What are the best things to do in Playa Del Carmen?
That is an excellent question!
For our family what started out as a honeymoon, turned into a regular family vacation spot!
There are a tremendous amount of things to do in Playa Del Carmen.
In the eco park Xcaret, you can swim with the dolphins, snorkel in underground rivers, eat in open air restaurants along with many other exciting activities! It’s just a really neat place to go.
If instead you go to Xel Ha which is a different eco park, you can have outdoor massages underneath waterfalls!
One of my very favorite things we did in Mexico was to visit an amazing historical site of the ancient Mayans called Chichen Itza.
Chichen Itza is an ancient city built by the Mayan indians hundreds of years ago. Some of the ruins are still intact with the main attraction being a huge pyramid called “Kukulkan”.
My first visit there you could still climb the pyramid but they have now restricted that so you can only observe. It saddens me as climbing and going inside that pyramid was one of the most exciting things I have ever done.
My friend Santiago (who is Mayan) says the Mayans had 19 months in their calander year. He said they used 5 days of that year to perform ceremonies, games, sacrifices, and dances which were supposed to expel any bad spirits and to compliment the Gods.
In Chichen Itzá they also had an observitory, and a ball park where they would cut the heads of the winners! (it was an honor to be sacrificed to the Gods) omg…
There was also a huge pit or well (40 meters deep which is roughly 131 feet) where they would dump the bodies of virgins and children they had sacrificed. They sacrificed virgins and children because they were pure.
I was facinated by all the history when I was there and fortunately hired Santiago as my guide and I’m glad I did. Because of hiring him I learned about all the history and customs I would have never known about otherwise.
Chichen Itza means the “mouth of the well of the Itza”. The Itza was the tribe that lived there from around the year 600 AD until around 1200 AD.
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There are many restaurants you can choose to go to around Playa Del Carmen, but at least one night do yourself a favor and take the time to drive north 30 miles to a restaurent called “Pericos” in the city of Cancun.
Your hotel staff should be able to give you directions as everyone knows where it is. Believe me, it will be a night you will not soon forget! It is my favorite restaurant I’ve ever been to.
When we weren’t out touring historic sites, and visiting eco parks or restaurants.. we could usually be found by the wonderful pool at the resort we stayed at called “The Grand Mayan”
The pool at the Grand Mayan has to be the most intricate pool system of any resort I’ve ever seen. It is by far the largest pool I’ve ever seen at any resort I’ve ever been to and that’s saying a lot as I spend most of my adult life in the luxury resort industry.
Around the pool there’s a bungy jumping trampoline where the kids jump back and forth in a harness between the trampolines. My son LOVED that!
They have rock climbing walls just off the beach at the side of the pool. They also have these huge balls that float and the kids get inside the balls and run around inside them on the water. In addition they have snorkeling and other water sport activities too.
Children love this place.
The Grand Mayan has the biggest pool system I’ve ever seen and my kids absolutely love it there.
Even the big kids like my wife and I also loved it!
So if you’re looking for and inexpensive place to take your family that has ancient history, eco parks, and beautiful water and beaches, you cannot go wrong with Playa Del Carmen.
We get fantacastic rates for our clients there, and there are so many things for couples to do, or familys to do, or kids to do, that it’s really too many to list.
I actually take my own family there and I give it my absolute highest recommendation.
I am sure that you will love it!
ps. Make sure and grab a copy of my FREE eBook called “How to Practically Steal 1st Class Airfare” here.
