Top 5 Things to Do in Playa del Carmen

I have explored most of the Yucatán Peninsula from Holbox to Bacalar and everything in between. For many reasons, I find myself returning to beautiful Playa del Carmen. The vibe and energy of Playa is unique and very different from almost any other beach town I have visited. Once here, I like to explore what locals like to do and eat.

While there are many activities I love to do here in Playa and this list is by no means exhaustive, here are my top 5 things to do in Playa del Carmen.

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1. Catch a Sunrise

Or two. The sunrises in Playa are absolutely my favourite way to begin the day. There are many lovely spots to catch them, but my favourite spots are Punta Esmeralda, Playa 88, and Playa 38 — notice they are all on the northern side of the city, away from the crowds.

Get there early. Listen to the waves wash in, and then back out again. Then witness a completely different sunrise every single morning over Isla Mujeres on the horizon. No two mornings are the same — the light shifts, the colours change, and the Caribbean puts on a different show each time.

I love to do my morning yoga and swim after the sun rises. There is no better way to start the day in Playa. The northern beaches are quieter at that hour, the water is calm, and the world feels like it belongs only to you.

Practical tip: Sunrise in Playa is between 5:45am and 6:30am depending on the time of year. Bring a towel, leave your phone in your pocket for the first ten minutes, and just watch.

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2. Brunch and Street Art

Between 5th and 10th Avenida, heading south from Tranquilo, are small, charming local brunch spots, ice cream shops, and cafés with great energy and real personality. Take a leisurely walk or bicycle ride and enjoy the beautiful street art by local artists after your brunch.

Playa is set up like a grid — easy to navigate, easy to get happily lost in. Wander. Turn a corner you have not turned before. Every few blocks you will find a mural, a sculpture, or a painted wall that stops you in your tracks.

Every piece of art tells a different story. A beautiful story.

Be sure to follow the local artists on Instagram to keep up with their work — many of them are active and will take you behind the stories of the pieces you admire most. This is one of those Playa experiences that costs nothing and stays with you long after you leave.

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3. Visit Cenotes

Over 66 million years ago, an asteroid more than 10 kilometres in diameter struck the Yucatán Peninsula — one of the largest impact structures ever recorded on earth, at the Chicxulub crater. As a result of that impact, over millions of years, the limestone bedrock of the peninsula became riddled with caves and underground rivers. A cenote is a natural sinkhole created where a cave ceiling has collapsed — a window into this spectacular underground world.

There are literally hundreds of cenotes within 50 kilometres of Playa del Carmen. There are covered cave cenotes with dramatic stalactites and open cenotes flooded with jungle light.

My personal favourite is Cenote Jardín El Edén — only about 15 minutes from Playa. It is my favourite place to relax, swim, nap in my hammock, and enjoy a Mayan pedicure (tiny fish that gently nibble on your feet in the water — strange, funny, and oddly relaxing). There is also a cluster of other beautiful cenotes nearby, including Cenote Azul, which makes for an easy and rewarding day trip.

Whether it is your first cenote or your fortieth, the experience never gets old. The water is impossibly clear, the silence underground is profound, and there is nowhere else on earth quite like this.

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4. Visit Isla Cozumel

One of my favourite day or weekend trips from Playa is just a ferry ride away. The ferry from the main pier runs regularly and takes about 30 minutes across the channel.

My tip: Check the sunrise and sunset times before you go, and coordinate your ferry crossing accordingly. Watching the sun rise or set from the deck of the ferry as you cross the open water between Playa and Cozumel is one of the most beautiful moments the Riviera Maya has to offer — a front-row seat to the Caribbean at its most spectacular.

Once on Isla Cozumel, there are a whole host of water and land activities to fill your itinerary. Cozumel's reef system is world-class — the island sits above the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, and the diving and snorkelling here are among the best on the planet. Rent a scooter and ride the coastal road around the island. Explore the local town of San Miguel. Find a quiet beach on the eastern, windswept side of the island that feels like the edge of the world.

Give yourself at least a full day, and if possible two to three. There is so much to discover on Cozumel that it deserves its own itinerary — and its own blog, which I have also written for you.

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5. Dive or Snorkel

I saved the best for last.

The waters between Isla Cozumel and Playa del Carmen are world-renowned as a diver's paradise. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is the second largest reef system on earth — only the Great Barrier Reef of Australia surpasses it in size. I was lucky enough to receive my open water scuba certification in these beautiful waters, and I saw amazing bull sharks, manta rays, and sea turtles along with breathtaking and diverse marine life on every single dive.

Whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced diver, I genuinely believe you will not want to regret being here without exploring what lies beneath the surface. And I believe firmly that the right instructor or dive master makes all the difference in your experience.

For that reason, I am happy to personally refer my dive instructor and dive master, Bertrand from Bluekaidive. He is the best. Tell him Rudy sent you and he will take excellent care of you in the water.

👉 Click here for Divemaster Bertrand's Facebook Page

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