Playacar Fase 1
Overview
Playacar is a planned development on the southern edge of Playa del Carmen, and Fase 1 is its northern, older section, beginning immediately south of the ferry pier. It is a gated residential community, and the beach in front of it is fronted mainly by private villas rather than hotels. The large all-inclusive resorts of Playacar stand further south, in Fase 2.
The beach is quieter than the town beaches north of the pier, and the small Xaman-Ha Maya ruins lie within the community grounds. As everywhere in Mexico the sand is public, and many visitors walk down from the town centre and Quinta Avenida, which are a short distance north across the pier.
Erosion has narrowed the shoreline in places, so the beach is often less broad than the beach along Fase 2 further south.
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.
When reading these photographs, look at the water as well as the sand. Darker water near the shore, particularly at the entrance close to Parque Fundadores, is often the first sign of sargassum on this stretch.
Position relative to the Atlantic sargassum belt
Sargassum reaching this coast is carried across the tropical Atlantic, into the Caribbean, and north-west along Quintana Roo by the Yucatán Current. Playa del Carmen faces east into that flow, and the sargassum it carries reaches the town's beaches directly.
The decisive local feature is the ferry pier, which stands at the northern end of this beach. Sargassum moving north along the coast can collect against its southern side, which is the Playacar side, so this stretch often shows more sargassum in our photographs than the beaches immediately north of the pier.
The sargassum season
The regional season runs from roughly May to August, with June and July normally the heaviest months, and a quiet period from late autumn into spring.
The wider picture for this coast, including how the belt has grown over the past decade, is set out in our Riviera Maya sargassum season guide.
Swimming conditions and safety
Conditions are usually calm, with a sandy bottom and little surf.
Boat traffic is the main hazard, and it is heavier here than elsewhere in the town because the ferry terminal is immediately north. Ferries and tour boats use this water, so stay inside the marked swimming areas and well clear of the pier itself.
On sargassum: fresh weed in the water is harmless, if unpleasant to swim through. The sulphurous smell some visitors associate with it comes from material that has decomposed on hot sand for a day or more and is releasing hydrogen sulphide, so a strong smell indicates old weed rather than a fresh arrival.
Accommodation in Playacar Fase 1
Playacar Fase 1 is a residential area of private villas, and most visitors who stay here rent a villa or holiday home rather than book a hotel. Its advantage is location: the town centre, Quinta Avenida and the Cozumel ferry are all within walking distance. Travellers looking for an all-inclusive resort will find most of Playacar's hotels in Fase 2, further south.
Because sargassum can collect beside the pier, visitors for whom beach conditions matter most should compare this stretch with the beaches north of the pier on the live map before choosing where to stay.
Access and getting there
Playacar Fase 1 is immediately south of the Playa del Carmen ferry terminal and is reached on foot from the town centre, or by taxi. The development has controlled entrances for vehicles, though beach access remains public.
Colectivos running between Cancún and Tulum stop on the highway at the edge of the development, and the ADO terminal in the town centre handles intercity coaches. The Cozumel ferry departs from the pier at the northern end of the beach.
We do not publish a car park for this beach, because there is no verified public lot. Parking within Playacar is private, so it should be arranged with the villa or hotel where you are staying.
Check live conditions before you go
Conditions on the beach south of the ferry pier often differ from the rest of Playa del Carmen. On the live map we track this stretch with dated photographs and a current condition score, so you can compare Playacar against Constituyentes and Mahekal on the same morning before deciding where to spend the day.
See live conditions, photos & cams →