PLAYA DEL CARMEN BEACHES
This little seaside city in the Yucatan Peninsula has many upsides and the endless white sand beaches washed with turquoise colored Caribbean Sea is definitely one of them. Playa del carmen weather permits swimming and enjoying the sea year round. Before we moved to Playa del Carmen in March 2021, we read a lot of Playa del Carmen beach reviews and we were very confused. Therefore, we wanted to write our detailed opinion about the condition of Playa del Carmen Beaches today and tried to answer some questions. We even made a Youtube beach walk video about this, you can watch it here.
Are beaches in Playa del Carmen full of Seaweed?
Beaches in Playa del Carmen area right now are not what it used to be 5 years ago. They faced a serious beach erosion and most of the beach has gone through a decay. There is a seaweed problem in Playa del Carmen beaches but it's not so disturbing. At some points of the beach, they accumulate and at other parts, they don't exist. Beaches in Playa del Carmen without seaweed are mostly to the north of Hilton Playa del Carmen.
Are Playa del Carmen Beaches open?
Yes, we are writing this post in March 2021 and Playa del Carmen beaches are open for a while now. Hopefully, they won't close ever again. Anyone can enjoy swimming, sunbathing and the beach clubs in Playa del Carmen now.
Are the beaches in Playa del Carmen public?
Yes, kilometers of white, powdery heavenly sand beach is public, open to everyone and it's free. You can lay your towel on the sand and sit anywhere you like on the beach. This makes Playa del Carmen a public beach in our opinion. However, if you intend to use a sunbed, or spend the day at one of the world famous Playa del Carmen beach clubs, then you need to pay for the sunbed or get a day pass. Some beach clubs in Playa del carmen don't require a fee for sunbeds if you eat or drink something. Most Playa del Carmen beach hotels offer a day pass, which allows you to use their facilities, such as a pool, all day and some of the credit on that day pass can be used for food and drinks.
Are beaches in Playa del carmen Rocky?
No, they are not. Almost all the beach is sandy but only a fraction of the Playa del Carmen Beach is rocky. Small parts between Calle 2nd and Calle 4th can be rocky while going into the sea but that's it.
Beaches in Playa del Carmen area
Actually, the beach is not separated in Playa del Carmen, 5th Avenue runs parallel to the sea and you can access the beach from almost all streets. We will try to explain the sections on the beach according to the resorts or beach clubs in the area.
Playacar Beach
This part of the beach in Playa del Carmen is in front of the Playacar Resort and residences. It's a huge area and very nice place to take a walk inside. You can reach the Playacar Beach by turning right from Cozumel Ferry Terminal. The sand is white, the water is Caribbean blue but beware, the nasty Playa del Carmen Beach seaweed problem is also present there. The atmosphere is more laid back though and more shades are available.
We sometimes need a Playa del Carmen beach cam to predict the weather and so far, we have only found one in Playacar. You can check it out from here.
We sometimes need a Playa del Carmen beach cam to predict the weather and so far, we have only found one in Playacar. You can check it out from here.
The fives Playa del Carmen
Actually, this upscale Playa del Carmen hotel is not on the beach but located on the corner of Calle 2 Norte and 10 Avenida. They have a cool rooftop pool and a day pass for 750 MXN. Most of that credit can be used towards food and drinks. Although, we hear some guests just go up to have lunch or work with their computers without using the rooftop pool at Fives and don't purchase the day pass.
Tarraya Restaurant and Beach Club
This quiet and not so fancy place is actually our favourite place to spend a few hours on the beach. It is located right at the left when you exit to the beach from Calle 2. They have plastic tables, sunbeds and umbrellas. We love to sit at their tables under the palm trees, have their spicy habanero sauce with nachos complementing it with cold Sol beers. For us, having our feet on the white sand and listening to Mexican music from street players under the coconut trees is better than the most Playa del Carmen beach clubs. Tarraya Restaurant is also a catch for cheap meals in Playa del Carmen.
