Playa del Carmen Mexico General Info
Play del Carmen is a city on the coast of the Caribbean Sea in the north
east of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, located at
20.62° North, 87.07° West. The city is the seat
of the Solidaridad municipality. In the 2005 census
the city had a population of about 100,383 people, and
is rapidly growing in population. It is the third-largest
city in Quintana Roo, after Cancún and Chetumal.
Originally a small fishing town, tourism to Playa del
Carmen began with the passenger ferry service to Cozumel,
an island across the Cozumel Channel and world-famous
scuba diving destination. While passing through, many
people realized that it was a nice place to relax away
from the crowds of Cancún but with the same quality
beaches and turquoise waters. Perhaps just as impressive
as Cozumel, Playa del Carmen's coast offers good scuba
diving opportunities, as well as cenote diving for the
more adventurous.
Today Playa del Carmen, or just 'Playa' as it is colloquially
referred to, is the centre of the Riviera Maya concept,
which covers from Cancún to Tulum and the Sian
Ka'an biosphere reserve. Playa is a stop for several
cruise ships, which dock at the nearby Calica quarry
docks, about six miles south of the city. A Mayan-themed
"ecological theme park", Xcaret (pronounced
"e-shcaret") is a popular tourist destination
just south of the town. Tourist activity in Playa del
Carmen centres on the Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue,
a pedestrian walkway located just one block inland from
the beach, and lined with boutique hotels, shops, bars
and restaurants.
Elements within the Playa del Carmen local community
and government have attempted to retain Playa del Carmen's
reputation and charm as a small fishing village and
artists' colony, without becoming as large or tourist-dependent
as Cancún. To this end, the city passed an ordinance
limiting buildings to three stories. A few four-story
buildings were built before the ordinance, however.
There is a significant European influence in Playa,
with a number of local business proprietors drawn from
the European expatriate community.
Adapted from Wikipedia
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