Things to do · Playa del Carmen · Mexico
13 best things to do in Playa del Carmen
13 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
The essential sights in Playa del Carmen are Quinta Avenida, Parque Fundadores and Portal Maya and Mamitas Beach. Of the 13 picks below, 6 are free, 2 work on a rainy day and 6 suit children. Allow about 6 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Quinta Avenida
- Free sights
- 6
- Good on a rainy day
- Río Secreto
- Time to see the highlights
- 6 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quinta Avenida | Centro and Quinta Avenida | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Parque Fundadores and Portal Maya | Centro and Quinta Avenida | 45 minutes | Free |
| Mamitas Beach | Mamitas and Calle 28–38 | Half a day | Free |
| Xcaret | South of Playa del Carmen | Full day | Expensive |
| Punta Esmeralda | Coco Beach and Punta Esmeralda | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Xplor | South of Playa del Carmen | Full day | Expensive |
| Río Secreto | South of Playa del Carmen | Half a day | Expensive |
| Cenote Azul | Puerto Aventuras area | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Cenote Cristalino | Puerto Aventuras area | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Cenote Jardín del Edén | Puerto Aventuras area | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Reef snorkelling and diving | Centro and Quinta Avenida | Half a day | Expensive |
| Xaman Há ruins | Playacar | 30 minutes | Free |
| Paseo del Carmen | Centro and Quinta Avenida | 1 hour | Free |
The 13 best things to do
Street · Centro and Quinta Avenida
1.Quinta Avenida
Fifth Avenue is Playa's pedestrian main street, running parallel to the beach from near the ferry pier north for several kilometres. Its southern end is lined with souvenir shops, pharmacies and big-brand stores, while the stretch north of Calle 20 has more restaurants, cafés and small boutiques under the trees.
Walk north from Parque Fundadores in the early evening when the street is at its liveliest, and ignore timeshare and tour sellers.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- After dark
Landmark · Centro and Quinta Avenida
2.Parque Fundadores and Portal Maya
The seafront square at the foot of Quinta Avenida is the town's gathering place, with the large bronze Portal Maya arch sculpture framing the sea, the small white church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen nearby and a tall pole where Papantla Flyers (voladores) often perform their ritual descent.
Come at sunset to see the plaza busy with families and street performers.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Kids
Beach · Mamitas and Calle 28–38
3.Mamitas Beach
Playa's most famous beach, at the end of Calle 28, has fine white sand, turquoise water and a well-known beach club, plus public sections where you can lay your own towel. It is lively all day and is the setting for the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival.
Bring your own towel and stay on the public sand to avoid beach-club minimum spends.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Iconic
Theme park · South of Playa del Carmen
4.Xcaret
About 6 km south of town, Xcaret is a large eco-archaeological park with underground river swims, a coral-reef aquarium, butterfly and bird sanctuaries, a Maya village and a nightly show, 'Xcaret México Espectacular', on Mexican history and culture. It easily fills a full day.
Bring a change of clothes for the evening show and buy tickets online in advance for a better price.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Tickets are sold for specific dates; book online in advance in high season.
- Kids
- Iconic
- Nature
- After dark
Beach · Coco Beach and Punta Esmeralda
5.Punta Esmeralda
At the northern end of town, a small cenote spring flows into a shallow, clear lagoon beside the sea, creating calm pools where children can paddle. It is popular with local families at weekends and has a relaxed feel compared with the central beaches.
Visit on a weekday morning; the shallow pool is best for small children before it gets busy.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
Theme park · South of Playa del Carmen
6.Xplor
An adventure park run by the Xcaret group, with long zip-line circuits over the jungle, amphibious vehicles on dirt tracks, rafting through caves and swims in an underground river among stalactites. A night version runs some evenings.
Wear secure footwear and leave loose items in the lockers; minimum height rules apply for some activities.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Book ahead online; day and night tickets are sold separately.
- Active
- Kids
- Nature
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Nature · South of Playa del Carmen
7.Río Secreto
A partly flooded underground cave system just south of town, explored on guided tours with wetsuits, helmets and lights. Visitors walk and swim through chambers of stalactites and stalagmites in a protected natural reserve.
Tours run in small groups; book ahead and leave cameras behind, as phones are not allowed on most tours.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Reserve a tour time in advance, especially in high season.
- Nature
- Active
- Rainy day
- Kids
Nature · Puerto Aventuras area
8.Cenote Azul
An open-air cenote about 20 km south of town, with several connected pools of clear blue water, fish and a rock ledge for jumping. It is one of the easiest cenotes to reach from Playa by colectivo along the highway.
Ask the colectivo driver to drop you at the entrance; go early before tour groups arrive.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Active
Nature · Puerto Aventuras area
1.Cenote Cristalino
Next to Cenote Azul, Cristalino is a long open cenote with a small cave at one end and a jumping platform. Its water is very clear, and it is usually a little quieter than its neighbour.
Pair it with Cenote Azul on the same morning; both are close to the highway.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Active
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Puerto Aventuras area
2.Cenote Jardín del Edén
A large open cenote surrounded by jungle, popular with snorkellers for its fish and turtles and with divers for its caverns, and with cliffs for jumping into the deep water.
Bring a mask; the visibility is excellent, and divers often train here.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Active
- Photo spot
Experience · Centro and Quinta Avenida
3.Reef snorkelling and diving
Dive shops in town run reef dives just offshore and trips to Cozumel's walls and to the cenotes. In season, usually from about November to March, bull shark dives are offered off Playa, and turtles are common on the shallow reefs.
Choose an established, certified operator and check equipment carefully before booking.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Active
- Nature
- Outdoors
Historic site · Playacar
4.Xaman Há ruins
Small Maya structures stand among the villas and gardens of Playacar, remains of Xaman Há, the coastal settlement from which pilgrims once set off by canoe for the shrine of Ixchel on Cozumel.
Combine a look at the ruins with a walk through Playacar to the beach.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
- Off the beaten path
Street · Centro and Quinta Avenida
5.Paseo del Carmen
An open-air shopping and dining centre at the southern end of Quinta Avenida, near the ferry pier, with shaded walkways, boutiques, cafés and restaurants. It is a quieter, air-conditioned-shop alternative to the busier stretches of the avenue.
Stop for a coffee here while waiting for the Cozumel ferry, a few minutes' walk away.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Rainy day
- Food
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| History | Xaman Há ruins |
| Outdoors and nature | Mamitas Beach, Xcaret, Punta Esmeralda and Xplor |
| Food and markets | Quinta Avenida and Paseo del Carmen |
| After dark | Quinta Avenida and Xcaret |
| With children | Parque Fundadores and Portal Maya, Punta Esmeralda, Xcaret and Xplor |
| On a rainy day | Río Secreto and Paseo del Carmen |
What to book ahead
- Xcaret: Tickets are sold for specific dates; book online in advance in high season.
- Xplor: Book ahead online; day and night tickets are sold separately.
- Río Secreto: Reserve a tour time in advance, especially in high season.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Playa del Carmen?
Quinta Avenida. Fifth Avenue is Playa's pedestrian main street, running parallel to the beach from near the ferry pier north for several kilometres.
+What can you do for free in Playa del Carmen?
Quinta Avenida, Parque Fundadores and Portal Maya, Mamitas Beach, Punta Esmeralda and Xaman Há ruins. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Playa del Carmen when it rains?
Head indoors to Río Secreto and Paseo del Carmen.
+What is there to do in Playa del Carmen at night?
Quinta Avenida and Xcaret are best after dark.