Playa del Carmen

Eco-friendly travel guide to Playa del Carmen advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

View of the beach in Playa Del Carmen

Air quality: 3/ 5

Exploring by foot: 4.5 / 5

Exploring by bicycle: 4.5 / 5

Public transportation: 4/ 5

Parks: 3 / 5

Outdoor activities: 3/ 5

Locals' English level: 3 / 5

Safety: 3 / 5

Accommodation: US$70 - $300

Budget per day: US$50 - $200

Responsible Travel

Playa del Carmen is a very popular city which is present alongside the Caribbean sea in the solidaridad, this city is situated in the state of Quintana Roo of the country Mexico. Playa del Carmen is a tourists attraction spot where every year more than a million tourists pay a visit to this beautiful city and experience the joy of this city at the fullest, it the responsibility of the tourists that they should travel in this city with all the measures which would be beneficial for the environment of this city.

Air Quality and Pollution

The air quality of the city Playa del Carmen is quite good and is not very risky for both the local residents of this city and also for the tourists who are on a trip to this city. The pollution levels are also very maintained although people should be very careful and follow all the measures so as to maintain the levels of pollution. Sensitive groups can use the masks if they are finding any kinds of difficulties in their respiratory system, the air of Playa del Carmen is quite neat and clean.

Respect the Culture

In the city of Playa del Carmen the local people are very religious and they love to follow the culture of their city, they are very conscious when it comes to the respect of the culture of their city. Tourists should be extremely careful about what they speak regarding the culture of this city as if they say anything inappropriate regarding the culture of this city then they can face so many problems. Tourists should attend the various cultural programs which are being carried out in the city of Playa del Carmen so that they can get to understand the cultural values of this city better.

Top 10 Places to Visit

The city of Playa del Carmen accommodates over a million people every year which shows how much people prefer to pay a visit to this city. The city of Playa del Carmen has so many wonderful places to visit for the tourists z top 10 places which are present in this city are mentioned below.

Parque Los Fundadores - Parque Los Fundadores is one of the most popular seaside parks which is present in Av Benito Juárez, Centro of the city Playa del Carmen, this park is a very good place to visit for the kids as they get a very big playground to play at this place.

3D Museum of Wonders - 3D Museum of Wonders is a very interesting museum to visit which is present in 10 Avenida Nte., Centro, of the city Playa del Carmen, this museum consists of 3D paintings which are extremely fascinating and a whole new concept for the visitors.

Xcaret Park - Xcaret Park is a very beautiful theme park which has so many activities to do for the visitors, this fascinating park is present in Carretera Chetúmal Puerto Juárez Kilómetro, Solidaridad of the city Playa del Carmen, this park is a must visit place for the tourists.

Cenote Cristalino - Cenote Cristalino is a hub for doing as adventurous activities as here visitors get to do adventurous activities like snorkeling and diving from the rocks, this place is present in the city of Playa del Carmen and reaching to this place is extry easy.

Playa Punta Esmeralda - Playa Punta Esmeralda is a very popular beach which is present in the city of Playa del Carmen, this beach is a very good option if one has a family and wants to go on a picnic.

Museo Frida Kahlo Playa Del Carmen - Museo Frida Kahlo Playa Del Carmen is another a very innovative and interesting museum to visit in Calle 8 entre Quinta Avenida y el mar, Gonzalo Guerrero of the city Playa del Carmen, this museum consists of sculptures and collages on various topics.

Río Secreto - Rio secreto is another very good place for both the nature lovers and also for the adventure lovers, this place is present in Carretera Federal Libre Chetumal- Puerto Juárez Ejido Sur, of the city Playa del Carmen, at this place people can do swimming and hiking which makes this place ideal to visit.

Xplor Park - Xplor park are one of those places which tourists should definitely visit as here they can relax themselves in the pleasant environment, this beautiful place is present in Carretera Chetumal, Puerto Juarez Km 282, of the city Playa del Carmen, it is an jungle adventure park which is ideal for the adventure lovers.

Gastón Charó Gallery - Gastón Charó Gallery is a very beautiful art museum which is present in Calle Quinta Avenida 173, entre 6 y 8, Centro, of the city Playa del Carmen, this gallery consists of various art collections and pieces which are very fascinating.

Hard Rock Campo de Golf - Hard Rock Campo de Golf is a very popular golf course where people who are interested to play golf can visit and play at reasonable rates, this golf course is present in Paseo Xaman - Ha S/N, Playacar, of the city Playa del Carmen, people can also rent the clubhouse and organise golf events at this golf course.

