Where are the best places to see sunrise in Playa Del Carmen?

If you like sunrises and the tranquility of the mornings, you are in luck in Playa Del Carmen because the beaches face east. Each morning from the beaches of Playa Del Carmen you can see beautiful sunrises, although some locations are better for viewing and photos than others. Here is our list of places to see sunrise and how to enjoy a nice morning in Playa Del Carmen. 

What time is sunrise in Playa Del Carmen? 

This website tells you each day what time sunrise is and sunset in Playa Del Carmen. We recommend going out 15 minutes before the official sunrise time. The time before the actual sun breaks the horizon can create some beautiful colors in the sky. Some of our best photos have been before the actual time of sunrise. 

Photo tip: If you want the turquoise colors of the ocean, the light is best after 9:00am in general. 

Where can I see the sunrise in Playa Del Carmen?

Here are some of our favorite places to see sunrise in Playa Del Carmen. These are going north from the Cozumel Ferry Pier. 

Portal Maya sculpture in Park Fundadores

This sculpture is very iconic in Playa Del Carmen. It provides a nice foreground to the rising sun. You can also line up the sun with the rings on the statue. The park has recently been renovated. It offers a stepped view out towards the Caribbean. There are a few other iconic landmarks here such as the small white chapel. 

2nd street and the beach

This area can be nice because there are some palm trees, and you can capture the sunrise through them. There is the restaurant La Tarraya, which is one of the oldest restaurants in Playa, on the north side of 2nd. Street. There are a lot of palms in front of this restaurant, and it can create a good location for photos. 

10th Street by Zenzi Bar

Here in the middle of Playa Del Carmen you can practically walk on the sidewalk to snap a shot. You don’t even need to get your feet sandy. On one side of 10th Street, you have Zenzi Bar and the lighthouse “El Faro” on the right. Even during the day, this spot is nice for photos of the beach because the contrast of colors and how often the water looks nice at this street. 

Constituyentes Pier

If you like to walk out to see the sunrise and have a lot of angles, this might be a good place. Constituyentes Avenue is the in the middle of the downtown of Playa. You can bike, walk or drive here and park to see the sunrise. There are usually about 15 people there, some with dogs and some with exercise plans for the morning. This is the easiest spot to park and walk to see the sun rising. 

Mamitas Beach

Mamitas Beach is at the end of 28th Street. This is one of the most popular beaches in Playa, not only during the day, but mornings also. This is an easy street to walk down and the entrance to the beach frames the beach nicely. There are also all the chairs with umbrellas in front of the beach clubs that can add to a nice photo. 

38th and the beach

On the north end of the center of Playa is 38th Street. On both sides you have Mahekal Resort and in the center a beach access point. The entry way to the beach is framed by trees and the resort is nice to take photos of as sunrises. Sometimes in the winter months there can be bad erosion here, but that is about the only negative here. 

Check out our gallery of sunrises in Playa Del Carmen

We love getting up and seeing what the sun and sky will bring us. Here is a link to a gallery of sunrises we have taken from the beaches of Playa. 

Looking for a morning coffee to see the sunrise?

Playa Del Carmen is not that much of an early town. You might be up for the sunrise, but not a lot of businesses open that early, especially for your morning coffee. Here are a few places to mention that are good for that early cup of coffee. 

• Cafe Antoinette opens at 7:00am. they have pretty good coffee and a selection of French pastries. This cafe is on Call 1 Sur, that is the street going to the Cozumel Ferry Pier. 
• 7-11 or Oxxo. These are convenience stores you can find here. You can get the sugary machine-made flavored coffee here at any time, so this is an option if you cannot wait or don’t want to walk too far. Most of these are open all night. 
• Ah Cacao is a local brand of coffee shops. These are great for coffee and chocolate beverages. You can also find a few sweat bites to eat.  There are several options on 5th Avenue. One is on 2nd Street and opens at 6:30am, The other three Ah Cacaos on 5th open at an odd 7:15am. 
• Starbucks. There are three options on 5th Avenue. Two of them open at 7:00am (Quinta Alegra Mall and 5th Ave. and 10th St.) and one on 5th and 28th Street opens at 6:30am.

Want to see the sunset in Playa Del Carmen?

This is much harder to do since the sun sets in the back of Playa over the city and forest. There are very few good spots to view sunset in Playa Del Carmen. Since most buildings focus on the view eastward towards the Caribbean, the views west get blocked off. A few good places to check out are these rooftop pools which have restaurants and bars. 

You can also dine on the beachfront which gives you views eastward and perhaps color clouds as the sun sets. We don’t have a lot of beachfront restaurants, but here is a list of the best ones to visit. 

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