Playa del Carmen for Spring Break: The Calm Edition (2024)
Spring break in Playa del Carmen doesn’t have to be all wild parties and booze fuelled nights of nakedness – unless you want it to be, of course. You can absolutely head to Playa del Carmen for spring break and have a perfectly lovely time relaxing and getting to know Mexico.
⭐️ Disclaimer: I’m no longer 18 and have never been a typical ‘spring breakers type’ so this article is not full of crazy party options. It won’t tell you where to go and get smashed or covered in foam or find all the horny nakeds. Instead, it offers the opinions of someone who really knows the Yucatán Peninsula and wants to help you fall in love with it in the same way they did. ⭐️
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Whether you’re thinking of visiting Playa del Carmen for spring break with kids or without, there is plenty to do and see for everyone.
Spring Break in Playa del Carmen
We’ll assume, for the sake of this article, that you have one week to spend in Playa del Carmen. Should you be lucky enough to have more time, you could use it chilling longer on the beach, heading inland to somewhere like Mérida or Valladolid or south to Bacalar, the incredible Laguna de 7 colores (7 Colored Lagoon). You could even take a road trip around the Peninsula if you have the time.
✅ Cultural Note: Spring Break is an American thing. Mexicans celebrate Semana Santa (translation, Holy Week), which can be a religious week although, generally for most Mexicans it means a chance to go to the beach and chill with family. Playa del Carmen is a popular tourist destination for local and international tourists given its gorgeous warm weather, access to numerous activities, white sandy beaches and great restaurants.
Why Choose Playa del Carmen for Spring Break?
✈️ Well, for a start, it’s an easy option for anyone flying from the United States. There are regular flights to Cancun Airport from all over the USA and the rest of the world. From Cancun to Playa del Carmen is an easy journey. In under an hour from Cancun airport you can be in your Playa hotel or Cancun’s hotel zone.
😎 By the time spring break comes around, the weather in Playa del Carmen is pretty much at peak perfection. The rainy season is long gone, you don’t have to worry about hurricanes, and the temperature isn’t at “sitting on the sun” level hot either. Think between 75℉ and 86℉ on average.
Did You Know: Playa del Carmen is the second most popular destination for Spring Break (after Cancun) in Mexico. ⭐️ Read more about other spring break options in Mexico ⭐️
✅ Playa del Carmen has a completely walkable downtown. You can walk from your hotel to the beach, to the shops and restaurants. Downtown Playa del Carmen has a lovely atmosphere.
🧭 Playa del Carmen’s location at the heart of the Riviera Maya makes it a great place to visit for people who don’t want to just sit on the beach all day but prefer to explore and see something of the region.
Playa del Carmen offers the Spring Breaker great opportunities to
✅ Relax
✅ Enjoy the ocean, Caribbean style
✅ Try delicious foods and drinks
✅ Adventure and Explore (water sports, dune buggies, ziplining and so much more)
Where to Stay in Playa del Carmen
Most people coming to Playa del Carmen for spring break will be looking for an inclusive resort (same goes for Cancun or Puerto Vallarta).
These are my top all inclusive picks but if they aren’t what you’re looking for, check out my interactive map of hotels to find the best places for you. None of these are party hotels by the way, because adventuring is tiring and sleep is important.
Barcelo Maya Colonial (if you ignore the awful name)
☢️ If you’re NOT here for a wild spring break with college students then best avoid ☢️
🚫 The Hilton – famous for foam pool parties
🚫 The Carmen Hotel – famous for live music and unforgettable wild parties
🚫 Platinum Yucatan Princess – known for its epic pool parties
🚫 Calle 12 – this is Playa del Carmen’s primary clubbing street
Is Playa del Carmen Safe?
Generally, yes. But of course, always be careful when you’re in a new place, especially if you’re alone.
🚫 Drugs are illegal in Mexico. Don’t take drugs (they are easily available but you have no idea of their quality or of what you’re getting into when you buy them.)
🔞 Remember that the legal drinking age is 18.
🚫 Never drink and drive in Mexico. You will be caught and at bare minimum, fined. The Mexican authorities can be very strict about drunk drivers.
🚰 Don’t drink the tap water – you can brush your teeth with it though. Ice will always be made with purified water and salads are fine to eat too.
What Does the U.S State Department Think?
