Taking Off…

January 10th, 2008 @ 4:31 pm by Ms. Dahlia

To Playa del Carmen!Yes, my dear Mom and I are leaving tomorrow morning to spend the weekend in Mexico as a birthday present. (My mom and I have gone on various trips for my birthday over the years. And while my actual birthday is in March, this weekend is when our schedules and Spirit Air sales aligned.)

We will be staying at the Illusion Boutique Hotel, located between 5th Ave. and the beach.

We are arriving early Friday morning, and will be leaving on Monday. I know that there are a lot of people that have traveled to Playa del Carmen and elsewhere in the Yucatan peninsula (Miss Lovebird, this definitely includes you!) so for those of you familiar with the area:

Where should we go? What should we see? And anyone have any restaurant recommendations?

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9 Responses to “Taking Off…”

Guest

Mrs. Snow Pea

In an older post of mine, lots of readers left some wonderful suggestions. You’ll have much better luck with good food on the side streets and not on 5th Avenue.

1/10/08 @ 5:20 pm (reply)

Guest

Mrs. Snow Pea

Also, when you leave the terminal and after you go through customs, there is a stand on your left 3 windows down from the American Express money exchange counter that offers a bus from the airport to Playa Del Carmen for something like $8-$12! Ignore the rest of the “sales people” in the lobby who are going to try to lure you in for stuff. Don’t forget your sunblock.

1/10/08 @ 5:23 pm (reply)

Bee

Miss Lovebird (message) 695 posts, Busy bee

ooo Miss Dahlia~ I’ve unfortunately never been to Playa del Carmen~ although I hear it is beautiful.

You can take a ferry across to Cozumel~ explore the cenotes~ visit the Mayan Ruins at Tulum or Chicken Itz~ and even go sky diving!

If you are do venture into Cancun~ and if you are a lobster lover~ you have to go to Lorenzillos! Their caesar salad is also to die for and you get to pick and have them prepare your lobster any way you want. A great Italian place is La Dolce Vita.

Have a safe and fun trip!!!

1/10/08 @ 5:25 pm (reply)

Guest

Tea

ohmylord. i am so jealous! i just finished researching for a trip to playa del carmen [and the illusion was one of my hotels on my list] but now the bf and i can’t go. so i spent my hotel money on my gmat exam instead. complete bummer.

anywho, definitely check out the side streets for restaurants, tulum and chichen ixta or coba for the ruins. there’s supposed to be another one in one of the ecopark systems thing they have there. i forget which right now. you can also check out isla mujeres for some snorkeling and horseback riding and stuff. and yeah, the ferry to cozumel and snorkeling in the cenotes. oh how i wish i were going.

have tons of fun!

1/10/08 @ 6:18 pm (reply)

Guest

Abbey

OHHHH!!! We went to Playa del Carmen for our Honeymoon and didnt want to leave. Unfortunately we didn’t venture off the resort (The Royal Playa del Carmen) much. Sorry I’m not much hep! But have a wonderful time!

1/10/08 @ 7:50 pm (reply)

Guest

Christie

I was just there last month, stayed at The Royal Playa del Carmen like Abbey, and we saw a ferry that you can take to Cozumel. There seems to be some fun nightlife along 5th Ave, we stopped at the Blue Parrot one night–it was a good time. The shopping is just so-so, but there are a few nice boutiques at one end of the strip.

Have FUN!!!

1/10/08 @ 9:48 pm (reply)

Guest

JennyGoLightly

Palapa Hemingway’s to eat!!! I consider this to be my death-row, last-day-on-earth meal: Capirana, guacamole and tortilla soup, all from Palapa Hemingway’s. It’s right on Avenida Quinta (somewhere between Calles 12 and 14) around an adorable little enclave called Avenida Corazon that has a beautiful spa and a great little handicraft shop on it. My husband loves the sampler dinner platter which has a little bit of traditional-everything on it.

1/11/08 @ 8:50 am (reply)

Guest

Sadie

Great timing! I am helping a friend plan a birthday trip there, and we are looking to rent a villa/house/condo for a week. Budget is under 2K for the week and the only thing I’m coming up with is fancy, private pool, beach front villas for several thousand a week…noooo. Anyone have any suggestions for just a basic house, near town and the beach? We don’t need maid service or a private cook (although it would be nice…).

1/11/08 @ 11:25 am (reply)

Guest

Suz

I love love love Playa! We went and stayed at the Royal, but also explored the town a bit. Try Babe’s Noodles, on a side street just off 5th. (I know…noodles in Mexico? But SO good!) The Beer Bucket and Tequila Barrel are both fun for drinks. Carboncitos is good, try the salsa wheel–it’s off 5th near where the Cozumel Ferry is. But our favorite meal was at a place called El Asador de Manolo…it’s around 10th and 24th I think? Much more “off the beaten path”, local kind of place, but killer food for really cheap. Our tour guide recommended it. Oh, I am so jealous, I want to go back–can you tell?

1/11/08 @ 3:08 pm (reply)