Even without going shopping on Fifth Avenue, without eating in its luxurious restaurants and without diving in its exclusive parks, you can still enjoy the charming Playa del Carmen.
If you want to know how to do it, this article is for you, because the following are the 15 things to do in Playa del Carmen without money.
15 things to do in Playa del Carmen without money:
1. See the Papantla flyers show at Fundadores Park in Playa del Carmen
The voladores de Papantla are one of the most spectacular pre-Hispanic rituals in Mexico and one of the activities that causes the most curiosity among tourists.
It is a ceremony in which 4 indigenous people "fly" in a circle tied by their waists, while the caporal remains on the platform more than 20 meters high, playing a flute and a drum.
Each flyer represents one of the cardinal points in a ceremony that began as a tribute to fertility. It is believed to have arisen during the middle pre-classic period and was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.
You don't have to pay anything to see this show at the Fundadores Park in Playa del Carmen, with the dazzling Caribbean Sea in the background.
2. Walk on the beach in a beautiful sunset
Walk with your partner on the sand of the beach in one of the beautiful sunsets of the place. Stroll hand in hand as sunset materializes in its oranges, blues, pinks and purples.
The sunrises of Playa del Carmen are equally enchanting. You just have to get up early to admire them.
Read our guide on the 10 best places for a cheap vacation on the Beaches of Mexico
3. Admire the urban art of Playa del Carmen
In the streets of the city there are murals in which the artistic talent of beach painters and Mexicans has been captured.
One of the themes of inspiration is the Day of the Dead, an emblematic celebration in the country, including Hanal Pixán, the traditional Mayan food that is offered to the deceased on that date.
Playa del Carmen has many art galleries and street spaces where artists work and display their works. They set up on Thursdays between 26th and 30th streets of Fifth Avenue to show their work.
Another of these street art spaces is next to the Quinta Alegría shopping center.
4. Exercise outdoors
The walks and jogging on the city's beaches with the sound of the sea and breathing the purest air are comforting. They will allow you to burn the calories that you always earn on vacation.
A brisk walk through the trails of La Ceiba Park will have the same impact as exercising in a gym, but it will be free.
5. Swim and sunbathe on the beach
All the beaches in Playa del Carmen are public, so you don't have to pay to spread out your towel and spend some time sunbathing on the sand.
Although it is true that at the Mamitas Beach Club or the Kool Beach Club you will be more comfortable, you will have to spend money that you may want to save to eat and do other activities.
Walking north of Mamitas you will find a beach area as beautiful as the one at the club, but at no cost. Nearby you will have places to have a drink and eat a sandwich at good prices.
6. Look and let yourself be seen on Fifth Avenue
The Fifth Avenue of Playa del Carmen is the heart of the city and as glamorous as the New York, full of galleries, exclusive shops, cafes and restaurants.
It is not a place to go shopping or to have dinner if you have gone to Playa on a low budget, but you cannot miss it to take a picture in the most exclusive sector of the town.
It is possible that on the way down Fifth Avenue you will meet mariachis or Eagle warriors who will brighten up the time, without having to spend.
7. Watch a movie outdoors
The functions of the Playa del Carmen Cinema Club are screened in La Ceiba Park, in other public squares and in the Frida Kahlo Riviera Maya Museum. Although admission is free, they occasionally charge a minimal fee to maintain the place.
Movies from independent Mexican and international cinematography, short films, documentaries and animations of interest are screened at the Cine Club to promote learning and reflection among viewers.
8. Attend a theatrical performance on the beach
The City Theater opened in 2015 and since then it has become the favorite place of many in Playa del Carmen, where in addition to seeing theater and film performances, it serves as a meeting point for those who enjoy artistic culture.
Its acoustics are fantastic and make the theater's 736 spectators enjoy the experience even more. This is in the Chinchorro S / N Circuit in Playa del Carmen. The International Theater Festival and the Riviera Maya Film Festival have been held there.
9. Relax in La Ceiba Park
Since its inauguration in 2008, La Ceiba Park has become the main public space in Playa del Carmen, used for recreational and artistic activities and for cultural promotion.
Inside it has trails to walk and walk with your dogs, plus areas of tables for picnics.
In its green area there is an area for children's games with 2 rooms for indoor cultural activities. It also has a reading club where you can exchange books for editions in Spanish, English, French, German and other languages.
