally varied dining options, from roadside taco stands to extremely high-end fine dining establishments which can be found on Avenida Quinta. Those who want to keep to things they know can take their pick from a plethora of international-style restaurants, including Italian, French and Thai, but those who want to experience the local culture a bit more can look for and enjoy the Mayan and Mexican cuisine.
When walking around Playa you will surely notice some significant European, Canadian and Argentinian influences, this is mostly due to the fact that the local business owners come from the expatriate community which calls Playa home.
Playa del Carmen is one of the best locations that you could visit on the Riviera Maya, go there and enjoy the sun and the sand.
