Last Updated on March 20, 2021
In May, JC and I went to Playa del Carmen for my best friend’s wedding. One of the best parts of having a destination wedding is that it’s a great opportunity to travel with all of your wedding guests. JC and I had a blast experiencing all Playa del Carmen has to offer, both before and after the wedding. Read below for our top 5 things you must do when visiting Playa del Carmen. And definitely keep Playa del Carmen in mind if you are thinking to have a destination wedding!
1. Eat Tacos at El Fogón
Mexico has arguably some of the best cuisine in the world. To experience that, you need to get outside of the all-inclusive resorts and eat at some local taquerías, such as El Fogón. There are three El Fogón locations in Playa, but the one here is the furthest from all the touristy spots. You can feast on tacos al pastor and delicious aguas frescas and spend less than 10 EUR for your entire meal.
Related Post: How to do Playa del Carmen on a Budget | Outside the All-Inclusive Resorts
2. Spend the day at Xplor Adventure Park
If you are looking for an adrenaline packed adventure, Xplor Adventure Park may be for you. It is a natural water park complete with ziplines, cave rafting, amphibious vehicles, and more. The location is also very convenient, as it is a short drive (approximately 12 minutes) from the center of Playa del Carmen. We paid approximately 94 EUR per person for admission, and this did not include transportation or a photo pass (package for all photos taken while at the park). There was a discount for buying online and at least one month ahead of time. Check the website for the most updated promotions and packages. One recommendation would be if you do not want to pay up to $70 for photos, take your phone with a waterproof case to the park to take your own photos. One of our favorite experiences while in Playa — highly recommend!
3. Snorkel with Wild Sea Turtles at Akumal Beach
One of our favorite activities we did while in Playa del Carmen was go snorkeling with wild sea turtles at Akumal Beach. Akumal is about a 36 minute car ride outside of Playa del Carmen. We went there as part of a guided tour pre-wedding. Our tour cost $100 per person and also included stops at the Tulum and Cobá archeological sites. You can see similar tours here. At Akumal, we were provided with snorkeling gear and life vests. We broke up into smaller groups of 5 or 6 people and were transported by boat to the reef where the turtles are. It was then like a scavenger hunt, with each boat group and their guide searching for turtles in the reef and signaling to the other groups when they had spotted one. All in all, a real highlight of our trip. If you love spotting animals in their natural habitat, Akumal is a must!
4. Make a Trip to the Tulum and Coba Ruins
Our guided tour pre-wedding to Akumal Beach to snorkel with sea turtles also included stops at the Tulum and Cobá archeological sites. The ancient Mayan ruins in Tulum are very well maintained and beautiful to see. At Cobá, if you are not too afraid of heights, you can climb Nohoch Mul, the area’s highest pyramid.
5. Swim in 5 Cenotes at Kantun-Chi
One of the top experiences in Playa del Carmen is going to a cenote, or underwater cave. While in Playa, we went to EcoPark Kantun-Chi, which is about 25 minutes driving outside of Playa del Carmen. There you can visit five different cenotes all in one park. They provide snorkel gear, life vests and lockers with the price of admission (around $44 per person). Guided tours of the cenotes are available, although I do not think it’s necessary. There are also discounts for booking admission online in advance.
That ends our top 5 things to do while in Playa del Carmen. Have you been to Playa del Carmen? What are your favorite things to do while there? Comment them below!
An easy add-on to your trip to Playa del Carmen is a trip to the island of Cozumel, which is just a short ferry ride away! You can read all about our trip to Cozumel here.
Related Post: How to do Playa del Carmen on a Budget | Outside the All-Inclusive Resorts
