Playa del Carmen
Playa del Carmen | |
|---|---|
City | |
Sculpture in Parque Fundadores | |
| Nickname(s): Playa, PDC | |
| Coordinates: 20°37′41″N 87°04′32″W / 20.6281425°N 87.0755°W | |
| Country | Mexico |
| State | Quintana Roo |
| Municipality | Solidaridad |
| Founded | 1937 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Roxana Lili Campos Miranda 2021–2024 |
| Area | |
• City | 49.8 km2 (19.2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 10 m (30 ft) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 304,942 |
| • Density | 6,100/km2 (16,000/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 304,942 |
| Demonym | Playense |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Southeast (US Eastern)) |
| Postal codes | 77710, 77720 |
| Area code | 984 |
| Website | letsplaya |
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Playa del Carmen, known colloquially as Playa, is a resort city located along the Caribbean Sea in the southeastern state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. It is part of the municipality of Solidaridad. As of 2020, the city's population was just over 300,000 people during 2020, a small yet thriving portion of which are foreign immigrants.
Playa del Carmen is a popular tourist destination in Mexico's Riviera Maya region. Its current growth rate is set at 7.5% per year. According to Guinness World Records, it is one of Latin America's fastest-growing communities. In 2016, the city was the tenth most popular international travel destination for U.S. travelers, and more than one million tourists passed through the city a year later. The main airport for Playa is the Cancún International Airport, which is around 70 kilometres (43 mi) away.
The area is known for its white sand beaches, blue turquoise waters, coral reefs, surrounding rainforests, and balnearios. The downtown area of the city revolves around Quinta Avenida, a busy pedestrian thoroughfare lined with many shops, clubs, and restaurants. The weather is hot year-round. The summer and winter breaks are peak season for tourism.