Playa Del Carmen: 11 Things to Do for a Dream Vacation

If you’re a big fan of theme parks but are determined to spend more time in the midst of nature, then Playa del Carmen’s Xcaret Park is the solution you never knew you needed. This massive adventure play park is like Disneyland for thrill seekers, because at Xcaret Park you can zipline through trees, snorkel above coral reefs and ride powerboats along the coast. Xcaret Park also promotes the local Mayan culture and you’ll find Mayan ruins to explore, pre-Hispanic food to try and cultural shows to absorb.

Overlooking the white sands and coral reefs of Mexico’s Caribbean coastline, Playa del Carmen is the place to be if you love to adventure during the day and return to the luxury comforts of a resort for the evening. You’ll find freshwater cenotes for swimming and snorkeling, Mayan-themed eco-adventure parks and of course, who could forget the beaches?

Xenses Park is a place to shake the stress off and wake up your senses across land, air and water. Challenge your mind and explore new sensations: there are 15 activities to enjoy in caverns, rivers, a town and gardens. You’ll be able to fly in the air and glide through waters, there are areas to fuel your adrenaline and others to relax you and purify you. The whole experience will create an awareness of your body and its incredible capacity to imagine and perceive. At Xenses, you’ll find yourself lost in a labyrinth of mirrors before being mesmerized by colorful kaleidoscopes. Pathways through the park lead you through a curious town of oversized or undersized houses, where the streets seem to descend but actually ascend. There’s a cave of perpetual darkness where you must rely on senses other than sight, lazy rivers where time floats away and zip lines where you’ll be pumped full of adrenaline.

Enter the underground caverns of Rio Secreto to discover the hidden subterranean world that lies beneath the surface of Playa del Carmen. The Secret River is a vast network of flooded limestone caves, underground lagoons and stalactites and stalagmites that extends for as much as 38km (23mi). You can explore a small fraction of this vast cave system on a guided tour, but get ready to snorkel or scuba dive to see the underwater rock formations and marine life at their best.

Wear your swimmers when you visit Cenote Cristalino because you’ll want to jump right in as soon as you see the crystal-clear water that awaits you. You can swim all day in the water or jumping off the surrounding rocks here if you wish. Cenote Cristalino is located around half an hour south of Playa del Carmen, just off the main highway.

Cenote Chaak Tun is one for the underwater adventurers because this freshwater cenote is best explored on a snorkeling tour. Cenote Chaak Tun is a 15-minute drive inland from Playa del Carmen and you’ll need two hours to tour through this complex underground cave system with a local guide. They’ll provide the wetsuits, lifejackets, masks, snorkels and waterproof torches when you arrive. Be prepared for an excursion into a claustrophobic yet otherworldly subterranean network of flooded caves and underground lagoons.

If you’re visiting Playa del Carmen for both the beaches and the cenotes, then make your way to Playa Punta Esmeralda, where you’ll find both of these natural attractions seamlessly woven together. Located towards the northern end of the seafront, at Playa Punta Esmeralda a large cenote opens out into the ocean. The water is incredibly clear, calm and shallow in the dry season and, after a refreshing dip, you can enjoy a lunch of fresh ceviche and a cold beer on the white sandy beach.

Have you ever wanted to surf big waves, climb the world’s highest mountains or win a Formula-1 race? Well, at Playa del Carmen’s unusual 3D Museum of Wonders, you can take the photographs to convince your friends that you have. The 3D Museum of Wonders is full of life-size and in many cases larger than life murals, paintings and artworks that are designed to look three-dimensional. This one’s a real laugh; not just for the kids, but for fun-loving adults too.