Both Playa del Carmen and Cancun have beautiful beaches with crystal-clear waters and soft sand. However, Cancun's beaches are more crowded and touristy, while Playa del Carmen offers a more laid-back atmosphere.
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Depending on the style of nightlife you are looking for might sway you towards one location over the other. Cancun is widely known as a spring break hot spot but Playa del Carmen also has its fair share of wild parties. Both cities have nightclubs such as Coco Bongo, Mandala, and La Vaquita.
The rainy season lasts from May to October and traveling to Playa Del Carmen early in the rainy season can be a good way to avoid crowds. The high season typically lasts from December to April. Expect to run into large crowds during the BPM Festival in January.
Playa del Carmen started out as a Fisherman's village, as many as 110 years ago. The white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and laid-back feel have made it a popular destination for tourists.
It is more expensive than most other Mexican cities.Many things are imported to Playa and this adds to the cost as well. Once you travel out of the area you start to notice how things are cheaper but after a while you get used to what things cost and how to stretch your budget if you live in Playa Del Carmen.
To get to Playa del Carmen, most travelers fly into Cancún International Airport (CUN), which is about 35 miles north of Playa del Carmen. To reach Playa, you can rent a car, take a bus or hop in a taxi.
The ideal number of days in Playa del Carmen depends on your preferences and interests. Generally, a 3 to 7-day trip should provide enough time to see the main attractions, enjoy the beach, and take day trips to nearby sights.
Prices are generally at their lowest during the humid rainy season, with May to June and September to October usually seeing the lowest prices. However, late April and early December can also see reasonable prices, as well as drier, less humid weather, so be aware of offers around this time too.
Waves will not get to big, this is a not a surfers paradise so swimming can be done every day! Playa del Carmen and the bays are protected by natural reef systems or in the case of Playa, the island of Cozumel so high waves just don't happen very often.
Be extra careful at night in Playa del CarmenAs with many places in the world, most crimes in Playa del Carmen occur at night. Besides being extra careful at the bars in Playa del Carmen, you'll also want to be extra careful when walking alone at night.
Playa del Carmen is one of the safest places to travel in Mexico, and one of the best beach towns in Mexico. For the most part, Playa del Carmen is considered safe for the majority of visitors, with the biggest threats usually being hurricanes, hangovers, sunburns and mosquitoes.
The best time to visit Playa del Carmen is between April and May, when there are fewer people along the shore. Day temperatures hover between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, dropping slightly in the evenings. From October to March, the climate is generally dry and slightly warm.
Be extra careful at night in Playa del CarmenAs with many places in the world, most crimes in Playa del Carmen occur at night. Besides being extra careful at the bars in Playa del Carmen, you'll also want to be extra careful when walking alone at night.
Calle 28 and north is a very nice quiet beach area, but really with the depth of the new beach there are plenty of quiet areas from the ferry pier going north until at least calle 8 or 10 or even further.
Still, experts agree tourists are not the preferred target. “Most tourists will never meet the cartels. In other words, violence is often generic. The violence tourists face is much more local,” Hope said.