Xcaret Park is a must visit when you're in Playa Del Carmen

Explore

The city of Playa del Carmen is a tourist attraction spot as there are so many wonderful places for the tourists to visit and enjoy, there are a lot of places where they can explore and enhance the experience of their trip much more. Tourists can hire a local guide which is available in the city of Playa del Carmen who will help them to explore this city, local guides are totally aware of the must visit places which are present in this city.

City Parks

City parks are ideal places to visit for the people if they want to relax themselves, the atmosphere in the city parks is very pleasant and it will definitely help people to reduce their stress levels. There are various city parks which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen, names of some of them are mentioned below.

Parque Los Fundadores - Parque Los Fundadores can also be considered under the category of city park as it looks like a city park, this seaside park is located in the Centro region of the city Playa del Carmen.

Balam Tun Public Park - Balam Tun Public Park is the ideal place for the people and on holidays this place is mostly filled by the visitors, it is present in Calle Ek 101, Balam Tun of the city Playa del Carmen.

Parque Los Fundadores

National Parks

National parks are a must destination to visit as here people get to see rare species of animals and plants which they might not able to see in their own country or city, there are several national parks which are either present in or near to the city of Playa del Carmen are mentioned below.

Xaman Ha Aviary - Xaman - Ha Aviary is a protected area which is made specially for the birds, this place is located in Paseo Xaman - Ha, Galaxia del Carmen II of the city Playa del Carmen

Cenote Cristalino - Cenote Cristalino is a wildlife refuge where visitors get to do so many outdoor activities like snorkeling and diving, a really good place for nature lovers as the environment of this place will be very suitable for them.

Beaches

Beaches are favourite locations to visit when anyone wants to go out with his/her family, for every member of the family there are activities to do which makes this place ideal to visit. There are several beaches which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen, names of some of them are mentioned below.

Playacar Beach - Playacar beach is perfect for the people who love to do outdoor activities, the visitors will definitely enjoy the sunset visible from this place which looks very beautiful.

Mamita's Beach Club - Mamita's Beach Club is the most popular beach resort which is present in Mza 10, Lote 8, Calle 28 Nte., Centro of the city Playa del Carmen.

Playacar Beach

Landmarks

Landmarks are must visit locations amongst the tourists as the landmarks are significally extremely important for every region or city, every landmark has a story to depict and in the city of Playa del Carmen also there are so many landmarks, names of some of them are mentioned below.

Nuestra Senora del Carmen Catholic Church - Nuestra Senora del Carmen Catholic Church is a very beautiful catholic monastery which is present in 15th Ave. and 12th St. Downtown of the city Playa del Carmen, the architecture is very fascinating for every visitor.

Zona Arqueológica Playa del Carmen - Zona Arqueológica Playa del Carmen is a archeological park where people will get to gain so much information regarding archeology, the atmosphere of this place is very soothing for the visitors and they will definitely have a good time here.

Nuestra Senora del Carmen Catholic Church

Museums

Museums are the most informative places that one could ever visit in any of the region, every museum has its own significance and importance. There are so many museums which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen, names of some of them are mentioned below.

Riviera Art Gallery - Riviera Art Gallery is a gallery where so many beautiful and fascinating art pieces are kept, this beautiful gallery in present in 20 Avenida Nte, Gonzalo Guerrero of the city Playa del Carmen, the interior of this museum is also very eye catching.

Ambarte - Ambarte is a very popular handcrafted museum where every commodity which is present is totally handcrafted, this museum is present in Av. Constituyentes 5, Gonzalo Guerrero of the city Playa del Carmen, people can also purchase if they like something at this place.

Eat

Tourists who are on a trip to the city of Playa del Carmen should definitely taste the cuisine available in this city, there are so many famous dishes which tourists can eat in the city of Playa del Carmen. They can take the help of the guide in this also as they are aware of the famous local dishes which they should definitely consume in the city of Playa del Carmen. Names of dishes which are extremely popular in this city are mentioned below.

Taquitos
Carne asada tacos
Gringas
Tacos al pastor
Breakfast Tacos

Traditional Local Restaurants

In the city of Playa del Carmen there are so many good traditional local restaurants which are available for both the local people and also for the tourists who are on a trip to Playa del Carmen. In these restaurants tourists can consume the traditional local food of this city, in this city mexican cuisine is very popular and this is the local cuisine of this city. Names of some of the famous traditional local restaurants which are present in this city are mentioned below.

