Playa del Carmen is a coastal resort located on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Lying next to the Caribbean Sea, it is a veritable little corner of paradise and offers a feast for the eyes. Playa del Carmen is very tourist-oriented, but it has a completely different atmosphere than Cancun, for example.
My suggestion:
Don't stay in accommodation on its main central avenue. Everything you require is to be found there of course, e.g. restaurants, hotels, travel agencies and so on, but the best option is to book a room in a little hotel ten minutes from the centre. This way you're guaranteed an authentic, traditional atmosphere.
Summary:
Playa del Carmen has everything you need to really enjoy yourself and have a great time. Whether you're a party animal; a fan of diving, ancient civilisations, nature or nautical sports of all kinds; or whether, alternatively, you enjoy heading out to discover the local area or even just simply relaxing and taking it easy, you'll be happy here and won't want to leave at the end of your stay. That's how I felt once I was there. I felt as if I was visiting a little corner of paradise. And saying goodbye to the place at the end was quite difficult! The atmosphere in Playa del Carmen is very laid back and relaxed. We stayed not far from the centre in a very traditionally authentic district, with lots of characteristic little restaurants. The locals there were very nice and friendly.