Everyone comes for the beach when visiting Playa Del Carmen so you might as well make the most and see the best ones. So, what is the best Playa Del Carmen beach? Here is our list of the Top 5 beaches.
Top 5 Playa Del Carmen Beaches
We took into consideration the size of the beach, facilities, how crowded the beach is and how easy it is to get to the beach. So here is the countdown! (If you want to see a video of the beaches in Playa Del Carmen, see the video at the bottom of this article.)
Playa Del Carmen beach #5
The beach in front of Parque Fundadores. This beach is just north of the Cozumel Ferry Pier and at the foot of Juarez Avenue in Playa Del Carmen. It has great access from the center of Playa Del Carmen, handicap access, small restaurants and beach bars nearby, a wide beach, a great place to get into a game of volleyball or soccer, and nice water.
Playa Del Carmen beach #4
Center of downtown Playa Del Carmen beach from 2nd St. -6th St. This beach has great access, is a wide beach, popular for tourist, has beach clubs, more facilities then #5 as far a beach beds and services. Going any further north up the beach, the beach gets small and then around 16th St. you get more seaweed and boats tied up.
Playa Del Carmen beach #3
The beach stretching north of 48h St, just around the tip where the old Canibal Royal used to be. It is harder to access this beach, but it is the pure beauty of this beach that makes it number 3. You will not find many people here and there are beautiful beaches. If you like snorkeling, some of the best snorkeling off the shores of Playa Del Carmen is near the tip where Canibal Royal was. Make sure to bring your snacks and drinks because there is nowhere to get them.
Playa Del Carmen beach #2
This Playa Del Carmen beach is in front of Playacar phase 1. Since all beaches are public, you are allowed on this beach even though it is in front of a private development. It offers a very wide beach away from some of the crowds (although it is gaining in popularity). There are also a few places that provide some rare shade for those who want a break from the sun. The water is usually free of seaweed and is great for swimming. A nice wide beach provides a good place for sports as well. You will see some kite surfing here on windy days. This beach is popular with local expats and people in that want to get away from the tourist.
There are no facilities so come prepared. That also means bring food and drink. The good thing is there is an Oxxo convenience store on your way to this beach. It is located on 10th Avenue just below Juarez Avenue and behind the Paseo Del Carmen shopping plaza.
To get to this beach, from the Cozumel Ferry Pier, walk south on the beach for about 7 minutes. You will see a wide beach with some newly planted small palm trees. Or you can walk down 10th Avenue just past the Paseo De Carmen shopping plaza and enter phase one of Playacar and walk to our right and follow the road to the beach.
Playa Del Carmen beach #1
This beach is very popular and kind of the epitome of Playa Del Carmen. It might be somewhat controversial because everyone likes something different in a beach… but our number 1 beach is Mamitas Beach located at Calle 28. This beach offers two large beach clubs, Kool and Mamitas Beach Club. Calle 28 has some services and restaurants as well. On the beach there is rentals of jet skis, catamarans, banana boats and parasailing. So, you will be entertained and even entertained if you do not partake in the activities.
The beach is fairly wide, and the water is nice at this beach. It is a beach for the popular set from around the world and you will notice a lot of 20–35-year olds. Needless to say, it is a popular beach in Playa Del Carmen. So, if you want to be seen and see the scene this is the place. Expect club music to be played at the beach clubs.
Other Beaches to Visit
If you are wanting to see some beautiful beaches along the coast in the Riviera Maya, be see to look at our guide here. This guide has dozens of beaches mapped out for you and all the details you need for visiting them.
Playa Del Carmen Beach Clubs to visit
If you are looking to visit a beach club while in Playa Del Carmen, we have you covered. Here is a list of beach clubs with a map and video to show you what they are like. These beach clubs can help you have a great time on the beaches of Playa Del Carmen.
We hope whatever beach you go to here in Playa Del Carmen of the Rivera Maya you have a great time. If you have any questions or comments about what your favorite beach is, let us know below. We love hearing from our readers.
About The Author
We just love the beaches in Playa Del Carmen. Our favorite is just south of the Cozumel Ferry pier. It is a little quiet and you nee to bring stuff like drinks. The beach is wide and the water is always seaweed free there. Cannot wait to get back in November.
We have always liked the beach by Mehekal resort which is just past Mamitas beach going north. There is space there and a lot less people then the center of Playa Del Carmen beaches.
I have always liked Mamitas beach because the music and atmosphere. I know some people want a quiet beach to themselves but you are not going to have that in Playa Del Carmen. There are always a lot of beach chairs here and the beach is clean and wide with good water.
Hi there, I wish the beach in front of Playacar phase one still had the trees there. It was the best beach until that monster house was built there. Now the beach is narrower but still nice. I hope the palm trees grow there. It needs some shade.