La Perla Pixan
La Cueva del Chango

Vegetarian and Vegan

Local people of this city or the tourists who are either vegetarian or vegan will not face much difficulty in finding a completely vegetarian or vegan restaurant as people get so many options when it comes to vegetarian or vegan restaurants. Tourists can either search the restaurants over the internet or they can ask to any of the local people of this city, names of some of the vegetarian or vegan restaurants present in Playa del Carmen are mentioned below.

Clorofila
Bio-Natural

Street Food

There are so many people who love to consume street food as it is not only affordable but it also tastes extremely delicious, such people will not get disappointed in the city of Playa del Carmen as here they will get so many places where they can eat street food. There are so many Street food centres which are present in this city, names of some of them are mentioned below.

El barrio street food
Neza York Authentic Street Tacos

Drink

The night life in the city of Playa del Carmen is full of joy as this city accommodates some of the best pubs and bars which are present in the country of Mexico, in these bars and pubs people also love to consume various drinks irrespective of whether it is alcoholic beverage or non alcoholic beverage. Beer is one of the most consumed and famous drinks of this city, the local people of Playa del Carmen are very fond of consuming it.

Tap-water

Tap water which is available in the city of Playa del Carmen for the usage is not at all safe to drink as it contains so many impurities that the local people of this city can face so many severe health complexities like cholera, typhoid. People are requested to put a water purifier at their houses so as to filter the water which is coming from the tap, filtering water makes it free from all the harmful chemical compounds and microorganisms.

Organic Cafés

Organic cafes are health-wise extremely healthy as the tea or coffee which are being served in these organic cafes are organic which are free from any of the chemical compounds which is harmful for the consumption of the human body. In the city of Playa del Carmen also there are so many organic cafes which are present for the local residents of this city so as to help them start a refreshing day. Names of some organic restaurants present in this city are mentioned below.

Bio-Natural
Bio-Organicos

Breweries

Beer is the most favourite and popular drink which is consumed by the local people of the city Playa del Carmen, so it is very obvious that near to this city there must be some breweries which produce high quality beer so as to satisfy the needs of the local people of this city. Names of breweries which are present in or near to the city of Playa del Carmen are mentioned below.

Cerveza Akumal by TIBC
El REFILL
Chela de Playa

Activities

There are a lot of activities which are available for both the local people and the tourists in the city of Playa del Carmen, tourists will definitely enjoy a trip to this city as for them there are so many interesting activities to do which they might not be able to do in their own city or country. Tourists can take all the necessary information either from the internet or they can ask the local people of this city regarding the various activities which are available in the city of Playa del Carmen.

Yoga and Retreats

Yoga has become a life changing practice in the lives of so many people across the whole world as they have attained so many positive health effects by doing yoga regularly. The local people of this city are fond of doing yoga regularly, to do yoga they visit the several yoga retreats which are either present in this city or near to the city of Playa del Carmen. Names of some of the yoga retreats which are present in or near to this city are mentioned below.

Yogaloft
Yoga by the sea

Accommodation

Accommodation is the most important thing when any tourists is planning a trip to any region, city or a country, tourists who want to travel to the city of Playa del Carmen should first search for an accommodation which fits in their budget and requirements. In the city of Playa del Carmen there are so many modes of accommodation which are available for the tourists and the local people.

Green Hotels

Green hotels are so much beneficial when we talk about the environment, in green hotels all the practices and measures which are opted are totally eco-friendly which is beneficial for the environment. The food products which are used in these green hotels are also organic which have so many health benefits on the human body, names of some of the green hotels which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen are mentioned below.

The Green Village Eco Boutique Hotel
Green Oasis Home Boutique

Hostels and Guest Houses

There are so many good hostels which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen, hostels are mostly occupied by the students who are studying in the Universities of this city. Names of hostels which are present in this city are mentioned below.

Hostel 3B
Tres Mundos Hostel

In the city of Playa del Carmen there are so many guest houses which have most of the facilities of their visitors, names of some of the guest houses present in this city are mentioned below.

Private Room in Guest House
Mi casa es tu casa playa del carmen

Apartments

Apartments are extremely convenient when it comes to space and facilities which people get in the apartments, apartments are mostly opted by the middle class people of Playa del Carmen. Apartments are very comfortable and the charges are also very reasonable and because of this apartments have become favorites amongst the middle class people. There are so many convenient apartments which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen, names of some of them are mentioned below.

