Trip Report: Live from Playa del Carmen
Dec 23rd, 2009, 07:07 PM
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Trip Report: Live from Playa del Carmen
For the second consecutive year the family voted unanimously to spend the winter break in Playa del Carmen, which is where I am writing this trip report. Live trip reports can be challenging to produce (see my Live from France ’08), but as any Fodorite knows, it is just as hard to put pen to paper when one returns home to reality.
Since it has been a long time since I have been on this forum, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Fodors.com for twice selecting snippets from my previous trip reports that were published in the “Word of Mouth” section of their France 2009 and London 2010 travel guides. For those that don’t know, when the editors choose your material, they will send you a copy of the travel guide you are placed in, or any other travel book that Fodors publishes. How cool is that?
Trip Planning
My favorite web sites for planning our Playa del Carmen trips, in order of greatest benefit are:
www.playa.info/playa-del-carmen-forum/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g...Vacations.html
and of course fordors.com (sorry editors for the distant third place finish). I do think Fodors forums are the best for European vacation planning.
Getting There
This time around we took Aero Mexico from SFO to Cancun (via Mexico City) for $350 a person rather than flying direct on United like last year for $800 each. Thank you dear wife! Other than the 7am departure time, the flight was fine. We were fortunate to have only carry-on baggage since we probably would have missed our connecting Cancun flight if we had to wait for our bags. I would allow for at least two and a half hours for making your connection due to the bottleneck called passport/immigration control. Luckily we had packed away some snacks for everyone since there was no time to stop for food at the Mexico City airport.
We rented from Budget this time and were rewarded with a nice Renault Safrane rather than the jalopy we got from Alamo last year. I know it is wise to purchase “full insurance” when in Mexico but the CDW/DP/PAI/PLI options are still very confusing. Am I alone on this? With some agencies you can buy zero deductible protection, but the Budget person said that in Mexico ALL renters are responsible for the first 10 percent of damage regardless. I know my umbrella policy back home would cover any personal accident liability, however, Budget doesn’t seem to break out that provision in their contract like Alamo does. She also said not to lose the keyless remote since they don’t have a spare for our car. Don’t you just LOVE Mexico! Yes, it is expensive and sometimes a hassle to rent a car in Mexico, but IMHO still well worth the effort.
This time around on the way to PDC we did not turn left too early on HWY 307 (which is easy to do) and went all the way to ave Juarez. This time around there were no military checkpoints to slow us down. And for the final This Time Around, we stopped at the Mega store to pick up groceries for the week instead of Wal-Mart (Mega is soooo much nicer).
Accommodations
As much as we liked the El Taj Condos last year, DW and both boys wanted to be ON the beach so we rented a 2 bedroom, 2 bath at Luna Encantada which is on the sand at Calle 6 adjacent to the Fusion beach club. The units are four years old and spacious, however, our number H-2 could have been provisioned a little bit better (i.e. better linens, pillows, kitchenware, furniture). Not to be too picky but there were also some issues with the Internet connection, water pressure, dishwasher, oven door, poor lighting, and a leaky faucet. Are we expecting too much for the thousands of $$$ paid?
Location-wise, it is hard to beat this place. It’s nice to just walk right outside to the beach everyday, and the views from our balcony to the ocean and Cozumel in the distance are sublime. Although I prefer the beaches north of ave Constituyentes for their wider expanse of sand and lack of fishing/dive boat mooring ropes, the stretch of beach near the Luna Encantada is mostly free of these obstructions. There is underground parking and 24 hr security, which seems to be the standard around here. If we return to PDC next year, we probably would check out the El Taj Oceanside units off on Calle 14, which are currently under construction and should be completed relatively soon.
After a long day of travel, it was nice to stumble next door to the Fusion beach club for our first PDC meal. We all shared delicious platters of steak, chicken and fish tacos that we ate on the beach under the stars. Arguably the Not a bad way to start the week.
More on our recommendations for top restaurants, beaches, and exploring to follow. Hasta luego.
Since it has been a long time since I have been on this forum, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Fodors.com for twice selecting snippets from my previous trip reports that were published in the “Word of Mouth” section of their France 2009 and London 2010 travel guides. For those that don’t know, when the editors choose your material, they will send you a copy of the travel guide you are placed in, or any other travel book that Fodors publishes. How cool is that?
Trip Planning
My favorite web sites for planning our Playa del Carmen trips, in order of greatest benefit are:
www.playa.info/playa-del-carmen-forum/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g...Vacations.html
and of course fordors.com (sorry editors for the distant third place finish). I do think Fodors forums are the best for European vacation planning.
Getting There
This time around we took Aero Mexico from SFO to Cancun (via Mexico City) for $350 a person rather than flying direct on United like last year for $800 each. Thank you dear wife! Other than the 7am departure time, the flight was fine. We were fortunate to have only carry-on baggage since we probably would have missed our connecting Cancun flight if we had to wait for our bags. I would allow for at least two and a half hours for making your connection due to the bottleneck called passport/immigration control. Luckily we had packed away some snacks for everyone since there was no time to stop for food at the Mexico City airport.
