Looking for a quiet vacation spot on the Caribbean side of Mexico
 

My husband and I just celebrated our 30th anniversary. We were considering Playa Del Carmen for a 5 day vacation in mid April ('14), but I understand that it is a heavy tourist spot and more of a party town.

We would like something more reserved and less touristy. Any ideas on this would be appreciated.

Thank you.

We like Playa Secreto:
http://www.playasecreto.com/
You can view more on VRBO: just go to Quintana Roo and narrow it down to Playa del Secreto
It's really mostly lodging off the main road.
If you want a bit more to do,
nearby is Puerto Morelos, with lots more lodging options, restaurants and facilities, but still a small, peaceful town with a very nice central plaza.
You can view that on VRBO also.

I like Akumal, going back in May.
Take a look at locogringo.com for lodging. I have stayed many times at Hotel Akumal Caribe, nice rooms just redecorated last fall and includes continental breakfast.
Also lots of nice condos on adjacent Half Moon Bay which is a much quieter stretch of beach.

Half Moon Bay in Akumal. Private, gorgeous, plenty to do. We spent a week there over Christmas. There is no public access to the beach, so it's never crowded. Not much vehicle traffic, walking distance to great snorkeling and restaurants.

Isla Mujeres?

There is so many areas around 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen in the Riviera Maya that are not in the hub bub. Many of the resorts offered can be located anywhere from a 10 minute drive to an hour drive of Playa del Carmen. The most popular spots are Tulum, Akumal and Puerto Morelos.

Since April is consider high season due to Spring Break and Easter break, most of the resorts will be full and 5th Avenue will be crowded. If you are not interested in abundance of children, choose an adult/couple only place, or something quite secluded and/or more expensive.

We have stayed directly in the vincity of 5th Avenue on prior trips and decided to go with Puerto Morelos for our trip in May. Isla Mujeres is a good option also if your really want seclusion. It's a ferry ride from Cancun. Small Island where you can rent a golf cart and drive around the entire Island in about 30 minutes. Nice beach and good restaurants.

Take a look at Tulum. Prettiest beach on the Riviera Maya, but only 1.5 hours from the Cancun Airport. Lovely, rustic accomodations in all price ranges, and there are plenty of good restaurants on the beach and in the pueblo. If it were my 30th, I'd book Ahua, Cabanas la Luna or NVR. You can find details and reviews on Tripadvisor.
Good Luck!

Tulum, Akumal, and Puerto Morelos are all fairly quiet, but are all different. Even some of the back streets of Playa can be quiet, but in general, it's a party town. I assume you are looking at a small hotel as opposed to an all inclusive resort?

Also look at Isla Holbox as well.