Opus Haus
Riviera Towers

Couchsurfing

When it comes to couch surfing the local people of the city Playa del Carmen are very humble, they are extremely helpful towards their visitors. The local people of this city are very ahead when it comes to couch surfing as they welcome their guests open heartedly and help them make their trip a good one. Having a local friend or a relative in the city of Playa del Carmen would be extremely beneficial for any of the tourists as it will save a lot of money.

Camping

Camping is a very delightful activity which is the favourite activity to do for the people who love to do adventurous activities, camping is fun if one knows some basic measures and rules. There are so many wonderful camping centres which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen where people who are interested to practice camping can do it over here very easily and efficiently.

How to Get There

Getting to the city of Playa del Carmen is extremely easy as there are so many modes of transportation which are available for both the local people of this city and also for the tourists who want to travel to this city. Air transportation is the most opted mode of transportation when anyone wants to travel to the city of Playa del Carmen as this mode of transportation is very effective and rapid. Trains are also available for the tourists and the local people so as to reach the city of Playa del Carmen, this mode of transportation is also very effective and budget friendly.

Air

There is a definite need to construct an international airport in the city of Playa del Carmen as the international visitors have to face problems to reach this city as directs flights are not available. Cancún International Airport is the only airport which is present in the city of Playa del Carmen, this airport is an domestic airport from where people can get flights for all the regions and states of the country Mexico.

Cancún International Airport

Bus

Buses are also a very comfortable and convenient mode of transportation which is available for traveling in the city of Playa del Carmen, this mode of transportation is not only budget friendly but also very efficient. There are various bus terminals or stations which are present in this city from where people can board buses as per their respective destinations and routes. Names of bus stations or terminals which are present in this city are mentioned below.

ADO Terminal Turistica Playa Del Carmen
Playa del Carmen Alterna

Local bus

Train

Trains are a very effective mode of transportation if anyone wants to travel the city of Playa del Carmen, this mode of transportation is well developed in this city as this city is well connected to other regions and states of the country Mexico. There are various train stations which are present near to the city of Playa del Carmen from where people can board their respective trains as per their destinations. There is no railway station in this city so local people of this city have to travel to another region so as to board their respective train.

Hitchhiking

Hitchhiking is a very effective and common practice which people can be seen doing in the city of Playa del Carmen, although the local people of this city are also very afraid nowadays as the risk factors which are involved in hitchhiking are very high. People should be very careful while they are hitchhiking as they have to be aware of the fact that there is a very high chance of getting robbed, this practice is nowadays only used in an emergency situation like accidents.

Others

There are some other modes of transportation which are available for the local people of the city Playa del Carmen, taxi is one such mode of transportation which is very effective when anyone wants to travel inside this city. In the city of Playa del Carmen there are several taxi rental agencies which are helping the visitors and local people to travel from one place to another at very reasonable prices. This mode of transportation is quite costly as it takes so much money to travel in the taxis, people mostly opt for this mode of transportation when there is an emergency.

Moving Around

Tourists should definitely move around in the city of Playa del Carmen as it will help them to get to know new things about this city, there are so many modes of transportation through which people can very easily move around in the city of Playa del Carmen. Tourists and local people can choose any one of the local transportation as per their convenience and budget.

Walk

There are so many such places in the city of Playa del Carmen where people can go on a long walk very conveniently and also with the most relaxing environment. Tourists should also go on a walk when they are on a trip to the city Playa del Carmen as this will help them to explore the nearby areas of their accommodation. The various city parks which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen have dedicated walking tracks where people can walk without any barriers.

Bicycle

People who want to go on bicycle rides in the city of Playa del Carmen can contact any of the bicycle renting agencies of this city, they provide bicycles which are good in condition to their customers at very reasonable rates. People can take their bicycles to any of the city parks which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen as here they can ride bicycles very conveniently without facing any difficulty.

Electronic Vehicles

The use electric vehicles have not yet started by the local people of the city Playa del Carmen, although if people want to maintain the pollution rates in this city then they should definitely start the use of electric vehicles as they are very beneficial towards the environment. The main reason why electric vehicles have a upper hand over the vehicles which run on fossil fuels is that these vehicles does not release any harmful chemical compounds which are responsible for causing pollution.

