Playa del Carmen, a Paradise for young people and artists

Playa del Carmen is the most booming town of the Riviera Maya, the one experiencing the highest tourism growth in the last years. One might not possibly be surprised by its situation, since it is in the center of the Riviera and less than one hour’s drive from the international airport of Cancun. The soft sands and the beautiful turquoise sea are also a reason for this influx of people.

Equipped with the most modern facilities to provide support to the citizens, it is becoming a major tourist center, favoured by young people and artists from all over the globe who visit it; and this is giving a special character to the Mayan town.

Getting to the town is very easy. It is about 37 miles from the airport of Cancun and, from there you can take a public transportation or rent a car that will take you around in the coming days, if you are travelling on your own. But, if you are on an organized trip, then your travelling around is guaranteed.

There are hotels and lodgings of all kinds and sizes. And, although the town is renowned for its numerous budget lodgings, it offers an impressive choice of accommodation, ranging from luxury hotel resorts to CondoHotels. This latter is the ideal solution for those who wish to make Playa del Carmen their main destination for their regular getaways, or even their permanent residence as many worldwide artists do.

From Playa del Carmen, you can easily and comfortably reach the heavenly island of Cozumel, the biggest island of Mexico, situated just opposite, via ships or ferries that offer a wide range of timetables. You can also contract guided visits. The island of Cozumel is the main enclave of the area for those who like practising all sorts of water sports.

There are many places where you can eat out in this town but, undoubtedly, the most prominent is the Fifth Avenue, with its array of restaurants offering all types of modern food for all budgets. Besides, taking a stroll on this Avenue is an experience in itself.

Playa del Carmen is in the very heart of the Riviera Maya and this facilitates access to the tens of possibilities of all kinds that the area offers to the visitors: ecological paths through any of the various nearby jungles, where you can enjoy the existing fauna and flora; routes including diving in the cenotes, access to the many subterranean rivers that cover the area; guided visits to the most impressive archaeological sites of the Mayan Empire like Chichén Itzá or Tulum; swimming at any of the beaches of the Riviera; visiting the picturesque surrounding villages that display a combination of the most cosmopolitan culture with the most ancestral Mayan traditions.

But, maybe the most characteristic feature of the Playa del Carmen, due to the arrival in recent years of numerous artists of all walks of life, is the noisy bohemian lifestyle that has taken the streets over. In the streets of Playa del Carmen, while taking a peaceful stroll, you can come across people performing traditional and modern dances, all types of theatre scenes, local poets reciting popular local legends, artisans in full creation process in the middle of the street.

And, after such an exciting day in the city, at sunset, you can go to one of the centers for relaxing and relieving massages and other sorts of natural therapies. Then, you can let yourself trapped by this bohemian town with its many amenities till you decide it is time to rest.

Playa del Carmen is a town where to live together, share experiences and rest, in a marvellous natural atmosphere, yet to be exploited.

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Francisco Cenamor

The Fives USA blog about Playa del Carmen & the Riviera Maya, Mexico

Note: Feel free to visit our sponsor: The Fives Resort & Private Residences in Playa del Carmen