Are you planning a trip to Playa del Carmen in Mexico and wondering what to do for 3 days? Then, you’ve come to the right place!
Playa del Carmen is one of the best places to visit on the Riviera Maya. The town itself has a lot to offer but it’s also the gateway to a lot of the parks and the beautiful Cozumel Island.
In this itinerary, I will tell you exactly how you can spend 3 days in Playa del Carmen. I’ve included all the highlights but remember, you always need to adapt the itinerary to make it match your needs.
So, are you ready to discover how to spend 3 days in Playa del Carmen in Mexico? Let’s get started!
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How to get to Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is located on the Riviera Maya. You can easily get there from Cancun (city or airport) with a rental car, ADO bus or collectivo. It takes about 1 hour.
Itinerary for 3 days in Playa del Carmen
Now is the time to talk about all the things you can do in 3 days in Playa del Carmen. Please note that this is a pretty full schedule and that you need to adapt it to your tastes. Some people like to do more, others less, it’s entirely up to you.
Day 1: Food Tour, Ecopark Kantun Chi and Beach
Today we will explore Playa del Carmen itself and discover cenotes.
Morning: Food Tour
Playa del Carmen used to be a very small hippie town but it became a hot spot in recent years which means there are quite a few places you can discover.
To do that, I highly recommend booking the food tour with Eating with Carmen. This is the best way to discover the history of Playa del Carmen, the sights and some great food spots.
It’s also ideal if it’s your first time in Mexico because you will learn a lot about Mexican food.
The food tour starts at 11AM which means you can have an easy morning and explore a bit the Quinta Avenida and the Parque de los Fundadores by yourself.
PRO TIP: It’s not too busy in the morning so it’s a good time to get some nice photos.
You will meet your guide in front of the ADO bus station and will start the walking tour from there.
The guide will take you to the park and to several food spots. You will start with a corn mushroom quesadilla and then try several tacos, tamales, an enchilada, many fruits, several soft drinks and finish with a popsicle.
You will also discover the street art in Playa del Carmen and learn loads of facts about Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula.
The thing that I loved about this food tour is that you get to try a lot of things that you wouldn’t have tried otherwise, especially the street food, corn mushroom and fruit.
You also go to local spots with authentic food and not tourist traps.
It’s also a great introduction to street food and will show you that you can get tacos in the street (which is something a lot of people don’t do).
Finally, you will definitely get your money’s worth in food because there is a lot of it!
Afternoon: Ecopark Kantun Chi
Once you are done with the food tour, which should be around 2PM, it will be quite hot so it’s time to go for a refreshing afternoon in one of the cenotes.
Cenotes are natural sinkholes in Mexico. They are essential to the locals since there are no rivers in the Yucatan peninsula.
Beyond their use as a natural resource, they are also great spots to go for a swim or even snorkelling.
There are different types of cenotes (open, caves, semi-open…) and so many around Playa del Carmen that it can be hard to decide.
While they are all good and you will get many recommendations for different places, I recommend going to the ecopark Kantun Chi because there are 5 cenotes and you can see all types.
This is a great introduction to cenotes since you can see a bit of everything.
To get there, you’ll need to drive about 30 minutes in the direction of Tulum. You then turn right and go to the carpark.
Once you’ve parked, head to the reception where you can pay the entrance fee.
I’ll admit that these cenotes are a bit on the expensive side but the entire park is very well looked after and again, you get to see 5 cenotes and not just one.
Also, it’s less busy than other places which makes it a more enjoyable experience.
You can then follow the path to all different cenotes. Make sure to pick up a lifejacket at the entrance (it’s mandatory anyway but it also makes it more comfortable to swim).
Out of the 5 cenotes, you’ll find 2 semi-open ones, 2 open ones and a cave cenote. They are called Kantun Chi, Saskaleen Ha, Uchben Ha, Zacil Ha and Zihil Ha.
