Our Condos. The condos are fully loaded with linens and towels and come with
1 mid-week cleaning for each weekly stay. Purified drinking water is also
provided and replenished during your stay. The condos are clean and prepared
for your arrival with startup toiletries. Each condo has there own private
laundry system
24/7 security onsite.
Several Security Staff onsite throughout the day and evening. Then are very helpful and will take your luggage
to the condo upon arrival, and fetch you a taxi cab when you want to go out. Upon departure, they will also take it
out front to the lobby, but you must ask for the service. A light tip of a
couple dollars to the guards is appreciated, but only upon departure at your
discretion if you have used there service.
Beaches,
Golf and Spas, Tennis
The beach club is just across from us by about 150 meters. And the championship
golf course and Spa
Center are just left of
us. Both are a a3 minute walks away. Beach club offers optional all-inclusive, but
it is free to use the beaches and facility for our guests. Playa also has many
private beaches and we provide that information to our guests who book with us.
A Professional tennis court is on the premises.
The
condo complex has wireless internet. All you need to do is bring down
your wireless laptop and request concierge for the ISP name to create your
connection. Otherwise the lobby has a couple of computers that have internet
access for guests.
Condo
Use of appliances,
remote control appliances are easy to use. You can depend on Concierge to
assist with operational appliance and remote controls. The condos have remotes
for the air conditioner and ceiling fans operate with a switch in the bedrooms
and a remote in the family rooms. Some condos have a barbecue grill for use.
Bike
Rentals, Some owners
have them for rent. You can find the rentals also through Playa.
Currency Exchange. U.S. dollars are widely accepted. It’s
best to exchange you dollars and Traveler’s Checks into Mexican Pesos, as you
will get more Pesos for
every exchanged dollar. It’s best to exchange in Playa at the
banks and exchange booths in the area. We can point you to the best rate
exchanges the area offers. Currency exchange is available for US, Canadian,
Euro, Swiss, are among the top foreign currency for exchange. Credit cards are
accepted at various establishments. Under separate cover email
labeled Focal Points in Playa.
Pool
and Fitness Center is on
the premises and includes a sauna room. Pool towel service is provided by
concierge for use with our pool. Pool has lounging chair, with several umbrella
tables.
Airport. Main airport is Cancun International. Playa del
Carmen is about 45 minutes from the airport. Shuttles, cabs and private van
service are available. We recommend private round-trip van service for families
of 3 or more. Rental cars are available from the airport.
Walking from the condos to Playa del
Carmen 5th Avenue. You could walk like most or taxi there.
The walk is about 10 minute. as you head north on
the main Ocean boulevard of Playacar, you will
approach a circle in the road and continue straightgoing
out of the gates of the community and onto 10 Avenue. The first shopps and bar/restaurant on the corner are on right. Then
is the entrance into Playacar Plaza
where you see the Tequila Mart and Mcdonalds. So
outside the gates you are actually walking on 10th Avenue. Follow through heading
towards the Tequila Mart, into the Plaza where you will find many shops and
restaurants, continue heading towards the ocean and you will see both the
beginning of 5th avenue (south
end) and the Ferry dock (for Cozumel).
There are two competing boat companies that want your business. Fares range
between companies. You should be on 5th avenue. enjoy!
For those who have been to NYC or Philadelphia
and Chicago the streets in Playa use a similar
numbering system as these popular U.S. cities. So it's not hard to
get around. If you feel lost just ask as people are warm and friendly here. You
have to be drunk or work extra hard to get lost in Playa.
Getting around Playa.
Playa Del
Carmen is not a large town, but very modern town, and all the development has
taken place along the beach fronts. At the southern end the Playacar
area is home to many large, all-inclusive resorts as well as a golf course,
private homes and condos. Some of Playa’s most intriguing and very ancient
rubble of ruins still remain in Playacar. Playacar is just south of the Cozumel boat dock in Playa Del Carmen, and
it’s main plaza square is called El Zocalo. Just west of our condominium complex by 10 minute
walk is Avenida Juarez, where you will find a
number of banks and post offices, the bus station and the police. Avenida Quinta [Fifth Avenue], runs north from the Plaza Playacar.
