Playa del Carmen Playa del Carmen is ideally situated for enjoying Mexico's fastest growing tourist destination - the Mayan Riviera. Get away from the Americanized bustle of Cancun to discover what Europeans have known for a decade. Playa del Carmen's smaller hotels, shop-lined pedestrian 5th Avenue, white sand beaches, fine international dining, and lower prices make it a perfect home base for explorations around the region. See ancient Mayan ruins or snorkel in the blue Caribbean sea.