Just an hour outside of Cancun, Playa del Carmen is one of the most popular destinations in Mexico to visit. While there is no shortage of all-inclusive beachfront resorts to lounge in all day, the majority of tourists stay within downtown Playa del Carmen, and experience things from the heart of the city. Playa del Carmen is well known for its many beach clubs and roof top pools, but it offers much more than that. Let's take a look at some of the best things Play del Carmen has to offer!
You may also be interested in itineraries for Playa del Carmen's neighboring cities Cancun, Cozumel and Tulum, each within an hour of Playa del Carmen.
Disclaimer
Part of the job of a travel agent is to save clients time and money. I looked through hundreds of tours and picked out the best tours to book in various categories that are both the best in quality and price.
Prices listed below are subject to change. Rates are typically discounted for larger groups and children, so use the links provided to see the exact cost for your specific scenario and book what is of interest to you.
3D Museum of Wonders
Need a break from the heat or the beach? Then the place to go is the 3D Museum of Wonders in Playa del Carmen. Considered the first 3D illusion art museum in the Americas, its exhibits are unique and interactive. Open daily, the museum provides family-friendly entertainment on any day, including rainy ones. Your admission gives you access to all rooms. Feel free to bring your camera and take photos of your favorite exhibits — it’s not your everyday museum.
Duration
At your leisure
Availability
Everyday from 10am - 8pm
Price
$40 per person
Alternative
Frida Kahlo Museum - $20 per person
Private Photoset Session
Hire your own professional photographer to capture your Playa del Carmen experience with this photoshoot package. You and your group will spend around an hour with your professional photographer, who will guide you as you pose for perfect shots. This package includes 20 high-resolution images, with the option to purchase additional photos for an extra fee.
Duration
1.5 hours
Availability
Everyday at 9am and 5pm
Price
$55 per person
Helicopter Ride over Riviera Maya
Endless white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, tropical vegetation. On this helicopter ride over the Riviera Maya you'll discover the breathtaking landscapes of the Mexican Caribbean from a unique perspective.
Duration
15 mins
Availability
Everyday at 5pm
Price
$145 per person
Alternative
Cancun Sightseeing Trip - $64 per person
Riviera Maya Bike Tour - $95 per person
Mexican Cocktail & Appetizer Class
With the instructions of the chef, you will be making your own mexican appetizers and cocktails. You start off by making one cocktail, and while enjoying it, you will make your first appetizer. When finished, you will be making another cocktail and appetizer. And then one more round! It is a full meal, so do not have dinner before coming! Book your class and get ready for an unforgettable cooking and drinking experience which you will surely not forget!
Duration
3 hours
Availability
Fridays at 6pm
Price
$105 per person
Alternative
Walking Food and City Experience - $55 per person
Authentic Mexican Cooking Class - $110 per person
Cooking Class & Local Markets Tour - $130 per person
The Travelers' Table Food Experience - $149 per person
Coco Bongo Nightclub with Open Bar
Enjoy an open bar and experience Coco Bongo nightclub and disco in Playa del Carmen. This is one of the most popular nightclubs offering dancing, live shows, professional rock-star impersonators, and crowds of partiers.
Duration
6 hours
Availability
Tuesday - Sunday at 8pm
Price
Starting from $88 per person
Alternative
Pub Crawl - $28 per person
VIP Nightclub Tour - $99 per person
Cirque du Soleil® JOYÀ
Experience tablecloth dining along with the Cirque du Soleil® show 'JOYÁ' at the Vidanta Riviera Maya resort. Allow yourself to be mesmerized by the story of an alchemist and his granddaughter seeking out the secrets of life. The show draws on the heritage and history of Mexico to weave the story, presented in an intimate dinner theatre in the jungle of the Riviera Maya.
Duration
1.5 hours
Availability
Tuesday – Saturday at 6pm
Price
Starting from $105 per person
Alternative
Cirque du Soleil® JOYÀ with Transportation - Starting from $164 per person
Xcaret Park
Visit the number 1 attraction in the Riviera Maya at the Xcaret Park and enjoy the cultural traditions of Mexico. Explore underground rivers, and enjoy sights such as the Manatee Lagoon, House of Whispers and much more.
Duration
At your leisure
Availability
Everyday. Pick up time TBD
Price
Starting from $146 per person
Alternative
Xenses Park - $104 per person
Xavage Park - $104 per person
Xoximilco Park - $135 per person
Xenotes - $136 per person
Xel-Há Park - $137 per person
Xplor Park - $146 per person
Dolphin World
Come have a vacation of a lifetime at Dolphin World! Choose between:
Dolphin Encounter: Perfect for those who can’t swim, you will have an amazing interactive encounter with dolphins.
Dolphin Swim: Interact, swim and have a ride with one dolphin.
Royal Dolphin Swim: Interact, swim and have a ride with two dolphins.
A buffet lunch and drinks are also included.
Duration
At your leisure
Availability
Monday – Saturday at 10:30am, 12pm, 1:30pm and 3:30pm
Price
Dolphin Encounter: $99 per person
Dolphin Swim: $139 per person
Royal Dolphin Swim: $169 per person
Transportation can be included for an additional $10 per person
Alternative
Swimming with Whale Sharks - $157 per person
Scuba Diving
Not all small-group scuba groups are as intimate as this one, where the max is just five guests, so you will have all sorts of interaction with the marine life in Playa del Carmen. Your instructor will be with you the entire time to keep you safe, and to help point out different species that you may miss if you were on your own.
