Practical Info
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Introduction
to Playa del Carmen |
| This little Caribbean beach town has
grown tremendously in popularity during the last decade. There's
a good reason for that - Playa is a fantastic place to spend your
vacation, hang out, or live. The town has grown along the beach... |
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Arriving
in Playa del Carmen |
| You will most likely arrive at Cancun
international airport, which is only about 45 minutes from Playa
del Carmen. Playa has a small airport that mainly has service to
Cozumel and some ruins, like Chichén Itzá and Palenque... |
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Getting
Around |
| First of all, there is good reason to
warn about the traffic in Mexico, regardless of whether you're
driving, biking or walking. Tourists come down here worried about
sharks, malaria and the Mexican Bandido with a big bushy moustache
and a machete, but one of the biggest health hazards here is actually
traffic... |
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Currency
and Communication |
| The currency in Mexico is called the peso.
The exchange rate used to fluctuate like mad, but it has been between
10 and 11 pesos to the dollar for years now. The sign for pesos
is the same as for US dollars ($), which can be a little confusing
sometimes... |
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Weather
and Wear |
| Playa del Carmen has a sub-tropical
climate, which means it's almost always warm. Or hot. The annual
average temperature is about 27C or 80F. Temperature is not the
only consideration when in a tropical climate... |
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Mundo Maya
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Mayan
Culture and Traditions |
| The Mayan world is a place full of spirits
and ghosts. They believed that every creation had un unseen power
and they make a distinction between natural and supernatural power.
This is something the Maya had in common with people throughout
Mesoamerica and a notion that is very much alive in today's Latin
America... |
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Mayan
World after the Conquest |
| The very first Europeans came to this
area in 1511 when a Spanish ship sunk off the Caribbean coast.
Out of the 19 survivors, only two eluded sacrifice or disease -
Brother Gerónimo de Aguilar and Seaman Gonzalo Guerrero. They settled
down with the Maya; Gonzalo Guerrero married a Mayan woman and
had three children... |
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Chichen
Itza |
| Chichén Itzá, arguably the most impressive
Maya site on the Yucatán peninsula, lies about three hours from
Playa del Carmen. Its famous pyramid offers a challenging climb
and a breathtaking view over the jungle... |
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Coba |
| This grand Mayan site lies less than
two hours from Playa del Carmen, and is different from the other
big sites in the Yucatan. First of all, it's situated by four natural
lakes, which is a rare sight in the Yucatan. These lakes are believed
to have given the city its name, which means Waters stirred
by wind... |
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Ek
Balam |
| This little gem of a Mayan city is rarely
visited and you may very well end up strolling around all by yourself
among temples and jungle. It's a bit off the beaten path since
it's located about 20 minutes north of Valladolid. From Playa del
Carmen it's a two hours and 45 minutes trip, which is best handled
by car. But if you're into Mayan art and architecture, this is
a real treat and should not be missed!... |
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Muyil |
| Only a short drive south of Tulum, there's
a nice little site with very few visitors. This site goes under
two names, Muyil and Chanyaxche. It is not big, but there are a
few interesting buildings and the historical significance is apparent.
Muyil makes a nice stop on your Tulum or cenote day-trip. |
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Tulum |
| The Mayan ruins of Tulum, only an hour
from Playa del Carmen, undoubtedly has one of the most breathtaking
settings of any city past or present. The only significant large
scale Mayan ruin on the coast, it is perched on a cliff overlooking
the Caribbean Sea... |
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Things to Do
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Sports
Overview |
| If you're the sporty type, Playa will
keep you busy, both above and beneath the surface of the Caribbean.
No matter what level of thrill you are looking for there is something
to do here, between hanging out on the beach and stomping around
ruins... |
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Reef
Diving |
| Detailed overview of what to expect
from conditions, operators and dive locations written by an instructor
with more than a thousand local reef dives. |
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Cenote
Overview |
| Find out what a cenote is, how they
were formed, and what makes them special. Learn what to expect
if you decide to dive in the cenotes and what to look for in a
qualified quide. |
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Fishing |
| The quality of deep sea fishing in the
Playa del Carmen area may come as a surprise to you. This area
is perhaps more famous for its fantastic diving and its amazing
Mayan ruins, but the truth is that fishing is here is ranked extremely
high by serious anglers from all over the world... |
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Eating
Out |
| The major international influence is
apparent in Playa's array of restaurants. You won't run the risk
of being bored of the food when in Playa. You can go Mexican, Mayan,
Tex-Mex, Italian, Thai, German, Japanese, Cuban, Chinese, Argentinean,
Swedish, Spanish and probably something else that we can't think
of right now. Oh, yeah, seafood! ... |
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Activities
and Daytrips |
| Get oriented quickly with this overview
of the area. We cover the major points of interest on the coast
that are comfortably reached for interesting daytrips from Playa
del Carmen. |
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Colonial
town of Valladolid |
| The colonial town of Valladolid was
founded in 1543 by Francisco de Montejo, who established Spanish
rule in most of the Yucatán peninsula. As in so many other places
in the New World, the Spanish built their own churches on the site
of the old pagan temples. Valladolid used to be a Mayan town by
the name of Zací... |
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Skydive! |
| The only way to experience this incredible
activity is to do it yourself, so we went for a jump and had a
blast. Have a look at some cool images and find out why Playa is
the best place on earth to jump out of an airplane! |
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Features
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Mexican
Food |
| A brief overview to get you oriented.
From street food to traditional dishes, you'll have an understanding
of what real Mexican food is before arriving in Playa del Carmen.
Leave the yellow cheese and sour cream at home. |
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Hammock
Guide |
| A fixture in any home in the Yucatan
peninsula, the Mayan hammock is the perfect introduction to the
land of the siesta. Learn what to look for, how to use it, maintain
it and keep it clean for years of heavenly rest. |
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Tequila |
| Learn about the history of this firey
spirit and a little bit about the differences in types and quality.
Playa del Carmen is full of places where you can do follow-up research
once you arrive. |
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Learning Spanish in Paradise |
| Playa del Carmen is a fantastic location to brush up on your Spanish. Playa.Info sent a staff member back to school for two weeks, and here's the article to prove it. |
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Bacalar
Exploration Project 2001 |
| The labyrinth of underground rivers
in this region of Mexico fuels the fire of exploration. Read the
details of a recent project aimed at discovering new places where
man has never been before. |
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