Playa del Carmen, on Mexico's east coast, is a surprisingly pleasant place. The loud and boisterous seem to stay 45 minutes north in Cancun. Playa's hotels, shops and restaurants are small; the beach is pure white; and the ocean is a salty, light blue. Its main street -- 5th Ave. -- is for pedestrians (and a few cops with machine guns on ATVs), so no reason to drop money on cabs or buses.
Besides getting around, the food and drink is also very cheap. A place around the corner from our hotel served ceviche, my favorite food, for 25 pesos or two dollars. It's tricky at first because pesos are represented by the " $ " just like American dollars. That beer isn't $35, and the surf and turf isn't $299. They're $2.50 and $25, respectively. Now, I'm back in NYC and going to Clandestino. I'll check in again to let you know how much the cervezas cost.
Besides getting around, the food and drink is also very cheap. A place around the corner from our hotel served ceviche, my favorite food, for 25 pesos or two dollars. It's tricky at first because pesos are represented by the " $ " just like American dollars. That beer isn't $35, and the surf and turf isn't $299. They're $2.50 and $25, respectively. Now, I'm back in NYC and going to Clandestino. I'll check in again to let you know how much the cervezas cost.