I love the beach just south of Playacar phase 1 in Playa Del Carmen. It is away from most tourist and that is a nice thing. You do have to bring your own stuff because there are no stores nearby, but good beach and water.
When we go to the beach we try to go in front of Grand Hyatt. It is a wider beach and not as busy as Mamitas. It is fun to look at Coralina and see the drunk people there or the people trying to show off to one another thinking they are important because they are there.
We usually stay near 16th Street in Playa Del Carmen. El Taj was our beach club but the beach is so eroded now we are going to have to move down the beach. The center of Playa Del Carmen is having a bad beach day or days.
First of all I want to say fantastic website!
I had a quick question in which I’d like to ask. If I wanted to take my own chair to the beach and bring food with me, what is the best beach within walking distance from 4th Street. Should I go to the beach there or further down?
Hello Cliff
Thank you for reading our website. We would recommend if you want to walk a little further past the Cozumel Ferry pier you can find the beach in front of Playacar very nice. This beach does not have beach clubs but is wide with nice water.
Hello! We are coming to Playa Del Carmen for the first time and are looking for the best place to go to the beach. What beach do you recommended for a group of 30 year old girls?
Great website!
Hello! Thanks for reading our website. You might be looking for a beach club so we have written a guide. You can see what fits you the most. If you still need help afterward let us know. https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/beach-clubs-playa-del-carmen/
Excellent info on your website. I like how you break things down. I guess the best beach for me is Mamitas. That looks like fun!
It will be our first time in the Playa del Carmen area, where we are staying for a week in December. My husband needs to be able to sit in the shade, while I enjoy the sun. What beaches in the area do you recommend with the shade factor in mine?
Hello Marge
So nice to hear from you. There is not a lot of shade on the beaches. The best public area with shade is going to be from the Cozumel Ferry Pier to 2nd Street There are a few random palm trees here where you can lay out a blanket. You might just want to visit a beach club. Here is a master list of them. https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/beach-clubs-playa-del-carmen/
My daughter and I will be visiting Cozumel in December, we plan on spending a day or two on the beaches while we are there. We would take the ferry to Playa and I am wondering what is the best way to get to beach #1?
Hello Chris
From the Cozumel Ferry pier you can walk up 5th Avenue but it is about 15 blocks. You can walk 5th to 28th and then walk down to this beach. You can also take a taxi from near the Ferry to 28th Street to visit this beach. The Taxi will cost about 35 pesos but from that taxi stand they often overcharge or ask for more.
Do you know how much access to the beach clubs costs?
Hello
Each beach club is different and there are different prices between low and high season. Usualy a chair is 100 pesos and some will allow you to use the club for a consumption charge of 300-500 pesos. There are also high end clubs that charge over 1000 pesos for a bed. You can see our guide here: https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/beach-clubs-playa-del-carmen/
It sure seems like the beaches in Playa del Carmen have taken a beating this year. The beach is almost going from 12th street to 16th street. It is nice to be here but I think the city is going to have to do something about it because there is not much left for people to enjoy. If there is a not a focus on clean beaches and places to go then I will start to go other places.
I saw that in your article on beach erosion that some of the beaches in Playa Del Carmen are not fairing the best. What do you think is still the beast beach to visit? I want a nice big beach where I can relax and read a book.
Hello Maria
If you want to read and have a beach where you can relax, we recommend the beach in front of Playacar Phase 1. This is just south of the Cozumel Ferry Pier. Walk for about 10 minutes and you will find a wider beach and more quiet area. The water is also nice there and usually free of seaweed and rocks. We hope you have a great time here.
We really like the beach that is south of Phase 1 in Playacar. There are only hotel guest and not many locals find their way there. It is a wide beach and less seaweed.
I am thinking abou bringing my family to Playa del Carmen, but want to know how prevalent women going topless on the beach is. We are a conservetive family, but it looks like a beautiful place. Thank you.
Hello Justin
For the most part Playa Del Carmen/s beaches are 98% topped. There is the occasional women that has her top off sunbathing. Usually in the middle of town this is not done and usually no one is walking around topless. We cannot guarantee that you won’t see it but it is rare. The beach in front of Playacar is more isolated and more locals go here including locals form Argentina. You will have more of a chance of seeing a topless women here, but only by a few more percentages.
I am thinking about bringing my family to Playa del Carmen for a family vacation, and was wondering how prevalent it is for women to go topless on the beaches. We are a conservative family, but it looks like a beautiful place. Thank you for your opinion.
I think you have sent your comment twice. We have to moderate all comments so they do not appear immediately on the website. We did get a chance to get back to you in the comments below.
