A Four Day Itinerary For Playa del Carmen
The greater Cancún area is packed with gorgeous landscapes, ocean and wildlife activities, white sand beaches, and delicious cuisine. I had the privilege of visiting Playa del Carmen, a popular destination in Mexico about one hour south of Cancún. We selected Playa del Carmen because it was slightly less crowded than Cancún and more centrally located to the excursions we chose during our four-day stay. I traveled with friends, and we jam packed each day with activities to get the most out of our trip.
Here is my itinerary, my packing list for each day, and some travel tips to maximize your time.
Day 1: Pool relaxation at the resort
The first full day of the trip was dedicated to exploring the resort. It was the perfect time to relax, swim in the many pools, explore the tide pools along the beaches, and take advantage of the swim-up bar.
Packing list for the day:
Reef safe sunscreen
Plenty of water
A good book
PRO TIP
If you are filling your vacation with adventure, take the first day to recharge from your day of travel and enjoy your accommodations!
Day 2: Chichén Itzá and Cenotes
We woke up bright and early on the second day to visit a famous ancient site of the Mayan people: Chichén Itzá.
There are guides available for each party, and many of them speak multiple languages, from English to Spanish, Italian, and French. Most of the guides and employees are Mayan themselves and will teach you Mayan words along the way.
The tour is about two and a half hours long. It winds through the archaeological site, and each stop is a point of history. You will see spectacular architectural wonders constructed by the Mayan people.
PRO TIP
Leave early to beat the heat and the crowds – it will be totally worth it. It was a two-hour drive from our resort, so we left by 6 am.
When the tour concludes, you are free to explore the area and the vendors. Don’t be afraid to put on your bargaining skills! There are beautiful pieces of artwork to see, from hard-carved wooden figurines to blankets and jewelry. If you are hungry, I highly recommend asking your guide for their favorite restaurant in the area! We were recommended a place nearby.
After a delicious meal of cochinita tacos, a Yucatán-style of cooking pork, we stopped at a popular cenote on the drive home. Cenotes are naturally occurring pools that form from an underground river deep in the earth, pushing some of its water and mineral deposits to the surface. Many cenote establishments give you a life vest, a locker for personal items, and you are free to bring a snorkel to look at the small fish that circulate in the pool. There are caves to explore, and the mineral deposits are beautiful, lining the walls and forming icicle shapes hanging from the ceiling.
We were so beat at the end of the day, so we cooked a quick dinner in our hotel room and hit the sheets.
Packing list for the day:
Lots and lots of water! (Chichén Itzá in the summer is blazing and humid, make sure to hydrate on the tour)
Plenty of sunscreen (The last 30 minutes of the tour are in the sun)
A swimsuit (For the cenotes)
Snacks or a packed lunch (We brought sandwiches into Chichén Itzá)
Good walking shoes for the heat
A hat and sunglasses (The sun is bright!)
Day 3: Cozumel – self-guided scooter tour
After a restful night's sleep, we woke up again at an early hour to take a ferry to Cozumel Island, an oasis off the coast of Playa del Carmen. Half of our party went on a scuba diving trip, and the other half (myself included) explored the island for the day. We caught the 8am ferry, which was only about a 20-minute ride to the island.
After bidding farewell to our scuba divers, my group was determined to rent scooters to tour the island. While there are cars on the streets, the taxis are quite expensive, and the island is a little too large for bicycles if you want to go far, so a scooter is the perfect option.
PRO TIP
It is recommended that you have experience riding these before renting them. The owners of the rental company will not rent them to you if you have never ridden before.
It was fairly economical to rent them, and we were set with helmets, a full tank of gas, and a thorough explanation of the rules of the road on the island. We stopped at three beach clubs along the coastal road for food, sun, and some snorkeling. Each club had chairs you could rent or order food at, along with bathrooms and showers, and some even had beach massages, all at an affordable price.
We spent most of the day hopping between beach clubs and scootering, enjoying the absolutely stunning and lush jungle around us. My favorite part of the day was snorkeling at Skyreef Beach Club. Unlike many of the others, there was no entrance fee! The waters were clear and the reef was teeming with life.
After a long day in the sun, our group met up and returned to the resort. We enjoyed the smooth ride back to the mainland and shared our adventures.
Packing list for the day:
Reef-safe sunscreen! (For all the snorkeling)
Dry clothes (We did a lot of changing in and out of swimsuits)
Closed-toed shoes (Helpful if you are going to drive a scooter)
Sunglasses (This was a necessity for driving the scooter)
Snorkel gear (You can rent the gear at the beach clubs, but if you have your own, it is cheaper)
Underwater camera (This is great for snorkeling, just no flash!)
Day 4: Booked tour – swim with whale sharks
Our last adventure was the day we swam with whale sharks! We booked the tour through OceanToursMexico.
A van picked my group up from our hotel and drove us into the Cancún area. We had an amazing guide, Sofia, who prepared us for our journey. We were to board a small speed boat at a dock and head about an hour into the open ocean to the known whale shark feeding area.
We arrived at the dock and got fitted for wetsuits. The boat ride out into the ocean was lovely. The water was gorgeous, and if you watched closely, sea turtles were swimming at the surface!
Our group of 10 was split into teams of two, each of which would jump in with one of the guides and snorkel in front of the whale shark. Whale sharks are filter feeders so they are harmless to humans. However, it is of utmost importance not to touch them or scare them as they can be up to 30 feet long and will swim away if they are startled or disturbed.
The moment I landed in the water, I was speechless by the enormity of the animal. His spotted skin and graceful stroke were truly unlike anything I had seen before. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. These animals are truly magnificent.
PRO TIP
It was highly recommended to take anti-nausea medicine beforehand since the boat was small and there would be lots of movement. If you are prone to seasickness or are not used to being on boats in the ocean, I would take the medicine.
After our second dive with the whale shark, our guides took us to a beautiful reef to snorkel for about 20 minutes. We even saw squid! We docked near the sandy beach and our tour guides fed us a delicious lunch of ceviche, chips, and tiny beers. It was such a lovely end to an amazing experience.
The tour guides had underwater cameras during our dives, so a few days later, we received all the pictures and videos which were spectacular. This tour was a great experience and one I highly recommend to those who can make it work.
Packing list for the day:
Hat and rashguard (You are not supposed to wear sunscreen on this tour because you are swimming in whale shark feeding grounds, and the animals will ingest the chemicals in your products, so layer up!)
Snorkel gear (Easier to bring your own)
A light pack (The tour provides water and food, but the boat has limited space)
A wetsuit! (Easier to bring your own, but you can rent them at the dock)
Anti-nausea meds and/or wristbands