Is Playa del Carmen Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Group travel

Traveling to Playa del Carmen was one of the best experiences I’ve had. It was so lush and tropical, the culture was so rich and vibrant. It was very affordable to go out and explore and shop around local markets and streets. I never felt unsafe and it was mostly always populated and busy. Definitely will be going back!

Group travel

Playa del Carmen is beautiful but do not go in August it’s extremely hot and the beaches smell bad. I got a heat rash and burned my skin tremendously so I would say definitely visits just not in August

Group travel

I loved PDC and will be returning September 2024. I stayed at the reef 28 and I can't express how great they were! It's an adult's only AI and it's surprisingly inexpensive. It was a 5-minute walk to the beach, one block away from 5th avenue, I didn't feel unsafe walking around at night, lots of music and nightlife. Make sure to check out Xcaret! It's an Eco Park, we were able to float throughout an underground river, saw multiple animal, swam with dolphins, relaxed on the beach, watched native performances, I 100% plan to go back again! I was there for 5 days, not including flight and hotel, I spent about $700 (almost $200 of it was the price of swimming with the dolphins, which I highly suggest, it was a very spiritual experience)

Family travel

This is gonna be a long one lol I've been to Playa several times and love it Beautiful and generally quiet town in the middle of the "Costa Maya". The best part is how close everything is: Cancun is around 1 hour away, just like Tulum; Puerto Morelos is around 40 minutes away; if you wanna try snorkeling in Cozumel, just go downtown and head to the port to book a ferry; if you want to swim near sea turtles, Akumal is about 25-30 minutes from the city center, the Xcaret parks are also nearby (around 20 minutes by car from the city). If you want to have a less packed day, the Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue) is bursting with bars and restaurants to try. I'd totally recommend "Taco mx" on 10th Avenue for some real mexican flavor, "Rolandi's" for some italian, "Nikkori" for Japanese, and for an insta-worthy dessert, there are rose shaped gelatos at "Amorino" (there's two of them on 5th av). If you're looking for something more lowkey, there's also a really nice gelato place over 45th Av and 8th street, called chelatto. About accommodations, there's something for every budget and type of traveler: from all-inclusive luxury hotels, like Hilton, Marriot, Xcaret, Velas, and Wyndham, to hostels all over 5th and 10 Av, to airbnbs in the quieter areas (DM if you want more info on this one! I know a few property managers and could try to make finding a place to stay so much easier). Depending on where you stay, renting a car would usually make things easier, but it really depends on your schedule. For budget... eating out at restaurants is usually around 60-70 USD for two people (this includes non alcoholic drinks, entrees and main meals) and going to the grocery stores and buying food for 4-5 days, is usually around 80 USD. Feel free to DM me if you want more tips! I could even help with your schedule if you're having questions about it

Solo travel

Second time staying in PDC. Stayed in accommodation on 20th near the Alterna bus station. Feels very safe and quieter than staying between 5th-10th, with great food options that are cheaper than on 5th, while still being close to the beach and shops. Recommend taking the Ado bus to & from the airport it’s inexpensive & convenient.

Don’t walk alone after dark - always go places with someone. Know where not to go. If you’re in doubt, ask. I only ever take cabs and send my live location to a family member on WA. otherwise really good!