Country MEXICO
PLAYA DEL CARMEN
(regional info)
***Browse Hotels in Playa Del Carmen by comparative pricing
Playa del Carmen (Xaman Ha' or Pláaya in Modern Maya) is a city on the coast of the Caribbean Sea
in the north east of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, located at 20.62° North, 87.07° West.
The city is the seat of the Solidaridad municipality.
In the 2005 census the city had a population of about 100,383 people, and is rapidly growing in population.
It is the third-largest city in Quintana Roo, after Cancún and Chetumal.
Playa del Carmen has beautiful beaches, shores, and waters, but a critical ratio of damage from hurricanes.
Originally a small fishing town, tourism to Playa del Carmen began with the passenger ferry service to Cozumel,
an island across the Cozumel Channel and world-famous scuba diving destination.
While passing through, many people realized that it was a nice place to relax away from the crowds of
Cancún but with the same quality beaches and turquoise waters.
Perhaps just as impressive as Cozumel, Playa del Carmen's coast offers good scuba diving opportunities,
as well as cenote diving for the more adventurous.
Today Playa del Carmen, or just 'Playa' as it is colloquially referred to, is the centre of the Riviera Maya concept,
which covers from Cancún to Tulum and the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve.
Playa is a stop for several cruise ships, which dock at the nearby Calica quarry docks,
about six miles south of the city.
A Mayan-themed "ecological theme park", Xcaret (pronounced "e-shcaret")
is a popular tourist destination just south of the town.
Tourist activity in Playa del Carmen centres on the Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue streching from
calle 1 norte until calle 34, a pedestrian walkway located just one block inland from the beach,
and lined with boutique hotels, shops, bars and restaurants.
Elements within the Playa del Carmen local community and government have attempted to retain
Playa del Carmen's reputation and charm as a small fishing village and artists' colony,
without becoming as large or tourist-dependent as Cancún.
To this end, the city passed an ordinance limiting buildings to three stories.
A few four-story buildings were built before the ordinance, however.
Playa del Carmen is currently expanding north beyong the Colossio section and on the other side of
highway 307, the Ejido.
Playacar is a privately owned part of Playa del Carmen just south of the
Zocalo where most of the all inclusive hotels, the aviary and the golf course are located.
There is a significant European influence in Playa, with a number of local business proprietors drawn
from the European expatriate community.
The telenovela Peregrina takes place in Playa del Carmen.
read full wikipedia reference about Playa del Carmen, Mexico
OTHER POPULAR DESTINATIONS IN MEXICO
Acapulco
Aguascalientes
Boca del Rio
Cabo San Lucas
Cancun
Chihuahua
Ciudad Juarez
Cozumel
Cuernavaca
Cualiacan
Ensenada
Guadalajara
Hermosillo
Hualtulco
Isla Mujures Roo
Ixtapa
Juarez
La Paz
Leon
Los Cabos
Los Mochis
Manzanillo
Mazatlan
Merida
Mexicali
Mexico City
Monterrey
Morelia
Oaxaca
Palenque
Playa del Carmen
Puebla
Puerto Aventuras
Puerto Vallarta
Quetaro
Quintana Roo
Rosarito
Saltillo
San Jose del Cabo
San Luis Potosi
San Miguel de Allande
Tampico
Tijuana
Toluca
Veracruz
Villahermosa
Zacatecas
Zihuatanejo
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