Both Avenida Juarez and Avenida
Quinta intersect and is a common point of
reference. Fifth Avenue is
a pedestrian walkway lined with shops, restaurants, bars, galleries and hotels.
The central part of Quinta gets very crowded
especially during high tourist season and starts to get quieter once you have
moved north past Avenida Constituyentes
(Constituents or voters). The bay between Avenida Constituyentes and Coco Beach boasts
some of the loveliest beaches that Playa has to offer. Further north of Coco Beach the beach is less populated
and makes a good place to relax away from the crowds.
Playa Del Carmen is small
enough that almost any attraction in town is within walking distance. To get
from the Cozumel dock toCoco Beach is only about a twenty minute
walk. If the weather is unpleasant, there are many taxis and the rates are more
than decent.
Streets (Calles) and Avenues (Avenidas)
Beginning at and running parallel to the beach, the Avenues are
numbered in increments of five, starting with 1st Avenue (nearest the beach). Next
comes 5th
Avenue, 10th Avenue, etc. Beginning at
Benito Juarez Street on the south end of town near the ferry dock, the Calles (Streets) are numbered in increments of two,
perpendicular to the ocean, beginning with Calle
2. If the calles are
even numbers and getting larger, you're walking north. In the small area
south of Benito Juarez (before Playacar and the tiny
airstrip), the calles are numered in increments of two beginning with Calle 1 and increase as you walk south.
The town away from the beach is less geared toward
tourists and more residential. However, there are a number of excellent
places in town to get authentic Mexican food, particularly along 30th Avenue. There
are shops and markets as well for those willing to explore beyond the beachside
resorts.
To get from Playa Del Carmen back to many of the
surrounding area you can also do as the locals do and take the Colectivos! Colectivos are plain white 12 passenger vans
which run from Cancun to Tulum. Simply stand on the highway and hail one
down. $20 pesos per person each way and they stop at the major
hotels. Or, if you're in Playa del Carmen already and want to travel
north or south, simply go to Calle 2 between 15th and
20th Avenues, and get in a van heading either north or south as you wish.
This is where the colectivos start. It's an easy
and affordable way to get around.
Nightlife, Entertainment, Dining. A lot of it you can find in our Condo Activity Booklet. But for
starters, Playa is adventureous and that's what you
are out to find when you walk the streets of Playa and 5th avenue boulevard.
The best time is the evening after 6PM when the climate starts to cool down.
Up front I can tell you 5th
avenue dining is always the most expensive but its a fabulous place to eat and action packed. 5th Avenue
also has a section know as little Italy for fine dining and shops
and begins aroung 14 street (calle)
and 5th avenue
(avenita). More then 7,000 Italians live in this area
and even more visit during July and August. Yet there's fine dining throughout.
If you're the upbeat type try some of the trendy bar and grills and
enjoy open-air seating along the pedestrian boulevard.This
pedestrian boulevard puts you in the spotlight and what a good feeling that is.
The further up and off 5th avenue you go, the more authentic the Mexican
food is. You're gonna love it because it's like
walking down an never ending enchanted pathway on a warm evening as a mild
breeze flows off the ocean and through the streets. So treat yourself good and
take a stroll up and down the pedestrian boulevard for a romantic and
fun-filled evening. Maybe explore and go up a few street
off the pedestrian boulevard to find other low-key bars and dining at better
prices. You will get great food, drinks and enchantment throughout the night.
I'll send you more on this under separate cover. That's a promise.
We have a wonderful food shopping district and several superstore grocery complexes for all your
shopping needs including beer, wine and hard liquor. To name those I like to
use is MEGA and CHIDRAUI. MEGO is my first choice. These stores are located on 20th and 30th Street between 10th and 16th Avenue. SORIANO
is another grand supermarket located on highway 307 just across the street from
SAM's club. We also have a Sams club and Wal-Mart. We are
located in a popular location and these store are
about 1 mile away only. There's also small convenience
stores called "OXXO" around Playa del Carmen including Plaza Playacar and on the south end of 5th and 10th avenue which would be your closest
within walking distance from the condo.
