or<\/p>\n
Playa del Carmen? A more cosmopolitan sister city just 1\u00a0hour south.<\/p>\n
Obviously, I’m partial to Playa del Carmen<\/a>. But only a little.<\/p>\n You see, I lived in Cancun<\/strong> for a few years prior to moving to Playa del Carmen and found a lot to like about the city.<\/p>\n Allow me to begin by dispelling a few misguided notions about this Caribbean hotspot.<\/p>\n But first…<\/p>\n So how does Cancun stand up<\/strong> to Playa del Carmen where it matters most?<\/p>\n What are the defining factors that would make you choose one destination over the other?<\/p>\n Only a touch over 40, Cancun is a young town<\/strong><\/a> that real estate developers began to construct in the 1970s with the backing of the Mexican government.<\/p>\n Now with over 1.5 million inhabitants, Cancun is divided between the town on the mainland and the approximately 13-mile 7-shaped Hotel Zone that extends out between the Caribbean Sea and the Nichupte Lagoon<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n For many, Cancun is associated with the wild parties and uncontrollable throngs of horny Spring Breakers<\/strong><\/a>, free from the confines (and laws, or so they think) of the United States.<\/p>\n Likewise, Cancun is often cast as a highly Americanized<\/strong> city that is only considered Mexican because it is in Mexico.<\/p>\n Both are as true and as false as you perceive them to be.<\/p>\n For instance, I once read about the story of the mad Spring Breaker who destroyed the lobby<\/strong> of a hotel because they wouldn’t let him go to his room. Only after the police came and took him away did it dawn on him that he was at the wrong hotel!!!<\/p>\n But I digress.<\/p>\n Cancun is something special, and it is becoming even more so by the day thanks in large part to today’s youth.<\/p>\n You see, Cancun has its first generation of millennials who have started to open their own restaurants, bars, and shops, transforming the city in their likeness.<\/p>\n It’s a testament to the beauty, creativity, and spirit of Mexican culture.<\/p>\n WINNER: Cancun for breaking away from its stereotype and creating its own identity<\/strong><\/p>\n Back to top<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n Unfortunately for Cancun, this isn’t the town’s strong point.<\/p>\n Don’t get me wrong.<\/p>\n There are some nice attractions in the Hotel Zone.<\/p>\n It’s a great place to take a walk or go for a jog along the pedestrian path that runs the length of the L-shaped half-peninsula.<\/p>\n You can catch some pretty awesome sunsets on the lagoon side of the strip.<\/p>\n There are also a few great restaurants and of course a bevy of quality Cancun hotels.<\/p>\n However, Playa del Carmen’s 5th Avenue<\/strong><\/a> has one big advantage: its downtown, easily accessible to all, and<\/span> it’s only a block away from the beach.<\/p>\n Plus, unlike Cancun’s Hotel Zone, which has big swaths of walking paths and not much else (other than the hotels which don’t allow access to the beach and mostly block the view), Quintana Avenida as Fifth Avenue is lined with restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops up and down about 20 pedestrian blocks.<\/p>\n In other words, this one is an easy choice.<\/p>\n WINNER: Playa del Carmen<\/strong><\/p>\n Back to top<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n As much as I love Playa del Carmen and the town that easily took the crown for best shopping-hanging-out-restaurant-bar hip strip, I have to admit that the Playa del Carmen beaches have a hard time competing with those of Cancun.<\/p>\n The beaches in Playa del Carmen are beautiful, especially to the south in the residential area of Playacar<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n However, the fact that many stretches of beach are much narrower in Playa del Carmen then they are in Cancun, makes it’s hard not to give the latter the nod.<\/p>\n Cancun boasts 9 different public beaches.<\/p>\n The north-facing beaches tend to have more shallow waters which are ideal for families and children<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Their proximity to the lagoon and the underlying sea grass give these waters less of a stunning blue hue and more of a dark green appearance, but Playa Langosta, Playa Tortuga, and Playa Caracol are all good choices if blue is not your hue.<\/p>\n Further down the road, however, and the Caribbean Sea begins to display its mesmerizing colors, showing off a kaleidoscope of blue and green tones which change with the position of the sun and the presence, or lack thereof, of clouds.<\/p>\n Chac Mool and Playa Delfines are the two most popular places for a day at sea while resting on the white sand beaches<\/strong>.<\/p>\n For their part, the sometimes narrow stretches of powdery white sand make Playa del Carmen beaches the best choice for a day enjoying all the comforts, amenities, and music of some great beach clubs<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n While Mamita’s Beach Club and Blue Parrot are the most well-known, the smaller Canibal Royal, Lido’s and Wah Wah Beach Bar also make great choices.<\/p>\n WINNER: Cancun<\/strong><\/p>\n Back to top<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n Anyone whoever reads this blog knows my penchant for food<\/strong><\/a> goes beyond normal.<\/p>\n I don’t know if I would go so far as to qualify it as a disease, but food for me is definitely a passion.<\/p>\n I find it at the essence of a place’s identity and the most sincere expression of our common humanity.<\/p>\nCancun vs. Playa del Carmen<\/h2>\n
![\"Kid](\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/playadelcarmen.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLet’s have a look at the areas where it counts:<\/a><\/h5>\n
\n
\nThe Myths About Cancun<\/h3>\n
![\"aerial](\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/Cancun-43.jpg\")
\nBy Dronepicr<\/a> – Own work<\/span>, CC BY 3.0<\/a>, Link<\/a><\/p>\n
\nCancun’s Hotel Zone vs. Playa’s 5th Avenue<\/h3>\n
![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/5th-avenue-shopping-11-min-e1480433110807.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nCancun Beaches vs. Playa del Carmen Beaches<\/h3>\n
![\"Cancun](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/6\/62\/Cancun_Strand_Luftbild_%2822156904032%29.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nBy dronepicr<\/a> – Cancun Strand Luftbild<\/a>, CC BY 2.0<\/a>, Link<\/a><\/p>\n
\nPlaya del Carmen vs. Cancun for Foodies<\/h3>\n
![\"Fried](\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/the-royal-playa-del-carmen-20.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
![\"Sushi](\"https:\/\/www.playadelcarmen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cancun-playa-del-carmen-11.jpg\")
<\/p>\n