I particularly liked Zacil Ha which is the cave cenote because it feels very unique!
PRO TIP: I recommend wearing water shoes to explore the cenotes. It will make it easier for you to go in and out as it can be slippery otherwise.
You can spend the entire afternoon there. It’s very nice to swim in the cenotes but they also have a lot of resting areas with hammocks where you can relax or read a book.
Late Afternoon and Sunset: Playa 72
Once you are done with the cenotes, you can head back to Playa del Carmen. Of course, if the day was already intense enough for you, head back to the hotel.
But if you fancy something else, go to 72nd street. You can park in one of the streets nearby and head to the beach. It’s quite easy to find since there is a sign ‘Playa 72’.
This is one of the rare beaches in Playa del Carmen that are free and don’t require you to go through a beach club.
For this reason, you’ll find a lot of locals.
You can bring your towels and some food and drinks and chill on the beach.
Of course, you can go for a swim but it’s also a nice place to watch the sunset.
PRO TIP: There are a few convenience shops near the path that leads to the beach where you can buy some snacks and drinks but please note that they don’t sell alcohol.
Day 2: Xplor & Quinta Avenue
Today we will explore one of the theme parks near Playa del Carmen. As you might already know, the Riviera Maya is home to many parks and they are all great options.
Whether you want to opt for Xcaret or Xplor is entirely up to you. They are both amazing so you can’t get it wrong but for the purpose of this itinerary, I’ll focus on Xplor!
Day: Xplor Park
The first thing you need to do is to book your ticket for Xplor. This can be done very easily online here.
Once you’ve booked, you’ll get access to your voucher.
On the day, head to Xplor. There is a large car park where you can leave your vehicle. You can then go to the entrance where you will find all the tills.
Since you have a voucher, you can queue on the exchange voucher tills side.
As you’re waiting, someone will bring you the helmets. You must wear those at all times.
You can also purchase a photo pack if you’d like to get them after the day. They are a bit expensive but it’s true that they allow you to truly enjoy the day without having to think about taking photos.
Having said that, you can take your phone (as long as it’s in a waterproof pouch) on all attractions except the ziplines.
You will also be given a key to a locker where you can leave all your belongings.
Once you have your ticket, head to the cave and proceed to the main area with the heart. That’s where you will find the lockers and bathrooms.
You can then go to any of the attractions but here are a few tips.
While you are in the main area, you will see a board with indications of how busy each attraction is.
While it may be tempting to go for the one that is not busy, I actually recommend going to the ziplines and Toboganxote first because these only get busier during the day.
Once you’ve done both, you can go to any of the others.
I particularly enjoy the buggy ride but also all the underground attractions.
It’s important to note that while the price of the ticket may seem very high at first, it’s actually good value for money.
Firstly, everything is included, even food and drinks.
There is a restaurant where you can go for lunch and they have a huge buffet with both Mexican and international food. The food is delicious and they also have ice cream, coffee and more.
PRO TIP: I recommend going to the restaurant around 11:30 AM to beat the crowds. You can then go back around 4PM for more.
You will also find some ‘bebidas’ stands where there are unlimited soft drinks, hot drinks and snacks.
It’s such a great thing because you will work quite a hunger doing all these activities and having unlimited delicious food and drinks is such a plus.
It’s also important to note that apart from the buggies and the ziplines, you can go to any of the attractions as many times as you want and the waiting time is very short.
The most we waited (and bear in mind that we were there at Easter, during peak season) was only 20 minutes!
For most of the attractions we didn’t wait at all.
It’s also important to note that this is an ecopark which means the underground rivers and caves are natural! They are not man-made, even though that’s what you may think since it’s a theme park.
Finally, I recommend wearing a swimming costume, swimming shorts and water shoes so you can go to every attraction without having to change.
The park closes at 5PM so try to stay until the end to get your money’s worth. After that, you can head back to the car and drive back to your hotel in Playa del Carmen.