Other Transportation services such as
taxi, colectivos and buses. Taxi service will bring you any where you want to go. Always as for
the fare charges before you get into the cab so you know what you are paying.
Otherwise your stuck on whatever the taxi cab driver
says. Colectivos usually run on the streets
and highways in and around Playa del Carmen city. they
are local small buses most of the tourists use on the cheap. You can google "Centivos in Playa
del Carmen" to find out more on there service.
A Bus Station is on the corner of 5th Avenue and Avenito
Juarez and is the best source to book bus trips to different cities. If
you are not doing a packaged tour, then this is the best way to go to a
different city for the day or overnight on the cheap. Just make sure there is a
round-trip and what are the pick up times and pick up areas. Our condo
booklet has a section on taxi fare to give you a better idea. Taxi fare is very
reasonably priced. I use all 3 services depending what I'm doing for the day.
Normally, I take the tax to the supermarkets and larger stores. They are always
waiting to take folks with groceries back home. If you are doing packaged
tours, then the tour booths I will point you to should have there own
transportation service.
Paseo del
Sol Vacation Condo Benefits.
- Hotels will require any
large family or group (consisting of 5 or more persons) to book at least
(2) two standard hotel rooms... Vacation homes can accommodate
your ENTIRE party! Our 3 bedroom vacation homes will sleep 6
persons! That can save you hundreds of dollars on a 1 or 2 week
vacation versus a hotel room! SAVE MONEY!
- Luxury vacation condos
are larger, spacious and private! Full Kitchen - Washer and Dryer -
Satellite TV! Have the pool practically to yourselves! Our condo has
a barbecue grill, some games books and magazines, DVD library, Stereo
system, purified water system. Whether you prefer to kick back
in the living room and watch a Mexican bullfight or world soccer match on
television with your friends or family, or relax in a sauna or the pool
with swim against the current and massage jets. PRIVACY &
COMFORT!
- Location is everything!
Our condo is only minutes away from eco-parks, shopping areas, and
groceries. Avoid all the hustle, bustle, and craziness found at the
hotels! Bring home with you on vacation. With a full kitchen and dining
room, parties with extended stays can dedicate a night or two of home
cooked meals! Hmm... Or, simply hop into a taxi or your vehicle and drive
to one of the nearby restaurants! CONVENIENCE
Driving
directions from the international airport at Cancun
to Paseo del Sol in Playacar:
Follow the exit road out
of the airport toward Highway 307. As you approach an overpass, over Highway
307, you will see an exit ramp on your right to go South on Highway 307 toward
Playa del
Carmen and Tulum. Take that exit and follow Highway 307
South for approximately 40 miles, passing straight through Puerto Morelos about half way between Cancun
and Playa del Carmen.
As you reach Playa del Carmen watch for the traffic light at Avenida Juarez. Turn left on Avenida
Juarez and follow that for about seven blocks until you reach 15th Avenue. (Note
that the street numbers go by fives). Turn right on 15th Avenue and follow it past the small
airport until you come to a stop sign. Turn left at the stop sign after the
airport and stay on this road for a block. Turn right to enter Playacar station (gated booth). After you pass the gated
booth, your approach would be to stay left making your way onto the main
ocean-side street of Playacar called Paseo-Xaman Ha. Continue for about 1/2 kilometer and Paseo
del Sol is on your right. Directly across from Paseo del Sol is The Reef Beach
Club. Next door to Paseo del Sol is the Playacar Golf
Club. So if you pass the golf club you went to far.
CAN-DO maps are great. You can purchase it only at http://www.cancunmap.com/playa_del_carmen.html. Check
it out. I usually keep this in my condo with my condo booklet for clients.
Hopefully they are still in the condo. If you are looking for Tour information,
my condo booklet has several pages on this. But the places to actually buy the
tour tickets could be in our lobby. And a better place would be at Plaza Playacar, where the south end of 5th Avenue begins. You will find tour
booths up and down the south end of 5th
avenue. Also in this location is the Boat peer for
a day trip to Cozumel.
I wanted to add a note about Currency Exchange here.The US dollar is widely accepted.
