Mexico & Playacar

November 2010

People who know me will attest to the fact that I don't exercise enough.

But every day, as the clock drifts past four in the afternoon, my wife and I dress down for our daily walk along the Playacar and Playa del Carmen beaches.

There is something about the changing colour as the sun sets each evening that beckons us to commit to burning off some of the extra calories from last night's dinner and today's lunch.

As we trudge along through the fine sand that characterizes most beaches in the area, the waves splash over our feet. We zigzag back and forth between the harder sand dunes and the softer sandbars churned up by the changing wave patterns.

Fishing boats parked on the shore rest for the night as we hear their owners barter with customers for the best price on their catch of the day.

Sun worshippers gather up their towels as the beach dwindles to the few who won't leave until the final rays present a cooler side of the sun's personality.

Runners and speed walkers meet or pass us from both directions and we become motivated by their pace to pick up ours.

Deep sea divers who have spent the day exploring the shoals around nearby Cozumel carry their gear back to their storage areas.

Ninety minutes later we know we've done enough and we watch the sun bid its farewell as we walk up the steps towards our resort.

It is our second trip to the Playa del Carmen area, and we are glad we came back.

Two years ago we stayed in the heart of the Playa del Carmen beach district. It proved to be one of the best vacations we could have ever asked for.

Then last year, at the Royal Hideaway in less-crowded Playacar, we thought we might have discovered a bit of heaven. Playacar is a unique community unlike any you will find elsewhere in Mexico.

Quality resorts are plentiful along the entire Mayan Riviera. So what is it that makes the Playacar and Playa del Carmen destinations so enticing?

Playacar is essentially a gated community inside Playa del Carmen. Security guards check entrants to the section which is highlighted by some of the most expensive homes in the area, along with some of the best resorts as well.

The mix of people range from local Mexican business and professional people to snowbirds who have purchased properties in the area, to the North American and International guests in the four and five star resorts that dot the beachside from Playa del Carmen proper.

For the most part, the resort properties are exquisitely designed and offer exceptional quiet spaces for photographs of the many wedding ceremonies that take throughout the winter season.

With a population of just 100,000, Playa del Carmen is not a big city. Yet it is the closest shopping area for many of the all-inclusive resorts along the Mayan Resort trail.

The first street off the beach, and no one can figure this out, is Fifth Avenue. It is the prime commercial area in Playa del Carmen.

Some time ago the city closed off the kilometre-long Fifth Avenue to vehicular traffic, creating an outdoor pedestrian mall and entertainment center that could be the envy of tourist locations anywhere. The streets running off Fifth Avenue lead to the beach and are filled with even more shops and restaurants.

Fifth Avenue is a wide street making it a comfortable stroll even during peak season.

Strolling along the streets of Playacar is like walking around any Winnipeg suburb where the people are friendly and the pace is relaxed.

After one of the big hurricanes hit the region a couple of years ago, the beaches have been reclaimed to their former glory, with some of the finest sand you will find anywhere.

The beaches here are now wider than you'll find at destinations in most countries, and even other resort destinations in Mexico.

With the hope of seeing their guests spending their shopping dollars on site, most resorts along the Mayan Riviera offer everything they possibly can to keep tourists on their properties. But the reality is that Playa del Carmen entertainment and shopping is just too much of an attraction, and inevitably most will find their way there for at least one day or evening.

There is a tangible vibrancy to the city, with choices for dining and shopping from high end jewelry outlets to traditional Mexican crafts and foods. While enjoying the fare presented at restaurants on Fifth Avenue visitors can listen to the languages of tourists from countries throughout the world who have found Playa del Carmen to be the ideal escape year after year.

It is common to find resorts that are as full with Italian, French, or German tourists as those from North America. It is that cosmopolitan atmosphere that contributes to the aura of the area.

Nearby Chichen Itza is recognized as one of the most restored and best kept ruins in the Mayan world. The Kukulkan Pyramid there was elected in 2007 as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

For the younger set, a day in the eco theme park Xcaret becomes an enjoyable learning experience. The culture and history of the country is presented in a way that allows participation and spectacular entertainment, especially if you stay for the evening show.

Be sure to take along bathing gear for one of the two subterranean river experiences.

For the golf enthusiast there are a number of options. The Playacar Golf Club is a five minute taxi ride from most resorts in Playa del Carmen. Only a few miles out of town is the El Camaleon Golf Club, home to the only annual PGA even in the country. It's here, in February, that some of the best tour players trying to gain a better footing at the beginning of the season draw thousands of local and North American spectators who come to see who the next rising star may be.

Designed by Greg Norman, it is no wonder it was the PGA choice for locating its first championship in Mexico. While a serious challenge for the professional golfer, Norman positioned the forward tees to blend in with his design concepts while making it an enjoyable experience for the average golfer.

As a traveller who enjoys exploring new destinations and experiencing new discoveries, Playa del Carmen is a place I will still willingly return to tomorrow, next month or next year.

And no wonder. In addition to all there is to see and do it is one of the few destinations where, in spite of exceptional wine and dining, I actually lose weight on a holiday.

Where to Stay:

Having spent a week at the Royal Hideaway Playacar makes it an easy recommendation for me. The rooms are spacious and located in a series of 2-storey walkup apartment-style units.

The pools are large and in addition to the usual buffet there are 5 a la carte restaurants.

The Playacar Palace Wyndham is another 5 star property that keeps receiving rave reviews from past guests.

Iberostar resorts consistently get similar reviews and there are two 4.5 star properties on the Mayan Riviera only 17 kilometers outside of Playa del Carmen.