We rented from Budget this time and were rewarded with a nice Renault Safrane rather than the jalopy we got from Alamo last year. I know it is wise to purchase “full insurance” when in Mexico but the CDW/DP/PAI/PLI options are still very confusing. Am I alone on this? With some agencies you can buy zero deductible protection, but the Budget person said that in Mexico ALL renters are responsible for the first 10 percent of damage regardless. I know my umbrella policy back home would cover any personal accident liability, however, Budget doesn’t seem to break out that provision in their contract like Alamo does. She also said not to lose the keyless remote since they don’t have a spare for our car. Don’t you just LOVE Mexico! Yes, it is expensive and sometimes a hassle to rent a car in Mexico, but IMHO still well worth the effort.
This time around on the way to PDC we did not turn left too early on HWY 307 (which is easy to do) and went all the way to ave Juarez. This time around there were no military checkpoints to slow us down. And for the final This Time Around, we stopped at the Mega store to pick up groceries for the week instead of Wal-Mart (Mega is soooo much nicer).
Accommodations
As much as we liked the El Taj Condos last year, DW and both boys wanted to be ON the beach so we rented a 2 bedroom, 2 bath at Luna Encantada which is on the sand at Calle 6 adjacent to the Fusion beach club. The units are four years old and spacious, however, our number H-2 could have been provisioned a little bit better (i.e. better linens, pillows, kitchenware, furniture). Not to be too picky but there were also some issues with the Internet connection, water pressure, dishwasher, oven door, poor lighting, and a leaky faucet. Are we expecting too much for the thousands of $$$ paid?
Location-wise, it is hard to beat this place. It’s nice to just walk right outside to the beach everyday, and the views from our balcony to the ocean and Cozumel in the distance are sublime. Although I prefer the beaches north of ave Constituyentes for their wider expanse of sand and lack of fishing/dive boat mooring ropes, the stretch of beach near the Luna Encantada is mostly free of these obstructions. There is underground parking and 24 hr security, which seems to be the standard around here. If we return to PDC next year, we probably would check out the El Taj Oceanside units off on Calle 14, which are currently under construction and should be completed relatively soon.
After a long day of travel, it was nice to stumble next door to the Fusion beach club for our first PDC meal. We all shared delicious platters of steak, chicken and fish tacos that we ate on the beach under the stars. Arguably the Not a bad way to start the week.
More on our recommendations for top restaurants, beaches, and exploring to follow. Hasta luego.
Dec 24th, 2009, 07:14 AM
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We are planning our 3rd trip to Playa del Carmen next year. We've done 2 large AI resorts there and are now wanting more of a small boutique hotel closer to 5th Avenue, but on the beach. Have high considerations for the Shangri-La/Makhel Beach Hotel. Do you know anything about this hotel?
Also insterested in activities, restaurants and things to do on/around 5th Avenue. Our last trip was 2007.
Keep up the report. I know what you mean about the "Word or Mouth" section in Fodors. I was selected for Cancun, Cozumel and Aruba for 2010. It's such a honor.
Also insterested in activities, restaurants and things to do on/around 5th Avenue. Our last trip was 2007.
Keep up the report. I know what you mean about the "Word or Mouth" section in Fodors. I was selected for Cancun, Cozumel and Aruba for 2010. It's such a honor.
Dec 24th, 2009, 09:19 AM
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I like the free books! 
I'm in the current Guatemala one and several Belize editions. I finally found my quote in the Guatemala one on the chapter heading for the Verapaces, a region I've never visited; I'm quoted as saying I've never been but have it on my list for a future trip - they must have been hard up for quotes for that part of the country!
I'm in the current Guatemala one and several Belize editions. I finally found my quote in the Guatemala one on the chapter heading for the Verapaces, a region I've never visited; I'm quoted as saying I've never been but have it on my list for a future trip - they must have been hard up for quotes for that part of the country!
Dec 24th, 2009, 11:11 AM
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Thanks to my fellow published authors for replying. I just came in to pick up a cold Negra Modelo. After I square away the kids with their beach massages, I will post some restaurant reviews. I really like the idea of having a condo directly on the beach.
I will also try to check out the Shangri-La when I get a chance.
I will also try to check out the Shangri-La when I get a chance.
Dec 25th, 2009, 11:11 AM
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KVR: Just got back from walking the beach to Shangri-La. It appears quite nice from its beach prospective. Lots of nicely kept thatched roofed cabanas that give it a laid-back look. As far as being near av 5; it is if you mean the north end of av 5. I like av 5 north of Constituyentes, but most people seem to prefer the action of the south side. You are near several of my favorite restaurants (see below) and you can still walk to Ah Cacao for your after dinner hot chocolate.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Dec 25th, 2009, 11:24 AM
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All About Food
In the past we have enjoyed eating at the torta/taco stalls on the south side of Playa, however, on this trip both boys had stomach problems after eating there while waiting for the Cozumel ferry. They have been blaming me for days about forcing them to eat there. Don’t you love teenagers? The truth is I do discourage them from going to Burger King and McD on our foreign travels not only for esthetic reasons, but to broaden their perspectives on other cultures and customs. I suppose there are two givens in a family Mexican vacation 1). someone will contract Montezuma’s revenge and 2). a beach vender will charge you too much for something (i.e. parasailing, a bracelet, or even a fruit cup, just ask me).
Restaurants
In PDC we make a concerted effort to eat off of the heavily traveled parts of av 5 and avoid the so-called tourist traps. Last year we accommodated our friend’s desire to go to the more frequented places such as Conboncitas and Yaxche, but this year I was determined to eat slightly more off grid. I found out about most of these restaurants on the forums of playa.info, which is more of a locals sounding board.