Other world currencies can be exchanged in Playa. Look for the best rate among
the various booths Currency
Exchange Booths starting at the south-end of 5th avenue as you walk. The Peso has fell against the strong dollar and you should get your
money's worth on the exchange. My Condo booklet has a page on Currency and how
to calculate the exchange on Mexican coins and dollars. Don't exchange your
money in the airport because it's expensive. You can view the rates at the
exchange booths as you walk on 5th
Avenue for the best rate. Exchange only a few days
worth of money at a time. This is a best practice and I've been using it
for years.
The low-down on car rentals. This should help you
significantly.
If you are going to rent a car, be sure to fully understand how insurance works
in Mexico.
Liability insurance, which is required is Mexico , will
be sold to you whether you ask for it or not, as it is required by law in Mexico .
The cost is minimal, and most quoted prices include both tax and insurance. However,
there are some tips I an offer you to cut down on the rental car charges.
Keep in mind, car rental is expensive, and you should buy all the insurance
they offer if your credit card company ('ll explain later down this email) does not offer rental car
insurance. Roads are excellent but night driving is very dangerous for a
variety of reasons.
Car Rentals
at Cancun Airport:
If you are going to rent a car, be sure you fully understand how car insurance
works in Mexico
. Liability insurance is required is Mexico. The rental agency will sell
you liability insurance whether you ask for it or not, because it is required
by law. The cost is minimal, and most quoted prices include both tax and
insurance. However, there are some tips I can offer you from past experience to
cut down on your the rental car charges.
Keep in mind, car rental insurance is expensive in Mexico, and you should buy all the
insurance offered by the rental agency if your credit card company does not
offer rental car insurance. 2 airport car rental agencies accept "credit
cards car insurance" offered by Visa and MasterCard (If your credit
card plan provides this service). This is a benefit to you as you won't need to
buy the insurance the car rental agency offers, which can be very costly.
Virtually, you will only need to pay for the rental car, removing any
additional collision insurance coverage that is already offered and protected
by your credit card plan. Of course, clarity and communications with the
Airport rental care associate is always good practice when renting a car at
either of these two agencies.
Rental Tips:
As for renting a car, check to see if your Visa or MasterCard credit card
company will cover the auto insurance on the rental car, because car rental
insurance from rental agency is expensive in Mexico. The 2 car rental car agencies in Cancun
Airport to use is "Thrifty"
and "Hertz". Both should accept either your Visa or MasterCard credit
card auto insurance. Always as to verify this is true as it will save you a lot
of money. And you will need insurance regardless, if you were to get into an
accident or fender bender with their rental car. But always ask and check first
with the car rental agency to see if they accept credit card auto insurance
from Visa or MasterCard.
Mastercard holders can benefit from MasterRental insurance that is provided to cardholders when
they received their credit card. No special card level is needed. Because I
wanted to be sure of this insurance I called MasterCard and requested printed
fact sheets explaining coverage and details of the insurance plan. MasterCard
e-mailed me a 4 page key term explanation. Upon receipt of the key terms and
reading of same the cardholder should decide for himself if he wants to use it.
I have used it at the Cancun airport with
Thrifty and Hertz. I tell the counter agent I have credit card insurance and they
mark the rental contract accordingly. I always carry the MasterRental
Fact sheets with me in case they ask to see it, but the agent has never asked
me for it from Thrifty or Hertz.
I strongly recommend that you obtain and read the fact sheets from the web . Call or look up the Credit Card company
if they provide car rental coverage.
Tips for driving in Mexico:
Rent A Car and Obeying the Law
Most rental car agencies have made if very easy to fill out minimal paper work
and renting from anywhere in the Riviera Maya. NOTE: I recommend going
to a AAA Travel service and getting an international
license for Mexico.
It will cost you about $25.00 dollars and worth every penny. I think it's
advantageous to have one if you get stopped by the police. This way if you get
stopped, you won't have to hand over you're real driver's license unless asked.
If the Mexican Police ask for your real driver's license, just show the
International license as it is acceptable and tell them that is all you have
with you. Why? If you give them your real driver license, you'll have to go
down to the police station to collect it and pay a fine of at least $100
dollars. I would try to obey traffic and avoid handing over your real license
in the event you get stopped and accused of a traffic violation.
