A Short Stop in Playa Del Carmen

Beaches, Shopping, and Good Eats…But I Was So Tired

On that trip to the Riviera Maya that I keep going on and on about, there were so many fabulous places we visited, but one I definitely want to explore more of is Playa Del Carmen.

Playa Del Carmen is a town along the Mayan Riviera that started as a fishing village, but has grown into a rather cosmopolitan/bohemian   area where you could easily be plowed over by a taxi at any moment.   I immediately loved the atmosphere, but our group arrived late in the afternoon after spending the day swimming with dolphins, AND visiting Xel-Ha.  So I had almost had it.

I wanted desperately to sit at one of he open air restaurants with a giant plate of nachos, and a cervesa  (one of my five or six Spanish words).  I had a blast at Xel-Ha, but I’m not used to cliff jumping,  snorkeling, and rope swinging all in one day and I was frickin’ tired, hungry, and leaning toward irritable.

But Wyatt wanted to shop.

If we were home, I would say “Too bad, so sad” at this point, but we were in Mexico, as Wyatt pointed, out so I rallied.

I rallied while he played every musical instrument we passed.

I rallied while he played hacky sac in a store surrounded by glass objects.

I even rallied  while he begged for at T-shirt that said, “I can only please one person per day.  Today’s not your day, and tomorrow isn’t looking good either.”  Uh…no.

I was done rallying.  And we agreed that when we got home,  we would take a nice break from each other.

Good Stuff to Look Forward To

While we were walking, though, I made note of all the things I’d like to do one day when I return.  Preferably with 2 or 3 girlfriends as opposed to a 13 year old boy.

In Playa Del Carmen, or Playa, as the locals call it, the main drag is called La Quinta Avenida (The Fifth Avenue).  It’s just one block off the beach and runs parallel to it.  It’s a busy pedestrian street paved with cobblestones, and lined with restaurants, nightclubs, and shops.  Loads of shops!   Also, loads of people… but in a good way.

I always enjoy the open market shopping in Mexico, with the game of buying from the good natured merchants, but there were also big-city  shopping experiences available like a large Ralph Lauren store, a shop selling diamonds, and some real, counterfeit Cuban cigars. The area is duty free, which is why you see so many designer boutiques that you wouldn’t necessarily expect in a smallish beach town.

I’m not much of a night lifer anymore, so the club scene isn’t my thing, but the open air restaurants looked perfect to sit and wile away the evening with a couple of friends watching the real partiers go by.

So here’s what I’m thinking.  Get to the beach around 11:00 am.  Hang out, catch some sun, and relax with a book.   Then shower and hit Fifth Avenue for shopping, people watching and dinner.  Sounds like a great way to spend a few days to me.

Of course, people who are feeling more ambitious than me can always go scuba diving, take a tour of the ruins, or grab a ferry to Cozumel.  If that’s you, rock on.  I’ll see you on the beach.

*Oh yeah, the FTC says I need to let you know in every post that this trip was paid for by the Riviera Maya Destination Organization.  Sorry if it’s getting on your nerves:)  Plus, duh, like I could afford to pay for all these trips myself.  HELLO McFly! FTC!

About the Author: Debbie Ferm is the founder of Travel Dither.  To connect with Debbie, subscribe to the blog and head over Facebo0k. Make sure to “like” the Travel Dither page so she knows you’re there!

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