La Kalaka: A funny name for an Italian restaurant, and the funny thing is guess who got sick this time; ME (in hindsight I did notice that my shrimp seemed a little undercooked). Kalaka is definitely off av 5; it’s on Calle 4 between 10 y 15 on a dark street. It is very small and most of the tables had at least two backless chairs that would have been a pain to sit on for an entire meal. The food is actually very good, but I was shocked when I later learned that tripadvisor rated it #1 in PDC. We mostly had fresh pastas dishes. For the record, their mojito cocktails were the largest and best tasting of the trip so far.
Piola: Located past the “dead zone” on av 5 near calle 38 is the best pizza restaurant in PDC. We are not talking about as good as the great one’s in NYC, Chicago, or SF, but hey for down here Piola is really good. They must have at least 25 kinds of pizza and some pastas. Their homemade bread was also the best we have had in PDC and makes for a great bruschetta, which they give you gratis to begin the meal. Our Argentine waiter also gave us a wonderful panna cotta for desert, maybe because I am also a big fan of River Plate and hate the dreaded Bocca Juniors. Piola is a little tucked away in a corner near Cocina 38 restaurant. We drove and found plenty of street parking.
La Pesca: La Pesca is by no means undiscovered, but we never got a chance to go there last winter. That was a mistake, since we really enjoyed the meal and the open air dining experience. I had fresh grilled lobster tail with a side of red snapper sautéed in a nice garlic infused reduction. No complaints here, although some may not like the busy av 30 location. You can park in the Mega Store lot and shop groceries after dinner like we did.
La Cueva del Chango: Also located on calle 38 near av 5, this somewhat hard to find restaurant is another place we should have gone to before. Fantastic, fresh, Mexican organic-type of meal served in a zen garden setting. The guacamole and salsas were by far the best we have tasted in Playa. The also make an interesting blended margarita with your choice of fresh tangerine, guava, or papaya juice. Apparently breakfast is particularly popular here. La Cueva will go down as serving one of our better meals of the trip.
El Diaz (“10): We ended up eating at “10” for our Argentine steak fix, since it appeared that our beloved El Asador de Manolo on av 10 had closed for good (more on this later). Their specialty is side skirt steak that comes with a nice green salad all nestled onto a wooden platter. Add a nice glass of Malbec, and I was in carne heaven. The steaks here are really good, however, the sports bar vibe had me hankering for my Asador de Manolo. But wait. While on our after dinner passagatta one block up on calle 32 we saw a new restaurant called La Parilla del Manolo. Could it be? Yes, Manolo is back in business.
For Christmas we made reservations at Manolo’s for their prix fixe dinner that was wonderful last year. Before we go home we will also try Cocina 38, which appears to represent the haute cuisine experience in PDC. Lastly, another favorite, La Fragata, has closed in the last year presumably due to the tough economic times.
When traveling abroad I like to go native as much as possible. Unfortunately the rest of the family rarely does. I dragged them to El Fogon and HC last year and they hated the experience. So the following recommendations are restaurants we didn’t go to because in the words of my 16 year old, “the atmosphere sucks”. The engineer in me would counter by saying, “the atmosphere is inversely proportional to the food quality” in these restaurants. Let me know if you have tried any of these places.
In the order of most sucky to least sucky atmosphere (but still good food):
- The chicken take out place on the corner of av 20 y calle 2 (name?)
- El Sarape on av Juarez y calle 20 (taqueria)
- Manne’s Biergarten av 4 btwn 10 y 15 (bit of a dive bar, roast pork on Fridays)
- Romagna Mia calle 28 below av 1 (Italian home cooking in a construction zone)
- Las Cazuelas across from Luna Blue hotel on calle 26 5 btwn 5 y 10 (Spanish tapas)
Next up…Xplor, Tulum, beach scene and more.
In the past we have enjoyed eating at the torta/taco stalls on the south side of Playa, however, on this trip both boys had stomach problems after eating there while waiting for the Cozumel ferry. They have been blaming me for days about forcing them to eat there. Don’t you love teenagers? The truth is I do discourage them from going to Burger King and McD on our foreign travels not only for esthetic reasons, but to broaden their perspectives on other cultures and customs. I suppose there are two givens in a family Mexican vacation 1). someone will contract Montezuma’s revenge and 2). a beach vender will charge you too much for something (i.e. parasailing, a bracelet, or even a fruit cup, just ask me).
Restaurants
In PDC we make a concerted effort to eat off of the heavily traveled parts of av 5 and avoid the so-called tourist traps. Last year we accommodated our friend’s desire to go to the more frequented places such as Conboncitas and Yaxche, but this year I was determined to eat slightly more off grid. I found out about most of these restaurants on the forums of playa.info, which is more of a locals sounding board.
La Kalaka: A funny name for an Italian restaurant, and the funny thing is guess who got sick this time; ME (in hindsight I did notice that my shrimp seemed a little undercooked). Kalaka is definitely off av 5; it’s on Calle 4 between 10 y 15 on a dark street. It is very small and most of the tables had at least two backless chairs that would have been a pain to sit on for an entire meal. The food is actually very good, but I was shocked when I later learned that tripadvisor rated it #1 in PDC. We mostly had fresh pastas dishes. For the record, their mojito cocktails were the largest and best tasting of the trip so far.