Also keep in mind that you may be
approached by a corrupt mexican
police officer. Yes they are bad news for the tourist areas of Mexico, but
they are officers and will stop you, take you license, force you down to the
station to get it back. And some of the time they will accept a money offer
from you on the spot just to get your real license returned. And they may take
up much of your valuable time (30 to 45 minutes)
while you haggle with them. Just hope this doesn't happen if you got to catch a
flight causing you to arrive late at Cancun International airport. Do yourself
a favor and get an international license for the added security and peace of
mind.
Roads are fairly in good condition. Night driving could be very
dangerous for a variety of reasons. In Mexico if you illegally park, the
police will remove your license plate. Then you will have no choice but to go
down to the police station to get it back for around $40 usd.
They don't tow cars in Mexico.
If it's a rental car, you have no choice but to get the license plate back.
Packing luggage. Never
put your liquid products in your carry-on. Chances are you'll loose them to
customs. Eliminate sharp objects and cigarette lighter from your carry-on
luggage. Check on the rules and charges by calling your airlines for the new
rules on cargo compartment luggage per person. For internation
flights, it used to be 2 per person and no more the 50 pounds each. Rules have
changed. Here's a few other ideas.
- Make sure you have an International Passport
that won't expire while on vacation. Nothing else is accepted.
- As a tourist, you will fill out an Imigration Tourist Visa on the plane just before
landing. Fill it out and sign in 2 places on the back. When you go
through Mexican Customs in the Cancun airport,
They will check it and hand you a portion of the
document. Keep your Imigration Tourist Visa
stored with your passport. You will need it when you depart Mexico or
they may hold you back from leaving the country.
- If you require special request or service,
please let us know in advance.
If you plan on taking day trips, it's
always a good idea to bring along a backpack from home, where plenty of 50+ sunscreen, bring hats, and bring your
favorite bug spray. They sell that all here in the supermarkets, but some
people like to rely on what works for them from home. tourists
visiting the jungles and parks are suseptable to
insect bites. It's good idea to freeze a few small bottles of water as
emergency beverage in your backpack. Do it the night before by storing them
half frozen and fillling the remaining bottle with
water before taking it with you. You can pack the portable cooler with a
zip-loc bag of ice to keep things cool for the day.
If you have a cell phone bring it down
and switch the network to Tel-Mex Cell tower using
your phone connection menu.
Here's
a couple of sights you can look into for a fly fishing experience. One of the sights has a USA phone
number. You might want to ask about their Daily Rates and if it includes
tackle, bait and poles. Fly Fishing isn't cheap, but
is a lot fun if you get the right fish on your line.
http://www.pescamaya.com/
http://www.pescamexicana.com/
You can also try going into a Dive Shop and ask them
for recommendations. You will find a few Dive Shops walking along 5th avenue and Playacar
Plaza. Most of the
fishing I'm aware of is guided, because Playa. It's good to possibly do a
little google search for fly fishing in the Yucatan
on your own if you not satisfied with the above links.
Snorkeling: Akumal have the best in my
opinion and very safe and well managed by excellent guides. You can also check out the dive shops in Playacar Plaza and along 5th avenue. Walk in a take a
look around. If you have your own gear bring it.
Otherwise, rent it, they will provide everything you need. If you are going
snorkeling, bring down a beach towel for each. Experienced snorkelers
may prefer Cozumel better then Playa del
Carmen Snorkeling. Cozumel
is an island and there are stronger currents deeper waters and rocks
formations. The guided tour will take you out. You need to be careful, pay
attention as the water currents make you drift quickly, and most importantly
you should be totally sober if you snorkel in Cozumel.
One other thing since you like snorkeling.
There is a beach 20 minutes south of Playa del Carmen that your entire family
can enjoy for the day by taxi service. The beach-dining restaurant [at Akumal beach north] has a program where
you show up in the morning, order your food from the menu and your dining time,
then go snorkeling and beaching for the day within walking distance to the
restaurant, then show up for your beach dining experience. You can also stop in
Tulum to catch a bite to eat at a local Taccoria which is less expensive. It's a nice day out for
the family and not many folks know but more people are planning it in their
vacation schedule. Its best to reserve the restaurant 3 to 6 days in advance as they get busy
depending on the season. Some condos have an activity booklet where the
information is listed. If you want the phone number to the restaurant in
advance, let me know and I'll email it to you so you can call before you leave.
