What to do in
Playa del Carmen
by
Jimm Budd
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Not long ago Playa del Carmen. on the Caribbean shores of
Quintana Roo, was little more than two or three shacks and a bus station near
the Cozumel ferry dock. No more. Now vacationers who board that boat quickly
return. The beach at Playa del Carmen is better than any on Cozumel, the Maya
ruins at Tulum are closer and so are the reefs that lure snorkelers and scuba
divers.
Youthful fun-seekers began to linger in
Playa del Carmen some years back, at first merely renting hammocks strung up
between two palm trees until some entrepreneur hit upon the idea of building
the first inn. Now there are must be one hundred hotels with rates ranging from
30 dollars a night to ten times that much. Most are tiny and few have their own
restaurants. With more so many places to eat and drink just outside their
doors, guests often prefer to dine someplace different every time they enjoy a
meal.
Stretching out from either direction
beyond Playa del Carmen lies the Riviera Maya, the hotels almost all are
all-inclusive, meaning meals, usually drinks, and many activities as well as
lodging, are covered by the basic price. Within Playa del Carmen, most hotels
operate on the European plan, which is to say guests get a place to sleep and
nothing more. This appeals to travelers who like to try different bars and
restaurants and make their own decisions about what to do every day.
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Evenings probably will be spent sampling the bistros along Quinta Avenida and
its neighboring streets. Come morning, the shore is just a block from Quinta
Avenida (there is no Secunda, Tercera o Cuarta Avenida) and the sea is the big
attraction in Playa del Carmen. Many hotels are right on the sand, others only
a block or two away. The waters here are gentle, protected by reefs and
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that big
island Cozumel -- out on the horizon. The reefs can be a marvelous place to
snorkel or scuba dive and boats are available to take you out(they are a little
too far out to reach by swimming).
Those
who snorkel wear a waterproof glass mask over the face, gawking at the tropical
fish beneath the surface while breathing through a tube, which is called a
snorkel.
Scuba
diving is a bit more complicated. Divers strap a tank full of compressed air on
their backs and breath through a hose connected to the tank. This allows them
to descend several meters below the surface. The basics can be learned in less
than two hours. In Playa del Carmen, more than a dozen licensed dive shops are
ready to teach novices and take pupils out to the reefs. Those who prefer to
dive in the sky can experience tandem paracaidismo.
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On the south side of the ferry dock, across Avenida Juárez, lies
Playacar, an extensive development of residences, villas and a dozen luxurious
beachfront hotels. The Playacar golf course designed by Robert von Hagge, once
was said to be the finest, and most challenging, along the entire Mexican
Caribbean. Playacar also is the home of Xaman-Ha, an aviary where parrots,
pelicans, pink flamingos, toucans and other feathered creatures live uncaged
beneath a giant net.
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Best
way to get there is by taxi, although walking for ten or fifteen minutes may be
necessary to return to Playa del Carmen.
Tulum is another 70 kilometers to the
south and now is a town getting to be as big as Playa, although it is still
best known for its archaeological site. Guides tell visitors that this was the
only large Maya city built so close to the Caribbean. In addition, walls
extending six kilometers along the beach made this the most fortified Maya city
yet discovered. The early Spanish explorers, driven away by its fierce
warriors, declared the city to be larger and more magnificent than Seville.
Guided
tours are the easiest way to go. They usually include a few hours for swimming
at Xel-Ha, great for snorkeling in a fish-filled natural aquarium where fresh
waters from underground streams merge with the sea.
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