ElaineMcMull

My husband, two teenage boys and I are going for the first time to Playa Del Carmen
in August. I am looking for a good snorkeling experience for beginners, as well as restaurants and advice as to whether it is worth the $ to rent a car. We are staying at the Mayan Riveria. Any suggestions are appreciated.

pepper131

You should get a couple of maps from cancunmap.com - the Mayan Riviera Map and the Playa del Carmen Map - they are also the most excellent guides will find; so don't bother with other guidebooks...you will find tons of suggestions.

It's worth it to rent a car for doing your own excursions - especially with 4 pp; it'll cost a lot less than doing a tour through your hotel.

It sounds as though you're staying at an AI. If so, you may only want to rent a car on the days when you'll need it (which you can probably do from your hotel). My thoery is that if you're paying for an AI, you spend most of your time there...hence the all-inclusive deal.

ElaineMcMull

Thank you. It is not an all inclusive so we are interested in places to eat, etc. I am wondering if Xel-ha or Xcaret are worth the $ or would a snorkeling trip in Cozumel be a better experience for the price. With 4 people we probably can only do one tour due to the expense.

pepper131

I'm not really into Xcaret and Xel-Ha; mostly because I can't stand to be around hordes of people. Others love it, though. I'm fine with Akumal Bay and Yalku Lagoon in Akumal...Half Moon Bay is good too, but I haven't gotten there.

Where are you staying?

Pausanias

When we stayed in Playa we hired a boat and guide off the beach. They took us a few miles up the coast to some very good reefs. The cost was about $20 a person plus tip. Your hotel can probably recommend a reliable guide.

colokid

I do not recall any hotel called the Mayan Riviera. Is your hotel in Playa Del Carmen itself? Yal Ku is a good place to snorkel if you are a beginner. It is in Akumal and you can get there by car or taxi. The collectivo will only leave you on the highway at the entrance to Akumal and then it is a hike inside. There are also plenty of tours to find in Playa that will take you snorkeling if you wish but those are generally very pricey. If you do decide to rent a car make sure you are aware of the different rules of the road in Mexico. The restaurants in Playa are excellent. You can find good food along 5th avenue and also if you venture off. If you do not have a map from Laura and Perry it would probably be a good thing to get one. You can order then online and they list restaurants, hotels, beach clubs, etc. in the area the map designates it is describing. If that makes sense. They make several maps of the Mayan Riviera and out to Chichen Itza. Their website is www.cancunmap.com. There are car rentals in Playa or if you book online some of them will bring your car to your hotel. Cars are generally less expensive if you book online before you go which can be difficult if you don't know how long you will need it. I've booked through Executive, Budget, Easyway, and Hertz. Actually, I'm trying the Hertz out tomorrow when I go. Let us know where you're staying so we can help further!

ElaineMcMull

We are staying at the Mayan Palace, 15 min. outside the town of Playa del Carmen. Thanks so much for your help. This is our first trip and we have waited a long time to do it, so we want it to be a good experience for all of us.

colokid

Ok, yes you're right the Mayan Palace is on the east side of the highway (307) about 20 min north of Playa Del Carmen. There is a zip line tour that might be fun...I'm going on the 7th. It's called Selvaturra and is fairly close to the MP. They do have a website which I think is www.selvaturra.com.mx. The choices for transportation as far as I know are rental car, taxi or collectivo. The collectivos are the cheapest and run from the highway outside the MP to Playa Del Carmen, north to Cancun and south to Tulum. They are very inexpensive but you have a hike to the highway from the MP (although I believe they have a shuttle taking out out to the gate). With a family and being your first time that might be a stretch. It depends on how adventurous you are. The taxi will take you back and forth to PDC or wherever and I think from the MP to PDC will run about $20. There is a parking lot at the MP if you decide to go with a rental car. There are beach clubs in Playa and Tulum if you want to go and hang out for the day. Mamitas Beach Club is at the north end of town around Calle 26 and has beach chairs and palapas for rent. You can also eat and drink there. Nuddy Beach Club has just opened south of Mamitas. The streets (Calles)in Playa run east and west. The avenues (avenidas run north and south. The main tourist avenue is 5th. At the south end of 5th Avenue is the ferry to Cozumel and the bus station. As you walk further north the calles jump by 2's so you have Calle 2 followed by Calle 4. The further north past Constitution Avenue is an area known as little Italy. Many Italians have moved there and the restaurants are quite good. Lots of places to sit at tables on the street up and down 5th and people watch while you eat. Yal Ku (snorkeling) is in Akumal which is about 20 min south of Playa Del Carmen. You can read a lot about interesting places to eat in Playa on the website www.playadelcarmeninfo.com. When are you going?

MrsKiss

Xel-Ha is just down the highway from Playa del Carmen. It is an excellent place to take teens to experience snorkeling. www.xelha.com
Our teens loved it and the three times I've been there it wasn't crowded at all. It is much nicer and better for snorkeling than Xcaret!