Duration
4.5 hours
Availability
Everyday at 8am and 12:30pm
Price
$100 per person
Alternative
2 Tank Scuba Dive for Certified Divers - $99 per person
2 Tank Cenote Dive for Certified Divers - $129 per person
Catamaran Cruise to Isla Mujeres
Ride the Caribbean waves on board a catamaran and discover the tropical paradise that is Isla Mujeres, snorkelling off one of the most beautiful reefs in the region. Includes lunch, drinks and round-trip transportation.
Duration
10 hours
Availability
Everyday at 10am and 12pm
Price
$50 per person plus a $20 dock fee paid on arrival
Alternative
Swim with Sea Turtles - $45 per person
Snorkeling Adventure in Puerto Morelos - $51 per person
Punta Maroma Speed Boat Tour - $77 per person
Isla Contoy & Isla Mujeres Tour - $144 per person
Holbox Island
Discover the heavenly beaches of Isla Holbox, a natural space on the north coast of the Yucatan peninsula known for its incredible beaches and diversity of birds.
Duration
10 hours
Availability
Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:30am
Price
$89 per person
Alternative
Las Coloradas Trip - $91 per person
Bacalar Day Tour - $109 per person
Parasailing
Enjoy an exhilarating parasailing flight over Maroma Beach. Soar over palm trees and the Caribbean Sea and relax with a convenient transport service.
Duration
10 mins
Availability
Everyday at 9:30am, 12pm and 3pm
Price
$116 per person plus a $10 dock fee paid on arrival
Alternative
Flyboarding - $120 per person
Punta Maroma Jet Ski Tour
Feel a rush of adrenaline as you bounce over the waves in a true Caribbean paradise on this jet ski tour in Punta Maroma from Playa del Carmen.
Duration
1 hour
Availability
Everyday at 9:30am, 12pm and 3pm
Price
$94 per person
Alternative
Morning Paddle Boarding Tour - $40 per person
Sunrise Paddle Boarding Tour - $40 per person
Sunset Paddle Boarding Tour - $40 per person
Learn To Surf - $75 per person
ATV Tour, Five Ziplines and Cenote Swim
Travel through the Mayan jungle on this action-packed all-day guided tour. Hop on your own ATV (or ride along with a driver) and head to a cenote, an underwater pool, where you can take a refreshing dip. Then fly above the treetops on a ziplining course. A local Mayan lunch is included. Only those 18 years old and above are permitted to drive their own ATV. Hotel pickup and drop-off included.
Duration
4 hours
Availability
Everyday at 9am and 12pm
Price
Starting from $63 per person
Alternative
Biking Into A Hidden Jungle Cenote - $57 per person
ATV Ride and Secret Caves Tour - $80 per person
Jungle Buggy Tour & Cenote Swim - $102 per person
Horseback Ride
Visit a local ranch for a horseback adventure, suitable for beginners and experienced riders alike. You'll spend between 90 minutes and two hours on your ride, exploring a variety of trails and open spaces. More experienced riders are welcome to trot and canter, too. Morning riders will get free pastries, tea, and coffee, while those coming in afternoon will get snacks and beer, wine, or soft drinks after their ride.
Duration
1.5 hours
Availability
Everyday at 9:30am and 2pm
Price
Starting from $87 per person
Alternative
ATV Tour, Zip Lines, Horseback Riding, Cenote Swim & Tequila Tasting - $79 per person
Akumal Monkey Sanctuary - $95 per person
Horses + ATV + Ziplines + Rappel + Cenotes + Lunch - $120 per person
Camel Caravan Expedition - $159 per person
Kaan Luum Lagoon + Mariposa & Chen-Ha Cenotes
Want to visit unique places in the Yucatan Peninsula? On this excursion, you'll visit the Kaan Luum Lagoon and as an added bonus, you'll be able to swim in the Mariposa and Chen-Ha cenotes.
Duration
7 hours
Availability
Tuesdays at 7pm
Price
$46 per person
Alternative
Visit 4 Cenotes - $27 per person
Río Secreto - $79 per person
Discovery Tsonoti - $107 per person
Cenote Suytun & Rio Lagartos & Las Coloradas - $160 per person
Tulum Express Half-Day Tour
Visit the Mayan city of Tulum on a 6-hour tour from Playa del Carmen, and explore temples, pyramids, and history at the edge of the Caribbean Sea. See the site on a two-hour guided tour, then enjoy an hour to explore on your own, snap photos, or visit the Tulum beach. This 6-hour tour includes pickup and drop-off at Playa del Carmen hotels, as well as entrance fees at the Tulum Archeological Site.
Duration
6 hours
Availability
Monday - Friday at 7am
Price
$43 per person
Alternative
Tulum Mayan Ruins & Cenote Swim - $36 per person
Tulum, Coba and a Cenote - $59 per person
Chichen Itza, Valladolid with Cenote Swim & Buffet
Journey to Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula to visit the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza on this full-day excursion that includes easy hotel pickup and drop-off. Along with seeing El Castillo and learning how this pre-Columbian city played an important role in the Mayan civilization, visit the colonial town of Valladolid, stop at a cenote for a quick swim, and enjoy a buffet lunch.
Duration
12 hours
Availability
Everyday at 6am
Price
Starting from $39 per person
Alternative
Chichén Itzá and Tulum 2 Day Combo Tour - $76 per person
Temazcal Ancestral Healing Ceremony
Come experience the many physical and mental benefits of a Temazcal. Flush out toxins, clear your skin, support weight loss and release mental burdens.
Duration
3 hours
Availability
Everyday at 5pm
Price
$70 per person
Alternative
Maya Community Visit - $79 per person
Komentar