What would be the closest nice beach to swim at from playa palms hotel. I have been there many times, but not in a few years and it looks like the beach is gone. Any idea if the beaches will be rebuilt again in that area? Seems a shame and I hate to leave those great boutique hotels. Thanks!
Hello Ernesto
The beaches by Playa Palms Hotel are worn away and there is not much being done to rescue them. The central portion of the Playa has been hit hard with erosion and then seaweed lately. We wish there would be a long term plan like an artificial reef that could be placed out off the coast. The best beach for you to visit is near Constituyentes pier. On both sides the beach can be good. Just south of the pier it can be rocky but a little closer to your hotel there is a decent place for swimming. A little further up in front of the Hyatt is a good beach but it is more crowded and the Coralina Beach club is loud.
We are looking to stay at Playacar Palace for spring break 2018
Wondering if that hotel has a nice beach ? Want to stay at a nice all inclusive that is near 5th ave shops
Hello Deanna
The beach in front of Playacar is very good and the entire beach of Playacar is nice. It is also a good location for walking or taking a a taxi into the center of town. You might want to see our article on Spring Break if you have not already. https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/playa-del-carmen-spring-break/
We love the beach way down at the south end of Playacar. Past all the AIs, as far south as you can walk. It is very peaceful and pristine. Its a bit of a hike but well worth it.
So glad you found that beach. It is a good walk but well worth it. Sometimes there is plastic that washed up which is not nice but other then that, very nice with the rocks and splashing surf.
Is there a nice beach convenient to Live Aqua Resort with chairs and umbrellas to rent?
Thank you!
The easiest beach is Mamitas. This is where Mamitas Beach Club and Kool Beach Clubs are. The roof pool at Live is nice as you can see in our video and article here: https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/live-aqua-day-pass/. You can see a little more about what the beach clubs are like in our beach club guide here: https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/beach-clubs-playa-del-carmen/
We are here for 4 months and wanting to find the best beaches to go too! Are there places to park our car at playa car beaches as it’s too far to walk to from where our apartment is.
Hello Cathy
Our Riviera Maya beach guide will tell you about all the beaches you can visit by car. https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/best-beaches-riviera-maya/
Some close to Playa are the one neat 112 street and Blue Venados, which is a beach club south of town. Welcome to Playa Del Carmen!
We want to come to Playa from 12/26/17-1/2/18. We stayed at El Faro Condo last year and loved the condo, but the beach wasn’t so nice. We are looking at Xaman Ha condos because the beach seems nicer. The condos at Xaman Ha aren’t as updated as we would like. Can you recommend any condo’s for us to rent that have a good beach? We looked at The Element Condo and loved the condos, but after reading some reviews about the beach we aren’t sure now. Any suggestions? We would like to have a ocean view and be within walking distance of 5th Ave.
Hello Lisa
We just sent you an email with an answer. Make sure you check your spam in case you do not see it. If you don’t get it, let us know.
I wish Playa del Carmen would do more to preserve it’s beaches. The middle of Playa is lacking good beaches and it is only possible to get to a nice beach if you go to the south end. I miss the old Playa.
Staying at The Royal in November. Was not impressed with the beach there last time. Closest nice beach? And how far?
Hello Karen
The beach north of there is better but there are more people near to Mamitas and Kool Beach club. Going south you can find the beaches near 4th Street good.
Hi! We have been looking for a while for our visit on August. We are a family of 4, 2 kids under 6. We love traveling and most of the time we staying in hotels but we explore the cities, beaches with our kiddos. Also we love going out for dinner with them ( they love it too)We are thinking staying in a hotel or rent a condo with pool and at the beach ( no resorts) that gives us the chance to go to a safe and nice beach and also going out in the night. I was looking La Tortuga, also La Petite ( I think it was named) My kids are fine with music around ( like Mamitas and Kool) but I just want to be sure that the water is calm and not over crowed. Please advice! It’s our first time going to Playa and we have been looking for weeks without find a condo or a hotel. This site is awesome and your comenta are great! Thanks for reading
Hello Carla
Thanks for reading our website and that is exciting you are coming for the first time. One resource is going to be our where to stay guide. This helps you find what areas are good for you and what is in the center and where you need a car to get around. https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/where-to-stay-in-playa-del-carmen/
Hotel Petit Lafitte, if that is the one, is outside of the city and you cannot walk into town or easily get to restaurants. La Tortuga is nice but maybe more of an adult hotel.
For beaches in Playa Del Carmen you can focus on 4th Street which has a wide beach or near Mamitas. The south end of Playa is a cheaper area and near Mamitas is more upscale but near 28th is also loud at times. For your needs you might want to focus on the area between Juarez Avenue and 38th Street. We hope this helps.
