Landscapes/
Cityscapes

Playa Del Carmen, Mayan Riviera
Riu Playacar Resort
by Daphne Wilson

Hotel Palacete de Cázulas—A Mansion of Memories
by John Towler

Old Orchard Beach
by Marie Logan

Family Fun in the Forest
by Rosalie Robison

Digging Through Mexico City's Museums
by Robert Craig

Nantucket: Nice Pants and an Attitude to Match
by James Lairdo

return to main
Archives

Landscapes/Cityscapes

Playa Del Carmen, Mayan Riviera
Riu Playacar Resort
by Daphne Wilson

Last December, my husband and I spent two very enjoyable weeks in the Riu Playacar Resort in Playa Del Carmen. Thirty years had passed since we drove all over the Yucatan, camping in our Econoline van with only a bed, a Coleman stove, and a porta-potti. In those days, the whole Mayan Coast was a swampy jungle. With the support of the Mexican Government, developers were in the early stages of building the first resort hotel in Cancun. Worldly know-it-alls that we were, we laughed at the Mexican government's naiveté to to think people would travel all that way to a resort. So last year we went back to eat our humble pie.

We stayed in the newly opened Riu Playacar. The place was all inclusive, 5 star and all that luxury (we went there because they had a special opening price for December). The rooms were immaculate. The staff was attentive and charming. The endless food was comparable to our cruise experience. We could lounge on the beach and watch swimmers, parasailers, windsurfers, pelicans, and an assortment of boats and cruise ships against the backdrop of distantly outlined Cozumel. The Riu is Spanish-owned, and we found the larger proportion of the tourists was from Europe. We struck up some interesting "ships that pass in the night" friendships with some of these people we met. You can taxi back and forth the ten-minute ride into the little town of Playa to shop for souvenirs or take the ferry to Cozumel. But we chose instead to walk the forty-five minute trek to the town along the paved walkway that passed by the other oceanfront resorts. You can take tours to Chichen Itsa, Uxmal, Tulum, Coban, and many other archaeological sites. You can snorkel and dive in the ocean rivers and cenotes. You can take bus tours or rent a car or a bike. It's a wonderful place to go, especially for the first time.

Having said that, we must admit the choice of activities was somewhat overwhelming for a couple of seniors. We had passed the stage where we could take full advantage of all the amenities, activities and unlimited booze this type of resort offers. We ended up spending much of our time enjoying the two large freeform pools, the warm ocean, and the food. Every night there was a performance in the semi-outdoor theatre. Some of the entertaining was by the staff and some was by professional performers. In the afternoons there was Bingo, translated into Spanish, German and Swedish. And target shooting on the beach. And organized activities in the children's playground.

We spent much of our time around the pools, listening to Mexican folk music alternating with disco. We were content to watch the aquasizers and the pool volleyball, and the dance lessons going on between the pools. On the beach, we amused ourselves by watching the antics of macho fat-gutted middle-aged men flaunting their flabby assets (which bulged out of thong bathing trunks) at cute topless young women. We were impressed at the sensible lack of vanity of topless big-boobed middle aged European women sunning themselves in comfortable abandon.

For us personally, although we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, we really didn't make the most of what was offered to us. Our adult children would have had a ball there.

So, for people who want to dance up to their ankles in sand at beach barbecues, take Latin dance lessons by the pool (and maybe show off and participate on the entertainment stage in the evening), work out in water and on the beach, dive and snorkel, windsurf, parasail, eat and drink all day, play golf next door, and climb up pyramids in 90 degree heat to see spectacular views, it's a great place to go and be a tourist and I heartily recommend it.

As for us, remembering our first trip along this coast back when we were travelers, not tourists, we miss the excitement it used to offer. I must confess that now I am at the stage where there is no way you could get me to spend a week driving along a swampy, mosquito infested jungle road and sleep on the roadside in a low van furnished with a bed and a hassock that turns into a porta-potti. Still, I miss that kind of adventure, but this time I was very happy to find the beautiful Riu Playacar waiting for me at the end of the road.