Top 10 Ultimate Experiences for Your First Time in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico

Playa del Carmen is a beautiful slice of paradise located on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Situated right on the Caribbean sea, Playa del Carmen is only about an hour outside of Cancun. However, unlike Cancun, which is filled with all-inclusive resorts, and a lot of congestion from tourists, Playa del Carmen has a much more relaxed vibe and a more authentic feel.

Hopefully, you stumbled upon this post because you’re sick of braving through the cold winter months and you’re looking to plan a tropical getaway. If that’s the case, Playa del Carmen is the most perfect location to soak up some sun, enjoy the beach, and experience a paradise that won’t break the bank.

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I vacationed to Playa del Carmen during the last week of January. This was my second time in Mexico, but my first time in Playa. I was beyond impressed with the area, which is a perfect mix of lush jungle views, and perfect beachy vibes. There are tons of fun activities to do in the area, amazing places to eat, and incredible experiences to have, which I’m excited to share with all of you. But first, let’s go over some basics: 

Important Things You’ll Need To Know To Prepare For Your Trip

• You do not need to show a negative COVID test to get into Mexico. However, if you are traveling from the US, you will need to show a negative test to re-enter the country. There are plenty of places right on the main strip in Playa del Carmen where this can be done with no appointment needed. It only takes about 10 minutes, costs around $30USD and you will have your results back within 15 minutes.

• The currency in Meixo is pesos. Although some places will take USD or credit cards, it is very important to have some pesos on you. You can do a currency exchange at the airport or get pesos from ATM’s. Just note, the currency exchange at the airport has an 18% exchange fee.
• The water is Mexico is not safe to drink out of the tap and could potentially make you very sick. I am not personally a fan of plastic bottled water, however, in certain parts of the world it is necessary to avoid illness. Also, DON’T FLUSH YOUR TOILET PAPER. The pipes in Mexico don’t support paper products and could cause an issue, so just be sure to use the trash bin instead.

Okay, now let’s move on to the fun stuff! Here is my list of top 10 ultimate experiences for your first time in beautiful Playa del Carmen:

1. Visit A Cenote

Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is known to have the world’s most widespread range of underwater sinkholes, also known as cenotes. Cenote’s water is usually crystal clear and has breathtaking shades of blue. This is caused by a natural phenomenon known as a halocline. Cenotes contain both fresh and saltwater, and the salinity of the saltwater makes it heavier than the freshwater that rests above it.

There are so many options in the area but we chose to visit Cenote Cristalino. Located about 25 mins from Playa del Carmen, this cenote isn’t the most well-known or popular, but it is just as beautiful and we managed to avoid insane crowds while we were there. The entry cost is 200 pesos and you can stay all day long.

One really important thing to note- you should not put on any sunscreen or lotion before visiting a cenote as it hinders the natural ecosystem of these special places.

2. Walk Around 5th Avenue

5th Avenue is one of the main streets that run along the beach in Playa del Carmen. I would definitely suggest taking a morning stroll here just to take in the beauty and the action of this place. There are a couple of cool things you’ll see while walking down 5th Avenu. For one, you’ll encounter the pier, where tourists can take the ferry over to Cozumel- something we didn’t do on this trip, but I’m sure is a wonderful day trip.

You’ll also walk past the “Playa del Carmen” sign, which is a fun, colorful photo op! Just down a little way is the “Portal Maya,” an impressive 50ft high arched sculpture, which beautifully frames the beach behind it.

There are also tons of vendors along this route where you can get delicious, fresh mango, or a refreshing coconut cut open right in front of you.

3. Have Dinner at Alux Restaurant

Have you ever had dinner in a cave? When visiting Playa del Carmen, Alux Restaurant is an absolute must! This restaurant is located underground in a natural cave, which is actually a dried-up cenote. It’s a really unique dining experience like no other!

Upon coming through the front entrance, you’ll be led downstairs, which opens up into the cave. There are stunning light displays, chandeliers, and beautiful decor. The host will take you to your table, and on the walk there, you’ll be able to take in some of the beauty of this underground wonderland. 

The menu is made up of contemporary Mexican dishes and fusion cuisine. This includes plenty of delicious seafood, fun cocktails, and a great wine list. We started off with fresh oysters, grilled octopus, and salmon tartar. For my main, I enjoyed an incredible filet mignon.

After dinner, you’ll get to tour the cave a bit more, which wraps around in a circle and leads you right back to the entrance. A truly incredible experience! Be sure to make your reservations ahead of time.

4. Spend Ample Time on The Beach

I’m sure one of the main reasons you want to visit Playa del Carmen is to spend time on the beach! And the beaches here are out of this world. We were lucky to have the beach only three minutes walking distance from the Airbnb we were staying at. Because of that, we didn’t bother to venture to any other beaches and really got to enjoy the one close to us. After having dinner in town we would walk the beach right back home and enjoyed every minute of it.