Amazing article, thank you so much
We will be staying at the Playacar condos that are right behind the Reef Playacar resort. If we want to access the beach near there, how do we do it? We don’t necessarily want to use the Reef resort, we just want to get to the beach! Any help you can provide is appreciated!
There is a side street just north of the Reef Club where at the end you can take a trail to Phase one and onto the beach. We hope this helps you.
Hi my girlfriend and I are visiting and are looking for a beach with sun loungers and umbrellas for hire. Do you know where they are available/cheapest?
Hello Will
You can find a guide to beach clubs and what each one is like and has here. https://everythingplayadelcarmen.com/beach-clubs-playa-del-carmen/
The cheaper ones will be found from 2nd Street to 12th Street.
How are the beaches now in Playa?
The beaches in Playa Del Carmen are fine but could be better. The center of Playa has smaller beaches. The seaweed is currently low but it can change quickly.
What are the beaches like now in Playa del Carmen? We want to stay in the center of Playa but want to have a nice beach to walk to. Please advise.
Hello Arlene
It will depend on where you are wanting to stay. The beaches from 10th Street to Constituyentes Avenue are not the best and we don’t recommend staying there. If you have a hotel in mind from Constituyentes to 28th Street or from 2nd Street to 10th Street you should be fine at this time. We hope you have a great vacation here.
We are staying at Mahekal in about a week and a half. What are the seaweed levels looking like? Also, will my boys (both 12 years of age) be allowed to jet ski? Is it easy to rent fishing equipment? Thanks in advance!
Hello Robin
We were on the beach today just next to Mahekal and there was really no seaweed. There is no fishing off the beach so you cannot find rentals of it. Most people go on fishing tours out on the ocean. For the Jet skis you will need to ask the people renting them. There are people that have them just south of where you are staying.
I think the quality of beaches has not been the best in the past few years in Playa del Carmen. The erosion has made the beaches smaller. the beach by Juarez gets lots of locals and on sundays it is crowded. I like the beaches in front of Playacar now.
Are dogs allowed?
Hello
No dogs are allowed at any of these beaches. In fact there are no “official” beaches in the Riviera that allow dogs. The reason is for human safety from worms in dog waste since many people are barefoot.
I discovered Playa Del Carmen three years ago. The beaches were beautiful and the town was charming and laid back. I feel like the beaches are in very bad shape now and not going to improve. They are so small and now covered in seaweed. The city is getting so built up and there is not much magic left there. I think we are going to be going to other destinations for vacation now on.
What would be the quietest beaches within walking distance from Mahekal?
You will have to walk north past Canibal Royal Club. The beach is eroded there up to the wall so you might have to walk in the water a little. Past there the beach is quiet. It is a long stretch of beach with no hotels or entrances. We hope you enjoy it.
We are staying at Pure Mareazul Rivera Maya, on June 24th – 30. I am concerned about the sea weed. We do have a vehicle so we can move to other beaches. I would like to go to a Hotel that would be closer to a beach that would not have so much sea weed. Any ideas?
That beach is usually not the worst. Plus the pool there is HUGE! I don’t know if you want a hotel or all inclusive but the new Xcaret Hotel has a beach but is not on the beach. Right now they have a sale in conjunction with the parks of 40% off if that interest you as well. It could be a seaweed proof vacation. https://www.shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=489679&m=77719&u=1196822
Hi, I am renting an airbnb the first week of august, and we are between this 2 opctions: Fisrt one is on 15 Avenida sur and Calle 3 Sur. Second one is in Calle 34 Norte and 20 Avenida Norte. Please could you recommend. We are going with our 6 year old daughter, looking for some nice beach.
Well the area around calle 3 sur and 15th is more a developing area and is not as nice as your second option. The Playacar beach on the south end is nicer then 34th though.
I will be going there and be getting there in the carnival cruise. We were looking for the beach that has music and we can go on banana rides
Honestly if you are only in Cozumel for the day, you don’t want to spend 2 2.5 hours just crossing the water to get to Playa. And also right now the beaches in Playa have a lot of seaweed. There are much better beaches in Cozumel with no seaweed. So it is better to plan to stay there.
I am glad to see the beaches getting better after all the seaweed that has been washing ashore. Now we just need to keep the beaches that way.
I think the best beach in Playa del Carmen is those by Playacar Phase 2. Nice and wide and the hotels rake them each day plus some have palms near the edge of the beach.
Ahhhh What I would do to be on one of those beaches now! We have had cold weather for too long and I really miss Playa Del Carmen.
We used to like to go to the beach in front of Playacar but it has gotten harder to get to and more blocked off. It is also smaller now, so we just go to Mamitas.