Playa del Carmen Trip Report
April 2002: Includes Xel Ha, Cozumel, ferry and bus information.April 12----I awake at 0500 to finish packing, because I am a procrastinator like that. I was flying on a non-revenue airline employee stand-by ticket. I called to check on the loads for the 50th time that week. As usual, 10 people had jumped on the waitlist ahead of me since I went to bed. It said there were 13 open seats and 16 people ahead of me on the waitlist. Well, "I'll go give it a go", and headed off to the airport. It's a nice 60-some degrees, so I am wearing my cute new clam-diggers and sandals.
I don't know where the other 16 non-revs are, but I get to board the plane, right after being searched as a "selectee". I'm always a selectee. I must look suspicious like that.
I breathe a sigh of relief as the plane pushes back. Three and a half hours later, I take a deep breath in as I get my first glimpse, this year, of the vibrant blue sea rolling up to the white-sand beaches of Cancun.
I get a "green light" in customs, whoo-hoo, and am off in search of a bus to Playa.
|RIVIERA BUS|
Right after you clear customs, there is a ticket booth that sells tickets for the Riviera bus to Playa del Carmen. I purchased a roundtrip ticket. After you get your ticket, you take a right turn outside and head ALL THE WAY down to the end of the parking lot. The Riviera busses are all painted blue. Like the Caribbean. Like the new Diet Pepsi can. You can't miss it. The bus is way better than having to deal with the van/pirate thing that we did last year!!! They are nice and air-conditioned. They have good legroom, reclining seats and foot rests, televisions and a bathroom (I didn't look, but I'm sure it's really nice ;-). It says "Mercedes-Benz". I'm styling! The bus left promptly at 3 PM and got into Playa 45 minutes later. The guy at the counter told me to just be at the bus terminal in Playa del Carmen 1/2 hour before my return. They assign seats, and the bus to Playa was pretty empty, but the bus back to the airport was full. The bus to/from the airport leaves on the hour. If you are in Playa, and want to take a bus to loco Cancun to hang out for a day, and watch some teeny-boppers regurgitate, the bus leaves every 10 minutes.
|SMALL HOTELS|
I had emailed a lot of the smaller hotels in Playa del Carmen, and set off down 5th Avenue to start checking them out. Of course, hindered by my bulging over-packed roller-bag and oversized carry-on. (Natch, the handle of my rollerboard bag busted a few days before my vacation.) I needed a room with 2 double beds, as my friend was meeting me in Playa on Saturday.
Because I wasn't organized, and packed at the last minute--I forgot to bring along my print-outs of the hotel I really wanted to check out. I walked up and down 5th Avenue, as I figured once I saw it, I'd recognize the name. This didn't happen. So, I found an internet cafe and lugged stupid rollerboard up there and logged onto my account to find the email where the hotel owner told me he'd give me a room for 40.00 a night. I tried to print said email, in case they wanted to charge me more. I get annoyed the printer doesn't work. I asked a taxi driver where El Sol del Caribe is...he doesn't know. I asked a guy who works nearby. He points across the street! Yay!
El Sol del Caribe is located right on 5th Avenue across the street from the Big Lobster and the Blue Lobster restaurants. I went in and asked the girl working at the desk what the rate would be. She told me 30.00 a night. (I'm now happy the printer didn't work). I went to take a look at the room. It is pretty large, almost like a little apartment. When you first walk in, there is a large kitchen. It has a coffee maker (no coffee), toaster, sink, a double hot plate, a full-sized refridgerator, and kitchen table. The balcony overlooking 5th is off of the kitchen. It also has a ceiling fan. The bedroom had 2 double beds, a ceiling fan, and air conditioner and telephone. There was also a television in the kitchen area. I was pretty happy with it, especially for that price! So, I took it for two nights. My friend usually stays at fancy resorts, so I decided I would go look around more hotels just to see what else was available.
We ended up staying there for the entire vacation. I thought it was the best deal for the price! Oh, and the owner has a pet spider monkey. My friend didn't like the little guy. I thought he was cute! They did seem to only want to give you one clean towel a day per person, and they don't have washcloths When we went to pay for the rest of the week, we told them we needed at least two towels per day per person. They obliged, after getting the owner on the phone and having me ask him. We did have to share the counter space with a few small ants every now and then, but we didn't leave any food out, or anything, and didn't see any other critters there (besides the monkey). We tipped the maid 20 pesos every day. She always washed the floors, but never cleaned out the bottom of the shower stall. (It's 30 bucks a night, you know).
