First trip - how many days?

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Actually, I'm gonna have to offer a (partially) dissenting view. For context, my first trip to Yucatan was in the late 1980s. I drove there from Seattle. Spent 3 months all over Mexico. In all that time and all those miles, there was only one place where 1) I got badly sick from eating food, 2) I got seriously hassled by cops, 3) and I hated the place immediatedly. That place was Cancun. I'm sure the beaches there were utterly lovely before the government decided to build a giant, artificial, mega-resort on them. They're still nice enough, I'm sure, but I can't think of a single good reason to go there (other than the airport). Plenty of nice beaches elsewhere around the Yucatan.

I adored Playa del carmen in the 1980s. There was one paved street, one public telephone, a couple ATMs, some low-key hotels on the beach and a few little restaurants. I've been back there a half dozen times over the years, and the explosive growth has not been kind to the town - I've read that Playa del Carmen has been the fastest-developing municipality in all of North America over the past 20 years. I'm not so sure I'd believe that, but it has the ring of truth. The place has exploded, and has changed tremendously. Last time I was there a few years ago, I was saddened by the unchecked growth and runway development. That said, it's gotta still be better than Cancun - it feels less like a completely artificial city. Yes, it does still retain some charm, but like much of the coastal Yucatan, the advent of cruise ship traffic has transformed it and stripped most of its appeal for me.

The problem with Playa del Carmen is that there's better places not too far away, and I'd rather spend my extra (non-diving) days in those other places. The posts upthread have failed to address that.

IMHO, if you want to dive (and then relax afterwards), Cozumel is the place to be. If you are looking for something else on top of that, then you need to go grab a car in Playa del carmen, and head out into the Yucatan for better stuff: there are dozens of incredible (really world-class) ruins scattered about. The famous ones are worth seeing, even if they are overrun with crowds, and there are others just a bit further away that are just as good (some better) where you will find no crowds at all. There are still a few laid-back, quiet, authentic beach towns (getting harder to find every year, though). There are world-class wildlife reserves and critter encounters (not the "parks" you will see with giant billboards along the highway). Small towns with real people, little cafes with simple and yummy food...lots of stuff that the mass tourist crowds have not yet ruined.

If your trip is just 7 days, I'd probably do all of them on Cozumel (you probably won't get 6 days in a row with great dive conditions). If you really want to mix it up a bit, I'd peel off 2-3 days after diving (you need to offgas before flying anyway, so do non-dive activities after diving, not before; and you've got to head to the mainland anyway if your flight home goes through CUN). Grab a car in Playa del Carmen and spend a couple days at some ruins and wandering around the Yucatan (with your limited time, you will have to be careful not to try and do too many). But I would not spend a precious day on Cancun (and probably not Playa del Carmen either).

Hope some of that is useful. Good luck!
 
If I can swing extra days I like to use them for make up days in case I get blown out on my planned itinerary.
 
We are planning our first trip to Cozumel and I was hoping to get some feedback on a few things before we finalize our plans. Our trip will be 7 nights and we will be flying into Cancun and then doing the 'bag drag' to Cozumel. We are planning on staying at Casa Mexicana and diving with Tres Pelicanos. We are in our mid 30's and like to keep busy and also enjoy nightlife.

We are considering spending 5 nights in Cozumel (diving) and 2 nights in either PDC or Cancun (not diving).

So I'm wondering if we are crazy for not spending the whole week in Cozumel ... and if there is enough to do in the afternoon / evening? Our last 2 dive trips were to Bonaire and Grand Turk and the diving was great but we ran out of things to do above water so we're looking for a little more excitement on land for this trip.

Also, any input on Cancun vs PDC for a few nights?

Well, there is basically no night life in cozumel beyond walking around the square, or a late dinner or a few drinks in some quiet bar, so you're instincts are good.Just about any trip we take to Coz we end up over on the mainland on our last day just to get the hell out of Cozumel, because frankly even though I'm 50 years old and boring, Coz out of the water is just plain really boring to me after a week or 10 days so it's nice to go to Tulum or Akumal or do something besides watching them roll the side walks up in Coz at 7pm.