With that being said, it’s definitely worth planning at least one beach day- and you’ll have so many to choose from. I’ll list some of the more popular ones below:

• Parque Fundadores (the one we were closest to)
• Calle 10 Beach
• Mamitas Beach
• Coco Reef
• Calle 2 Beach

5. Go on A Boat/ Snorkeling Tour

One of the best things about visiting Playa del Carmen is being right on the Caribbean Sea. So take advantage of that and spend a day on the water. There are plenty of different boat tours and snorkeling excursions to search through, depending on how large your group is and what kind of experience you are looking for.

Since we had a bit of a larger group (eight people to be exact) we opted for a private tour. I honestly couldn’t recommend this experience more. We went through an incredible, reputable company called Riviera Elite. We had our own private yacht for four hours, wEat From The Street Vendorshich toured us around, brought us to a spectacular reef for snorkeling, provided an unbelievable lunch of fresh ceviche, guacamole, and chips, and we also had an included open bar for the entire time!

The entire experience was perfect from the moment we boarded, and after my fair share of catamaran/yacht tours, I have to say this was definitely one of my favorites.

6. Eat From The Street Vendors

One of my favorite parts of my trip to Playa del Carmen was the local food! There’s so much of it, it’s easy to find, and it is very inexpensive. Everything from taco stands, to homemade empanadas, to delicious churros, and even fresh fruit and juices you can find just wandering off of the main strip. If you don’t mind venturing out a little, head west of 5th avenue in town. There’s some great local stands around Calle 2 and 20th avenue.

On a morning walk one day, we saw a bunch of locals waiting in a line at a stand. There wasn’t a menu, prices, or seating. We jumped in line and discovered some of the best empanadas we’ve ever eaten! Sometimes the best discoveries come from random spontaneity such as this. So I’d highly recommend walking around and just seeing what you discover.

7. Catch An Unforgettable Sunset

The sunsets in Mexico definitely hit a little differently. This one is a no-brainer, but while you’re in Playa del Carmen, you must catch a sunset, preferably on the beach. You can’t beat the beautiful colors of the sky slowly changing and growing deeper while watching the waves kiss the shore.

I’m sure you also wouldn’t regret catching a beautiful sunrise! Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to get up early enough for that, but I can only imagine how amazing they must have been.

8. Have Dinner on The Beach

Playa del Carmen has no shortage of amazing restaurants with a waterfront view. Honesty, what beats having a delicious meal, while sticking your toes in the sand, and getting to hear the sound of the waves kissing the shore. It’s the best experience! We chose to go to INTI Beach, a top-rated restaurant in the area, for our final meal there and I couldn’t recommend it more. 

INTI is a beach club by day, offering delicious smoothies and yoga classes, and an incredible restaurant by night. One of the first things that really caught my attention was the beautiful decor. Everything about this place is very chic, yet cozy. The menu is very extensive- almost six pages long if I remember correctly! They offer everything from fresh seafood, to steaks, to Mexican and South American-influenced dishes.

We choose to start off with the grilled octopus & calamari, along with the beef carpaccio. Both were outstanding. For dinner, I had their surf and turf, which included steak and grilled shrimp. We also enjoyed delicious cocktails and a lovely bottle of wine.

One thing we really loved that we weren’t expecting at all, was an amazing fire dancing performance. The performers were so talented and entertaining! It was definitely a sight to see.

9. Check Out The Shopping Scene

Even if you’re not really a shopper, or planned to do any shopping in Playa del Carmen (I definitely didn’t!) it’s absolutely worth walking around the main strip and checking out some of the local shops. There is an actual outdoor style mall, with plenty of stores you’ll probably recognize from back home- that we skipped over. However, on the main strip, you can find souvenir shops, really cute boutiques, and beautiful leather bags.

10. Get Tacos At “El Sabrosito del Fogon”

You can’t visit Mexico and not eat your body weight in tacos! It’s an absolute must! And the best place to do this is El Sabrosito del Fogon. There are multiple locations and we managed to go to two of them. It was so good the first day, we went back again the following day. Both times the place was jam-packed with locals and tourists alike. The service was very good and our food came out quickly even with it being very busy. The menu is filled with very traditional tacos, quesadillas, tortas, and combinations platters. All of the flavors were beyond amazing! Honestly, the best tacos I’ve ever had in my life. And if I could make one recommendation from everything I tried there, make sure to get the “La Gringa” taco.

This concludes my list of must-have experiences in Playa del Carmen. I hope that you enjoyed this list and found some inspiration and ideas for visiting Playa for the first time. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below, and as always, happy travels!