YUCATAN PENINSULA, “LEGACY OF TRANQUILITY”

By Clay Larroy

 

It doesn't matter if you take a trip across the state line or the border, being far from home can be exciting and also a bit stressful. When considering traveling, it is important to think of the best mode of travel. Traveling by car can offer many more sights and opportunities for side trips. Traveling by train can offer a chance to relax and get some work done if they wanted. Planes can cover ground fast but don't allow much movement and one cannot get off the plane in flight. Each mode of travel has its own advantages and disadvantages to be considered. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

 

 

Playa del Carmen

Overview

Playa del Carmen has one of the prettiest beaches on the coast and, despite its growing popularity, it has a small-town, laid-back feel to it which is part of the appeal. The offshore reef offers some spectacular diving, and

less than an hour away by boat is the island of Cozumel, with some of the best diving in Mexico. There are numerous dive centers offering reef and cave diving in the limestone caverns along the coast. The small commercial town center
is packed with souvenir shops, trendy bars and cafes, restaurants, designer clothes shops and hotels, and has a vibrant nightlife that caters for the smaller beach settlements nearby so holidaymakers can enjoy the best of both worlds. It can get very overcrowded with day-trippers from Cancun, as well as cruise ship passengers. South of town, the expanding Playacar
development caters mainly for package tourists, its beach packed with sunbathers and deckchairs, and lined with hotel complexes. There is also an 18-hole golf course.

Shopping in Playa del Carmen

Comfortable footwear is vital for holidaymaker’s intent on a shopping spree in Playa del Carmen, where everything you need in the dozens of enticing shops can be easily accessed on foot. The place to tog yourself out in

designer-wear, from head to toe, is 5th Avenue, and to complement the look there are plenty of specialty stores to browse around for jewelry, Mayan-inspired arts and crafts, handbags and the like. Souvenirs range from tacky

ashtrays to bright and beautiful sarongs, Mexican blankets and sombreros, and even genuine Cuban cigars from La Casa del Habano (US citizens may not purchase these). Playa del Carmen boasts a Wal-Mart on 30th Avenue,

and several American style supermarkets like Chedraui on the corner of Juarez and Highway 307, and Super San Francisco on 30th Avenue. There are also numerous mini-marts selling essentials for holidaymakers, and plenty of pharmacies. The resort's main shopping malls are Plaza Pelicano on 10th Avenue and the Paseo del Carmen close to the ferry pier.

Dining in Playa del Carmen

No one need go hungry in Playa del Carmen because wherever you are in this holiday resort, there will be a great restaurant a stone's throw away. Cuisine ranges from traditional Mexican through all the international favorites, including sushi and vegetarian establishments. For a top Mexican taste treat steer a little off the beaten track behind 5th Avenue and look out for a small taqueria where it is possible to pick up a tempting taco or two for a pittance. Street vendors in the main square (Zocalo) are also a good budget option, especially for fresh fruit and tasty tamales. When it comes to restaurant dining it is difficult to make recommendations from the dozens of good establishments available, but some of the more popular eateries are The Blue Lobster, its specialty obviously the eponymous crustacean; and Season Bistro, which serves upscale Mexican with an international twist.

 

Activities in Playa del Carmen

Whether it is dancing cheek-to-cheek under the stars, sipping margaritas on a rooftop, soaking up some live jazz, people-watching from a street side bar, learning to salsa, or downing shots and raving it up on a flashing

dance-floor, holiday visitors will find that Playa del Carmen after dark has something to fit the bill. One of the most popular hotspots is the huge Palazzo. You can find live music at Kitxen if the club scene is not your style.

Numerous open-air bars are in operation until the early hours. Some offer live music or DJs and dancing as the night wears on; others serve up drinks under the stars or palapa (woven palm frond) roofs.

Things to be aware of in Playa del Carmen

There are plenty of topless and nude beaches around Playa del Carmen and families travelling with young children should take this into account.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

 

Live Well, Laugh Often and Travel Much!