Inti Beach Club
This cool beach club is located between Calle 4 and Calle 6 on the beach. They have decorations that look like Pinterest designs. It looks chic, and they have house music most of the time. Inti Beach is a relaxed, chill place with good vibes. We hear they have a Peruvian chef and live music at nights. There is no extra cost for sunbeds at Inti Beach Club by the way.
Fusion
We really like Fusion Beach Club. It's more of a wooden chairs and umbrellas kind of place. It's right at the exit of Calle 6. They don't charge extra for the chairs and their menu prices are reasonable. Apart from the weekends, Fusion really has a good taste of music. We especially like to have an afternoon drink or coconut here. You can also take your laptop and work from Fusion, Playa del Carmen.
Thompson Playa del Carmen Beach House
This beach hotel and condo is located at the end of Calle 8. Thompson is indeed a huge complex with a pool and a number of restaurants. They also have sunbeds on the beach. It's possible to purchase a day pass at Thompson for 700 MXN and use its 500 MXN for food and beverage inside. We are still excited to try this Playa del Carmen beachfront resort but hasn't found the chance yet. Their pool at the rooftop looks pretty tempting in the pictures.
Zenzi Playa del Carmen
This place is one of the best Playa del Carmen beach clubs. Zenzi is located where Calle 10 meets the beach. Due to the beach erosion, Playa del Carmen has a very narrow beach now but still, this place is great to spend the day or just grap afternoon drinks. They have wooden tables right on the sand and their decoration is simple, yet elegant. The view from here is as great as the fried calamari they sell.
Lido Beach Club Restaurant
Lido is located next to Zenzi Beach Club and to tell the truth, these two look almost the same. Lido has an affordable menu, wooden chairs and tables right on the beach of Playa del Carmen. We generally prefer sitting at a table under the shade rather than sunbeds, so this option is well suited for us. Lido is also a nice spot for dinner or working remotely in Playa del Carmen.
Hilton Playa del Carmen Beach
Hilton is an all-inclusive resort on the beach and it is huge. It is located right next to Panama Jack Playa del Carmen and they consist of low rise white buildings on either side of the dock coming out from Avenida Constituyentes. Hilton has a huge number of sunbeds and it's a fact that the beach gets better to the north of the dock. However, you can always opt to lay your towel on the beach for free and enjoy the ocean breeze.
Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen
This is one of the biggest Playa del Carmen beach resorts. We are sure, it must be nice to be inside this beach hotel and watch the incredible view from atop but when you look at it from the outside, it is not as pretty. However, the best Playa del Carmen beach seawise is here in our opinion. Also, the huge concrete building provides a nice shade in the hot days. Grand Hyatt offers sunbeds as well but we haven't needed them so far. Coralina Daylight Beach Club is also located within this complex and they host some wild day parties on the weekends.
Mamitas Beach Club
There is no need to introduce the most famous beach club of Playa del Carmen. With a white decoration, this beach club has music, food, sunbeds, high end service and it is a stone throw away from the blue waters of the Caribbean. Mamitas is located right at the exit of Calle 28.
Mahekal Beach Resort
This not so famous hotel is the best of Playa del Carmen beach resorts in our opinion. We haven't stayed here but theis hut-like tropic rooms with balconies over looking the sea look inviting. They offer a day pass for around 700 MXN' from which you can spend 500 MXN for f&b. It's free to lay your towel on the sand as always. Their palm trees look epic and the restaurant here, El Fuego, is a must try dinner place. You can find this huge resort at the South of Calle 38 on the beach.
Martina Beach Club
You will know you have arrived to Martina Playa del Carmen when you see a huge black ANITRAM writing while you are heading North on the beach. Just joking, they are located right at the exit of 44th Street and they have an elegant atmosphere with a nice dj music. their menu is affordable, especially breakfast here is a good option.
Las Hijas de Tostada
This little beach club is a branch of Las Hijas de tostada, located next to The Reef Coco Beach. It is more like a 3 story open restaurant with sun beds because the sea here does not have much of a beach. However, we really love this place. Their fried shrimp with potatoes is a catch and mind you, theya re addictive. We only wish they had a more easy-going island music rather than straight up techno. Still it's our favorite place to end a beach day with a beer.
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