OK, so now you know what Mexico Cassie thinks, but what about the US State Department? You can always check State Department travel advisories on their website. For Quintana Roo they recommend caution in Playa del Carmen, particularly at night.
They say that travelers should maintain a high level of situational awareness, avoid areas where illicit activities occur, and promptly depart from potentially dangerous situations.
⭐️ What do I think of this warning? I thought you’d never ask. Weirdly, I think it’s ok. I often think the State Department warnings border on fear mongering and a desire to instil an unnecessary distrust in Mexico but I do think that everyone should always be careful wherever they go, even at home.
Enjoying Playa del Carmen for Spring Break
Let’s take a look now at how to spend your Playa del Carmen Spring Break if you aren’t planning on partying until you’re exhausted, sick and broke.
Can You Use US dollars in Playa del Carmen?
You probably can most of the time while in Playa del Carmen but why would you? You’re in Mexico, take Mexican pesos from the ATM and spend the local currency. I guarantee you that using USD will not be favourable to your wallet. Also, people generally prefer to be tipped in pesos, whatever you’ve read elsewhere. If you tip in USD then they have to go exchange them at a rate that won’t be good.
Playa del Carmen Beaches
Playa del Carmen’s beach options are many. The main beaches are
🏝 Parque Fundadores – in front of this plaza by the Ultramar ferry terminal you’ll find a nice public beach that’s popular with visitors to Playa del Carmen.
🏝 Playa Playacar – within the Playacar private residence this beach is accessed by telling guards you’d like to see the ruins there (if you aren’t staying within the privada).
🏝 Playa el Recodo – the oth
er end of the main beach drag from Parque Fundadores is this chilled out section of beach that does not have clubs or bars attached to it.
🏝 Playa Coco, Playas 72 & 88 and Playa Punta Esmeralda – just far enough out of town to be calm and still have a few amenities attached, this area has become known as the best beaches in Playa del Carmen.
🚫 Playa Mamitas – definitely something of a party beach.
Other Beach Options
🏝 The quietest of these are likely to be Playacar or around Playa Punta Esmeralda. If these aren’t quiet enough for you then I can recommend renting a car and driving to out of town.
⭐️ Sargassum Note: If the generally crystal clear waters aren’t perfect while you’re in Playa del Carmen, simply try another area. While sargassum has become a problem for the whole of Mexico’s Riviera Maya, it’s never a problem for the whole area at the same time. You will always be able to find pristine beaches somewhere.
➡️ Between Playa del Carmen and Tulum try Akumal Bay or Puerto Aventuras
➡️ Between Playa del Carmen and Cancun try Puerto Morelos
➡️ Cozumel – take the ferry over and check out the awesome and far less busy beaches
➡️ Isla Mujeres – a visit to Isla Mujeres would require a trip into Cancun first to catch the ferry over to the small but gorgeous island of Isla Mujeres. There will be spring break parties over here too on Playa Norte but there is plenty of island to explore.
📚 Check out Mexico Cassie’s reading list, pick up a book and head to the beach!
What Else to do in Playa del Carmen
📍 If you’re not in town to party, you can still enjoy Playa del Carmen during Spring Break. There’s plenty to do on the famous Fifth Avenue (La Quinta Avenida), from shopping in world class malls (Calle Corazón, Paseo del Carmen), to picking up artisan souvenirs from local galleries and gorging sipping iced coffees in fabulous cafes.
📍 Head to one of the two most famous beach clubs, Señor Frogs or Coco Bongo for a drink just so you can say you did!
📍 Visit the Frida Kahlo Museum
📍 Take a class to learn all about tequila or a food tour to learn about the region’s gastronomy
Day Trips from Playa del Carmen
If you’re anything like me you’ll want to explore the region while you’re in town. Playa del Carmen makes a great home base, positioned as it is, slap bang in the middle of the Caribbean Coast.
🚗 Obviously, renting a car is the easiest way to take day trips from Playa del Carmen. A car gives you freedom to go wherever you like, whenever you like. Follow the rules, don’t drink and drive and you’ll be fine.
🚌 It is possible to travel around the area by ADO bus and colectivos but there’s a lot less freedom this way, even if it is cheaper.
➡️ Check bus timetables and prices in English or Spanish.
🚂 Check the brand new Maya train route and timetable here for the opportunity to be some of the first people to ride it in 2024.
⭐️ If you’re only in Playa del Carmen for a few days it may be more economical to use organised tours than to rent a car. Check tour options from Playa del Carmen here.
