Has anyone here ever been to Playa del Carmen, mexico?

[Guava Jelly]

I am going there this coming thursday for 7 fun filled days
And staying here.
http://smallworld4travel.com/Royal_Porto_Real/Rooms/index.htm
I was curious if anyone has any advice on what to do and what not to do.
:popcorn:

[mtnester]

1. Go to locogringo.com

FOUNTAIN of information on their message boards

Last time we were there was 2001, and I know development is taking hold. Go shopping in the grocery store at the entrance to Playa off 317. Better yet, go to Akumal and watch green living in real time. Snorkel in Akumal's lagoon...please. Eat breakfast at Turtle Bay cafe, watch them do Mexican coffee at Lol Ha or eat the best cheap eats at the Loncheria. For GOD's sake got to C.D. Chemuyil and eat at Pizzeria Leo's (amazing food and believe it or not amazing pizza), and go to Tulum main strip of 317 and find the guy on the east side of the road (water side) that sells only fish or chicken grilled over a 55 gallon drum cut in half. Get info on what you can and cannot drink, and can or cannot eat if you are out of the "tourist" areas.

If you want any more info at all, PM me.

Start here:

http://www.locogringo.com/forums/default.asp

and read trip reports forum, and also Akumal and Rivera Maya forum.

We used this message board to prepare our entire trip to the Yucatan, it gives you info on vehicle rental, insurance for the rental (which was the trickiest thing based on how Mexican law works with traffic accidents, and it is pricey as well but if you plan on exploring on your own, is a must).

The Coba Road (none of the roads are marked with road signs, they have "markers" like 4 Sprite bottles on a pole, or 8 tennis shoes hanging from a net, etc).

Have FUN...there is some unfortunate development going on there since we were last there (including an effing Walmart), but, it still has its charm.

[Guava Jelly]

2. Thank you

I will print off this response as well as any others i may get to this thread.
I am sort of getting off lucky.I am going with some hispanic friends one who has a local latino radio show on a public radio station
I will most def check the forums
I cant wait to get out of kansas city Mo.
I heard the average temp is mid 80's this time of year

[mtnester]

3. We loved it there! We rented a Jeep, a private home on Soliman Bay

and went interior, got lost, asked for help, ate good food, went to as many ruins as we could (I do not know what tours your resort offer...the Tulum ruins are close but do NOT prepare you for Coba or Chitzen Itza)..one thing we did not do was the swimming with dolphins (yuck)...and you will also find many signs and things named in Mayan ( the letter X is pronounced as "ish")

WARNING - not all restaurants take credit cards...check first.

[Guava Jelly]

4. great to know

:yourock:

[pokerfan]

28. Regarding the development

The business leaders want to preserve the charm of Playa for tourism purposes. They don't want to see it turn into just another Cancun but rather continue to exist as an alternative. They have set a limit of three stories on all new construction. I heard about the WalMart but never saw it. The downtown seems as quaint as ever though it's been three years since I was last there.

[pokerfan]

5. Yeah, a couple of times

If you are interested in archeology definitely see Chichen Itza. It's several hours each way from Playa but well worth it. Partner up with some some other guests and hire a van and driver. Try to leave early, before the buses do and you will have the ruins to yourselves at least for a while. Here's a pic I took three years ago:



Also go scuba diving off of Cozumel if you are so inclined. Most resorts hold classes if you are not already certified and it's far superior to snorkeling in that you can get up close to the coral and critters.

Aside from that, just enjoy the sun.

[Guava Jelly]

6. That is an amazing picture

And great advice.
I thank you for it.

[pokerfan]

7. Well, it's an amazing ruin

Amazing workmanship:



Tulum is also worth seeing but see it first as it's no where near as spectacular as Chichen Itza. But it's on the ocean. Take a lunch and a towel cause there's a little beach on the north side of the ruins. Nice place to cool off or have a picnic.

And these little guys are everywhere:

[NC_Nurse]

8. Chichen Itza is definitely worth the trip!

I loved Cozumel too. The reef is beautiful!

We are leaving Thursday for Orlando - I'd rather be going to Playa del Carmen!!!
I have to go to a nursing conference though. At least it will be warm! :-)

[Scout1071]

13. I'd recommend Xel-ha or Tulum.

The Tulum ruins are much closer and are on the water....ie.....not nearly as freakin' hot.