Conservation campaigns such as Save your Nest, Reduce your Footprint and Live Manglar are held in the park.
10. Get to know the Mayan ruins of Playacar
You can get to the ruins of Playacar by public transport and get to know the Mayan culture at no cost. Take water and food with you because there are no places to sell food.
Although these are not formally open to tourism, you can visit them informing of your visit to the subdivision in the access control.
In the place there was a Mayan fishing village called Xamanhá or “Agua del Norte”, which was one of the first settlements seen by the Spanish conquerors. Ruins of temples, residences and platforms are still preserved.
In Playacar you will also see a wall that surrounds the set of main buildings and fragments of a wall painting dated, according to the Mayan calendar, during the Late Postclassic Period.
Read our guide on the Top 15 best beaches to go on vacation in Mexico
11. Collaborate with the rescue and support of street dogs
SOS El Arca is an organization dedicated to rescuing street dogs in Playa del Carmen, to give them shelter.
They accept collaborations under 4 modalities:
1. Adoption: visitors can adopt a dog and if the dog must travel outside of Mexico, SOS El Arca helps with the procedures.
2. Sponsorship: the interested person sponsors a dog that continues to live in the shelter.
3. Donation: The organization accepts donations large and small in money, supplies and food.
Volunteering: volunteers help bathe and walk the dogs. They also work on the maintenance of the shelter.
12. Visit the Parque Fundadores and the Parroquia del Carmen
Carmen Parish was the main meeting place in Playa del Carmen before Fundadores Park was built. In addition to going to talk, the locals went to buy fish and draw water from a well.
The park is now a welcoming space in front of the sea and a must for those who stroll along Fifth Avenue and for those who go to the dock where boats leave for the island of Cozumel.
The chapel of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, patron saint of Playa, is located in front of the Parque Fundadores.
It is a sober white temple with a large window where you can see the sea, which has made it a favorite church for celebrating weddings.
13. Admire the encounter of a cenote with the beach
Cenotes are natural pools formed by the dissolution of limestone, a consequence of the action of groundwater and rain.
They are reservoirs of fresh and transparent waters with their own biodiversity, ideal for swimming and diving. They were sacred to the Mayans and their main source of fresh water in the Yucatan Peninsula. They were also scenes of rites with human sacrifices.
In Punta Esmeralda you can admire the meeting of the waters of a cenote with the sea, a place where you will arrive by taking a path at the north end of Fifth Avenue.
The meeting of the waters of the cenote with those of the Caribbean occurs in a paradisiacal environment and you will not pay to see it.
14. Become a mentor for a day
Collaborating with the KKIS project is one of the most generous things to do in Playa del Carmen without money.
The Keep Kids in School initiative supports bright children who cannot develop their full potential due to lack of continuity in their educational process. Join and work with educational communities to reduce dropouts.
Be a donor of school supplies and a member of the volunteer work in this noble work.
Contact KKIS in Playa del Carmen and agree with them the way you can collaborate, so that these kids stay in school.
15. Learn more about the Mexican in the markets
Of the things to do in Playa del Carmen without money visiting the tianguis or markets, is one of the activities that will make you know Mexico even more.
The tianguis are spaces for the purchase and sale of outdoor products since pre-Hispanic times.
They are generally mounted on weekends on the streets of cities and towns. Agricultural products, handicrafts, textiles, footwear, food, drinks and many other products are sold that allow to know the cultural essence of Mexico, in an active and colorful environment.
One of the busiest street markets in Playa del Carmen is the one that runs on Sundays on Calle 54, between Avenidas 10 and 30. Although its entrance is free, you will probably spend something because it is almost irresistible not to buy.
How much does it cost to eat in Playa del Carmen 2018?
Although they are more luxurious and expensive, in Playa del Carmen there are also restaurants where you can eat a full meal plus a drink, for less than 100 pesos (about $ 5 US dollars).
The following are some tips to save money while eating in Playa del Carmen:
1. Hotel with breakfast included: these hotels are good savings options. Just make sure your breakfast isn't a cup of cereal.
2. Self-catering accommodation: this type of accommodation will also help you save money, because you won't have to eat on the street.