Visiting Cenotes from Playa del Carmen
📌 What is a Cenote?
The word cenote (pronounced se-no-té) comes to us, via Spanish, from the Mayan word dzonot, ‘sacred well’. A cenote is a sink-hole caused by collapsing limestone bedrock, exposing the groundwater below.
There are thousands of cenotes across the states of Quintana Roo and Yucatán. Nature lovers won’t be able to get enough of them.
Cenotes were used by the Maya as sources of freshwater, and as such they would build their cities near them. They considered the cenotes to be both water sources and sacred entrances to the underworld.
Today they are extremely popular places for locals and tourists alike to visit and swim.
➕ Note that in most of these cenotes in 2024 you will generally be required to wear life jackets
Cenote Eden
One of the most beautiful spots near Playa del Carmen, Cenote Eden, comes highly recommended by locals and visitors alike. The deep blue water and large cave are just the main event. Around the perimeter of the cenote, you’ll also find a variety of captivating greenery and dozens of iguanas.
Bring your snorkel and smartphone, because there’s a small diving platform that’s perfect for photo-ops.
Gran Cenote
The cenote, as the name suggests, is pretty massive, and it consists of open-air pools and bat-filled caves that are fun to explore with a snorkel. This was one of the first cenotes we ever visited and it blew our minds.
Dos Ojos
Dos Ojos is a pair of cenotes north of Tulum. The individual cenotes are called “Bat Cave” and “Barbie Line”. The water is renowned for its visibility and there are interesting cave formations found here. These cenotes are popular with swimmers and divers alike.
Cenote Azul
Twenty minutes outside of Playa del Carmen is this open air cenote is the perfect open air cenote. Many consider this to be their favourite cenote in Quintana Roo.
Rio Secreto
Just outside of Playa Del Carmen is Rio Secreto, a fabulous underground river and cave system. It is only possible to visit as part of a guided tour so this costs more than a regular cenote. I can vouch for its beauty though. I’m still thinking about Rio Secreto many years after visiting.
⭐️ Find your perfect Playa del Carmen Cenote Tour or Rio Secreto tour ⭐️
Scuba Diving Adventures in Playa del Carmen
Spring Break is a perfect time to go diving (although it’s a little early in the year to swim with whale sharks) from Playa del Carmen.
Reef Diving
Handily, the western hemisphere’s largest reef, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef (also known as the Great Mayan Reef), is located just off shore from Playa del Carmen. It is famous for being home to a huge diversity of species including bull sharks and whale sharks.
When Spring Break comes early ( in March) you may even get to see the bull sharks breeding.
⭐️ Book your incredible bull shark diving experience now! ⭐️
Drift Diving from Cozumel
For those of you who already know what you’re doing, diving from Cozumel will rock your world. Cozumel’s underwater world is unlike anything else in Mexico. A drift dive is where the current whisks you out over the coral reefs, which can be scary if you’re not used to it.
➕ Of course, if you head towards Cancun you can dive the MUSA sculptures – one of the best museum experiences in Mexico.
⭐️ Book your epic Cozumel dive adventure now ⭐️
⭐️ If you can’t dive from Cozumel, you could take a submarine 100ft (30m) down to marvel at the incredible reef and sea life. ⭐️
Cenote Diving
While not all cenotes are diving cenotes, there are many that are. Discover a whole new world diving in these sacred places. Experienced cave divers can visit places such as Hells Bells (Zapaote Cenote) while new divers can join groups in cenotes such as Dos Ojos.
⭐️ Book your cenote diving experience now! ⭐️
🤿 If you’re not into diving but are into snorkelling, try a day tour to Akumal Bay to snorkel with the sea turtles or take a tour to Isla Contoy, where white sandy beaches and snorkelling opportunities abound.
Explore a Maya Ruin or Two (or three…or four)
No one should come to the Yucatán Peninsula and not visit at least one Maya ruin. You could absolutely just see the three small ruins in Playa del Carmen or content yourself with the tiny ones on Cozumel or Isla Mujeres but why would you when Mexico makes it so easy for you to visit some of the most astounding ruins you can imagine? We’re talking ruins on cliffs with the Caribbean’s turquoise waters as the backdrop; we’re talking feeling like Indiana Jones as you explore ruins deep in the jungle of the Yucatán Peninsula. Tell me you don’t secretly desire that feeling, I dare you.
