There is plenty to do on the resort, but if you want to venture off we are in a fantastic location! You can go shopping on the famous 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen, take a boat over to the island of Cozumel, or join a guided excursion. A full day excursion can be quite exhausting so make sure to reserve a restful beach/pool day in between adventures if you go explore. We prefer half day excursions when possible.
There are also plenty of options for sailing, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, jetskiing, parasailing, ATVs, horseback riding, and more! The hotel concierge can help you determine what may be the best fit for you, or you can explore various options through expedia.com or on google. Just make sure your excursion includes transportation to and from the hotel! Bring your own water, reef-safe sunscreen, towel, cash, and water shoes if needed. Here are some examples of possible excursions.
RIO LAGARTOS AND LAS COLORADAS
Located in the Yucatán Peninsula, Rio Lagartos and the Las Coloradas pink salt flats is the perfect place for nature-lovers and birdwatchers. This is about 3 hours away from Playa Paraiso!
CENOTES
Cenotes are surface connections to subterranean water bodies. These beautiful fresh water caverns located inland provide an incredible and unique experience! Some are large and can be crowded with tourists if you do not arrive early enough while others are less known. Head to Tulum to combine a cenote adventure with Mayan Ruin site visit.
MAYAN RUINS
For the archaeological, architecture, or history buff go check out Chichén Itzá, the Tulum Archaeological Zone, or Palenque! Tulum also has many beautiful cenotes if you’d like to make a full day trip out of it.
SNORKELING
Cancun and Playa Mujeres may have some of the best snorkeling you are going to find! There are many tours for the Underwater Museum of Art, shipwrecks, and even snorkeling with turtles.
SNORKEL WITH WHALE SHARKS & MANTA RAYS
In 2019 David and I specifically booked a trip to Cancun to snorkel with whale sharks and manta rays. It was truly amazing! These graceful giants can be the size of a bus. They generally migrate through the area May – August so this may be a little early to go, but it is worth looking into if you love marine life as much as I do! Don’t forget to take dramamine the night before and wear reef-safe sunscreen.
SUNSET SAILING
Our favorite excursion is simple, relaxing sunset sailing. Last time we were lucky enough to see breaching whales too!
XCARET OR XEL-HÁ PARK
You can probably spend an entire week at these massive theme park resorts that utilize the natural beauty and water of Riviera Maya. Ziplining, snorkeling through cenotes, restaurants, bars, they have everything!
SAFETY
No matter where you go in the world or what you choose to do it is always important to stay vigilant of your surroundings and your belongings. Do not set down wallets or phones when you are in town or at the airport. Be aware of the exchange rate and when paying in cash to cab drivers or street vendors only pay the exact price (haggling is ok with street vendors if you try to talk down the price). It is a good idea for men to keep their wallets in their front pocket and women to wear crossbody purses resting on their stomach rather than the side of the body or back. Do not wander off alone in the city at night or take a cab by yourself. If you must travel alone please take a reserved shuttle or car and alert the hotel and a friend when to expect you back.
I am happy to report we have not had any issues in Playa del Carmen or Playa Paraiso!