Things to Do in Playa del Carmen, Mexico: Walking Guide

Looking for things to do in Playa del Carmen? This Riviera Maya city combines Caribbean scenery with museums, contemporary art and places connected to Maya history. Its best-known attractions range from small cultural venues in the city to Xcaret, a large development built around archaeological remains and tropical landscapes. Neywo also has a free audio guide for Playa del Carmen, with 4 narrated places.

What to See in Playa del Carmen

El Acuario de Playa

El Acuario de Playa, also known as Aquarium Beach, is one of the museums included in Neywo’s Playa del Carmen guide. It offers a way to explore the city through its marine environment, complementing the beaches and coastal setting that define the destination.

Residencia Art Project

Residencia Art Project is another museum stop in Playa del Carmen. The project adds a contemporary cultural perspective to the city, offering an alternative to the outdoor attractions and resort landscapes associated with the Riviera Maya.

Frida Kahlo

The Frida Kahlo museum is a further cultural stop in the city. It brings an artistic dimension to a visit to Playa del Carmen and fits naturally into a day spent exploring the urban centre.

Xcaret

Xcaret is a privately owned theme park, resort and self-described ecotourism development in the Riviera Maya. The site covers 81 hectares and belongs to the Xcaret Experiencias Group, which was named one of Mexico’s best companies from 2010 to 2015.

The attraction also incorporates the remains of an important Maya site. Before becoming a park, the area was known as Polé, a Maya commercial city and an important port and trade centre. Archaeological vestiges of that settlement remain visible today.

Xcaret’s buildings are integrated into a tropical landscape and echo traditional Maya architecture. Among its features are an underground river of about one kilometre, a historic Maya temple, a zoo with jaguars and pumas, a botanical garden, a butterfly pavilion and accessible caves.

Water activities form an important part of the experience, including swimming, snorkelling and speed-boat rides. The site also has a dolphin-swimming experience and a theatre designed to resemble an ancient Maya ballcourt.

At sunset, Xcaret presents a two-hour show about the conquest of Mexico and the cultural differences between the country’s regions. Together with the archaeological remains, natural setting and water activities, the programme makes Xcaret one of the most extensive attractions to visit around Playa del Carmen.

Exploring Playa del Carmen and Quintana Roo

Playa del Carmen is a useful base for discovering more of the region. For another Caribbean destination, compare it with Cozumel, while Cancún offers another well-known stop in Quintana Roo.

The city is part of Quintana Roo, one of the destinations to explore within Mexico. Travellers continuing through the country can also discover cities in Yucatán, including Mérida, Izamal and Progreso.

Explore Playa del Carmen with Neywo

For a Playa del Carmen self-guided walking tour, Neywo offers a free audio guide with 4 narrated places. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages.

Download Neywo and explore Playa del Carmen independently, moving between its museums and other narrated places while the stories play when you arrive.