Evening: Quinta Avenue
In the evening, it’s time to head to the most famous place in Playa del Carmen: La Quinta Avenida (which means 5th Avenue).
This is the main pedestrian avenue in Playa del Carmen. There you’ll find loads of restaurants, bars and shops.
While it’s true that it’s a busy and a bit touristy area, it’s still a must see and a great place for a lively night out.
You will find a lot of souvenir shops but also chains such as Bershka or Stradivarius.
Day 3: Cozumel
On your last day in Playa del Carmen, you can head to Cozumel which is an island located just off the coast.
This is the highlight of any trip to the Yucatan Peninsula and you can be sure of one thing, you’re going to love it.
To get to Cozumel, you’ll need to take the ferry from Playa del Carmen. The terminal is located just by the parque de los fundadores which means it’s very easy to get to.
I recommend booking your ferry ticket online here.
Morning: Ferry, Stroll & Coffee
There are two ferry companies that go from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel. I particularly liked Ultramar and it was a very easy process to book online and exchange the voucher, however the other company is good too so take the one that makes the most sense to you.
Each company crosses every 2 hours which means that between the two, you have one crossing per hour.
I recommend taking the ferry at 8AM so you can enjoy a full day on Cozumel but the one at 9AM is also suitable.
Once you have your tickets, you can go inside the terminal and board the ferry. It takes 45 minutes to get to Cozumel.
You will arrive right in the centre of San Miguel de Cozumel.
You can go to the Benito Juarez Park where you’ll find the letters Cozumel (it’s a good photo spot) but also some cute souvenir stands and the tower (also a great place for a photo).
After that, have a wander around Cozumel. The promenade is a great spot if you want to do some shopping and enjoy the sea views.
In the town, you’ll find loads of bars, cafes and restaurants.
PRO TIP: If you like peanut butter and coffee, make sure to go to COZ Coffee Roasting Company. They have an amazing peanut butter coffee.
For lunch, you can opt for one of the many restaurants in town or go to the local market if you want something more traditional (and cheap).
Make sure to be done by 1:15PM so you can head to your snorkelling tour.
Afternoon: Snorkelling tour
The snorkelling tour starts from a marina which is about 15 minutes from San Miguel de Cozumel. You can easily get there with a taxi. If you head to the promenade, you’ll find the official taxi stand.
Once you get there, you’ll check in and board the boat.
You will then visit 3 snorkelling spots including the famous El Cielo where you can see many starfish.
We got to see plenty of things during these guided snorkelling stops including reef sharks, starfish, stingrays and more.
Palancar and Colombia (the two first stops) are exceptional for reefs and fish.
Also, the fact that you are with a guide is a game changer because you get to see so much more!
I particularly liked El Cielo because the water is so clear and it feels magical to swim with all these starfish.
You then finish the excursion at El Cielito which is a sea lagoon with crystal clear water. This is the ultimate spot for photos because it’s so pretty!
The water is quite shallow which is great to relax for a bit.
The crew will also bring guacamole and tortillas as well as beers and soft drinks.
You’ll then head back to the marina and can get a taxi back to San Miguel de Cozumel.
Once you’re back in town, you can spend a bit more time on the island. It’s nice to get a drink during the sunset especially since a lot of bars like Woody’s have live music on.
Whenever you’re ready, head back to the ferry terminal to make your way back to Playa del Carmen.
Evening: Coco Bongo
In the evening, you have several options. You can enjoy the nightlife in Playa del Carmen and go to the Quinta Avenida again.
Alternatively, you can also go to Coco Bongo. This is a famous nightclub on the Riviera Maya.
Tickets can be booked here and include the shows as well as drinks.
Coco Bongo is a unique nightclub because there are various shows to start with and it then turns into a nightclub with music.
Now that you know everything you need to spend the best 3 days in Playa del Carmen, it’s time to go and have fun!
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