Some of the other places I looked at included.... The Cohiba--which had two double beds going for 40.00 a night. The room was pretty small. I like their single rooms with the canopy beds better. But, Cohiba is a decent hotel, and I'd recommend it. Phantom Paradise was pretty cheap and had a kitchen, but I liked the room we had better. It's right next to Rosa Mirador and next to the Cohiba. I didn't really care for the Delfin which was right next to our hotel. Lab Nah was offering single rooms for 31.00 a night, but the room was very small. The double room was around 50.00. It was "OK". We checked out a suite at the Eclipse that was around 50.00 a night. My friend thought it looked too "rustic", but I thought it was one of the coolest rooms I've ever seen. It was 2-stories and had a kitchen and large balcony on the first floor. The loft bedroom had two-double beds on the second floor with a Palapa roof. It had more of a cabin feel to it. Certainly worth a look-see!
The Hotel Colibri was offering doubles for around 60.00 a night. Simple and clean. The rooms at Hotel Kinbe were around the same price, and had some nice decorating touches, but were quite small. You can find a cheap room at Copa Cabana, which is passable. Mosquito Blue was a tad more expensive. The rooms are smaller, but they are nice. The grounds and swimming pools there are just gorgeous, and would be muy romantic for a couple of lovey-doveys!
My favorite was the bed and breakfast, Baal Nah Kah. I looked at 2 of the 5 rooms. It's located right off of 5th Avenue--behind Pancho's on the way to the Blue Parrot. The 2rd floor has a HUGE common kitchen and living room area. It also has a very large common balcony, with a grill, off of the kitchen for you to eat outside if you prepare a meal there. The Honeymoon suite is on the third floor. The room is very large, too, and has a nice, big king-size bed. There is also a private balcony off of the bedroom. It's beautiful and romantic, and goes for 85.00 a night. There is another room I really loved off of the first floor. That room was quite large. It had a kitchen and a very spacious bathroom with a really nice bathtub. It has a king and a single bed. They will put another single bed in there, if you want. It also has it's own roomy private balcony with hammocks and lounge chairs. That room was going for 65.00 a night, but it was reserved for the rest of the week. Otherwise, I would have taken it for sure. They also have a restaurant there, and you get a free continental breakfast every day. I loved this place!
The Vista Caribe was on 5th Avenue next to the Big Lobster. That place would be GREAT for two friends, or two couples. They give you a discount if you pay cash. The room he showed us was 80.00 a night and two stories. Each floor had a king-size bed, television and bathroom. It also had a refridgerator in it. They have a swimming pool, too. Highly recommended.
|BEACH|
Every morning we went to the coffee shop down the street for Cafe Mochas or house blends that we would bring back and enjoy on our balcony. We spent most of our days on that gorgeous Caribbean beach. The water was warm, and beautiful as ever! I can never take my eyes off the sea for long, as the hue changes constantly. The sun makes the light dance off the waves like a sea of diamonds as the gentle waves roll in. It is mesmerizing!
Our favorite spot was in front of D'Sol next to the Mimi Del Mar. D'Sol doesn't charge for their lounge chairs or umbrellas. We got to the beach around 1030-1100 every day, and never had a problem getting a chair. They have inexpensive drinks--12 pesos for beer, 55 pesos for a beer bucket and 15 pesos for margaritas and pina coladas. The waiters there are attentive, and never pushy about you ordering drinks. We had lunch at one of their tables every day. They have good burgers for 40 pesos. Mimi del Mar charges you 25 pesos for a chair and palapa, and they get you drinks from Captain Tutix, which is more expensive.
If you want a massage on the beach, they do them outside Captain Tutix for 200 pesos for 1/2 hour. If you want to go out snorkeling, there is a guy named Martin who is usually out trying to recruit people to take out on his boat during the afternoon. I went snorkeling with him last year. He charges 20.00 per person for 2 hours and has equipment and beverages on his boat. He's super-cool, but he does swim kind of fast for me. He can also give you lots of info about Playa.
Playa is very laid back, and any beach attire goes. It was about 90 degrees one day, and we saw a vacationer strolling the beach in a sweatsuit?!?! If you feel like just putting on your thong and nothing else-go for it! (And it isn't just the young beauties who dare to go topless.) Nobody cares...which is part of the beauty of Playa.
|DINING|
I had heard the bar that Panchos had outside had closed. It is true, and I miss that place. They still have the restaurant by the pool, but the other half of the restaurant (on the corner) is now an Italian Restaurant. We ate there and it was damn good! I had a fettucine with a rich, creamy mushroom sauce. The pasta was fresh, and the bread was served hot. My dish was around 85 pesos. I also got a good, little Tiramisu for dessert. We had a very good shrimp pasta dish at DaGabi, which is a fabulous place near Pancho's. The have a nice special every night for around 65 pesos. They also make good pizzas outside in their brick oven. I like the shrimp and squid pizza. Sounds different, eh? It's good, trust me. Get a Bananas Flambe for dessert, and you'll be quite satisfied. I also had a fresh and tasty ravioli with spinach and mushrooms for 85 pesos at Ajua Restaurant.
