Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Playa del Carmen?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Playa del Carmen?
Many visitors spend three to seven days in Playa del Carmen during their visit. If you're not sure how much time you might need here, we have the answers because there's so much to see and do. This town offers a number of attractions to explore, including scuba diving and snorkeling, the beaches, the nightlife, and the beautiful scenery.
Playa del Carmen is a popular resort town that is filled with luxury resorts and stunning coastline. The area has world class diving and snorkeling as well as jungles and famous nightlife venues. Vacationers flock here to relax and enjoy the paradise-like setting.
Do you have one or two days to visit Playa del Carmen? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Playa del Carmen?
With only one day, you might feel a bit pressed for time to enjoy the beach and the other activities in this town. After all, Playa del Carmen is home to a multitude of sights and attractions, making it an extremely popular destination for tourists. To fully embrace Playa del Carmen, a longer visit is better. Most travelers tend to allocate three to seven days to go scuba diving or snorkeling, relax at the beach, take advantage of the local nightlife, and admire the wonderful scenery. Nevertheless, if your schedule is limited, we can provide some suggestions to maximize your visit.
How to spend a day in Playa del Carmen
Scuba diving and snorkeling around Playa del Carmen is world-class, and is one of the main reasons why so many visitors come here. Spend a day exploring the beauty of the surrounding underwater world. There's not a lot to see right off of the beach, but there are plenty of snorkeling excursions in the area that take you to beautiful reefs. The diving is world class as well and you'll find wonderful reefs, bull sharks, and hidden gems.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Private Experience: Akumal sea turtles encounter and Yal-kú lagoon colorfull fish snorkel. ($155)
- Akumal; Snorkeling and Photos with Turtles ($29)
- Hidden Cenote Swim: Snorkeling, Sea Turtles and Beachside Lunch ($169)
The nightlife scene is very popular here. After dark, head out to one of the many venues around town. It rivals some of the country's best nightlife and you'll find plenty of venues to choose from, ranging from dive bars to swanky cocktail lounges. Head to the main walking street for some of the most active venues.
Playa del Carmen is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the town, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. It's a compact and very walkable town. La Quinta is the main strip and it's pedestrian-only.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen is a small town that is extremely popular with tourists due to the many sights and attractions. A weekend is probably not enough time to enjoy the beach and other activities. You will likely feel rushed to see scuba diving and snorkeling, the beaches, the nightlife, and the beautiful scenery. To thoroughly enjoy your trip, you'd need more time, as most vacationers schedule at least 3 or as many as 7 days to fully experience the stunning town. Nevertheless, if time is of the essence, we have some nice suggestions for your visit.
Play del Carmen, Mexico
How to spend 2 days in Playa del Carmen
With a weekend (two to three days) in Playa del Carmen, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the town has to offer.
The beautiful beaches await you in Playa del Carmen, so spend the day (or several, if you can) relaxing on the sand or swimming in the water. The area is filled with world class beaches, long stretches of white sand, and beautiful blue water. You might even stumble across a sea turtle or two while you're swimming.
A few tour suggestions include:
- 4 Different Cenotes & Beach from Playa del Carmen ($154)
- Sian Ka'an Boat Experience from Riviera Maya to Tulum ($199)
- Hidden Cenote Swim: Snorkeling, Sea Turtles and Beachside Lunch ($169)
Playa del Carmen is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. From beautiful beaches to inland jungles, this is a truly stunning destination.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Sunset paddleboard group session Caribbean Sea. Foto's included! ($45)
- Sian Ka'an Boat Experience from Riviera Maya to Tulum ($199)
- Riviera Maya Luxury Sunset Sailing plus Light Dinner and Open Bar ($109)
The public transit in Playa del Carmen is fast and efficient. Over the course of a few days, you should be able to explore the town quite easily and affordably. There are local buses, collectivos and the ADO bus.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Playa del Carmen, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
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