We spent 10 days in Playa del Carmen, alternating between days relaxing by the pool/beach and day trips to some of the nearby sites. There is a huge amount to do in the area around Playa del Carmen, from cenotes and caves to water sports and theme parks. Here is my relaxed, budget friendly itinerary for 5 days of sightseeing.
Note: We actually spent 2 weeks in Mexico, with a 4 day side trip to Mexico City in the middle. We opted to hire a car and use it to get us to the airport and back plus to visit the slightly further away attractions on days 2 and 3 of my itinerary. If you don’t want to drive, there are plenty of organised tours to these attractions.
How to get to Playa del Carmen
Cancun International Airport is 39 miles north of Playa del Carmen. Most hotels offer a pick up service. If you opt to drive, it’s a straightforward drive down Highway 307. There is also a bus. The ADO Bus runs every 30-45 minutes and costs M$216 to downtown Playa del Carmen.
Where to stay in Playa del Carmen
There is plenty of choice when it comes to accommodation in Playa del Carmen. Most hotels in the area are all inclusive with food, drinks and entertainment included.
We have visited twice, staying in two very different hotels. Our first hotel was a luxury, adult only hotel; Platinum Yucatan Princess. On our second visit, we stayed at the more budget conscious, more family friendly Riu Lupita. We enjoyed. It’s really just a question of how much luxury you require/are prepared to pay for.
Playa del Carmen in 5 Days Itinerary
| Day 1 | Travel to Playa del Carmen Accommodation – Platinum Yucatan Princess Accommodation – Riu Lupita Beach Walk Turtles |
| Day 2 | Tulum Centro Artesanal Tulum Tulum Ruins Playa Ruinas |
| Day 3 | Chichén Itzá Valladolid Convento de San Bernardino |
| Day 4 | Playa del Carmen Quinta Avenida Parque Los Fundadores Xaman Ha |
| Day 5 | Cozumel Ferry to Cozumel |
Playa Del Carmen Day 1
Travel to Playa del Carmen
We flew to Cancun from London with TUI Airlines. If you book a package, TUI arranges airport pick up. If not, then most hotels will arrange pick up. Either way, there should be a rep just outside the terminal building.
Accommodation – Yucatan Platinum Princess
On our first visit to Playa del Carmen, we stayed at the Platinum Yucatan Princess. This is a very nice, adult only hotel with pools running the length of the accommodation blocks. It offers buffet style dining plus four a la carte restaurants including Mexican, Italian and Japanese. A short boardwalk brings you to the beach. The con: It’s rather remote, located 6 miles from downtown Playa del Carmen with not much around it other than more hotels.
Accommodation – Riu Lupita
Riu Lupita is on the gated complex of Playacar II. It is in a block of six Riu hotels, which offer a range of accommodation and facilities. The four beach front hotels are the most luxurious/expensive, whilst the two hotels behind these are more budget conscious. Riu Tequila is popular with those who love to party. To reach the beach, you must walk along an alleyway between two other Riu Hotels.
Riu Lupita is more sedate. It is also cheaper. Primarily because there is a golf course between the hotel and the beach with no right of way. Beach access is via a shuttle bus, which runs every 30 minutes throughout the day. At the beach, the hotel has its own Beach Club with pool, bar, restaurant and daily entertainment. Although beach access is less convenient than the other hotels, we still enjoyed our stay here. Pro: The beach shuttle also stops at the complex entrance, which is convenient for getting into Playa del Carmen.
Beach Walk
The entire Mexican coastline is owned by the government, which provides, in theory, public access to all beaches. From remote palm lined seclusion to the busy public beaches in the city centre, the Mexican coastline is yours to explore.
Turtles
Between May and October, turtles come ashore to lay their eggs on the beaches around Playa del Carmen. The eggs are protected, so you may see areas of beach cordoned off or out of bounds at night when the baby turtles hatch and head for the sea.
Playa del Carmen Day 2 – Tulum
Today, we are hiring a car and driving 40 miles down the coast to Tulum, the third most visited archaeological site in Mexico. The ruins of the Mayan city of Tulum sit on the cliff top offering a spectacular view across the golden sandy beaches to the turquoise Caribbean Sea beyond.
It’s a straight forward drive from Playa del Carmen down Highway 307. There is a large car park, with parking costing M$100. If you don’t fancy the drive, there are plenty of tour operators offering trips to Tulum, often paired with a visit to a cenote (a natural sinkhole formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock, that exposes underground freshwater).
Centro Artensanal Tulum
It’s a 10 minute walk from the car/coach park to the ruins. This takes you through the Centro Artensanal Tulum, which offers souvenirs shops, restaurants and a range of photo ops from giant letters to Mexican pole dancing. There is a shuttle service from the car park (M$50) if you don’t want to walk.
Tulum Ruins
The ancient walled city of Tulum is entered via a gate in the imposing stone walls.
El Castillo
Just inside the walls is El Castillo (The Castle), the tallest and most formidable building Tulum. It would have served as a lighthouse to guide trading canoes from other Mayan cities ashore.
Templo del Dios de Viento
The most photographed building in Tulum is Templo del Dios de Viento (Temple of the Wind God); a small temple perched on the clifftop. Holes within the building’s structure would whistle in the wind, thus warning residents of approaching storms.
Templo del Dios Descendente
The Templo del Dios Descendente (Temple of the Descending God) is named after the carved figure of a descending god above the building’s door.
Templo de las Pinturas
The Templo de las Pinturas (Temple of the Frescoes) was an observatory used to track the movements of the sun. Now somewhat weathered, it once featured colourful frescoes and carvings depicting various Mayan gods.