Piola: Located past the “dead zone” on av 5 near calle 38 is the best pizza restaurant in PDC. We are not talking about as good as the great one’s in NYC, Chicago, or SF, but hey for down here Piola is really good. They must have at least 25 kinds of pizza and some pastas. Their homemade bread was also the best we have had in PDC and makes for a great bruschetta, which they give you gratis to begin the meal. Our Argentine waiter also gave us a wonderful panna cotta for desert, maybe because I am also a big fan of River Plate and hate the dreaded Bocca Juniors. Piola is a little tucked away in a corner near Cocina 38 restaurant. We drove and found plenty of street parking.
La Pesca: La Pesca is by no means undiscovered, but we never got a chance to go there last winter. That was a mistake, since we really enjoyed the meal and the open air dining experience. I had fresh grilled lobster tail with a side of red snapper sautéed in a nice garlic infused reduction. No complaints here, although some may not like the busy av 30 location. You can park in the Mega Store lot and shop groceries after dinner like we did.
La Cueva del Chango: Also located on calle 38 near av 5, this somewhat hard to find restaurant is another place we should have gone to before. Fantastic, fresh, Mexican organic-type of meal served in a zen garden setting. The guacamole and salsas were by far the best we have tasted in Playa. The also make an interesting blended margarita with your choice of fresh tangerine, guava, or papaya juice. Apparently breakfast is particularly popular here. La Cueva will go down as serving one of our better meals of the trip.
El Diaz (“10): We ended up eating at “10” for our Argentine steak fix, since it appeared that our beloved El Asador de Manolo on av 10 had closed for good (more on this later). Their specialty is side skirt steak that comes with a nice green salad all nestled onto a wooden platter. Add a nice glass of Malbec, and I was in carne heaven. The steaks here are really good, however, the sports bar vibe had me hankering for my Asador de Manolo. But wait. While on our after dinner passagatta one block up on calle 32 we saw a new restaurant called La Parilla del Manolo. Could it be? Yes, Manolo is back in business.
For Christmas we made reservations at Manolo’s for their prix fixe dinner that was wonderful last year. Before we go home we will also try Cocina 38, which appears to represent the haute cuisine experience in PDC. Lastly, another favorite, La Fragata, has closed in the last year presumably due to the tough economic times.
When traveling abroad I like to go native as much as possible. Unfortunately the rest of the family rarely does. I dragged them to El Fogon and HC last year and they hated the experience. So the following recommendations are restaurants we didn’t go to because in the words of my 16 year old, “the atmosphere sucks”. The engineer in me would counter by saying, “the atmosphere is inversely proportional to the food quality” in these restaurants. Let me know if you have tried any of these places.
In the order of most sucky to least sucky atmosphere (but still good food):
- The chicken take out place on the corner of av 20 y calle 2 (name?)
- El Sarape on av Juarez y calle 20 (taqueria)
- Manne’s Biergarten av 4 btwn 10 y 15 (bit of a dive bar, roast pork on Fridays)
- Romagna Mia calle 28 below av 1 (Italian home cooking in a construction zone)
- Las Cazuelas across from Luna Blue hotel on calle 26 5 btwn 5 y 10 (Spanish tapas)
Next up…Xplor, Tulum, beach scene and more.
Dec 25th, 2009, 12:38 PM
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Thanks for checking out the Shangri-La for me. Is the beach area out front nice? We stayed at the Royal Playa del Carmen last time and didn't think the water was all that great, but it was right after Hurricane Dean hit. I understand it's about a 15 minute walk to the start of 5th Avenue past the Royal. That's close enough. We don't mind walking and can always grab a taxi if needed.
Great resturant review. There are just so many resturants is so hard to research. Last time we ducked into a couple, but wasn't impressed. We found the food at the Royal much better, but willing to try again. Found a resturant called La Ceiba that offers comp drinks for 2 hours with your meal. That's something I would like to try.
Will be interested in your thoughts on Xplor. That's something new since we've been.
Great resturant review. There are just so many resturants is so hard to research. Last time we ducked into a couple, but wasn't impressed. We found the food at the Royal much better, but willing to try again. Found a resturant called La Ceiba that offers comp drinks for 2 hours with your meal. That's something I would like to try.
Will be interested in your thoughts on Xplor. That's something new since we've been.
Dec 25th, 2009, 03:34 PM
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KRV: Yes the beach is great by the hotel; sorry I forgot to mention that. In fact I would say it has one of the best stretches of beachfront on the entire PDC shore. No boats anchored in front of you, just a nice long stretch of sand fronting the hotel. Much nicer than where we are off of calle 6.
The hotel grounds has the look and feel of the resorts one finds down in Tulum i.e. casual in a good way. Right across the street from the hotel is a nice looking condo resort called the Pueblito Escondido (much more modern/sleek feel). I wouldn't go any further north. Any farther north is a sort of unfinished condo graveyard.
The hotel grounds has the look and feel of the resorts one finds down in Tulum i.e. casual in a good way. Right across the street from the hotel is a nice looking condo resort called the Pueblito Escondido (much more modern/sleek feel). I wouldn't go any further north. Any farther north is a sort of unfinished condo graveyard.
Dec 26th, 2009, 01:12 PM
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BelTib,
I was so fortunate to stumble upon your post today.
We are leaving for Playa Del Carmen on Wednesday and staying at the Luna Encantada also. Unit D-3.
It is our first trip to Mexico and I'm a bit nervous. We have two girls 16 and 19.
