Dry season on both coasts: calm seas, clear skies, and peak prices.Dry season on both coasts.Where to go
Sargassum often builds on the Caribbean side from spring into late summer.Sargassum season on the Caribbean.Today's reading
Hurricane season runs to 30 November. Quieter beaches, lower prices; watch the forecast.Hurricane season, to 30 November.When to go
Quinta Avenida, beach clubs and the ferry to Cozumel, all a short walk from the sand.
Photo: Alfonzo Buscemi · CC BY 3.0What to know
Playa del Carmen grew from a fishing village into the Riviera Maya's walkable town. Quinta Avenida runs a block back from the sand, the ferries to Cozumel leave from the main pier, and beach clubs fill the shore north of it. The centre is busy and loud at night; Playacar, to the south, is quieter.
Our take
A walking town built around Quinta Avenida: shops and bars by day, louder by night, the beach one block over.
A good base for the Riviera Maya. More walkable than Cancún, livelier than Tulum.
Good for
Worth knowing
In pictures
Photo: Alfonzo Buscemi · CC BY 3.0
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin · CC BY 2.0The numbers
Before you go
In Quintana Roo, on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula.
Usually December to April, when the weather on this stretch of coast is most settled.
Colectivos, taxis, rental cars, and ferry to Cozumel.
33 beaches are listed for Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, most-reviewed first.
Xcaret Park, Xplor Park, and Parque Los Fundadores, by number of Google reviews.
8 hotels are listed within 20 km, among them La Pasión Hotel Boutique, Magic Blue Spa Boutique Hotel Playa del Carmen, and Hacienda Real del Caribe.
4-7 days covers the beaches without rushing.
Beach clubs, shopping, and nightlife. The vibe: lively and walkable.
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo
Getting around: colectivos, taxis, and rental cars.
From PlayaBueno's own notes on this city.
Most reviewed
Where to stay
The full list
33 listed, by town, most-reviewed first.
Hotel occupancy · Riviera Maya
DataTur hotel occupancy for Riviera Maya (Quintana Roo). DataTur reports by tourism destination: these are the figures for Riviera Maya as a whole, not for Playa del Carmen alone.
Occupancy averages about 82% in December. Book ahead.
Occupancy averages about 62% in September, so rooms are easier to find.
In 2024: busiest February (86.4%) · quietest September (59.4%)
January 2024 to December 2024, 0–100% occupancy scale.
Source: Official hotel occupancy statistics from DataTur (SECTUR Mexico). Aggregated across registered lodging categories.