⭐️ Read more about the ruins in Quintana Roo
⭐️ Read more about the ruins in Yucatan
⭐️ Read more about the ruins in Campeche
⭐️ Read a round up of the very best ruins in my top 10 ruins on the Yucatán Peninsula
Chichen Itza
This site is both UNESCO World Heritage Site and a modern wonder of the world. The Mayan ruins at Chichén Itzá are truly one of the main attractions of the Yucatan Peninsula. This gorgeous archaeological site is well worth taking your time over. Don’t just glance up at El Castillo (the main pyramid) and then leave, take your time and really explore this gorgeous site.
➕ Pair with a nearby cenote and a trip into the gorgeous city of Valladolid for lunch.
Ek Balam
A quieter yet still magnificent site to the north of Valladolid, Ek Balam (Black Jaguar in Mayan) is a great jungle ruin to visit if you want to keep away from crowds.
➕ Pair with a trip to a nearby cenote and lunch in Valladolid
⭐️ Check out Ek Balam tours now
Coba
Another jungle site worth visiting is Coba. Many people opt to hire either bicycles or bicycle taxis because the site is so large. Coba reminds me greatly of Campeche’s biggest site, Calakmul.
➕ Pair with lunch and a cenote in Coba followed by a trip to Punta Allen
Tulum
Tulum, like Chichen Itza, draws the crowds thanks to its incredible location on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
Muyil
A much less visited ruin on the south side of Tulum is Muyil, a small jungle ruin site in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere. I always love my time here precisely because so few people ever bother to make their way to Muyil.
Other Excellent Day Trip Options from Playa del Carmen
⭐️ Visit the incredible Isla Contoy (only 200 people are permitted on this deserted island a day and it is everything you could wish for in a secret island)
⭐️ Take a high adrenaline buggy tour and swim in hidden cenotes
⭐️ Visit the famous Xplor Park for wild water fun
⭐️ Take a bus or drive yourself to Valladolid, the colonial city in the middle of the peninsula to enjoy a calm and beautiful pueblo magico, its boutique shops, restaurants and history.
What to Eat in Playa del Carmen
Really you can eat anything and everything in Playa del Carmen. The street food will be delicious, the tacos places will be fabulous and the international cuisine will be as great as anywhere else in the world.
💲 If you’re eating tacos and street-snacks, you’ll get away with spending as little as $200 – $400 pesos per person. If you’re eating in fancy restaurants, budget around $25 USD per person (that’s around $500 pesos) minimum. Just like at home, you’ll find restaurants to fit all budgets.
And of course, be sure to try the local drinks even if you’re not here for a party. Mexican beers are delicious and there’s a good craft beer scene in the country. And if you’re looking for tequila tips, my favourite is Centenario.
Other Spring Break Options…
If you’ve decided Playa del Carmen doesn’t sound like it’s for you, maybe consider some other locations that don’t tend to see huge Spring Break crowds:
➡️ Mérida – the city of Mérida is just 4 hours from Playa del Carmen and is a great location for exploring the state of Yucatán with its incredible cenotes, ruins and gorgeous beaches.
⭐️ Read about why Yucatán is a great alternative for a spring break vacation
➡️ Campeche – another colonial city, Campeche is full of museums, culture and great food.
➡️ CDMX – Mexico’s incredible and wonderful capital city is one of my favourite cities in the world and it could keep you entertained forever.
➡️ San Cristobal de las Casas – this cute (foodie) mountain town is a great base for anyone wanting to explore the waterfalls and lakes of Chiapas.
➡️ Queretaro – a central Mexican state with plenty to see and do for nature lovers (including my favourite rock in Mexico: la Peña de Bernal)
➡️ San Miguel de Allende – long a popular tourist destination, base yourself here to explore the state of Guanajuato and all that’s going on
➡️ Colima – to see magical volcanoes, swim in wild rivers and explore small towns, Colima is a winning option
➡️ Puebla and Cholula – for culture, museums and great food, these two neighbouring cities are a great option
➡️ Tequila – the Pueblo Magico of Tequila in Jalisco State is a great place to visit for a few days if you’re interested in learning about the spirit tequila
➡️ Copper Canyon – ride the El Chepe train through a canyon range that’s technically bigger than the Grand Canyon
Or, if you’re really looking for the a Mexico beach vacation, let me share the best family beaches in Mexico including Sayulita
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