Best places to stay:
Twenty years ago Playa del Carmen hotels had the same hammock-swinging, barefeet-in-the-sand, back-to-nature beach feel Tulum has today. Mahekal is one of the few Playa beach hotels that preserve it: with thatch-roof cabañas dotted around one of the town’s last remaining stretches of coconut grove and clustered over a long, sinuous aquamarine pool.
Most rooms sit in two-storey palapas and all come in lovely minimalist whitewash with warm Mexican-coloured textiles and organic wood art. They have a nest-like, intimate feel.
For that real Tulum feel skip the double-storeys and a casita with ocean views from beds and balconies; or a single-storey jungle bungalow – secluded behind foliage, with a towering, thatched roof and a balcony slung with a hammock.
With the ocean lapping outside the cabanas and cicadas and tree frogs trilling in the trees, the feel at Mahekal is toes-in-the-sand. But Playa’s main party drag is literally 100 metres away – with a wealth of bars, restaurants, shops and nightlife. There are mosquitoes here though. Bring a net for comfortable sleeps.
Playa del Carmen itself, with pristine beaches to the north and south and a lively urban centre, offers the intimate back-to-nature feel of Tulum and Puerto Morelos and Cancun’s urban amenities and nightlife – albeit on a smaller scale. The town is close to Cozumel island (for reef dives) and the big Xcaret and Xel-Ha adventure parks.
Want more recommendations in this destination?
Destination Guide >Please note - we hope to one day have live prices for you, but for now, here are some useful links for you to compare prices...
Bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico[2.3 miles]
An adrenaline-pumping close encounter with this top of the food chain predator, in glassy-clear water.
Best for ages: 16+ | £150 | 6-8 hours
Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico
A stunning cenote with spectacular cave formations and glassy water, passing through caverns encrusted with stalactites. Mind-bogglingly beautiful for both snorkellers and PADI divers.
Best for ages: 8+ | £12
Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Lily-covered, glassy-clear and filled with terrapins and tropical fish, this cenote near Tulum is easy to reach and fabulous to swim in. Big caverns make for spectacular cave diving.
Best for ages: 6+ | £7
Quintana Roo, Mexico
An authentic, atmospheric and less-visited Mayan site, set in lush, wildlife-rich forest. Climb to the summit of the 126ft-high Nohoc Mul pyramid – the tallest on the Mayan Riviera.
Best for ages: 13+ | £5
Other worthwhile experiences in this destination if you have the time or the interest, closest first
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico[7.1 miles]
Designed by Greg Norman, the course weaves its way through dense jungle, beautiful stretches of white sand and mangrove forests, with cenotes – natural sink holes – providing natural hazards.
Best for ages: 13+ | £125
Playa del Carmen, Mexico[8.3 miles]
With glassy pools and shallow lagoons offering dolphin, nurse-shark and manatee swimming, tame jungles, and spectacular Mayan dance shows, this huge eco-theme park is a Maya World, and a snorkel-friendly Disneyland.
Best for ages: 4+ | £80
Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico[22.4 miles]
Small, touristy and mediocre aquatic theme park offering swims with dolphins, sea lions and manatees. Fun for kids.
Best for ages: 4+ | £21
Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
A simple nature-based theme park with a safari-park zoo, a cenote for swimming, a spectacular cave and a rainforest canopy zip-line adventure.
Best for ages: 4+ | £30
Destination guides including or relevant to this place to stay
Mexico
Talc-white beaches, reefs teeming with life, ruined temples in misty rainforests – the Riviera Maya offers a family or romantic beach holiday with a dash of Indian Jones adventure.
![Cenote Dos Ojos [swimming, snorkelling & scuba diving]](https://familyhotelfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/Yucatan-Cancun-and-Tulum-Cenotes-Dos-Ojos3-SH.jpg)
