Playa Del Carmen | Mexico | Condos Casa del Sol and Aqua Terra

Playa del Carmen and the Yucatan At A Glance

Many of your questions about Playa del Carmen and Mexico will be answered below. If you don't find what you're looking for you'll find more links at the bottom, and if you want more information about Casa del Sol and Aqua Terra condos don't hesitate to contact us by email or through the contact form below.

Your Name (required):

Your Phone Number:

Your E-mail (required):

Your Questions (required):

Tod Hughes -       1-403-265-9552 ext. 226
Canada mobile -  1-403-618-2907
Playa mobile -     011-52-1-984-104-0576
Noah Hughes -     1-403-265-9552 ext 221.

WHEN TO VISIT/WEATHER:The high season in the Yucatan and Playa Del Carmen occurs in the dry winter months from December through April. The peak seasons in Playa del Carmen are Christmas and Spring Break. The weather is a comfortable year-round with an average of 80 degrees F. The more humid summer months are becoming more and more popular with European visitors.

MONEY:Mexican money is the peso. It floats against the dollar and can be exchanged at banks and change booths. American dollars are accepted in many areas, except in remote areas, at a variable exchange rate. Credit cards are accepted only in bigger cities. The easiest way to obtain cash is by using one of the readily available ATM machines and using Mexican Pesos. By the way, in Spanish, cash is "efectivo".

PEOPLE:The population of the Yucatan is a combination of Maya and Spanish/Indian mestizos. There are visitors from all over the world at all times of the year, creating a cosmopolitan atmosphere in Playa del Carmen.

VISA:No visas are required, but tourist cards are a must. Stays are good for up to 180 days. Although passports are highly recommended, they are not yet a requirement to enter Mexico from Canada and the US.

CLOTHING:Pack light with an eye to having enough clothes given the humidity and the need to change. There are plenty of laundromats in Playa, which offer excellent service at reasonable prices. They do your laundry for you, often on a same day basis.

ELECTRICITY:110 volts. Same as U.S. and Canada.

TIME ZONES:The Yucatan and the state of Quintana Roo observe Central Standard Time all year.

FLIGHT TIMES (HOURS) TO CANCUN:New York (3.5); Miami (1.5); Los Angeles (4.5); Vancouver BC (6); Toronto (4.5); Denver (4); and Europe (12).

DISTANCE FROM AIRPORT:Playa is a 45 minute drive from the Cancun airport. This can be accomplished via bus, taxi, or charter van arranged in advance through an agency or the management company.

HEALTH & SAFETY:No shots are required. Most hotels and restaurants offer purified tap water, but drink bottled or seltzer water (aqua mineral) to be sure. Qualified English-speaking doctors are available for health emergencies. Crime in the Yucatan is limited to a rare pick pocketing or overcharging for drinks. Use common sense.

LANGUAGE:Spanish, Mayan and English are spoken in major cities.

SMOKING:There's far too much. Cuban cigar smokers will be pleased: they're legal here and sold at many specialty stores throughout Playa.

THINGS TO BUY:Silver and gold jewelry, pottery, hammocks, honey, embroidered dresses, Panama hats, men's guayabera shirts, wood carvings and blankets.

DRIVING/CAR RENTAL:Rental cars are readily available, and you should buy all the insurance they offer. Roads are excellent but night driving can be dangerous for a variety of reasons. Buses are a good alternative and very reasonable.

PLACES TO GO:See the Maya ruins at Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Tulum, Coba, Dzibanch and many other places. Check out the colonial cities of Merida, Valladolid, Campeche, Izamal and the abandoned and restored haciendas in the north. Visit the nature reserves at Celestun, Rio Lagartios and Sian Ka'an.

THINGS TO DO & SEE:Swim in cenotes, lie on fabulous beaches, dive, snorkel, windsurf, get tanned, drink margaritas and beer (not necessarily in that order), read a book, explore the ruins, go down into caves, hike, bike, camp and just generally have a wonderful, exciting vacation.

CELLULAR SERVICE:There is no phone in the condo. There is a good chance your cellular phone will work in Playa. There is an excellent chance it will be very expensive if it does. I find renting a phone in advance from www.cancunvalet.com is a good option with great service at a reasonable price. I also find my Blackberry works for email without changing anything except turning it on. There are 24 hour internet shops very close to the condo.

MANAGEMENT:The condo is professionally managed by Starcondos, who are located very close by in Playa. They are available for airport transfers, booking information, maintenance and cleaning requests while you are at the condo, and to answer any questions you may have. They can be located through their website at www.starcondos.com.mx where all contacts are provided.

MORE QUESTIONS?:Excellent resources for all sorts of information, ideas, and advice can be obtained from several web sites and message boards including www.playadelcarmeninfo.com and www.locogringo.com .