Public Bus

Public buses are of great help if anyone wants to travel inside the city of Playa del Carmen, these buses are very reasonable and there main target is to help their passengers to reach their destination of time. There are several private agencies which are running their buses in this city for the convenience of the local people of Playa del Carmen, these private agencies are running their buses in every route of this city so as to help the local people.

Tram, Train and Subway

This city comprises none of the transportation although work on several rail lines have started which will enhance the modes the of transportation in this city. People mostly use buses as their mode of transportation in the city of Playa del Carmen as this mode of accommodation is quite cheap and affordable.

Sustainable Shopping

The use of sustainable products should definitely be encouraged as they are harmless towards the environment, in the city of Playa del Carmen the local people have started using the sustainable products after looking it's benefits over the environment. These products are not only good for the environment but it is also very safe for the utilisation of the human beings, such products are free from chemical compounds which are harmful for the human body. Names of sustainable shops which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen are mentioned below.

Green & fit
Quinta Alegría Shopping Mall

Food Markets

There are so many food markets which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen from where the local people purchase food products for their day to day eating habits. These food markets are very reasonable and provide heavy discounts to their regular customers so that they can keep them engaged with themselves. These food markets serve good quality of food products to their customers, names of some popular food markets present in this city are mentioned below.

Wo' Market
DAC Verduras y Frutas

Flea Markets

Flea markets are one of those markets where people get to purchase ever kind of commodity at much lower rates than usual, in the city of Playa del Carmen also the local people are also very fond of purchasing commodities from flea markets as they are very low in budget. There are various flea markets which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen, names of some of them are mentioned below.

Coco Beach Eco Market
Flea Market

Second Hand Stores

Second hand stores have become favourites amongst the middle class people of the city Playa del Carmen as here they get to purchase used commodities at very lower rates than usual, commodities which they cannot afford to purchase in new form they purchase it from here. The local people of the city Playa del Carmen are trying their hands into this business as there are so many second hand stores which are present in this city, names of some of them are mentioned below.

Segunda Vida Consignment Boutique
Ventas Playa del Carmen

Eco-Fashion

By the term Eco-fanshion one should use the products which are made from the eco-friendly material and the measures which are used to make such clothes are also eco-friendly. The local people of the city Playa del Carmen have started using eco-friendly clothes as such clothes are harmless towards the skin and also good for the environment. The shops selling eco-friendly clothes in this city are increasing at a very rapid rate as people of this city are opting to buy eco-friendly clothes.

Recycling

Recycling is a very effective technique through which one can easily utilise the non biodegradable waste in a good manner, recycling is a very useful technique when we talk about environmental degradation. There are several recycling agencies which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen, these agencies are doing there job very nicely by recycling every kind of prodi very efficiently. These agencies have all the enhanced techniques and modern machineries which makes this process much more easy and efficient, precision is extremely important when it comes to recycling of materials.

Waste

The city of Playa del Carmen needs to improve when it comes to waste management and because of this the rates of environmental degradation are also increasing in this city, there is a definite need to maintain the waste of this city properly so as to reduce the rates of environmental degradation. Waste management requires highly qualified individuals which should have innovative ideas for the management of the waste, waste management also requires modern technologies and machineries which eases the work of waste management.

Work and Study Abroad

The job opportunities are not up to the par when it comes to employment, the rates of employment in the city of Playa del Carmen are quite low and there is a definite need to proviy jobs to the deserving candidates of this city. The universities which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen also provide their students chances to study and settle abroad, for this opportunity they need to score good marks in their final examination and qualify certain areas so as to get eligible for this opportunity.

Exchange Student

Every year the universities which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen carry out exchange student programs, such programs are carried out for such students who are from another region or a city and are interested to study in the city of Playa del Carmen. Candidates need to enroll themselves on the official website of the university of their choice, then they need to fill some personal details like name, address, grades and many more.

Au Pair

Au pair agencies which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen are working day and night so as to provide employment to the local people of this city, these agencies are increasing the job opportunities in this city and thereby increasing the rates of employment. People who don't have jobs can enroll themselves in the au pair agencies which are present in the city of Playa del Carmen, these agencies will definitely help them to get a job and earn some money to make their living.

Volunteering

Volunteering is a very effective practice if any candidate wants to get a job in the city of Playa del Carmen, this practice has proven very efficient and candidates have a very high chance of getting a permanent job in an industry or a company. Although volunteering is a very tough job to do and it requires patience and skills so as to get the job, one has to try his/her best to showcase everything which they have got.