16th Oct. 2016
The last time we were in Playa del Carmen it was a real case of culture shock. We had spent the previous three weeks in Cuba existing on a diet of rice and beans with a choice of chicken, pork or fish; there’d been the same two beers everywhere; the coffee was instant (and terrible). We’d had a great time but there were few luxuries and many of the things we’d previously taken for granted (like Internet access) were difficult or impossible to come by.
Then we arrived in Playa, and it was like a veil had been lifted – the shops were a riot of colour and the shelves were stacked. Within 50 yards of the bus station there was a Starbucks and proper coffee beckoned. The menus of the restaurants proclaimed any & every type of cuisine. All of the pubs had a variety of beer and, more importantly, WiFi that just worked. Very gringo and very tacky, but the complete antithesis of Cuba.
This time we aren’t arriving in the same sensory deprived state, but even so, Playa is still a shock – the shops, the number of tourists, the street vendors trying to sell you tours, tequila and tat. We now know enough to know that Playa isn’t representative of Mexico and we did know (mostly) what we were letting ourselves in for. What was a surprise was how much bigger and busier the town had become in just four years since we were last here. Starbucks was just where we remembered it (but now there are another two in town) but the hotel that we stayed in before has gone – it was right on the main street (Quinta Avenida) and it has been swallowed by shops, shops, shops.
When planning this part of the trip, we were never quite sure as to how to spend these 4 days before flying on South. Cancun was an obvious airport to fly out of, being by far the biggest in the area. Previously, we had so enjoyed our time in the Yucatan that we wanted to come back – both to see new places like Bacalar, yesterday, and to revisit some old favourites. We’d initially thought about staying in Tulum where there was one of our most memorable hotels, and the owner, Miroslava, who taught us “don’t be a gringo”.
In the end we decided to split the time between Chetumal and Playa and to fit a couple of day trips from those two centres. It’s a five hour bus journey between the two but before that we have the time for a final walk around Chetumal. As often happens with us, what starts out as a quick stroll to grab a couple of photos needed for the blog, turns in to a much longer loop down to the seafront and then along the curving Boulevard Bahia. There are a few monuments and a lighthouse for us to photograph and reflections in the puddles left by the early morning rain always bring some opportunities.
By the time we get back to the hotel we are very hot and sweaty forcing a change into my last (nearly) clean T-shirt. Not quite sure what I’m going to be wearing tomorrow and finding a laundry is going to be a very high priority. Given that yesterday’s taxi to Bacalar was so cheap, it’s an easy decision to take a taxi (rather than walk to find a collectivo) to the bus station. Then it is the usual routine of settle down on the bus, do what can be done on the blog and then catch up on my Economist and podcast listening.
Our hotel in Playa is a distinct step up from last time we were here. My recollection is that it was basic (fan rather than air conditioning) and rather funky (in its colour scheme at least). This time, our hotel is trying to be chic and trendy. Going from a $50 to a £50 budget per night has made a difference – even given the state of the pound in this post-Brexit referendum world.
Were we right to come back to Playa? Should we have stuck with our “never go back” policy? Walking around town it is easy to spot so much that is fake about Playa – even the lighthouse is actually an hotel / apartments. However, strolling along the beach as the sun sets, its easy to see all the things that are good about Playa – the clean, soft sand and the azure, warm sea near the top of the list. In the evening, we find a homely Italian restaurant close to the hotel but off the tourist trail and continue our discussion. Right or wrong is immaterial. You have to make choices and then live with them. Playa is far from being a bad choice.