Tulum ruins are open daily from 8 am until 5 pm (last entry is at 3.30 pm). Tickets cost M$515, which is made up of three separate charges – (the Archaeological Site Fee, State Conservation Fee and Jaguar Park Fee).
Playa Ruinas
Just below the ruins, reached via a wooden staircase, is the Playa Ruinas (Ruins Beach). You can visit this sandy beach for a cooling swim after the heat of the exploring the ruins. Note: It can get very busy here. There are no facilities on the beach.
Playa del Carmen Day 3 – Chichén Itzá
Chichén Itzá
We have the hire car for one more day, and are going to visit one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, Chichén Itzá. The 113 mile drive west is straightforward – along Highway 305D, then 180D. You can avoid the tolls by taking the 180 instead, but this is a much slower road as you have to slow down through each of the towns/villages en route. There is a large car park. Parking costs M$120. If you don’t want to drive, there are plenty of tour operators offering day trips to Chichén Itzá.
The ancient city covers an area of almost 4 square miles and was once home to around 50,000 people. Today, you can visit the ruins which include the iconic pyramid and fascinating sports stadium. The site attracts over 2 million visitors a year, so it is likely to be crowded…
El Castillo
Taking centre stage is the iconic 25 metre high El Castillo (Pyramid of Kukulcán). The pyramid, which is built over and earlier, structure, is adorned with carved serpents and warriors. Climbing the pyramid is prohibited. The older pyramid inside El Castillo has a red jaguar throne with inlaid eyes and spots of jade. The entrance is via a tunnel is at the base of El Castillo’s north side. Entry to the tunnel is also prohibited.
The pyramid is actually a huge Maya calendar formed in stone. Each of the nine levels is divided in two by a staircase, making 18 separate terraces that commemorate the 18 months of the Maya Year. The four stairways have 91 steps each; add the top platform and the total is 365, the number of days in the year.
Gran Juego de Pelota
The Gran Juego de Pelota (Great Ball Court) The court, one of a total of eight courts, is lined with stone walls containing stone rings. It is believed that people played a game which required players attempting to hit a ball through the hoop, in my mind, somewhat reminiscent of Quidditch in Harry Potter.
Carvings on the wall show players with bats and balls and include scenes of decapitations of players. Did the losing team have their heads cut off?
The court has some interesting acoustics; a conversation at one end can be heard over 100 metres away at the other end. And a clap creates multiple echoes.
Grupo de las Mil Columnas
The Grupo de las Mil Columnas (Group of the Thousand Columns) consists of an intricately carved temple lined with hundreds of stone columns.
Cenote Sagrado
You can follow a path to the Cenote Sagrado (Sacred Cenote). The cenote measures 60 metres in diameter and is 35 metres deep. It is believed that people were sacrificed to the gods here, from the ceremonial Platform of Skulls.
The ruins are open from 8 am until 5 pm (arriving early will avoid the worst of the crowds and the heat). Entry costs M$648. This also includes access to the museum, which is located around a mile from the archaeological site.
Valladolid
30 miles east of Chichén Itzá is the colonial city of Valladolid, a pleasant place to break the journey back to Playa del Carmen.
Parque Sisal
In the centre of town is Parque Sisal, where some Insta-worthy letters sit in front of the ancient convent in the shade of an equally ancient tree.
The Convento de San Bernardino de Siena
The Convento de San Bernardino de Siena dates back to the 16th Century and serves the dual functions of fortress and church. The interior features pink walls and frescoes.
Within the convent are gardens sourrounding a cenote in a domed building. From here, a series of channels would have irrigated the gardens.
The convent is open from 8 am until 6 pm. Note: If you’re on an organised tour, you probably won’t have time to visit the interior.
Playa del Carmen Day 4 -Playa del Carmen
It’s worth leaving the relaxing confines of your hotel at least once to experience downtown Playa del Carmen, jam packed with souvenir shops, bars, restaurants and people.
Quinta Avenida
Quinta Avenida is the city’s main shopping street. The ideal place for a browse and a bit of souvenir shopping, although the heat is likely to get the better of you before too long.
If you prefer your souvenir shopping in a more air conditioned environment, there are several indoor malls. Plus a large Walmart a few minutes walk from Quinta Avenida.
Parque Los Fundadores
In the centre of town is the beach front Parque Los Fundadores, which is dominated by the Portal Maya sculpture.
The park has plenty of shady seating and a small children’s play area.
Xaman Ha
Just to the south is the area of Xaman Ha. Here, nestled next to the sea, you will find an aviary and some small Mayan ruins, which are free to explore.
Playa del Carmen Day 5 -Cozumel
Just off the coast is the island of Cozumel. The island is popular with both visitors from the mainland and passing cruise ships.
Ferry to Cozumel
Ferries to Cozumel depart regularly throughout the day, roughly 30 minutes apart. They usually alternate between two services run by Xcaret and Ultramar. Both ferries depart form the Muelle de Playa del Carmen in the downtown area and take around 45 minutes. A trip costs from M$320 each way, plus an additional sanitation tax of M$23.51.
Note: The weather when we visited Playa del Carmen was extremely windy and the ferries to Cozumel were either cancelled or quite bouncy. So we didn’t actually visit the island. But there is plenty to do there, from public art to private beaches. It is a popular spot for snorkelling and diving.
- Trip taken: March 2025
- Updated: September 2025
I hope you found the above information useful. For guides to more destinations in the 50+ countries we have visited, check out my full list of Independent Travel Itineraries here.
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