Playa del Carmen — the second largest center of international tourism on the Caribbean coast of Mexico after Cancúna. There is an eternal debate among local expats about which city is better to live in. We can say for sure about the beaches: in Cancún they are definitely better, but if you do not live in the Hotel Zone, then it is more difficult to get there.
So, let's talk about the beaches of Playa del Carmen. All of them are located along one almost straight line. There is no protruding sand spit here, as in Cancún, and there are no coves. In this regard, very often there are no significant differences between beaches, except that the coastal infrastructure may differ.
The sand on the beaches of Playa del Carmen is coarser and yellow, and not white, as in Cancún. It warms up faster and has a lot of beautiful shells. The water is not as azure as in Cancún, sometimes even yellowish — The color of the sand affects it. Coastal water is usually clean everywhere, and if there are algae, there are often more of them in Playa del Carmen due to the topography of the coast.
Snorkeling in Playa del Carmen did not work out — The sea here seems dead, there are almost no reefs, and therefore there is nothing to see underwater. Even in the area of the only reef, for example from Playa Coco.
All the beaches of Playa del Carmen can be conditionally divided into two parts: the beaches of the Playacar area and the beaches along the main part of the city. If you stand at the pier from which ferries go to the island of Cozumel, then the beaches of Playacar will be on the right along the coastline, in front of you will be the Central Beach at Fundadores Park (a monument with mermaids), and on the left will be all the other city beaches.
Playacar beaches
The beaches of Playacar are considered the best in Playa del Carmen. Has the opportunity, and so. They are better because they are less crowded — they are further away and more difficult to access through gated residences, they are quieter — they are far from the endless cafes of the central part of the city, they are cleaner, and in this part of the city there are no large overhanging hotels. These beaches are worth visiting to enjoy a relaxing holiday. Waves can happen on any beach.
On the coast in this area there are small hotels and private villas mixed together. There are enough palm trees here so you don't have to look for shade. But to find completely secluded places, you need to leave the pier for about 10 minutes. There will be no water activities here, and there will be almost no vendors selling snacks and souvenirs. And if you go even further, you can reach a small forest, beyond which the territory of the Xcaret park begins.
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The rest of the beaches in the central part of the city are always noisy, very young. They are easily accessible thanks to the numerous passages between the trees. If you plan to be at the beach all day, you will have plenty of opportunities to run somewhere for water or lunch and then quickly return.
Many city beaches are equipped with changing rooms and toilets. But sunbeds and umbrellas are either only at hotels and beach clubs, or are paid — They will bring them to you and install them where you tell them.
Central Beach
There is no need to say much about Central Beach. Always noisy, always fun and other consequences of a large crowd of people. You will still pass by many times if you decide to walk through the very center of the city.
Other city beaches
All of them stretch along the coast along 5th Avenue and are located in the following order:
Playa Tukan or Playa Zenzi
(pier on Avenida Constituentes)
Playa Mamitas (next to Aldea Thai hotel)
Playa Shangri-La (near reef)
Playa Zubul
Playa Coco (distant reef)
Playa Punta Esmeralda
Almost all the beaches in the central part of the city have the same face: surrounded by fir trees, noisy, with many entertainment venues. Perhaps we would prefer to live between these beaches near some place, it would be more comfortable and calm. But be aware that there are a lot of people breathing along the shore in both directions.
The most «durable» from city beaches — Mamitas, home to the beach club of the same name. Somewhat reminiscent of Cancun beaches. There are bars, gazebos, sun loungers and umbrellas (for a fee), more or less good music. There are also amenities.
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Beaches after Shangri-La — These are beaches in the direction of non-travelling urban areas. They are often quite narrow, with uneven coastal topography. Due to the presence of reef formations in the water, the bottom here is rocky and covered with slippery algae. Sometimes it is very uncomfortable to go into the water, especially when there are waves. But the sea in this area seems more alive.
There are already few fir trees along the shore, but a lot of vegetation, which serves as a natural shelter from the sun. Those who live nearby or who are bothered by the bustle of city beaches prefer to breathe on distant beaches.
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Just walk along the coast and visit all the beaches. We are sure that you will find exactly the beach where you will feel most comfortable.