Playa del Carmen is compact and easy to see in a day if which is quite convenient considering many visitors stay at All-inclusive resorts and only come to Playa del Carmen to spend a day and only have that long to see it. This would also be a great walking tour for those staying in Cancun, Tulum or Akumal and wanting to see the best Playa has to offer in 12 hours!
5th Avenue!
This is the starting point for anyone visiting Playa del Carmen, it’s the main avenue and where you will find all the best shops and restaurants in town, it may get a little confusing because it’s a long long avenue, so I will recommend the ferry dock as a starting point
Right next to the ferry dock you will see one of Playa’s hot spots! Sr. Frogs!
Going up the street from where the ferry dock is you will find the Paseo del Carmen Luxury mall, it’s an outdoor shopping mall that offers not only great stores but a cafe restaurant little area with outdoor sitting and green areas to enjoy
Paseo del Carmen links Playacar Phase 1 with the south end of 5th avenue. You can walk through cobblestoned paths through to the different shops. Stores include: Zara, Tous, Diesel, Bershka, Ultrafemme, and a Harley Davidson shop. You can also get a Starbucks or a tasty Krispy Kreme donut!
If you walk down towards the north staying on 5th avenue, you will find more and more shops and restaurants to enjoy!
If you are in the mood to spend a day on the beach, Playa has several amazing beach clubs where you can enjoy both great food and drinks! plus of course the Caribbean and the nice sunny weather, here is two highly recommended beach clubs to go to and enjoy!
Coralina Beach Club!
Coralina is the hip beach club in Playa at the moment, it has a great lounge area, a pool, a bar area and Moet Chandon models at the place most of the time as well as Coralina Models, to deliver champagne to your table!
This place is located right next to The Hyatt hotel and has been written up in different lifestyle magazines, we highly recommend it for someone in the mood for partying during the day in style! To access the club you can walk down 26th Street to the end and there is a sidewalk entrance to the club. You also can walk in from the beach!
Zenzi Beach Club
If you are in the mood for a more relaxing chill place Zenzi beach is the option for you!
This place is located on 10th street and the beach! No reservation needed, this a very cool spot, nothing fancy, it’s casual and sometimes they have live rock music for you to enjoy!
If you are with your family and are looking for a more kid friendly place we recommend:
Kool Beach Club and Mamita’s Beach Club
These beach clubs are well known for being more family oriented, they both feature a pool and a restaurant as well as a sun bed area to get a nice tan!
After the beach and to finish your day in Playa del Carmen we recommend going for a nice dinner on 5th avenue, our top 3 must-go-to dinner spots are:
The Catch Restaurant at the Thompson Hotel!
For cocktails and sunsets on the rooftop terrace, unforgettable dinners and dynamic nightlife, CATCH is the place to be in Playa. With all the energy of its namesake’s Meatpacking District origins, a lively open kitchen and sushi bar infuse CATCH’s “streaming, sharable style of dining” with globally influenced, locally sourced cuisine.
Located at the rooftop of the Thompson Hotel on 12th street between 5th Ave. and 10th
Plank Gourmet grill and Patio Bar
Plank partner & renowned gourmet chef Juan Diego has taken plank cooking to a new level with his gourmet style of cooking. We hope you enjoy this amazing technique of cooking and experience why this has become the hottest methods of gourmet cooking in the world.
It’s located on 6th Street btw. 1st & 5th ave. Playa del Carmen
Yaxche Mayan Cuisine
You can’t visit The Riviera Maya and not have Mayan food!
They serve the Mayan culinary art in a unique style. Dining at Yaxche will be a quest into the Mayan World where you will find the flavors of the region in a unique environment that combines both ancient and cosmopolitan elements.
We hope you have fun and enjoy your day in Playa del Carmen you can get to all these places walking!! if you are looking for some night fun, all you have to do is walk to 12th avenue and you will find the best nightclubs and bars in the Riviera Maya!
