Use the Playa del Carmen map to see where the town's best beaches and resorts are located, and click on the links to the left for tips on planning your vacation and other things to see in the area. For details on other cities to visit along Mexico's Caribbean coast, see the Cozumel map or the Cancun map.
Playa del Carmen grew from a fishing village into the most visited stretch of Mexican coastline in a single generation — transforming the Quinta Avenida into a pedestrian strip of restaurants, boutiques, and clubs, while the Caribbean outside the hotel zone remains largely wild, accessible through cenote swimming holes that descend into an underground river system unlike anything above ground.
Playa del Carmen Map: Must-See Experiences
- 5th Avenue (Quinta Avenida) pedestrian strip
- Cenote Dos Ojos diving or snorkeling
- Akumal Bay sea turtle swimming
- Tulum ruins above the Caribbean (45min)
- Cozumel ferry & world-class diving
- Xcaret eco-park full-day experience
- Xel-Há water park
- Chichén Itzá day trip (2.5hrs)
- Playa Paraíso beach club day
- Cenote Chaak Tun night dive
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Dec–Apr: dry season, ideal beach weather; May–Jun: fewer crowds, warm water; Jul–Aug: peak humidity, busy; Sep–Oct: hurricane risk, lowest rates
3–4 days: Quinta Avenida + cenotes + Tulum; 5–6 days: add Cozumel ferry + Akumal; 7+ days: Xcaret, Chichén Itzá, full Riviera Maya
Quinta Avenida corridor, Hotel Zone beachfront, Tulum ruins coast, Cozumel island, Akumal Bay, cenote belt inland
Quinta Avenida (nightlife, dining base), Playacar (resort zone), beachfront north of ferry pier, Tulum town (45min south)
Day1 Quinta Avenida + beach clubs; Day2 Cenote Dos Ojos diving; Day3 Cozumel ferry + reef diving; Day4 Akumal turtles + Tulum ruins; Day5 Xcaret full day