Anyway...I noticed that you rented a car. We have not rented a car and I'm wondering now if I should reconsider.
Are you glad that you have a car to get around? I had read that it was easy to get a taxi pretty much anywhere we would want to go.?
We are staying until January 7th and the weather reports on weather.com are not very favorable. Has the weather been warm and sunny? Is the water warm? Not to say that it won't change by Wednesday.
As much as my girls want to just lay in the sun, I would like to venture out at least a couple of times. I will check out those websites you recommended for some ideas. I noticed you have at least one teenager also. Do you have any suggestions for "must see" or do while we are there?
Any tips or things that you can think of that we should know about Luna ahead of time like what we should bring along or what to expect would be greatly appreciated. Are you drinking the water at your condo?
Thanks for your post.
I was so fortunate to stumble upon your post today.
We are leaving for Playa Del Carmen on Wednesday and staying at the Luna Encantada also. Unit D-3.
It is our first trip to Mexico and I'm a bit nervous. We have two girls 16 and 19.
Anyway...I noticed that you rented a car. We have not rented a car and I'm wondering now if I should reconsider.
Are you glad that you have a car to get around? I had read that it was easy to get a taxi pretty much anywhere we would want to go.?
We are staying until January 7th and the weather reports on weather.com are not very favorable. Has the weather been warm and sunny? Is the water warm? Not to say that it won't change by Wednesday.
As much as my girls want to just lay in the sun, I would like to venture out at least a couple of times. I will check out those websites you recommended for some ideas. I noticed you have at least one teenager also. Do you have any suggestions for "must see" or do while we are there?
Any tips or things that you can think of that we should know about Luna ahead of time like what we should bring along or what to expect would be greatly appreciated. Are you drinking the water at your condo?
Thanks for your post.
Dec 28th, 2009, 03:21 PM
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Hi bethyk,
Our boys are the exact same age as your girls and they really love being down here. There is a lot for them to do besides the basics of hanging out at the beach and walking up and down av 5 at night. One feels VERY safe in PDC and I would not worry about the girls at all. I noticed there are a couple of families staying right now at the Luna Encantada that must have five or six girls between them.
We always rent a car for these types of trips mainly for the convenience of driving to places like Akumal, Tulum, the Mega store and even the restaurants off of calle 38. But to answer your question, yes taxis are everywhere including a few yards any from the condo on calle 6. If you do happen to drive, the only tricky part is making the right turn from av 10 to calle 6 where there usually is a policeman blocking off calle 6. If you tell him you are going to the Luna Encantada he will let you through.
My DW frets over weather.com incessantly, however, I have found there to be almost no correlation between what it predicts and what the actual weather is in PDC. The weather seems to me a little cooler than it was last year at this time. We had a day and a half of rain off and on, followed by really nice sunny days around 80 degrees. Clouds come and go all day, which sometimes gives you a nice break from the strong sun. Last night my wife went back to the unit to get a sweater for dinner, but generally you never need one day or night. The ocean water is REALLY warm and the boys seem to be in it all day long.
Must-sees for teens include the so called “eco parks”. We think the best by far is Xplor, and it is only five minutes south of PDC across from Xcaret (Hidden World is about 40 min south). A day at the ruins followed by the beaches at Tulum (and lunch at one of the special places on this earth, Zamas) is also a must. Details to follow in my trip report.
The water in PDC in safe to drink even though no one does (i.e. there are no problems with the ice in cocktails at restaurants). Our condo came with a large jug of purified water that was replaced as needed. There are on-site staff at the condo to take care of any problems. Also, they have lots of coupons for free beach chairs and umbrellas at nearby (just north of Luna E) Wicky’s beach club. In return, you just have to buy lunch or drinks there. The Luna E has there own free beach chairs/chaise, but no umbrellas. If you are early enough, you can place your chaise lounges under one of the four palm trees and you are set for shade. After tiring of the Wicky club sandwiches, we mostly used the Luna beach and ate lunch on the beach at the superior Fusion next door (better menu including good ceviche).
During the day the kids did jet skiing a couple of doors north (left) of the condo (tell them you won’t pay more than $55 US for 40 minutes (they will let the girls share time). The Luna is at the epicenter of the beach massage world at PDC. Wicky’s and Bang (next door to Luna E) are the best, with the nicest beds/tents ($17 to $25 per hour). My son liked to hang outside with his computer at night (free wifi is everywhere including the beach) and therefore needed bug spray for the little mosquitoes (ONLY at night and not invasive), but that may be hard to bring from home. Lastly, there are bands at Fusion that you may hear at night, but it doesn’t really affect our unit much. D-3 looks like one of the best units on property.
Can’t think of anything else for now. Have a great vacation.
Our boys are the exact same age as your girls and they really love being down here. There is a lot for them to do besides the basics of hanging out at the beach and walking up and down av 5 at night. One feels VERY safe in PDC and I would not worry about the girls at all. I noticed there are a couple of families staying right now at the Luna Encantada that must have five or six girls between them.
We always rent a car for these types of trips mainly for the convenience of driving to places like Akumal, Tulum, the Mega store and even the restaurants off of calle 38. But to answer your question, yes taxis are everywhere including a few yards any from the condo on calle 6. If you do happen to drive, the only tricky part is making the right turn from av 10 to calle 6 where there usually is a policeman blocking off calle 6. If you tell him you are going to the Luna Encantada he will let you through.
