“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”
What a start to the new year it has been with a rare Polar Vortex settling over most of the US & Canada sending droves of us frozen people to the tropics! (Yes I was one of the lucky ones who got away to Playa del Carmen!)
Speaking of the tropics, lying on a beach sipping a cocktail with the crystalline ocean stretching into the horizon is a favorite pastime for many of us. Makes you feel all “tropically”! 😉
Given Playa del Carmen has been blessed with white powder sandy beaches, there are a number of areas where you can sit back and chill and enjoy this piece of paradise.
Luna Encantada (Beach & Calle 6)
Luna for starters enjoys a nice section of the beach, where you can enjoy private loungers & umbrellas with dedicated beach service. And you are mere steps to the infinity pool with has sweeping views of the beach and ocean. (The loungers are strictly for guests of Luna only, and you are free to bring your own cooler to the beach with food & drinks which is an added benefit of being a guest of Luna’s. Or you can have food & drink delivered from Fusion for an additional fee.)
El Faro (Beach & Calle 10)
El Faro enjoys one of the biggest pools in Playa with cozy day beds, and complimentary loungers & umbrellas on the beach for guests of El Faro. Wicky’s Restaurant is on site & offers food & beverage service to your lounger which makes it a relaxing experience. (Non-guests can rent the loungers for a small fee to enjoy beach privileges).
El Taj (part of the luxury Condo Hotel group) is a beautifully designed condo hotel which enjoys beautiful ocean 
views, umbrellas & loungers complimentary for guests of the hotel. Indigo Beach Club is on site, offering an upscale trendy club, with daily specials, tasty cocktails & BBQ on Sunday. It offers non-guests the use of the beach loungers & umbrellas for a small fee.
Indigo Beach Club (Calle 14)
as mentioned above offers guests of Condo Hotels (El Taj, Maya Villas, Porto Playa, Villas Sacbe) complimentary loungers & umbrellas. Beautiful ocean views with waiter service & daily food and drink specials is not too hard to take!
Heading to the North Beach you will find Canibal Royal Beach Club on Calle 48. It’s a 2 story beach restaurant 
designed in retro Fifties-style Brazilian architecture and has the look and feel of an old cruise ship. You can enjoy beach hammocks, day beds, lounging sofas & beach loungers with a $15 consumption purchase. A DJ spins tunes throughout the day & there’s a Jacuzzi on the roof to add to the atmosphere. (Note there are a lot of boats anchored in the water out front so swimming isn’t optimal without moving spots.)
Mamita’s Beach Club,
at Calle 28 has been the reigning king of beach clubs in Playa for the young international crowd! It enjoys one of the best beach locations with a huge beach & unobstructed views of the ocean. You can rent beach chairs & umbrellas and there is a “pricier” section of the club that offers an expensive lounger area with sun beds, champagne bar and DJ. Rental Rates chairs $ 2 USD – umbrella $ 2 USD – bed $ 5 USD / $10 USD (depending on the season) (Note it can been noisy due to Jet Skis & music. Be sure to ask for any rules about leaving your lounger to go for a walk or a swim.
Right next door is Kool Beach Club which is another trendy upscale club which enjoys a nice restaurant and a fun 
pool on the deck. They do have a bigger bar than Mamitas, but the beach area is smaller which can make it feel more crowded for some people. Prices tend to be upscale but according to some more reasonable than Mamita’s. Rental Rates: chairs $ 2 USD – umbrella $ 2 USD – bed $ 10 USD (Note it too suffers from noise & can get crowded)
The Beach Club at Grand Coral
offers a chic lounge experience with a sleek modern bar and world class restaurant all elevated above the sand. Sunbeds and beach chairs surround two infinity swimming pools which overlook a beautiful uncrowded section of the beach. Carretera Federal 307 km 294+700, Municipio Solidaridad, (About 6 km taxi ride from Playa)
Some of our favorite inexpensive spots to lounge beach front are:
El Pirata Beach & Calle 1. For the price of a drink/meal, you can enjoy their free loungers & umbrellas. Very laid back atmosphere, tasty inexpensive Mexican food, and very attentive service. (Ask for Armando)
Yan Tens Beach & Calle 4. Close to Luna Encantada. Small laid back restaurant with cheap drinks & fresh Mexican food 
along with kebobs & fish. This is no high-falutin’ place, more like a little beach-side cheap gem you go back to time after time! You can enjoy ocean front tables or sprawl out on their loungers for a small fee.
Fusion Beach & Calle 6.
Right next door to Luna! Mexican food and good breakfast. Live music daily; reggae, rock, Latin, belly dancing & fire shows nightly! A place to dig your feet in the sand with ocean views & great people watching!
La Terraya Beach & Calle 2. Fresh fish & seafood, Mexican food, cheap buckets of beer & margaritas Excellent chicken on a bun, Mayan fish dishes!
Wah Wahs Beach & Calle 2. Mon through Sat live music 1pm-4pm 2for1 Margaritas and 20 pesos drafts. Tues is 2×1 pizzas. Free loungers. Sunday offers BBQ buffet.
Coco Maya Beach Club Beach at Calle 12. Beach eats, sandwiches, Mexican fare, and music. DJ at night. Loungers & waiter service available for a fee.
Playa Maya Beach at Calle 6 & 8. Seafood, Mexican fare, salads, drinks specials. Excellent breakfast. Loungers & umbrellas offered for a small fee or free with food. Attentive service by Juan.
Zenzis
Beach & Calle 10. Offers international & Mexican cuisine, daily drink specials, DJ and Live at Five live bands. Sundays is BBQ on the beach for 120 pesos. Loungers, umbrellas, day beds. Nice ocean views.
This is just a snapshot of Playa’s beaches where you can wine & dine & enjoy ocean views. You don’t have to choose just one; why not visit them all! And send us your favorite beach spots to lounge in Playa!
Want to know more about our delicious condos & villas? Email us today at: info@yourbestgetaway.com
“PLAYA” Gal (a very satisfied client now working to promote Playa Beach Getaways!)
Contact Sally Foran: salgal@playabeachcondo.com ~~ PS Catch us on Facebook & Pinterest
Sally Foran is a happily married mom of 3, residing in Canada and is a frequent traveler to the Riviera Maya MX. She is an aficionado on ‘everything Playa del Carmen’ and writes with joy and passion about the area. She is also a witty blog contributor to Work & Family Foundation Canada, and NAVUT (offering professionals new to Ottawa the inside scoop!) Sally has also been awarded Blogger of the Week on TravelBlog.Org which enjoys over 250,000 bloggers world-wide.