Cheap flights to Playa del Carmen from C$ 176

With a practically perfect climate – average year-round temperatures are about 27 degrees Celsius – and a wonderful location on the Riviera Maya in the northeast of the state of Quintana Roo, travellers stepping off their cheap flights to Playa del Carmen may never want to leave.

The town first appeared on the tourist radar with the passenger ferry service to Cozumel, the world-famous scuba-diving island across the Cozumel Channel. With its high-quality beaches, shimmering blue waters and good diving, travellers en route to Cozumel discovered that Playa del Carmen is more than a match for its more famous neighbour.

The town is also a popular cruise-ship stopping-off point. Its compact fishing-town feel makes it ideal for there-and-back visitors as well as those on a longer vacation.

Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue) stretches between Calle 1 Norte until Calle 34, taking in most of the town, parallel to the beautiful beach while nearby Mayan ruins including Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza shine a light on the region’s ancient civilisation.

Playa del Carmen climate

In a word, perfect. Playa del Carmen has a sub-tropical climate with temperatures approaching 30 degrees Celsius (80s Fahrenheit) year-round. Travellers arriving on cheap flights to Playa del Carmen between November and January will experience slightly cooler temperatures – in the mid 20s. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30.

Getting around Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen is not as compact as it once was. Getting about on foot is the cheapest option if not quite as scenic as it used to be. Rental car is the best option for independent travel. Taxis are cheap, but keep an eye on the meter. Public bus is cheap too. Triciclos, large tricycles, are a fun way of getting around Playa del Carmen. You’ll find them around the ferry dock at the south end of town and on Juarez and 5th Avenue. 

What is good to know if travelling to Playa del Carmen?

• Local Mayan cuisine features meals rich in cereals, meat (chicken, pork or rabbit), herbs and rice. Popular fillings include beans, corn, Serrano and Havana chilli peppers. Due to its location, seafood is a specialty. Must-eat dishes include Tikin Xic, a white fish that is marinated with adobo de Achiote and sour oranges, wrapped in a banana leaf and cooked in an earth oven under a wood fire. Pan de Cazón are tortillas with shredded fish and black beans.
• Akumal, 30 minutes south of Playa Del Carmen, is home to a sea turtle sanctuary. Its shallow waters are protected by a barrier reef. Logger Head Sea Turtles enter daily to feed on sea grass and are friendly and peaceful beasts.
• Younger visitors arriving on cheap flights to Playa del Carmen will be thrilled with a visit to Xcaret, an archaeological site, ecological park and resort that is often described as a Mayan Eco Disney World. There are numerous attractions including underground rivers, butterfly pavilion, beach, inlets and the “Xcaret Mexico Espectacular”. Swimming with dolphins, snuba, sea trekking and snorkelling are all on offer.