Playa Del Carmen, just 52 kilometers from Cancun Airport, and a similar distance from the archaeological Maya site of Tulum, is an old fishermen’s’ village known as Xaman Ha in the Maya language. Playa, as it is called by its inhabitants and visitors, has developed through numerous recent investments which have stimulated its rapid growth. What was once a simple, peaceful place--no more than a dock for the ferry to Cozumel--has now become one of the most important and sophisticated tourist attractions on the Riviera Maya.
   Playa del Carmen provides everything one could wish for in a Caribbean location: luxury hotels with all the amenities that international travelers require, as well as smaller personalized establishments, numerous bars, shopping centers, restaurants serving traditional and international cuisine, cultural and recreational centers, water sports and golf.
   La Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue), the main pedestrian walkway provides an abundance of dining and fun options, making it a favorite spot for meeting after you’ve enjoyed the beach and jungle trips, with a nightlife that goes on until dawn.
   That's how the former fishing village located between the lush Maya jungle and the Mexican Caribbean grew to become a powerful attraction on the Riviera Maya, which today attracts visitors in search of that marvelous combination of ecology, archaeological sites and beaches. This conjunction of culture, nature, and the tranquility that has attracted so many visitors, are still the distinctive ingredients of Playa del Carmen, intelligently preserved through planned development which has succeeded in keeping its original magic.
   An emerging development growing in the heart of the Riviera Maya, Playa is a must-see place for visitors who want to enjoy the magic charm of jungle and sea, with all the comforts of world-class facilities.
   Just a few minutes away from the center of Playa del Carmen is an important tourist development on the Riviera Maya: Playacar. This is an architectural complex with residential areas, several All-Inclusive hotels, villas, a shopping mall (with specialized restaurants), a magnificent Golf course, archaeological site and the Xaman Ha Aviary, with the greatest number of bird species in the region, living in their natural habitat. The attractions here are so varied and upscale that it’s possible to do almost anything you like.