Dip your toes in the bleached white sand of Playa del Carmen's beaches. The coast is the reason to visit this area. Typically beautiful beaches, much less crowded than Cancun and a bit more modern than Tulum, are clean and safe. Waters here are rarely cold and the surf is generally mild. You can rent bungalows on the sand with your own private hammock.
Stay close to the dock if you prefer company. Along this area you will find many places to buy a cold beer or frozen margarita and no shortage of eateries and shops to peruse. If you're seeking solitude, walk a short distance north and you will be more or less alone in a few minutes with jungle coming right to the sand's edge.
Jump in one of the cenotes that surround Playa del Carmen. Cenotes are underwater, connecting caves found all over the Yucatan. Some are nothing more than dirty-looking puddles six feet across, and some are large, spectacular cave mouths with unusual formations and crystal blue water. If you could hold your breath long enough, you could swim through these tunnels from Tulum to Cancun.
Leap off the 15-foot overhang at Cenote Cristalino to cool that sunburn. A short drive from the town center, Cristalino is one of many cenotes that offer visitors a great place to unwind. Gran Cenote, also nearby, is the size of a small lake and a favorite with snorkelers. Others you should consider visiting are Cenote Azul and Angelita.
Scuba dive the cenotes if you have the courage. Regardless of experience, cave diving is a different way to see the area. Guides will provide all gear as they escort you from one cave to the next, often swimming between massive stalactites along the way. Only dive with a guide certified by one of the larger dive organizations such as PADI.
Experience life during the peak of Mayan civilization by visiting Xcaret. Xcaret was a site where Mayans ritually purified themselves before sailing across the channel to worship the goddess of fertility on the island of Cozumel. The area is combined with an eco-park and is an entertaining place to spend the day. If you have kids they will be content here as well.
Explore all the park has to offer but make sure to arrive early. Activities include pre-European dances, Xcaret dinner, equestrian shows, archaeological sites, a re-creation of a Mayan village, a butterfly pavilion, manatee lagoon, monkey island, bat cave, a swim with the dolphins program, a mushroom farm and an orchid greenhouse.