[bikebloke]

9. Four or five years back

I took a holiday there a while back. Basically, I wanted to hang around a beach, swim and sleep late without throngs of amerikans around. More Europeans hang out there. I was also there off-season, so the nightlife spots were nearly deserted. No big deal. I was burned out from work. Though I've been a world wanderer, I skipped hopping buses for excursions. I needed the rest that bad.

[seemunkee]

10. I'm leaving for Akumal tonight

If you haven't been there go to locogringo.com and surf around. They have a ton of information on the Riviera Maya.
Looks like a great day down there.
http://www.locogringo.com/Upload/akumal-beach-cam.html

[Countdown_3_2_1]

11. I Played with a Carmen in Mexico once...

we were playing a card game...
I won!

[Wetzelbill]

21. I am so glad you beat me to this joke

:)

[crim son]

12. Yup. It's incredibly touristy but for that reason you'll feel comfortable

there. My advice: Don't drink the water and DON'T have ice in any drink. I've had meals from roadside stands and meals from good restaurants in Mexico. I got sick after eating in one of the most popular tourist spots but not from anywhere else, go figure.

You're going to love it. Just be careful - in the last few years there have been a bunch of murders in the area.

[Scout1071]

14. I don't think anyone ever escapes the Mexican stomach woes.

Oddly enough, it didn't start for me and my friends, until we got home. I had to bail out of a golf tourney when I got home. Absolutely, positively no way I could risk being that far from the clubhouse!

But, definitely don't drink the water!

[crim son]

15. I went two times and didn't get sick!

The third time I got sick by the third day. I swear it was ice.

[mzteris]

16. yeah, that's it - it was the ice!

I'm sure all the copious amounts of tequila I drank had absolutely NOTHING to do with it!

:rofl:

[crim son]

18. Oh, of course not.

In my case it really wasn't, because I drink very little on vacations so a hangover doesn't prevent me from enjoying the heat and humidity. I had an orange drink at a brunch and it arrived with ice. I'd been so lucky to that point that I thought what the hell. Bad idea. I was sick for the next four weeks. It wasn't terrible but since I was dumped by email on the same day, I can't remember ever in my life feeling worse than on that trip.

[mzteris]

17. i'm jealous!

And more than a little miffed. Why aren't you taking me with you???????????

:cry:

Oh well. Try and have fun without me. Only not too much fun, ya know. Oh - and watch out for the tequila. I hear too much of it can make you feel a bit ill the next day.

[Fountain79]

19. I've never been to Playa del Carmen but as far as eating in Mexico goes...

Try to go to places that are busy. If you are tempted to find a local less touristy place go during the busier time of the day which will likely be 1-3pm. Order tacos as they will likely be the more popular item. If you are at a place that doesn't have an english speaking staff and you want to order a drink with no ice just tell them "sin hielo por favor"(seen yellow pour favor). I will agree with the rest of the posters....I'm jealous of you going!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. I went there about 20 years ago and it was great.

It's probably more touristy now, but there's a lot of great stuff to see. We rented a car and drove down the coast to Xcaret, Xelha and Tulum, then to Chichen Itza and Merida (a really neat old colonial town). The ruins at Tulum and Chichen Itza are fascinating. This was one of my all-time favorite vacations. Enjoy the trip!

[mike_c]

22. years ago-- like 10 or 12-- I used to go down to Tulum...

...as a jumping off point for travels through eastern Mexico, etc. These days I'm on the west coast so Baja works better for me. But anyway, I've always wondered what the Tulum area is like these days-- at the time there were some cabanas on the beach and the town itself was pretty sleepy. Buses disgorged groups of tourists every hour or so at the ruins but otherwise it was not too overrun with gringos, especially if you went down the beach a bit.

Work had begun on a hotel in Tulum the last time I was there and I thought "uh-oh."

[Guava Jelly]

23. thank you all for the advice and ideas

I have printed off the replys
:yourock:

[u4ic]

24. My advice...

Take me with you! :P

[Guava Jelly]

26. Sure. :o)

I'll make the pilot fly up to getcha :hi:

[Tyrone Slothrop]

25. There is a restaurant/nightclub there called Alux

Go there.

It's in a cavern -- a vast cavern.

It's one of the weirdest/coolest places I've ever seen. (And the food's pretty good too!)

Here's a website with some photos.

http://travel.webshots.com/album/66150110FliWTC

[Guava Jelly]

27. thats cool thank you

I will add that to the list.
the link looks pretty cool