I have that information if you book through me and I can
pass the information along if you decide to do something like this so you can
plan in advance. Also, I have a friend who has 2 500HP Ocean
tours boats that fits only 15 people and includes snorkeling and beach picnic.
I can get that for you at a discount. These are just a couple offerings I have
for you at this time. But if you want to get a feel for pricing on snorkeling
go to http://www.playadelcarmentours.com/snorkeling.htm
or Google "snorkeling in playa del carmen"
For inexperienced snorkeling, try the playa side first and take a lesson as
well for your own safety. Plus you will have a nice luxury condo with resort
style amenities, a beach club, professional golf and Spa/Therapy center, and a
10 minutes from Famous 5Th Avenue
night life all within your reach..
Instructions on
how to access the beach Club
Since each condo owner has a residence ID card it can be
used by our guests exclusively with free access into the the
Beach Club. You will gain access of our Playacar ID
Card from concierge. It must be used to enter the Reef Club. It can also be
used for a discount into Playacar Bird Aviary just a
short walk away.
The beach club is directly across from the condo about 150 meters away. You must Check-in at the Reef guest services desk with
our ID card. The Reef service desk will hold
the ID card until you leave permanently for the day (up until 6 PM). You can
walk out and go back to the condo if you wish. But you must keep the wrist-band
on your arm, if you plan to come back for the day before 6PM. You can use the
Reef and its facility for non-fee based activity.
The Beach Club, is a nice
privilege and free for our guests to access.
Up to 4 guests can get into the beach club on our ID card. If you have more
then 4 guests, Antonio Ramos should have an additional card for you to use.
It's best to get into the beach club early like 8:30 AM, because it fills up
fast and late arrivals may not get in for the day.
The Beach Club also offers an all-inclusive meal/drink plans. This is a
separate out of pocket expense and includes alcoholic beverages, a full
breakfast buffet, and a full lunch buffet with additional concession grill for
quick foods near the swim up bar pool. The cost for a full day until 6 PM is
priced for Adults and Children under 12. The prices for the all-inclusive use to be $55 dollars for adults
and $25 dollars for children in 2007. Prices are subject to increase and
may have changed. Please inquire for the cost of there all-inclusive plans.
They also have an evening dinner/entertainment plan.
The rules
for the all-inclusive:
No food can be purchased or beverages bought once inside. It is not a pay as
you go deal. You either use the facility free with all the free available
amenities at no cost or you add the all-inclusive, and any other pay services.
All check-in service is conducted at the Reef Guest Services desk. The “daily”
and/or “evening” all-inclusive plans are purchased at the Reef guest services
desk during check-in. A "wrist-band"
must be worn on your arm the entire time you are in the beach club to identify
yourself as a guest. A "colored wristband" is worn to identify those
included in the all-inclusive which includes your food, and drinks including
alcohol.
You can bring your own foods and
beverages from the condo, using our portable Cooler and Thermos
available. These are two items we allow off-premises as part the deal.
We do not allow our
personal condo and pool towels off the premises. The Reef Club rents towels for the day. The Reef club also
has a Nightly Entertainment package, which begins around 6:30 to include dinner
and a show. You should inquire about it at the Reef Guest Service desk.
Collect our Playacar Id Card from the Reef
Guest Service Desk at the end of the day. Return all rental towels when
you check-out from the Reef club for the day,
You can walk back and forth from the condo
or elsewhere in the mid-day, and return to the Reef club. As long as you are
checked-in for the day, don't remove the wristband. You can stay at the
beach club up until 6PM. If you remove your wristband, they may not allow you
back and will not reissue a wristband once you forfeit your check-in status for
the day. Yet, this remains as a nice convenience, unless they otherwise made a
change to their policy. To date I have not heard such a change.
