for a week in Playa, and they loved it (although they still prefer Cozumel over Playa and Isla Mujeres, which they have also visited with me). As Dan said, it is a much more European than North American town, with a markedly more sophisticated tone, once you get four or five blocks north of the ferry pier. The beaches, although somewhat slender in spots right in town, are beautiful, with fine white sand and the same gorgeous blue water we love in Coz.
You will be chagrined to discover that shopping can get to be seriously injurious to your credit cards, with less of the cruiseship-souvenir marketing that dominates Coz trade. Keep an eye on the spouse!
There is a wide variety of good restaurants, although my favorite, Yaxche (which specialized in Yucatecan fare), has apparently tanked. There are some excellent Argentinian grills and seafood spots, including one called Terraya, I believe, which sits on the beach and advertises, "We were here before the town was.". The beaches, even those right downtown, are topless, and I have been witness to some third-degree sunburns on customarily shielded (but quite admirable) mammaries while enjoying the local fruit of the fermented grain at seaside venues.
The north end of Quinta Avenida, the stylish main street, and the lanes branching off it have cobblestone streets here and there, and there is dense foliage hanging over the street like a canopy.
So Playa can be a very pleasant change of pace, but you might want to rent a room for the day as a pied-a-terre since the heat and walking around will make a short siesta a blessing, and the availability of a shower after the beach will also be pleasant.
Enjoy.
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