campjulie

OK... I have been in bed sick for a week and have done very little to prepare for our week long trip to Playa del Carmen. We leave in one week. I have a few questions I am hoping someone can help me with:

1. I need to figure out transportation from the Cancun airport to Playa. I am considering the bus or a private shuttle... any thoughts? I am not opposed to paying for the convenience of having a private shuttle, but if the bus option is a good one, I would like to hear about it.

2. Do we need to exchange our dollars? What advice can you offer me in this area?

3. When we leave we don't depart the Cancun airport until 5:30. What time would you recommend we get to the airport? Are there departure taxes we need to pay? Do you think it might be worth it to spend the day in Cancun?

4. Do hotels in PdC with nice pools offer "day pool passes" to purchase? We did this in Hawaii and enjoyed that. Our hotel has a tiny pool and I think our kids would enjoy a pool day.

I really appreciate any help / insight any of you can give me. This will be our first time to this part of Mexico.

parrmt

1. Where are you staying in Playa? If you are at an AI .most AI's have designated shuttles to the resort. If not ,this site gets good reviews for travel.

http://entertainment-plus.net/tour_tpt_pdc.cfm

2. No need to exchange money. Most prices are in USD and pesos. We use any of the exchange booths for pesos when needed.

3. At least 2 1/2 to 3 hours prior. Sometimes it's a quick check in, other times takes forever.

4. I am not aware of any day pool passes. Along the main beach (north of the dock), any of the hotels with pool you could probably use if you have drinks or snacks there. South of the dock, private homes and one large hotel and 1 condo bldg. Then the stretch of AI's, all pretty far to walk!


Hope this helps.

colokid

I'll be there too!! I've also been sick with this darn head cold thing and can't wait to lay in the sun. Anyway, yes, the bus from the airport to Playa begins running at 10:45 a.m. and is 8USD. It runs every hour. Will drop you off at the bus terminal on the corner of 5th ave and Juarez. Another option is the Grayline vans which are 24USD per person. They will take you to wherever you are staying but if you share the van you may have to stop at other places first. Then there are the private transfers which can be a good choice also if you are splitting the cost between a group of people. I usually take the bus but this time I may have to take the Grayline since I'm taking the red eye out of Denver and get in around 5:30 a.m. I do not change money until I get to Playa and then just go to one of the many cambios on the street to exchange. The banks are a good option also but this will be spring break/Easter week and the crowds will be out so I'll just use the cambios. Any option from the airport will take USD as will most of the places in Playa. You don't have to exchange but I always do just because that is the monetary unit in MX. The departure taxes should be included in your airline ticket. Are you departing charter or major airline and what day of the week are you leaving? That may have something to do with the way to get through security. I usually arrive 2 hours prior to departure and only one time (last Oct) did I get hung up at security for over an hour. Don't know about the day pass thing. I know some of the AI's offer day passes; if you knew which ones you were interested in purchasing from I would call or email them.

campjulie

Thanks for the info! We are staying at the Mimi del Mar. I booked the hotel and air so long ago and have waited until a week before to consider any other details. Not a worry usually except we are traveling with our young kids. I had a mild panic attack wondering if I have booked us in the middle of Party Central with Spring Breakers... disco music and wild nightlife... someone please tell me it will be OK!

What AI (or other hotel) has an amazing pool? I might try to contact them ahead of time to see if we can get a day pass.

Also, I think our kids will really enjoy Xcaret... any tips on best day to go?

Any other must dos, must sees?

Again, muchos gracias.

colokid

Playa is not like Cancun with spring breakers. It will be crowded but will be lots of families. I see you're on the beach and there is a pool there. The pics of the pool look very nice. Also, you're very close to the bus station. 5th Avenue will be one block to the west and you're right in the midst of everything there. The further you walk north on 5th the quieter it will be. I've not been to Xcaret - not much of a tour person myself. How old are the kids?

campjulie

They are 7 and 9. Do you recommend we see Tulum? Maybe we will take the ferry over to Cozumel for the day.... I am hoping the beach at the hotel is nice... the kids will really enjoy that. By the way, do you know how safe the beach is where we are staying?

