Playa Del Carmen On A Budget

With the economy getting more and more difficult it’s not wrong to want a cheap vacation. Despite its recent bad press, Mexico is still one of the best places to go for a great budget vacation. With the falling peso and the cheap airfare these days, Playa Del Carmen on the Yucatan peninsula has a lot to offer! The little brother of it’s more wild and developed neighbor Cancun, Playa has all the luxury resorts you could ask for and then some. But don’t worry, if you are looking to save a few bucks then there’s plenty of ways you can do that in Playa.

After having lived and traveled in Mexico for over a year now, I can confidently say that it’s not too hard to vacation on the beach for less than $30-$40 a day. This number accounts for your hotel stay, your food, your transportation, and your activities. This largely depends on the exchange rate, since it was up to 15 to 1 for the USD this was a great time. Now it is holding steady at around 13 to 1, so you can still get some awesome deals. Here’s some money saving tips for you:

Casa Santiago Hostel- This is a very popular hostel is found right in the center of Playa’s tourist area. The price varies from year to year and season to season, but breakfast is included, fresh linens every day, air conditioning (a biggie!) and internet access in your room. This place is a wonderful budget hotel to consider for your vacation.

Happy Gecko Hotel- The Happy Gecko is very close to the beach, only two blocks away, and is also right in the heart of the tourist area in Playa. You can easily walk to the popular 5th avenue or the white sands of a secluded beach. It’s a great place to rest and recharge for your next adventure. Rooms have TV, Air Conditioning, WiFi access, and kitchens. There’s even a little beach club you can enjoy. We have heard great reviews of the Happy Gecko.

Hotel Pension San Juan- This hotel is one of the favorites for budget travelers. It’s got amazing room rates and an incredible location. For over 15 years this small hotel has been offering high quality service with much attention to detail at very affordable prices. It’s 100 meters from the beach, and 5 minutes from the center of Playa so you don’t have to worry about getting around at all.

Eating out is one of the most expensive parts of any vacation. In Playa you can save a lot of money by NOT following the crowds of gringos. Steer clear of the places that advertise heavily and are full of tourists. Instead explore a little and find out where the locals go. This is the best way to get the authentic flavor of Mexico while not having to empty out your wallet.

If a place is popular and clean looking, and if the staff looks like they are paying attention to cleanliness (which they usually are since Mexicans get food poisoning just like the rest of us) then you’ve got yourself a winner. Another thing to watch out for is to make sure the food is being cooked and served regularly and not sitting out for too long. Trust us, you will have much better tasting food than what the other tourists are getting, and for much much lower prices.

Getting around couldn’t be easier. You don’t need to take a taxi since everything is so close and within walking distance. Put those Keen Shoes you bought special for your trip to work! You can also take a bus for around 5 pesos. Most of Mexico has very good bus systems, unlike the states. All you do is check in the window to see if it is going your general direction, or even ask the driver and hop on. Hang on because they are always in a rush! Just stand up when you want off and they will pull over at the closest convenient spot. Get off with your head held high: You just saved yourself some money.

Activities in Playa don’t have to be expensive. Sure there’s plenty of expensive bars and clubs and parks you can go visit, but you can save your money by just enjoying all that is available for free too! Take in the local culture, explore the markets, go for a walk off the beaten paths into the neighborhoods and get some authentic experience for Mexico. Spending the day lazily on the beach is always going to be free, you can even buy a cheap  umbrella from one of the grocery stores usually and save yourself the 100 peso charge each time you want some shade.

If you do want to go to an eco park, then we recommend checking out Xel Ha for an awesome and inexpensive experience. There is plenty of diving, snorkeling, inner tubing, hiking, dolphins, and so much more you can do there. It's hard to fit it all into one day, so you may want to go back!

Traveling cheap in Mexico isn't really that hard!!

Add all these things together and you will be saving yourself a ton of money while still having a great trip. Do your research, snag the airfare deals when they come (we saw a roundtrip ticket from SFO to Puerto Vallarta for $200 last week!!) and you will find yourself on the beach sipping margaritas sooner than you could imagine!