Playa del Carmen sits on one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. It also sits on one of the most tourist-trapped. The difference between a $500 day and a $100 day often comes down to knowing which blocks to walk and which currency to pay in.
I've been three times. I've made every mistake. Here's how to avoid them.
The single most important tip for Playa del Carmen. While US dollars are accepted everywhere, the exchange rates are terrible — restaurants and shops typically use 15:1 when the real rate is closer to 18:1. That's a 20% markup on everything.
Use ATMs to withdraw pesos. Stick to Santander or Banorte ATMs attached to actual banks. Avoid Euronet and Travelex ATMs — they charge outrageous fees and terrible exchange rates.
Always ask "en pesos, por favor" when paying. Many restaurants have dual-currency menus where dollar prices are inflated.
Quinta Avenida (the tourist strip) prices vs. local prices are dramatically different:
| Item | Quinta Avenida | 2 Blocks West |
|---|---|---|
| Tacos (each) | $80-120 MXN | $25-40 MXN |
| Beer | $100-150 MXN | $40-60 MXN |
| Dinner entree | $250-400 MXN | $100-180 MXN |
The food is often BETTER at the cheaper local spots.
Don't haggle at restaurants or grocery stores — prices are fixed. But cenote tours, snorkeling trips, and boat excursions can often be negotiated 10-20% below the listed price, especially for cash payment. Talk to tour operators on the beach or at their offices, not through your hotel (which adds a 30-50% commission).
The 30th Avenue corridor (Avenida 30) and Calle 34-38 area have excellent local restaurants at half the Quinta Avenida price. Full meals for $60-120 MXN. Look for cocinas economicas (daily set-menu restaurants) where working locals eat lunch.
On Quinta Avenida, aggressive hosts will try to pull you into restaurants with discount offers. These restaurants are almost always mediocre and overpriced. Walk past. Find your own spot.
People offering "free tours," "breakfast deals," or "prizes" are timeshare salespeople. Politely say "no gracias" and keep walking. They are extremely persistent. Do not stop to engage.
Cenotes (natural sinkholes filled with crystal-clear water) are the highlight of the Yucatan. But the popular ones get packed by 11AM. Arrive at opening (usually 8-9AM) on weekdays for the best experience.
Bring reef-safe sunscreen only (regular sunscreen is banned at cenotes to protect the ecosystem). Water shoes recommended.
Rental cars from Playa del Carmen start at $500-700 MXN/day. A car lets you hit 2-3 cenotes in a day plus Tulum ruins, which is nearly impossible with organized tours (they visit one cenote and charge 3x the self-guided cost).
Playa del Carmen's beach is nice but the snorkeling is mediocre compared to Cozumel. The 45-minute ferry ($250-350 MXN round trip, Ultramar or Winjet) gets you to Mexico's best reef snorkeling. Rent a scooter on Cozumel ($600-800 MXN/day) and explore the west coast — El Cielo sandbar has starfish in shallow turquoise water.
The clifftop Mayan ruins ($95 MXN, 1 hour south by car or colectivo $50 MXN) are stunning but packed by 10AM when tour buses arrive. Arrive at opening (8AM) and you'll have 1-2 hours of relative peace. You can swim in the cove below the ruins.
Swimming with green sea turtles at Akumal Bay (25 minutes south) is free if you bring your own snorkel gear. Guided tours cost $500-800 MXN but you don't need them — the turtles are in the shallow bay, easily visible from the surface. Go before 11AM when water is calmest. Reef-safe sunscreen and life jackets required.
Xcaret eco-park ($2,600-3,500 MXN, about $145-195 USD) is expensive. But the underground river swimming, butterfly pavilion, and the evening show of traditional Mexican music and dance are genuinely impressive. If you go, buy online for 10-15% discount and arrive at opening to maximize the full day.
Shared colectivo vans run along Highway 307 between Cancun and Tulum. Flag one down on the highway. Cost: $30-60 MXN depending on distance. They leave when full (every 5-10 minutes). Faster and cheaper than ADO buses for short hops. Cash only. Not great with big luggage.
May through August, large amounts of brown sargassum seaweed wash onto Caribbean beaches. It smells, reduces visibility, and makes swimming unpleasant. Hotels clean daily but it accumulates fast.
Cenotes and Cozumel's west coast are sargassum-free alternatives. Check sargassum forecasts before booking a summer trip.
CUN is 55 km north. Best options:
Tips
Tips
Tips