We usually stay in more upscale accommodations, but the Mimi was recommended to us as a simple, clean, Mexican hotel and it sounded just right. A friend who stayed there said the pool is more like a fountain so we will see!

Still fighting this flu/cold so you are right - some beach time will do us all good!

colokid

I wouldn't be surprised that the pic of the pool is not the way it really is. The AI's generally have nicer pools but it will be pricey to buy one of those passes and you're really not close to them. The beach where you are is very nice and you can walk north as far as you want. I absolutely love Tulum beaches (the ruins are smaller and you cannot get all that close but it is nice to see). There is a beach there also off to the side. One way you can get around rather inexpensively if you want to go to Tulum is to take the bus or the colectivo. Bus is more direct. If you take the bus to the town of Tulum you can catch a taxi out to the beach and hang out at one of the beach clubs for a day. They have food, drink, bathrooms, chair rentals, etc. You're a short walk to the ferry. As far as safety on the beach as far as your belongings - just watch and don't leave them while you go off to eat at another restaurant or back to the room for a nap. If you have a palapa or umbrella I take one of those backpacking clip things that people use to attach to keys, etc. and I use it to hang my backpack or beachbag from the umbrella. A little more difficult to make off with. Plus it keeps it off the sand. Take the same precautions you would take in any other busy beach area.

colokid

If you go to www.playa.info and click on the multimedia tab and then the Playa Palms webcam you can see a beach pretty close to where you are staying. Looks pretty nice there today!

campjulie

That webcam shot is just what I needed! Better than any cold medicine I am taking At the risk of taking advantage of all of your helpfulness, may I ask you a few more questions?

What restaurants do you recommend with kids? We don't care for AIs as we like to venture out. We want to keep it kid friendly and fun.

We usually stick to bottled water in Mexico, but have drinks with ice, salads, fruits, etc and are fine... What are your recommendations in this area?

Thank you again, for your time with this.

colokid

I drink bottled water also, peel my fruits and brush with bottled water. So, for food:
La Parrilla Playa del Carmen
5a. Av. Y Calle 8 Nte. La Parilla- This is a really fun place to eat. They have Mariachis singing from 8-10. Good Mexican food. Many regulars eat dinner here their first night in town. 5th Avenue on the corner of 8th Street. Prices can be on the high side and they get very busy, so check your bill carefully for mistakes. I've heard is good for kids but I've not gone there myself. It's right on 5th at your end of town.
Carboncitos is on Calle 4 between 5th and 10th Avenues.
El Sarape- Tacos al pastor and other Mexican food. Opens at noon. Located on Juarez, between 20th and 25th. It looks like a tourist joint with garish yellow paint on the front and menus with pictures of the dishes, but the food is authentic and good. The posole is excellent and the tacos very tasty. Good brochetas and cebollitas. Inexpensive. Cash only. I ate there in January and got the family style platters. Yummy
Casa Mediterranea- Great pasta and fish with an Italian slant. 5th Ave between 6th and 8th Streets (down a walkway across from the Lunata Hotel) Many regulars swear by this place as consistent, fresh and delicious. This is one place that I have never heard a bad review about. Reports that Casa Mediterranea has closed are in error. It is closed on Mondays, but continues to serve high quality Italian and Mediterranean dishes. La Tarraya – On the beach between 2nd and 4th Streets, this reliable restaurant gets consistent good reviews from the regular visitors who like the well prepared food overlooking the beach. The location is a great help, as it is right by the zocalo, so you are in the middle of everything.
These are some that I found at your end of town. If you go further north there's many more to choose from also. Depends on how far you venture.

zootsi

A few suggestions:
-The bus to Playa is a piece of cake, and runs at lease every hour.
-Don't bother exchanging money. If you want to get some pesos, use an ATM machine. there is one at the airport, just before the exit doors. There is also one on 5ave near 6th st. in Playa. For some reason, the ATM's are not very visible, so you need to keep your eyes peeled. Realize that many places in the area still don't take plastic, but most do take US dollars. However, it's handy to have pesos.
- I think getting to the airport 2 hours in advance is more than adequate.
- A nice place for lunch is '100% Natural' on 5th. If you crave Italian, just head north on 5th for a few blocks and you will come to the 'Italian' section of Playa.