My DW frets over weather.com incessantly, however, I have found there to be almost no correlation between what it predicts and what the actual weather is in PDC. The weather seems to me a little cooler than it was last year at this time. We had a day and a half of rain off and on, followed by really nice sunny days around 80 degrees. Clouds come and go all day, which sometimes gives you a nice break from the strong sun. Last night my wife went back to the unit to get a sweater for dinner, but generally you never need one day or night. The ocean water is REALLY warm and the boys seem to be in it all day long.
Must-sees for teens include the so called “eco parks”. We think the best by far is Xplor, and it is only five minutes south of PDC across from Xcaret (Hidden World is about 40 min south). A day at the ruins followed by the beaches at Tulum (and lunch at one of the special places on this earth, Zamas) is also a must. Details to follow in my trip report.
The water in PDC in safe to drink even though no one does (i.e. there are no problems with the ice in cocktails at restaurants). Our condo came with a large jug of purified water that was replaced as needed. There are on-site staff at the condo to take care of any problems. Also, they have lots of coupons for free beach chairs and umbrellas at nearby (just north of Luna E) Wicky’s beach club. In return, you just have to buy lunch or drinks there. The Luna E has there own free beach chairs/chaise, but no umbrellas. If you are early enough, you can place your chaise lounges under one of the four palm trees and you are set for shade. After tiring of the Wicky club sandwiches, we mostly used the Luna beach and ate lunch on the beach at the superior Fusion next door (better menu including good ceviche).
During the day the kids did jet skiing a couple of doors north (left) of the condo (tell them you won’t pay more than $55 US for 40 minutes (they will let the girls share time). The Luna is at the epicenter of the beach massage world at PDC. Wicky’s and Bang (next door to Luna E) are the best, with the nicest beds/tents ($17 to $25 per hour). My son liked to hang outside with his computer at night (free wifi is everywhere including the beach) and therefore needed bug spray for the little mosquitoes (ONLY at night and not invasive), but that may be hard to bring from home. Lastly, there are bands at Fusion that you may hear at night, but it doesn’t really affect our unit much. D-3 looks like one of the best units on property.
Can’t think of anything else for now. Have a great vacation.
Dec 28th, 2009, 05:05 PM
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Love your trip report! Thanks for all the great details. We've never been to PDC, but are considering it for next Christmas/NYE. You're a repeat visitor and others say they are as well--any thoughts to share on what draws you back over other locations?
Dec 29th, 2009, 06:14 AM
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Hi BelTib,
Thank you SO MUCH for your detailed response and all of the helpful info! After reading your info my daughters are both very excited about our trip. They are really looking forward to being in the epicenter of massage!
I have officially stopped looking at weather.com. Makes me worry too much.
I appreciate the tips on what to do and the heads up about the lack of umbrellas. I am one of those who would want to sit under one of those four palm trees! Perhaps we can pick up an umbrella at Walmart?
Thanks so much again! I know we'll have a great trip.
Thank you SO MUCH for your detailed response and all of the helpful info! After reading your info my daughters are both very excited about our trip. They are really looking forward to being in the epicenter of massage!
I have officially stopped looking at weather.com. Makes me worry too much.
I appreciate the tips on what to do and the heads up about the lack of umbrellas. I am one of those who would want to sit under one of those four palm trees! Perhaps we can pick up an umbrella at Walmart?
Thanks so much again! I know we'll have a great trip.
Dec 30th, 2009, 08:00 PM
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Epilogue:
All good vacations eventually have to end, and the same goes for trip reports. Although no longer LIVE, I was able to jot down a few last thoughts on the plane ride home that I hope will be helpful to others traveling to the Playa del Carmen area.
Just to finish up my restaurant suggestions – our last two dinners in PDC were at La Parilla del Manolo and Cocina 38, both really good. If I were only to eat at one Argentine steak house in PDC it would be Manolo’s over El Diez. The overall food quality (particularly the fillet and empanadas) seems to be a little bit better at Manolo’s, even though “10” packs in the crowds. The only caveat would be that “10” serves pizza (by no means gourmet), which may be of interest to families with young, finicky eaters. If you can leave your finicky eaters back at your hotel or condo, Cocina 38 is arguably the only restaurant in PDC that serves sophisticated food on par with Manhattan and SF bistros. The setting is quiet, elegant and a bit more refined than almost any other restaurant in town. We paid a few more dollars to eat here and were rewarded with one of our best meals of the week.
Life is a Beach
Since we covered a lot of ground on our last trip to PDC (again, click on my name if interested) our intention this week was to chill out by mostly hanging around the beach. As mentioned earlier, we started off at Wicky’s Beach Club that is located in front of a new, mostly unoccupied condo development on calle 10. They usually have live, mellow music (one day it was steel pans accompanied by violin), which is a real treat compared to the amplified techno thumping you get at the other beach clubs like Kool. While I still think the best beaches in PDC are north of the Constituyents pier, we spent most of our time in front of our Luna Encantada for the convenience of being near the condo. For obvious reasons, the kids loved jet skiing, body surfing, collecting 20 peso bracelets, beachside massages, and the strong wifi connection at this location; and you can’t beat the food at Fusion next door. The boys and I again held our beach paddleball tournament; a tradition started on the Cote d’Azur a couple of years ago. It’s amazing how many hours we can spend standing in the surf line hitting a little ball back and forth. Trust me, it takes no time at all to adapt to the PDC beach lifestyle.
