Experiences and local guides in Playa del Carmen

Nature

Playa del Carmen sits in the centre of the Riviera Maya, facing Cozumel island and above the peninsula's network of underground rivers. Minutes from the bustle of the Quinta Avenida open cenotes like Chaak Tun, Azul and Cristalino; to the south, Akumal bay, where green turtles graze in two metres of water; and on Cozumel, the Palancar and Colombia reefs, among the richest in the Caribbean.

Activities

• Cenote diving (Chac Mool, Dos Ojos, Taj Mahal) with cavern guides, and cave courses
• Diving and snorkelling in Cozumel: Palancar, Santa Rosa and Colombia, with local operators' boats
• Snorkelling with turtles at Akumal and the Yal-Kú lagoon, with certified guides and limited numbers
• Cycling to hidden cenotes along jungle tracks, Xaman-Ha and Cobá ruins
• Xcaret and Xel-Há parks, Caribbean fishing, Yucatecan food and Quinta Avenida nightlife

When to go

November to April is dry, with maximum visibility for diving and high season in December and Easter week. May to October is hotter and more humid, with possible sargassum; cenotes are perfect all year. Whale sharks at Isla Holbox from June to September.

How to get there

Cancún airport (CUN) is 45 minutes away on highway 307, by direct ADO bus, shuttle or van; Tulum airport (TQO) is 1 hour. Ferries to Cozumel every hour from the downtown pier (45 minutes). Shared vans along the 307 to the cenotes, Akumal and Tulum; bikes within town.