Travel to Playa del Carmen, Playacar

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Playa del Carmen, Playacar, Mexico Yucatan

Today a large town or a small city on the Turquoise Coast, Playa del Carmen was once a tiny fishing village. Its shipping port for Cozumel, the island with its immense coral reef, has largely contributed to its development. The city is now the nerve centre of the Mayan Riviera. The historic centre, which is very lively, offers small hotels and bungalows that attract a European clientele. Nearby, the narrow public beach aligns its terraces and its open-air cafés with a view of the transparent waters. It is common to find yourself on these white sands after the bars close at 2:00 am in the morning. Half a mile to the south you can find the hotel-clubs. They are located in the hotel zone of Playa del Carmen called Playacar. All are very similar with a building, lawn, swimming pool, palapa (restaurant), noisy leisure activities and fun evenings. Right on the water's edge, between the Caribbean Sea and the Playacar golf course, it is difficult not to give in to its allure.

You are 15 minutes by boat from the island of Cozumel which has the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere. Many hotels offer free introductory diving courses in the swimming pool and subcontract courses under PADI certification.

Tulum is the region's unmissable archaeological site (see below) along with the archeological site of Chichen Itza which lies west of Playa del Carmen, in central Yucatan, within an hour and a quarter by car. This is one of the leading cities of the Maya 'new empire' founded in 987. Do not hesitate to climb the 91 steps of the main pyramid to enjoy the view over the surrounding jungle.

If you like swimming in rivers and lagoons in crystalline waters amongst brightly coloured tropical birds and butterflies, do not miss Xcaret : an eco-archaeological park, a five minute drive away. To book, most hotels entrust the management of excursions in the region to travel agencies; they all have information and sales offices within the hotels.

There are numerous hotels along the turquoise blue seafront, against a backdrop of fine, white sand.
Palancar, one of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world
A seaside resort full of charm and authenticity
The proximity of Maya's sites

cons

The often uncontrolled development of tourism
The cost of living indexed to the dollar
The overflow of the craft trade

Weather Playa del Carmen, Playacar - choosing the best time to go

Mexico - Playa del Carmen, Playacar

All overall indicators 56/100 Average
Temperature indicators 60/100 Good
Bad weather indicators 24/100 Bad
Sunbathing indicators 50/100 Average
Swimming indicators 86/100 Excellent
Wind indicators 72/100 Good
Temperature indicatorsVery hot :
The maximum temperature is <24°, temperature felt between 33°C and 36°C.
Bad weather indicatorsRainy :
Rainy - averaging between 3.5mm and 4.5mm per day.
Sunbathing indicatorsSunny intervals :
Cloudy with sunny intervals (40% to 60% cloud cover).
Swimming indicatorsVery pleasant / Optimal :
High air temperature (>24°C), high sea temperature (>24°C), light to moderate winds (between 7 mph and 12 mph).
Wind indicatorsLight warm breeze :
Near optimal comfort: moderate to light winds (between 6 mph and 7 mph) in a warm enviromnment (>24°C).

Weather finder : Playa del Carmen, Playacar / May Annual weather finder : Playa del Carmen, Playacar

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Visit Playa del Carmen, Playacar

To see

Tulum, whose façade of one of the main buildings from the 12th and 13th centuries towers on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Combine this visit by a swim in the lagoon of Xel-Ha, a real natural pool, much frequented, where the fresh water sources and warm currents of the sea mix together.

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To do

Go swimming in the famous ?cenotes', tunnels with cavities filled with freshwater. Specialised companies in fair tourism offer daily trips accompanied by Tyrolean descents, which are very impressive in the jungle.

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To think about

It is better to bring small change, the nuevo peso (N$), and U.S. dollars in small notes. Small shops, taxis and street vendors can rarely change large notes. There are notes of 20, 50 and 100 N$.

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To avoid

Some tours offer a ?meeting of the Maya people'. Though it is true that you see the descendants of the pre-Columbian civilization, the term ?meet' is often misused. Due to a lack of time, there is no time to start a conversation. Sometimes, meals are not shared with the inhabitants. Find out before leaving!

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To try

The cuisine of the Yucatan peninsula is mainly composed of dishes made from corn (tortillas), a wide variety of meat, seasoned with chilli (not as spicy in hotels) or coriander. The shellfish is excellent. The grouper is the fish that you most often find at a good price in restaurants.

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To bring back

The hammocks of Yucatan, finely woven nylon or cotton, are comfortable. You will find different sizes costing between £10 and £17 apiece. Avoid other rough materials which can be rough on the skin. Corsages, shawls ( ?rebosos'), masks and leather sandals are commonly found on the markets. Silver is fashioned with various styles and motifs.

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Country guide

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Mexico: Cancun to Tulum hotels

What about heading out to explore Yucatan's transparent waters? Nothing less than a clear turquoise Caribbean ocean should be expected in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. There is a strong party atmosphere for miles of white sandy coastline, from Cancun to Tulum, all unfolding in the sunshine. You will ...