Vista Hermosa

Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya

Daytime in Playa is spent by the water, as staying within a minute of a refreshing dip is the only way to beat the heat. Well, almost. You may also find yourself under the shade of a beach bar palapa, sipping cocktails of your choice, or even under the air-conditioning, shopping in Playa’s mix of luxury, artisan and hippie shops (plus the requisite souvenir boutiques). When evening rolls around, and everyone has finished rinsing the sand off their sunsoaked bodies, the crowds descend on 5th Avenue, the famous “La Quinta” as it’s known locally, a dizzying two kilometer stretch of pedestrian-only strip lined with more bars, restaurants, shops and stalls than you could ever need. When the lights are on, music going, and tables open to the air, people-watching is at its best, and it’s hard not to get caught up in it. The food, too, rivals the best urban offerings in North America if you know where to look, especially in taking fresh local seafood and produce and elevating traditional Mexican cuisine to new heights.

You could truly have an entire trip without straying outside Playa del Carmen, but we recommend exploring a bit, as this is the perfect launching pad to see northern delights (whale sharks, Holbox, Cancun), those in the south (Tulum, Sian Kaan), and the jungle inland (ruins, cenotes and more).