Playa Pelícanos (Calle 44), Playa del Carmen
Overview
Playa Pelícanos is the stretch of the Playa del Carmen town beach at the end of Calle 44 and Avenida CTM, in the northern half of the town, a few streets north of Playa Mahekal at Calle 38. It is one of the most frequented public beaches in the town, particularly by families and local residents.
The municipality opened it as an inclusive beach, fitted for visitors with disabilities, with ramps, a removable walkway to the sand, a tactile route and map for blind visitors, signage in sign language, and toilets and showers. The beach also carries Blue Flag certification, which covers water quality, safety, services and environmental management.
It is also one of the livelier stretches of the town beach. Encanto Beach Club stands at Calle 40, Martina Beach Club at Calle 44 and Mandarino Beach Club a little further north at Avenida CTM, so music from the clubs is part of the experience here.
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.
Playa Pelícanos sits on the same open stretch of coast as the rest of the town beach, so its photographs are best read alongside those of Playa Mahekal and Playa Mamitas on the same day.
Position relative to the Atlantic sargassum belt
Sargassum reaching this coast crosses the tropical Atlantic, enters the Caribbean and is carried north along Quintana Roo by the Yucatán Current. Playa del Carmen faces east into that flow, with Cozumel offshore to the south-east, and the town beach receives arrivals along its whole length.
Conditions are not uniform along the town beach, and on many days they differ noticeably from one access to the next. That is why each access is photographed and scored separately on the live map rather than treated as a single beach.
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.
Swimming conditions and safety
Where erosion has narrowed the beach, the dry sand can be limited, particularly after periods of strong wind. Sun and heat are the other realistic hazards on a long day.
Access and getting there
The beach lies at the end of Calle 44 and Avenida CTM, east of Fifth Avenue, and is an easy walk from the centre of town. There are several public accesses along this stretch, including the ends of Calle 40 and Avenida CTM, and it is also possible to walk along the sand from Calle 38. Taxis serve the whole town. We do not publish a car park for this beach.
Check live conditions before you go
On the live map we track Playa Pelícanos with dated photographs and a current condition score, which makes it easy to compare with Playa Mahekal, Playa Mamitas and the other accesses of the town beach on the same morning.
See live conditions, photos & cams →