Playa del Carmen - Playacar Holidays

Playa del Carmen is a costal holiday town located on the Yucatan Peninsula. It is around one hour drive away from Cancun and about twenty kilometers from the Cozumel Island. Playa del Carmen offers a nice European-like atmosphere, and it is relatively peaceful resort with accommodation options for every pocket. What makes Playa del Carmen very popular are the beautiful powdery beaches and several great diving spots. Playa del Carmen is also a perfect place for going on boat trips to nearby places, and in the center of the town you will find many markets, shops, boutiques and stores. The climate is tropical, so warm weather and pleasant sunshine is guaranteed in almost all months of the year.

Playacar is an integral part of Playa del Carmen, but it is a closed community of several hotel resorts on its southern side. In Playacar there is also a great 18-hole championship golf course, so this part of Playa del Carmen attracts many golfers and golf enthusiasts. There are plenty of large hotels, private mansions and condos for rent. In Playacar you will also find one quality shopping center which is just a few minutes away from the downtown of Playa del Carmen. Playa del Carmen`s downtown is a popular tourist spot, and the main street called Fifth Avenue is the main place where most of the bars, pubs, restaurants and shops are located.

Playa del Carmen is ideal spot for nature lovers and for those that wish to spend a quiet, relaxing holiday. The surrounding area near the town offers great natural beauty where you can go on many attractive daily excursions. Sian Ka'an Bio Reserve is just an hour drive away from Playa del Carmen and is a beautiful protected area. There you can admire birds, relax in the green nature, or you can go snorkeling in some attractive spots. In this natural reserve there is a good chance for you to spot Jaguars, as there is a big population of these animals living there. To the north of the Yucatan Peninsula there is another very nice eco reserve called Ria Lagartos. This reserve is a bit further from Playa del Carmen, but you can visit and stay overnight in some of the few beautiful small villages near Ria Lagartos. In this reserve you can see crocodiles, iguanas and hundreds of bird species.

Another interesting excursion that you go on is to visit the Isla Mujeres, which is about one hour boat ride away from the resort of Cancun. There you can swim with manta rays and whale sharks if you feel adventurous and brave. In the winter months Isla Mujeres is regularly visited by large groups of Sailfish searching for food, and that is ideal time for snorkeling and observing this interesting sea species. If you are more interested in land activities, then head out towards Puerto Morelos. Located just about half an hour away from Playa del Carmen you will find one beautiful botanical garden there, where you can sit back, relax and enjoy the nature.