If you want to party, head back to the main land. I believe your real quesiton is Cancun Vs PDC. PDC is more and more like Cancun every year, the growth and crowds over there is mind blowing from where it was just 10 years ago. Cancun is the big Kahuna, with night clubs like Coco Loco setting the bar for partying until the sun comes up, PDC is no slouch for partying, but will be like everything else compare to Cancun a step below, but that step below might be all you need. Best advice do some google searching for partying in both places and see what appeals to you.
 
Responding to nwflyboy's post

When you were there in the 80's, the population was a few thousand, they're now well over 200,000, so if it's not the fastest growing city in North America, it's way up there.

Yes, unchecked growth. It's becoming nearly impossible to find a quiet place to sleep anywhere close to the beach, and when you get to the beach, hard to find a place where you're not bombarded with techno thump, thump from 10 until 8, and sometimes until 2 am. Development is allowed whenever and wherever, without regard to proximity to residences, and more importantly whether or not existing infrastructure can handle more development. Hint: It can't -- hence raw sewage bubbling up from manhole covers.

Actually I did post "upthread":

" there are some easily accessible day trips out of Playa that are nothing short of spectacular".

Yeah, the best ruins are the ones with the least crowds -- and the lack of crowds does not make them best. They're the best because they're the best.

With just a couple days, I wouldn't fool with renting a car -- take a colectivo. Playa to Tulum is 45 pesos. We won't talk about some of the drivers skills, and in particular their adherence to the speed limits.

Authentic beach towns??? Maybe south of Tulum. Puerto Morelos is still pretty quiet and laid back, but I wouldn't call it authentic. Akumal was quiet, but after they Mayan's got relocated it lost it's authenticity. Most of them ended up in Chemuyil, but not on the beach. Chemuyil is a cool little town though.

Because of the noise and infrastructure issues, we've stayed our last week or week and a half on the mainland, and also because our boys are in college and no longer traveling with us.

One last thought -- everyone's baseline on any destination is the first time you go there. Yours was the early 80's. Ours was 2007. All of us weep and wail and p*** and moan about what was. Embrace the changes or move on. We're moving to the island, but will always have a special place for many spots on the mainland, and will most likely return for a day and evening here and there.

Night life in PDC -- well you can replicate Cancun at ground zero in Playa at 12th and 1st, but there are tons of night life options that appeal to 30 - 65 years.
 
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Thank you all so much for your input and advice!

We aren't looking for any crazy night life / clubs, just a nice crowd at a local bar with good people to talk to. We have 2 young kids we will be leaving at home, so our definition of nightlife has changed over the years :)

We have ruled out Cancun but are considering PDC for a day or 2 before our flight home.

Thanks again!
 
Thank you all so much for your input and advice!

We aren't looking fory crazy night life / clubs. Just a nice crowd at a local bar with good people to talk to. We have 2 young kids we will be leaving at home, so our definition of nightlife has changed over the years :)

We have ruled out Cancun but are considering PDC for a day or 2 before our flight home.

Thanks again!

Well heck. Why didn't you say so. :) There are nice local bars with people to talk to in PDC, Cozumel, and any other town. If you want to practice Spanish then even more options.
 
If you are in Cozumel on a Sunday, make sure you make it to the square in the evening to experience the local culture. Everyone dressed in their Sunday best, great music, and dancing. It is a fun evening to watch and even participate in the activities. For me, much better than sitting in the bar drinking.

Divegoose
 
If you are in Cozumel on a Sunday, make sure you make it to the square in the evening to experience the local culture. Everyone dressed in their Sunday best, great music, and dancing. It is a fun evening to watch and even participate in the activities. For me, much better than sitting in the bar drinking.

Divegoose

Is it back? Last two trips there was nothing much going on in the square, I think because of the construction. Last trip was May 2016.
 
I don't think we will be there on a Sunday if we head over to PDC but that sounds exactly like something we would like!
 
Is it back? Last two trips there was nothing much going on in the square, I think because of the construction. Last trip was May 2016.

As far as I know, construction has been completed, and the Sunday night festival is back. I do stand to be corrected. Any recent visitors that can update on this ?? It is a highlight to see when I am in Cozumel.

Divegoose
 
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