We did drive to Tulum again, but mainly to eat lunch at the spectacular Zamas, and spend the rest of the day lounging on the pristine and deserted beaches of Tulum. After lunch we drove about 10 minutes further south on the same road and parked at the OM Hotel to access the beach. I am not recommending the hotel per se, but it is an easy place to pull over and hit the beach, buy a drink, and relax. The same can be done next door at Casa Violeta. In fact, the beach mattresses and umbrellas might be somewhat better there. IMHO, Tulum offers the best low-key, relaxing beach experience that we have experienced in our two trips to Playa del Carmen.
Xplor: The opposite of low-key down here are the various adventure parks that have popped up in the Yucatan in the past few years. The boys made it clear that our vacation would be incomplete without trying the zip lines that everyone talks about. So the three of us (DW has a fear of heights) hit the road for the 40-minute drive south to Hidden World. After five minutes driving down Hwy 307, our youngest spotted a sign for a place called Xplor. That was fortuitous since I can’t imagine a better (or closer) “Eco Park” for ATVing, zipping, paddling, and swimming. Xplor was not at all crowded during our stay and I wonder if that was due to its newness (5 months old), or because of the $99 entry fee (includes a really good all-you-can eat buffet). The attention to detail in every aspect of this park is truly top notch. The miles of underground limestone caverns taken alone are amazing. Xplor is a one of a kind adventure that could never be duplicated in the USA. Be sure to bring water shoes/sandals of some type (we had to buy some at the park). If you are going to Xcaret as well, there are package deals for both parks. You can find some well-written reviews of Xplor in tripadvisor.
Parting Thoughts
The drive to the airport and rental car drop off in Cancun was uneventful, which is a good thing. However, the fun really began in Mexico City when DH realized that he couldn’t find the immigration documents that were given to us upon arrival in Mexico. So much for his reputation as an experienced world traveler!! Replacement docs were finally secured just prior to take-off, and only after going through a bureaucratic maze that would make Vladimir Lenin proud (and paying a kings ransom). The attempted plane bombing in Detroit actually helped matters in this case, since the body frisking and hand searching of carry-on luggage at the boarding gate delayed our departure by at least an hour. I guess that’s the price one pays for exotic vacations in foreign lands.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
Still think being “plugged in” on vacations is a good idea. Laptops were useful for restaurant reviews, e-mails to the dog sitter, and watching season two of Mad Men. Cell phones came in handy when we became separated on av 5, Mega Store, etc. Just make sure to turn off the enable 3G and data roaming settings on your iphone!
Found few reasons to venture south of calle 4 except to buy fruit from the cart women.
Regret #1: Should have made an effort this time to visit the ruins at Coba.
Regret #2: Should have taken an earlier ferry to Cozumel. Only had time to walk around the town, which is a waste.
Still not at all interested in the AI world, although my negativity toward adventure parks has ended with our visit to the classy Xplor.
On your way home, don’t be confused by the term “duty-free shop”. It doesn’t mean that what you buy in duty-free shops won’t be subject to duty when you return to the United States – it will. Merchandise sold in duty-free shops are free of duty and taxes only for the country in which that shop is located. So if your purchases exceed your personal exemption, items you bought in a duty-free shop, whether in the US or abroad, will be subject to duty. So for example, only the first bottle of tequila per person (over 21) would be exempt from duty (up to one liter). Sorry for boring so of you…
Why go to Playa del Carmen??
Avenida 5 night life, great eating, great beaches, warm water, neat significant archeological sites. It’s a small town with a big international feel
Where are we going next??
Planning a Punta Mita trip for Spring Break. Any tips?
All good vacations eventually have to end, and the same goes for trip reports. Although no longer LIVE, I was able to jot down a few last thoughts on the plane ride home that I hope will be helpful to others traveling to the Playa del Carmen area.
Just to finish up my restaurant suggestions – our last two dinners in PDC were at La Parilla del Manolo and Cocina 38, both really good. If I were only to eat at one Argentine steak house in PDC it would be Manolo’s over El Diez. The overall food quality (particularly the fillet and empanadas) seems to be a little bit better at Manolo’s, even though “10” packs in the crowds. The only caveat would be that “10” serves pizza (by no means gourmet), which may be of interest to families with young, finicky eaters. If you can leave your finicky eaters back at your hotel or condo, Cocina 38 is arguably the only restaurant in PDC that serves sophisticated food on par with Manhattan and SF bistros. The setting is quiet, elegant and a bit more refined than almost any other restaurant in town. We paid a few more dollars to eat here and were rewarded with one of our best meals of the week.
Life is a Beach
Since we covered a lot of ground on our last trip to PDC (again, click on my name if interested) our intention this week was to chill out by mostly hanging around the beach. As mentioned earlier, we started off at Wicky’s Beach Club that is located in front of a new, mostly unoccupied condo development on calle 10. They usually have live, mellow music (one day it was steel pans accompanied by violin), which is a real treat compared to the amplified techno thumping you get at the other beach clubs like Kool. While I still think the best beaches in PDC are north of the Constituyents pier, we spent most of our time in front of our Luna Encantada for the convenience of being near the condo. For obvious reasons, the kids loved jet skiing, body surfing, collecting 20 peso bracelets, beachside massages, and the strong wifi connection at this location; and you can’t beat the food at Fusion next door. The boys and I again held our beach paddleball tournament; a tradition started on the Cote d’Azur a couple of years ago. It’s amazing how many hours we can spend standing in the surf line hitting a little ball back and forth. Trust me, it takes no time at all to adapt to the PDC beach lifestyle.
