Playa Del Carmen Safety for Vacation

When planning a trip to anywhere new, it’s natural to have safety concerns. What about Playa Del Carmen? It is safe or what things are there to be concerned about? Here, we’ll cover the potential dangers and types of crime you might encounter, offering insights based on our experience living in the area. We regularly update this information to keep our readers informed and safe during their visit.

Is Playa Del Carmen Safe to Visit?

Overall, Playa Del Carmen is a safe destination, particularly when compared to other tourist spots or even where you might live. However, there are some areas and situations to be aware of. Generally, tourists experience few safety issues here. Below, we highlight some safety concerns and offer our top tips so you can enjoy your vacation with no problems.

Media and Crime Perception in Mexico

It’s important to remember that Mexico is a large country, and crime rates can vary widely by region. Much of the violence reported in the media occurs far from the Yucatan Peninsula and Playa Del Carmen. Additionally, Mexican news often focuses on sensational stories, which may not accurately represent the safety of tourist areas. Mexico has what is called “Yellow news”. Car crash photo and other stories often are often featured on the front page. These gets attention of people in stores to buy the paper but does not give a balanced look at what crime and safety are like, especially for guests.

It is also popular in other countries to run with the theme “Mexico is dangerous“. This often paints Mexico as a dangerous place to visit, but it makes people think about wither an individual location they want to visit is safe, like Playa Del Carmen.

Crime Trends and Safety Issues for Playa Del Carmen

Below are some minor issues that with some preparation and thought, you can eliminate these worries. None of these are a big enough issue not to come on a trip. Many of these are also things that you need to be alert to in many touristic places in the world.

ATM Safety

Avoid using ATMs on 5th Avenue due to the risk of skimming devices.
Use ATMs located inside banks where there are security measures in place. There are several banks just a block off 5th Avenue where you can use the ATM. Google maps can point you to the banks.
Be cautious of scams where individuals ask you to re-enter your card and PIN. Do not allow anyone to assist you at an ATM. We hear about this happening in Playa Del Carmen sometimes, especially at the ATMs on 10th Avenue (near 5th Avenue).

Pickpocketing

Pickpocketing, if it does happen, will be in restaurants and supermarkets. It is less common on the street to hear of pickpocketing. Even though there are thousands of people daily on 5th Avenue, we rarely hear about pickpocketing on the street.
Keep an eye on your belongings, especially in crowded places. This is mainly at restaurants when women set down a purse.
Avoid leaving your purse or wallet unattended in shopping carts.
One more thing that happens in supermarkets occasionally here is this scam. Someone bumps into you and spills something on you. They go to help you clean it off while a second person takes you wallet or purse. Be alert to people coming up to you and always keep an eye on your things.

Playa Del Carmen safety — Walking 5th Avenue is one of the great things to do in Playa Del Carmen. Fortunately, it is pretty safe.

The Crime of Paying Too Much

Nobody likes to get overcharged for things. Here are a few sneaky ways people can overcharge you on your vacation.

When Shopping in Playa Del Carmen

Take time to shop around and compare prices before making purchases. Jewlery, tequila and cigars are all things people like to sell, but often are overcharging for these items. Sometimes the items are of lesser quality than said or people are asking too much for an item of normal quality. See our guide on what to buy in Playa Del Carmen.
Prices in stores are generally fixed but be aware of potential overcharging by street vendors. Technically everything in Mexico is supposed to have the price posted in pesos. Street sellers do not do this, so you do not know the price until you ask.
Most stores will accept USD, but they set the exchange rate. So, you can lose 10% sometimes if you use USD. See our guide about which is best to use, Dollars or Pesos.
Mexico is a cash using society. Credit cards are accepted at most restaurants and stores. However, the only thing to keep in mind is that cards can be skimmed or numbers copied. It is always best to see the card being used and not out of your possession for long. It is even recommended to use cash and limit your use of credit cards to only reputable businesses.

safety in Playa Del Carmen — Stroll and shop on 5th Avenue in Playa Del Carmen.