Our Playacar ID card WILL NOT WORK FOR YOU at any
other place accept for the Beach Club and and Bird
Aviary in Playacar. Please return it with you after
each use as it is expensive to replace.
Next door to our complex is the Playacar
Championship Golf Course and Spa/Therapy Center. Literally a 3 minute walk. Several Championship course 30 minutes away from the complex.
Best time for tee time is to get there 6:30 in the morning if you are doing a
full day because it gets hot in the afternoon. There's also a twilight round.
Inquire for rates directly with the course at there online sites. You can refer
to our golf page as well. The Spa/Therapy center is top notch and they have
different packages that fit your budget. We love this place and use it every
time we're there. There's also another Spa right across from the 16 hole of the
golf course. If you look off my patio to the left, the golf course is your back
drop. You can literally walk across the course the spa. There's also a japanese restaurant there. We
never tried it, but you can inquiry about it in the lobby or ask any other
vacationers you meet by the pool in our complex. Your
among family and friends here.
Playacar is a manicured up-scale secure gated residential resort
area that defines the southern part of Playa del Carmen. It was designed from
the ground up to create a sophisticated environment for the tropical lifestyle.
Some points of interest within Playacar are small
Maya archaeological sites located thru out the area. The tropical bird aviary
has many of the more spectacular bird species to be found in the Yucatan. Sporting
attractions include world-class fishing, an 18-hole golf course (it includes
all drinks and simple foods and sandwiches), tennis courts, beach clubs and
clubhouse.
There is also shopping at the Plaza Antigua and Plaza Playacar shopping centers. In addition, several new malls
and large grocery shopping centers were completed at the end of 2005, among
countless other things to do and see in Playa del Carmen. Playacar
is centrally located to all the coastal adventures to be found in the Riviera
Maya between Cancun and Tulum.
Playa del Carmen (or just "Playa" to the
locals) is a city on the move. Until recently, Playa was a little fishing
village, prized for its turquoise blue waters and environmental treasures by
adventurous Mexicans and savvy, in-the-know travelers. But with an enviable
location across the water from Cozumel and a mere 45
minutes south of Cancun
International Airport,
this secret was too good to keep. Today, Playa is one of the fastest growing
coastal towns in Mexico.Playa del
Carmen is a tourist destination, but not overwhelming like Cancún.
Despite this new global renown, you can visit Playa del Carmen and still enjoy
a simple beach holiday without the trappings and characteristics of a
modern-day resort like a Cabo or Mazatlan. Big
hotels and developers are beginning to move in, but the urban plans take into
account the local environment — so structures are low-rise. Even with the burst
of interest, the area is nowhere near as commercial as Cancun.
Playa del Carmen skews towards a demographic of all
ages. They come here looking for a comfortable holiday; to swim, sunbathe,
stroll along wonderful beaches, listen to bands in the outdoor air, and dance
at some of the hottest clubs in the world at night.
Emergency numbers and health services. Concierge is always
there to assist with health necessity. We have a new hospital in the area and
several clinics. There are pharmacy's (called farmacia)
throughout Playa on 5th and several of the adjacent streets such as Avenue
Juarez, etc..
What to bring
besides your sandals, hat and sun screen. This is Mexico so pack nice comfortable
casual wear unless you are heading to some wedding or special high-class
evening. Pack sneakers if you are going on tours and sight-seeing that
will require you to walk alot. There are very
few places that would require long pants for dining. I've only found one dining
place requesting men to wear long pants and that was in Xcaret Park, which is an all-inclusive park to
spend a day with family and friends. If you do bring long pants, make sure they
are of light material. Most of the teenagers dress nicely to head out to
the popular night clubs because they want to look nice and it's the in-thing to
do at that age I guess.
Pack
your own beach towels if you plan on going to several other public beaches
which I will tell you about under the email. You can buy towels here too on 5th avenue. We
don't loan out our condo towels for the public beaches. There for the pool use
only. The Condo has 2 hair dryers, and iron and ironing board so don't pack
these items. If you like candles bring down a few to burn and leave behind. Your not obligated, but that's what I do and leave them for
guests to burn. It seems to be catching on as it's hard to find good house
candles in Playa. Maybe that's my next business.