We did drive to Tulum again, but mainly to eat lunch at the spectacular Zamas, and spend the rest of the day lounging on the pristine and deserted beaches of Tulum. After lunch we drove about 10 minutes further south on the same road and parked at the OM Hotel to access the beach. I am not recommending the hotel per se, but it is an easy place to pull over and hit the beach, buy a drink, and relax. The same can be done next door at Casa Violeta. In fact, the beach mattresses and umbrellas might be somewhat better there. IMHO, Tulum offers the best low-key, relaxing beach experience that we have experienced in our two trips to Playa del Carmen.
Xplor: The opposite of low-key down here are the various adventure parks that have popped up in the Yucatan in the past few years. The boys made it clear that our vacation would be incomplete without trying the zip lines that everyone talks about. So the three of us (DW has a fear of heights) hit the road for the 40-minute drive south to Hidden World. After five minutes driving down Hwy 307, our youngest spotted a sign for a place called Xplor. That was fortuitous since I can’t imagine a better (or closer) “Eco Park” for ATVing, zipping, paddling, and swimming. Xplor was not at all crowded during our stay and I wonder if that was due to its newness (5 months old), or because of the $99 entry fee (includes a really good all-you-can eat buffet). The attention to detail in every aspect of this park is truly top notch. The miles of underground limestone caverns taken alone are amazing. Xplor is a one of a kind adventure that could never be duplicated in the USA. Be sure to bring water shoes/sandals of some type (we had to buy some at the park). If you are going to Xcaret as well, there are package deals for both parks. You can find some well-written reviews of Xplor in tripadvisor.
Parting Thoughts
The drive to the airport and rental car drop off in Cancun was uneventful, which is a good thing. However, the fun really began in Mexico City when DH realized that he couldn’t find the immigration documents that were given to us upon arrival in Mexico. So much for his reputation as an experienced world traveler!! Replacement docs were finally secured just prior to take-off, and only after going through a bureaucratic maze that would make Vladimir Lenin proud (and paying a kings ransom). The attempted plane bombing in Detroit actually helped matters in this case, since the body frisking and hand searching of carry-on luggage at the boarding gate delayed our departure by at least an hour. I guess that’s the price one pays for exotic vacations in foreign lands.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
Still think being “plugged in” on vacations is a good idea. Laptops were useful for restaurant reviews, e-mails to the dog sitter, and watching season two of Mad Men. Cell phones came in handy when we became separated on av 5, Mega Store, etc. Just make sure to turn off the enable 3G and data roaming settings on your iphone!
Found few reasons to venture south of calle 4 except to buy fruit from the cart women.
Regret #1: Should have made an effort this time to visit the ruins at Coba.
Regret #2: Should have taken an earlier ferry to Cozumel. Only had time to walk around the town, which is a waste.
Still not at all interested in the AI world, although my negativity toward adventure parks has ended with our visit to the classy Xplor.
On your way home, don’t be confused by the term “duty-free shop”. It doesn’t mean that what you buy in duty-free shops won’t be subject to duty when you return to the United States – it will. Merchandise sold in duty-free shops are free of duty and taxes only for the country in which that shop is located. So if your purchases exceed your personal exemption, items you bought in a duty-free shop, whether in the US or abroad, will be subject to duty. So for example, only the first bottle of tequila per person (over 21) would be exempt from duty (up to one liter). Sorry for boring so of you…
Why go to Playa del Carmen??
Avenida 5 night life, great eating, great beaches, warm water, neat significant archeological sites. It’s a small town with a big international feel
Where are we going next??
Planning a Punta Mita trip for Spring Break. Any tips?
Jan 2nd, 2010, 05:02 PM
#17
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My husband are thinking of going here for our 25th wedding anniversary in April. He is not big on sitting by the beach all day, and we want someplace quiet and "our age". Any suggestions on where to stay and what to do?
Jan 4th, 2010, 02:05 PM
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Hi Iscottwest;
If I were to go back to the Yucatan again sans children, Tulum would be my preference as a base. If the nightlife of Playa is not a priority, you will not find a more peaceful location to spend your anniversary. If sitting on the beach isn't your thing, then you could certainly spend the week searching out the various Mayan ruins (check out http://www.locogringo.com/research/ruins.html) and visiting small towns. Of course, this assumes you will be renting a car. I don't have any first hand hotel recommendations, but my preference would be finding a rental that suits your needs on vrbo.com.
Having said this, I would still find time to sit under an umbrella on the beach with a cold drink and a good book. What could be better than that?
If I were to go back to the Yucatan again sans children, Tulum would be my preference as a base. If the nightlife of Playa is not a priority, you will not find a more peaceful location to spend your anniversary. If sitting on the beach isn't your thing, then you could certainly spend the week searching out the various Mayan ruins (check out http://www.locogringo.com/research/ruins.html) and visiting small towns. Of course, this assumes you will be renting a car. I don't have any first hand hotel recommendations, but my preference would be finding a rental that suits your needs on vrbo.com.
Having said this, I would still find time to sit under an umbrella on the beach with a cold drink and a good book. What could be better than that?
