Playa Del Carmen

[minnie56]

I have someone torn between going here or to a Caribbean Island such as St Martin or St Thomas. Even Paradise Island in the Bahama's. Anyone have any opinions for a 40'something couple?

What is the dining like? Is there plenty to do? Any good shopping?


Been a while since I have been to Mexico!

THANKS!

 

[sean-1966]

Stay away from St. Thomas!!!!!!! Not the safest Island I've ever been on. Very Dirty. We went to Riu Tequila at Playa De Carmen and loved it. I would definetly suggest it. All inclusive resort and the food was excellent. Short ferry to Cozumel. Decent shopping, GREAT BEACH!!!! Never done St. Martin or Paradise Island.

 

[drag n' fly]

The Mayan Riviera is very beautiful however travelling to Mexico is somewhat unstable right now. My only suggestion is to make sure the resort is a 5 star+. Standards in Mexico are low as you know and we have found most places below a five star is unacceptable. You get what you pay for, however right now the prices are rock bottom due to all the problems foreign travellers are having down there. Usually we leave the AI to go to the small villages and shop and eat and do tours. Playa Del Carmen is mostly safe but as anywhere else the vendors are very aggressive off property and we do not go anywhere at night. Have very extensive travel insurance and a solid backup plan. If something goes wrong down there they will hang you to dry and you are on your own. Most police down there wont even lift a pen down there to do a police report unless you pay them first and even then nothing is really ever done. If you are well prepared however all should be fine.

 

[chasbos]

Well lets see - my brother got married in St. Maarten at the Maho resort and it was wonderful. The food was great, pool was great, beach is on resort as well. The island is beautiful, clean and very easy to navigate. My parents have travelled there exclusively for years.

DH and I took a golf cruise last year and we tenderd into Playa del Carmen from Cozumel. The golf was great but the ride there was like driving on the 401 at times! It was like an expressway but with rust buckets along side you.
Yes, were we got off the tender was a beautiful beach but the beauty ended a few blocks inland. I would not to have wanted to leave my resort after dark.

As for Paradise Island - we took the kids on a Disney cruise and stopped in Nassau. Paradise Island was beatiful but I would go nowhere else besides that! We got off the Disney ship and tendered out of Nassau to swim with the dolphins. Nassau was awful! It was dirty, dangerous driving and parking! And people were very pushy.

Don't get me wrong, I loved visiting all of these places but to stay for a week - I would pick St. Maarten. But I really like to leave the resort and explore and do things outside the resort and we found St. Maarten a nice island to do that on.