 OVERVIEW
Playa del Carmen is an ideal seaside location to unwind and lose yourself in
a quality holiday experience. With the distance of only 60km south of
Cancun, Playa del Carmen exudes a more relaxing air and a truer Mexican taste
than its swanky neighbor up north. The crystalline turquoise waters of the
Pacific coast lapping on the powdery fine sand, enveloped by the lush tropical
jungles are as alluring as a vast possibility of things to do and see in this
shapely and relatively young resort. From dawn till dusk and beyond,
whether you're looking for a place to shop, dine, sightsee, play in the water or
just sit back on the balcony of an open-air bar while taking a swig of tequila,
the choice is entirely yours to made in Playa del Carmen.
HISTORY IN BRIEF
The story of Playa mirrors the story of the northern Yucatan. For a very
long time, very little happened. Fishing was the business, and few people made
their way to the area. Things began to change in the mid 1970s, after the
resorts of Cancun opened. More travelers began passing through Playa as they
made their way down the coast to Tulum or caught the ferry to the nearby island
of Cozumel. Those who settled in for a longer stay tended to be backpacker-style
vacationers seeking a beach and inexpensive lodging. But in the past decade,
tourism along the Yucatan coast (the so-called Riviera Maya) has kicked into a
higher gear, and Playa has been one of the biggest areas of growth.
GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE
The terrain of Playa del Carmen is largely flat and covered by low tropical
jungle. The coasts alongside the Caribbean borders kilometers of white
sand beaches, inlets, bays, and mangrove swamps. Due to the limestone soil in
this entire zone, there are no important rivers with the exception of the Hondo,
a navigable river on the border with Guatemala. The most important lagoons are
Coba, North of Tulum, Bacalar to the Northeast of Chetumal, the State's capital,
and Chichancanab, between Santa Rosa and Polyuc. The average annual
temperature ranges from 25C to 30C. May through November is the rainy
season.
ECONOMY
The main economic activity here is timber as the region is rich in tropical
woods from which mahogany, cedar and chicozapote - the chicle tree - are
obtained. Also important is fishing for lobster, huachinango (red snapper) and
pargo, among other species. To a lesser extent, agriculture - fundamentally
maize - and cattle raising contribute to the local economy. Tourism has also
become increasingly important to the region's finances in recent years.
LOCAL EVENTS
Most of the significant local events and festivals are held in Cancun, north
of Playa del Carmen.
|