Restaurants

Check your bill for any unauthorized charges or added tips, as it is illegal to add tips to bills in Mexico. Tax (IVA) can be listed separately on a bill put is already in the menu prices. Note: If you have a large group at a restaurant, sometimes there is a policy for groups. This is a grey area, but it is considerate to the restaurant to make sure a minimum tip is given since they are accommodating a group.
Verify the math on your bill and ensure that you were charged correctly. This is another thing we have seen happen here in Playa Del Carmen. The prices will be listed correctly according to the menu and what you ordered, but the total is added up wrong, hence having you overpay.
If you have issues with a restaurant, you can report them to the consumer agency called Profeco. It is not the easiest of processes but can help for definite infringements of consumer rights.

Taxis

Taxis do not use meters; instead, rates are based on a chart. Familiarize yourself with typical fares to avoid overcharging. See our taxi guide here. Hint: taxis on the street are cheaper than the taxi stands near 5th Avenue. Taxi stands have posted rates there to all areas in and around Playa Del Carmen.
At night, taxi drivers may ask for higher fares, especially if you appear intoxicated. It is always good to have a plan on how you get back to your hotel at night.

Driving Safety in and around Playa Del Carmen

Driving in Playa Del Carmen is generally safe, but intersections can be confusing, and drivers should be cautious of mopeds, bike lanes, and pedestrians.
All raised sidewalks at the middle or beginning of a block are for pedestrians to cross safely. Drivers must stop for all pedestrians at these crossings. There are large fines if you hit someone in these crosswalks.
Take your time and drive defensively to ensure a safe experience. Remember you will be in a place with other tourists driving, walking, drinking and walking and more.
Most of the downtown is metered parking. Be sure to pay at the kiosk so you don’t get a yellow boot.
Be careful parking in large grocery store or shopping center parking lots inside. Sometimes these are under the store. Theft can happen to cars while you shop. It is good to park in visible areas to avoid problems. We hear Walmart downtown is usually has the most incidents.

See our complete guide to driving around safely and all the odd things you might encounter here.

Safety While Drinking and Going Out

Avoid excessive drinking. 80% of problems happen when there are drugs or alcohol involved. Yes, you really can avoid most safety issues in Playa Del Carmen if you do not overuse substances.
Be cautious of potential scams or theft by individuals posing as friendly strangers, especially late at night. this can be working women or transsexuals who approach men and are very handsy. They are more interested in your wallet then spending an hour with you.
If you are going out with friends, have a plan to regroup if you get separated is advisable or a plan to go home together.
One area where we hear of issues is people walking home alone at night. Sometimes even police stop people on the street and there have been reports of theft of intimidation. This is not something that happens all the time, but men and women can be targeted if they appear impaired and are walking solo.

All-Inclusive Resort Safety

All-inclusive resorts in and around Playa Del Carmen are very safe, including travel to and from the airport. These resorts have extensive security measures, including guest identification bracelets and security departments. Most of the resorts are very hard to enter to non-guests and staff at working at resorts goes through tight security leaving work. Resorts also incorporate security cameras and security to ensure that everyone’s safely enjoys their vacations.

One of the biggest issues with safety at all-inclusive hotels are slip and falls around the pool or on the grounds. Often alcohol is involved in these accidents. Be responsible with alcohol so you can navigate sidewalks and stairs for your safety.

Hotel Room Theft Prevention

We will say that it is very rare to hear of hotel thefts in Playa Del Carmen. So, this should not be a big concern, but there are things to even limit anything from happening.

Use the safe provided in your room for valuables.
Limit maid service to reduce the number of people entering your room.
Keeping your things organized reducing losing something or misplacing it.
Ensure windows are locked. Many housekeepers open windows to freshen up the room. Sometimes these are not closed or locked. In other circumstances locks do not work on windows, in this case, we usually ask to switch rooms.

Conclusion

Our goal is to provide balanced, up-to-date information on safety in Playa Del Carmen. While crime has increased slightly with the population boom (103% population grown in the last 10 years), it remains at a manageable level, especially for informed tourists.

With a little awareness and caution, visitors to Playa Del Carmen can enjoy a safe and pleasant vacation. Most tourists experience no issues and have a great time in this great beach destination.