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We've compiled the best of the best in Playa del Carmen - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
This beach club and restaurant is one of the few open every day from morning (8:30 am) to late (1 am). Take a dip in the ocean and then catch some rays on one of the sun beds or chaise lounges. When the sun goes down, there is live music, shows, and salsa lessons on the beach. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: partiers; swimming.
A favorite of party animals and the young and beautiful, Coralina offers nonstop music all day long with an open bar, fireworks, go-go dancers, and bikini contests also included in the rates. The pool parties here are legendary, as are the champagne wars. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: partiers.
This stretch of beach north of the ferry dock, from Constituyentes to Calle 38, is known to locals as Mamita's, although it also encompasses the Coralina beach club and the Hilton and Mahekal hotels. Independent of the main beach's drop-off (and the sandbags that are sometimes visible there), it's a lovely straight stretch of flat sand and clear water, which you'll share with lots of other visitors. The trade-off is that WaveRunners, which are largely absent from the main beach, are very present here. It's a good spot for fun in the sun, not seclusion. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; swimming.
Accessible by way of Calle 28, this is Playa's hottest spot to catch some rays. You can rent an umbrella and two chairs (the smallest beachfront package) for MX$600; MX$3,500 will get you a plush, shady couch in the sand (and a refund of up to MX$3,000 if you purchase that much in drinks). Expect to pay around MX$165 for a cocktail and MX$60 for a beer. Guests can relax in the VIP area while a DJ spins trance and techno beside the freshwater pool. Facilities include three restaurants, four bars, two swimming pools, and a second-floor champagne bar. Amenities: food and drink; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers.
The community's most central section of beach stretches from the ferry docks up to Calle 14 at the Wyndham Alltra Resort, a swath of deep white sand licked by turquoise water. The beach and water are clean, but there is some boat traffic that makes swimming less idyllic. Snorkelers aren't likely to see much here, but you can't beat the beach for convenience: countless bars and restaurants are a short walk away on 5th Avenue, masseurs compete (discreetly) to knead out your kinks, and it's easy to find a dive shop ready to take you out to sea. The closer you get to the docks, the more people you'll find. If you're looking for seclusion, head farther north outside Playa del Carmen. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking.
