You would like to go on vacation in the Caribbean but believe that it is out of your budget .. Well, maybe you can take a vacation in the wonderful Riviera Maya for less than you think !! So here are a few tips and tricks that could save you money;
1- Accommodation
There are several options; All Inclusive, Hotel, Condo, Hostel, ect .. Personally I do not recommend an all inclusive in Playa del Carmen because there are so many good restaurants for all budgets, with lots to see and do that if you pay to have food and alcohol included, every time you go out of your hotel you pay again to eat and drink, and believe me, as soon as you know Playa you will not want to stay at your hotel! I recommend looking at the prices to rent a small hotel or condo even better, for a 2 bedroom (up to 6 people) it’s around between $ 98 and $ 249 per night depending on where you are located and the period that you book. When you travel in a group (4-6 people) you share the costs so much more advantageous. It is certain that if you come during the holidays or if you want to be by the beach expect to pay a lot more but if you come during a less busy period and being only a few blocks from the beach (+/- 10 minutes walk) you can find something really interesting. There is also the possibility of renting rooms or hostels (hostels) which offer really cheap rooms but you will have to share the common areas. You can contact me to help you find (playadreamrentals@gmail.com).
2- Transport
For flights usually the best time to shop is Tuesday or Wednesday, about 7 weeks in advance and going out on weekdays is often better because there are more requests on the weekend then automatically more expensive. Shop your flight on the internet, there are sites like KAYAK which offers the prices of all the airlines on the same site. Prices are approximately between $ 400 and $ 700 for a return flight Montreal-Cancun depending on the period you want to leave, do not try to travel at a discount during the holidays you will be disappointed but otherwise on average it is around $ 550 and even cheaper if you take with stopovers.
At Cancun airport you will need transportation from the airport to your hotel or condo, there are several options. You can take a private taxi, it will cost you around $ 60 USD from the airport to downtown Playa del Carmen. You can also rent a car with Dream Rentals cause I offer free pick up and drop service off at the airport included in the price so if you plan to do activities during your stay and discover the places, renting a car is really worth it (playadreamrentals @ gmail .com). Otherwise the cheapest option if you are traveling alone is the bus, the company ADO offers from the airport to Playa del Carmen direct for about 200 pesos ($ 10) per person, these are large passenger buses really comfortable with air conditioning, toilet, TV and the seats are very reclining to relax well . The journey from the airport to Playa centro is 1 hour. You just have to ask an employee of the airport where is the ticket sales point for ADO and you buy your ticket directly there, there are departures every 15-20 minutes.
The Playa del Carmen terminus is located in the city center on the corner of Avenue Juares and 5th Avenue, from where you will have to go to your hotel. A taxi is the easiest and will cost you around 70 pesos ($ 4) depending on where you are going.
3- Food
To feed you, what I recommend is to go to the grocery store to buy only a few things for lunches, alcohol and snacks to bring to the beach but the rest as you go because there are so many choice of restaurants. There are several large grocery stores all over the city such as Mega, Walmart, Chedraui, ect. Or you can find everything you need. And regarding restaurants, you can have an excellent taco at only 15 pesos ($ 1) to go to the expensive gourmet meal, there is something for all budgets.
4- Activities
What is really good about Playa del Carmen is that the whole beach is public and free. There are many beach clubs / restaurants on the beach which offer paying chairs but if you bring your towel, you can sit anywhere in front of the chairs and also bring a cooler with food and drinks. If you want to enjoy a lounge chair and restaurant you will have to pay of course.
There is the famous 5th Avenue, a pedestrian street which is about 2km long where there are restaurants, shops, pubs, street artists, arts, shopping center, etc. And most of the places in Playa offer the free wifi internet, just ask for the password.
Playa del Carmen also has an incomparable night life on Calle 12 between 10th Avenue and the beach there are a dozen discos for all tastes and a little trick to enter for free is to walk along the street before time magic, everything filled around midnight so if you walk in front around 22-23h the majority will offer you free entries in the street, it’s up to you to decide where you want to go.
Regarding activities such as going to see the Mayan ruins (pyramids), cenotes, parks, visiting Tulum, Bacalar, ect. You can buy the tours from vendors with commissions everywhere in the city, on 5th Avenue, on the beach and pay more but you can also rent a car and do it all by yourself by paying only the normal tickets directly on site for less.
For more info you can contact me, it will be my pleasure to help you!
playadreamrentals@gmail.com