We had our lobster dinner at Blue Lobster Restaurant. We ordered them with baked potatoes, but when the waiter served it, the dishes had some mushy french fries on it, which I wasn't too excited about, as the meal was 100 US dollars for the two of us. They ran out of potatoes! The lobster was big, and it was pretty good, but I've had better. The waiter told me to talk to the manager about the potatoes, but we didn't, as we weren't going to make a big fuss over small potatoes. After we paid our bill and walked out onto 5th Avenue, the manager came outside and said he would like us to come back and have cappucinos and dessert on the house. Which was very nice. He sent out pieces of frozen banana cream pie and key lime pie and they were fabulous!
I had good fajitas at Señor Frogs. My friend had shrimp that they prepare tableside. The waiter suggested that we have a strawberry daiquiri that they had on "special". I didn't order it, but my friend did, not really paying close attention to the phrase "size does matter" on the menu next to the drink. He came back with a daiquiri that looked like it was about a gallon in this monster-sized glass. It took her 2 1/2 hours to drink the thing and cost 120 pesos. It was pretty funny.
They have a nice little breakfast buffet every day at El Tukan's restaurant until 11 AM for about 45 pesos. There are nice tables with the lovely 5th Avenue on one side, and their lushly green tropical gardens on the other. I think that was the place they also had a yoga class every day for 50 pesos. As usual, I ate everything including fruits and vegetables, and still just brush my teeth with the tap water. 'Cause, I'm daring like that. Neither one of us got sick.
|NIGHTLIFE|
We spent most evenings stolling along 5th Avenue looking in the shops and listening to the bands. Last year we went to the Blue Parrot every night to watch bands on the beach. This year they only have a band that plays on Wednesday-Saturdays from 3 to 6 PM. They don't have their 2 for 1 happy hours any more. And the bands at night have been replaced by a dance floor and DJ that plays dance music geared more for the younger crowds. But, they still have those cool swings instead of barstools! We spent most of our evenings watching the bands at Pez Vela, Tequila Barrel, and Karen's. I also love Bourbon Street. They had a guy who sounded like Tom Waits and they also sell Heineken for 25 pesos. I didn't look at the rooms, but the Deseo Hotel is very, very cool! Don't miss checking out their rooftop bar right across the street from Pancho's. You'll see some steps with big white candles on them. And, at night, there is a black and white movie showing on the wall of the building adding to the ambience. There is a bar on the roof, and there is a swimming pool and hot tub. Surrounding that are outdoor beds and pillows that you could actually lounge around on. Covering them are a canopy, with sheer, white curtains that billow in the breeze. It's funky and modern. The pool and hot tub are open for anybody's use.
For people wondering about nightlife in Playa--here are my suggestions. For the younger (teens-early 20s) crowd: Señor Frog's is for the rowdier Cancun-type atmosphere. There is a rock band for dancing, they sell drinks in those yard-glasses you get to keep, staff walks around selling tequila poppers and blowing whistles. There is a lot of commotion there. Some guy had a birthday, and the staff took him up on stage and then picked him up and carried him out to the ocean and threw him in it. The place is nuts! :-) Captain Tutix on the beach has dancing and "show us your thong" contests and that kind of thing. The Blue Parrot is a major meat market with the dj and dance floor playing dance music like Pink and Shakira.
If you just want to kick back on the beach in the afternoon, the rock/reggae band at Blue Parrot is a great place for any age to enjoy a few beers or margaritas. The band plays everything from Marley to the Beatles to Oasis. If you just want to do a little dancing, and you are over 25--Pez Vela has a rock band and people of all ages get up and dance. And if you want to get up and dance on top of the bar (if you're fun like that)--the waiters will probably join you.
