Playacar holidays
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Holidays to Playacar serve up stylish hotels that perch on private patches of sand. And top top it all off, it's got its own world-class golf course.
A boutique resort
Playacar is the jewel of Mexico’s Mayan Riviera. Just south of Playa del Carmen on the Yucatan peninsula, it’s an exclusive gated community of luxurious hotels and trendy condo complexes. The place comes with its very own 18-hole championship golf course. Plus you’ve got cotton-white beaches, top dive spots and a stylish shopping mall right on your doorstep. Just so you know, the beaches on this stretch of coastline sometimes experience increased levels of seaweed – called sargassum. It’s influenced by the weather and ocean currents. If your hotel’s affected, the staff will do everything they can to clear it as quickly as possible.
White-sand beaches
This stretch of the Mexican coastline boasts some of the best beaches in the Caribbean – a skirt of hourglass-fine white sand runs alongside the turquoise blue sea, and lines of coconut palms provide some shady spots. And at most hotels, you can enjoy the view from your own private strip. There’s a nice breeze here, which is cooling for sunbathers and treats windsurfers to some helpfully choppy waves.
Top dive spots
The glass-clear waters and abundant marine life here are a magnet for divers and snorkellers, and all the hotels offer tuition and kit hire. There are reefs just off-shore for beginners, and underwater caverns and wrecks for the more experienced. Plus, nearby Cozumel Island has the world’s second-largest coral reef, where you can hear sea turtles singing to ward off predators.
Discover the ancient Mayans
Mayan sites come thick and fast round these parts. Just 45 minutes away is the Mayan walled city of Tulum with its castillo and Temple of the Frescoes. Then, a little further on, you'll find the impressive pyramid and statues of Chichen Itza. Over at Xcaret Theme Park, meanwhile, there’s chance to explore Mexican history through reconstructions of Mayan arts and culture.