Playa del Carmen

This is an encyclopedia article. For a travel guide see Playa del Carmen.
Playa del Carmen
City
Aerial view of Playa del Carmen
Aerial view of Playa del Carmen
Nickname(s): 
Playa, PDC
Playa del Carmen is located in Quintana Roo
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is located in Mexico
Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen
Coordinates: 20°37′41″N 87°04′32″W / 20.6281425°N 87.0755°W / 20.6281425; -87.0755
CountryMexico
StateQuintana Roo
MunicipalitySolidaridad
Founded1937
Government
 • MayorRoxana Lili Campos Miranda 2021–2024
Elevation
10 m (30 ft)
Population
 (2020[1])
 • City
304 942
 • Urban
304 942
DemonymPlayense
Time zoneUTC-5 (Southeast (US Eastern))
Postal codes
77710, 77720
Area code984
Websitegobiernodesolidaridad.gob.mx Edit this at Wikidata

Playa del Carmen, known colloquially as 'Playa', is a resort city located along the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. It is part of the municipality of Solidaridad. As of 2020, the city's population was just over 300,000 people during 2020, a small yet thriving portion of which are foreign immigrants.[2]

Playa del Carmen is a popular tourist destination in Mexico's Riviera Maya region. Its current growth rate is set at 7.5% per year. According to the Guinness World Records, it is one of Latin America's fastest growing communities. In 2016, the city was the tenth most popular international travel destination for U.S. travelers, and over a million tourists passed through the city a year later.[3][4] The main airport for Playa is the Cancún International Airport, which is around 70 kilometres (43 mi) away.

The area is known for its white sand beaches, blue turquoise waters, coral reefs, surrounding rainforests, and balnearios. The downtown area of the city revolves around Quinta Avenida, a busy pedestrian thoroughfare lined with many shops, clubs, and restaurants. The weather is hot year-round, with the summer and winter breaks being peak season for tourism.[5]

  1. ^ "2020 census". inegi.org.mx.
  2. ^ "Population of Playa del Carmen 2022 – Mexico". aznations.com. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  3. ^ "Rapid Growth Rates for Playa". All About Playa del Carmen. 2011-03-24. Retrieved 2022-06-11.
  4. ^ "Number of tourists by origin Playa del Carmen, Mexico". Statista. Retrieved 2022-06-11.
  5. ^ "Best times to visit Playa Del Carmen".