Paamul, Riviera Maya
Overview
Paamul is a small bay on the Riviera Maya, at Kilometre 85 of Highway 307, about 15 kilometres south of Playa del Carmen and north of Puerto Aventuras. It has none of the large resorts found elsewhere on this coast. The bay is fronted by a single hotel, the Paamul Hotel, with its restaurant and beach club, and by a long-established community of palapa houses and trailers, first settled by travellers in motor homes, behind a guarded gate.
The bay is shallow and sheltered, with a reef close to shore. The shoreline is rocky in places, so water shoes are useful. Part of the beach is a sea-turtle nesting site, and nests are protected during the season.
Our current condition score for this beach is .
Photo summary of last month
Each photograph is published unedited and in date order, and is replaced as newer submissions arrive, so what appears here is the most recent view of the beach rather than a promotional photograph.
Paamul is a small, little-cleaned bay between larger resort beaches, so its photographs are a useful comparison with Playacar and Puerto Aventuras on the same day.
Position relative to the Atlantic sargassum belt
Sargassum reaching the Mexican Caribbean crosses the tropical Atlantic, enters the Caribbean and is carried north along Quintana Roo by the Yucatán Current. Paamul faces east into that flow, on the open coast between Playa del Carmen and Puerto Aventuras. The reef breaks the swell, but sargassum that passes it reaches the shallow bay directly, and our photographs here show both clear days and lines of sargassum on the sand.
The sargassum season
The regional season runs from roughly May to August, with the heaviest arrivals usually in June and July, and the coast is generally quieter from late autumn into spring. The wider picture is set out in our Riviera Maya sargassum season guide.
Snorkelling and the reef
Snorkelling is the main reason to visit. The reef lies within reach of the shore, and the shallow water over sand, rock and coral holds plenty of fish. The water is very shallow for a long way out in places, so care is needed not to touch or stand on the coral.
Swimming conditions and safety
The bay is generally calm, with little swell. The rocky entry and shallow coral are the main hazards, rather than the sea itself. There is limited shade on the sand away from the hotel.
Choosing where to stay
The Paamul Hotel is the only hotel on the bay, with suites and cabins facing the beach. Visitors who prefer a larger resort usually stay at Puerto Aventuras, Playacar or Xpu-Ha and come to Paamul for the day.
Access and getting there
The turn-off is signed at Kilometre 85 of Highway 307. A road leads from the highway to the gate, where visitors register on entry. Day visitors have generally been asked to spend at the restaurant or to pay for the beach club in exchange for access, and the terms have changed over the years, so they are best confirmed on arrival. Colectivos running between Playa del Carmen and Tulum stop at the turn-off on request, leaving a walk of about 800 metres to a kilometre to the beach. We do not publish a car park for this beach.
Check live conditions before you go
On the live map we track Paamul with dated photographs and a current condition score, which makes it easy to compare with Playacar, Puerto Aventuras and the other beaches of this stretch on the same morning.
See live conditions, photos & cams →