Tequila Barrel had a good band with a saxophone and the girl even sang some Janis Joplin. They have a large selection of liqours if you are more into the scotch or cognac-type drinks. For Latin-type dancing--go to Karen's. The band is really good! And, ladies, the guys in the band are some hotties. There is a festive Mexican band that plays at the restaurant next to the Blue Lobster every night. And, Bourbon Street is a great bar great to kick back and listen to some Blues.
|COZUMEL FERRY|
Last year I went to Tulum and snorkeling at Yal Ku in Akumal. This year we took the ferry over to Cozumel. The ferry costs 19.00 US roundtrip. The ferry is really nice, but we went in the afternoon and just had dinner there, and looked at more shops. We didn't stay that long, about 3 hours. I mean, how many freaking blankets and sarongs can you look at day after day? If you want silver jewelry, though, they have plenty of it. Me, I got a really good Pina Colada served in a whole pinapple with fresh flowers in it that was kind of fun and festive for 50 pesos on the street.
|XEL HA|
Our only big excursion was Xel Ha. We took the Riviera bus from Playa. Xel Ha is only open from 830 until 530. The first bus leaves Playa at 915 and the last bus back leaves Xel Ha at 345. Since we were doing the "all-inclusive" which is 50 US dollars, we only bought a one-way bus ticket to Xel Ha which was 40 pesos. The bus stops at Xcaret, then Xel Ha, then goes on the Tulum.
We had a nice breakfast at Xel Ha, then we went and got our snorkeling gear and lockers. Snorkeling was pretty good. I had just as much fun snorkeling at Yal Ku, which only cost about 4 US dollars, last year. I did see this GIGANTIC parrot fish. It was incredible. That thing scared me for a minute, as last year was my first time snorkeling, and I didn't even know parrot fish GOT that big! Then we took the long walk around the park. It is very beautiful. The park wasn't that busy, and the trails were very peaceful and relaxing. I had my camcorder in my locker, and figured I'd come back and video the highlights later.
Then we went and got our inner-tubes for the nice, lazy journey down the river. Towards the end, we were trying to work our way down like maniacs, though. It was already approching 330, and we still had plenty that we wanted to do there. I snorkeled again for a little bit, and then we went and ate a late lunch. Then, out of nowhere, it started pouring rain that didn't stop for an hour, so I didn't get to go back and video-tape anything I wanted to.
The restaurant signs said they close at 5, and the park said 530. My friend went to return our towels and clear out our lockers about 10 minutes to 5, and the girl there was almost done closing up. We returned our snorkeling gear at 5, and they were already counting the money. It is a very nice park, but we just felt rushed trying to take it all in. I know many people like the Tulum/Xel Ha package, but I would recommend doing them separately. Just my opinion...
We took a taxi back to Playa for 300 pesos.
|CONCLUSION|
This was my second trip to Playa del Carmen. It was my friend's first trip to Mexico. She usually stays at the all-inclusive resorts. She has also been to Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Hawaii, and Antigua. She said this was the most beautiful water she has ever seen. She also said that you would just miss so much if you did stay at the resorts. So, if you do go all-inclusive, please do take some time to go explore Playa, its restaurants and all that it has to offer. Last year I went for eight days.
This year I spent 10 days there. Some people said 10 days would be a lot of time to spend in little Playa, but it's not. I thought it was perfect. I also had many people tell me that they thought the prices down there were expensive. You can spend as much or as little as you want down there. You just have to look around, and open your eyes and mind.
Don't just judge the small hotels by what they look like on the outside. Go in, and look around. Get off of 5th Avenue a bit, too when shopping. You'll find better prices. Get some tacos al pastor at one of the little places. We walked over to the big grocery store-San Francisco-and you can stock up and save a few pesos on essentials like water. And you can find some little washcloths there, if you look in the baby section. You can get a six pack of Sol Beer for spare change in your pocket. From youth hostels, with rooms or places to pitch your tent on the beach, to the mega-resorts...Playa del Carmen has something to offer for everybody.
April 21---I awake at 0630 to get ready to catch my Mercedes-Benz back to Cancun. I had gotten a surge of motivation the night before, so I was almost all packed up. I went and got my morning coffee, and took it over the the beach to enjoy and watch the morning sun, instead of my balcony. I got some nice video shots.
I felt a little sad as my Mercedes pulled out of the bus station. I was also a little anxious, as the last time I had checked the loads for my standby flight back home, it was oversold by 3 seats. As usual, my anxiety was unwarrented, as I got right onto the flight. I breathed my non-rev sigh of relief as the plane pushed back, with six empty seats near mine.
As the plane took off out of Cancun I was sorry I had stowed my camcorder in the overhead bin. I was again transfixed by the everchanging sea as we departed towards my home of Minneapolis.
As we descended into Minneapolis, on April 21, I was blinded by a glaring frozen tundra of fresh, white snow. I went and found a taxi. In my cute clam-diggers and sandals. It was a Chevy, or something (no Mercedes-Benz). Alas, I didn't care! I had a bronze Caribbean-goddess tan and two left-over cervezas in my suitcase. And a new video to watch of my beloved Playa del Carmen.