3. Take advantage of the lunch offers: most of the offers at Playa restaurants are made for lunch. In some you can make a 2-course meal, dessert and drink, for less than 100 pesos. If you have a good lunch, you can have a lighter dinner.
4. Take advantage of the 2 x 1 in the bars: restaurants and beach bars offer the “happy hour” of the 2 × 1. It is normally between 4 pm and 7 pm.
Places to eat cheaply in Playa del Carmen 2018
1. Food market: popular place on Tenth Avenue, between streets 8 and 10, where workers and tourists who want to save money attend lunch. Mexican dishes are sold there.
2. Cochinita pibil stalls: these stalls serve tacos or a cochinita pibil cake, a typical Yucatecan delicacy, for 30 pesos.
3. Kaxapa Factory: Venezuelan restaurant on Calle 10 Norte specialized in cachapas, a delicious corn tortilla thicker than the Mexican made with soft grain dough and served with fresh cheese, for between 80 and 120 pesos.
4. El Tenedor: local home-made Italian food accompanied by a tasty artisan bread, on Avenida 10, between Calles 1 and 3. You pay between 80 and 120 pesos.
What to do in Playa del Carmen for free?
Playa de Carmen is also rich in free activities. Let's get to know them.
Attend the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival
The Riviera Maya Jazz Festival is held at Mamitas Beach at the end of November, with the participation of Quintana Roo, Mexican and international bands and performers. The event is free and you can enter with your drinks and meals.
Snorkel the reefs
The coral reefs of Playa del Carmen are rich in biodiversity of multicolored fish, other species of marine fauna and aquatic plants, ideal to enjoy a day of snorkeling at no cost.
Among the areas with good reefs are Punta Nizuc, Puerto Morelos and Paamul Bay.
Read our guide on the 10 best places to snorkel and dive in Cozumel
Activities in Playa del Carmen with little money
Everything in Playa de Carmen is sensations. Most of these activities will involve a lot of expenses, but others not so much. Let's get to know them.
Visit the Xcacel-Xcacelito turtle sanctuary
In the Xcacel-Xcacelito sea turtle sanctuary, these reptiles from the sea are protected from hunters who go for their meat and shells.
In this reserve south of Playa del Carmen along the federal highway from Tulum, they can nest free from danger.
The beautiful place is made up of beaches, mangroves, jungle, coral reefs and a beautiful cenote. Your entrance costs 25 pesos invested in maintenance.
Ride a bike
Rent for little money and get to know Playa de Carmen on a bicycle. Surely you can rent it in a place close to your accommodation.
Know Tulum
The majestic Mayan archaeological site of Tulum, with El Castillo and other structures, is 60 km from Playa del Carmen, in front of a wonderful beach with turquoise blue waters. The cost of entry is 65 pesos and you can get there by public transport.
Read our guide on the 15 things to do and see in Tulum
Dive in Akumal
Xel-Ha Park is probably the best place to dive in Playa del Carmen, but it will cost you about 100 USD.
Yal Ku Lagoon, Akumal, 39 km southwest of Playa, is almost as spectacular as Xel-Ha for diving, but at a cost less than 25 USD which includes lunch.
Visit the 3D Museum of Wonders
The 3D Museum of Wonders, in Plaza Pelícanos on Avenida 10, between Calles 8 and 10, exhibits 60 works by the artist, Kurt Wenner, known worldwide for the art of pavement. Guys will love the optical illusions their works provoke.
Learn more about the museum here.
See the sky at the Sayab Planetarium
It is the best place in Playa to see the stars, the Moon and Jupiter. It has 2 telescopes and the observation is day and night. Access costs MXN 40. It's on Calle 125 Norte.
What to do in Playa del Carmen when it rains without money?
With the following things to do in Playa del Carmen with rain, you will take advantage of the time while it clears, spending little money.
Attend the Riviera Maya Film Festival
The Riviera Maya Film Festival is held for a week at the beginning of April and is an opportunity to see good films from various countries of the world for free.
The screenings are held in cinemas, theaters, hotel lobbies and on giant screens installed on the beaches.
Enjoy the cheap clubs and bars
On the beach there are places with a pleasant atmosphere with good music and reasonable prices. Among these are Salsanera Raíces, La Reina Roja and Don Mezcal Bar.
What to do in Playa del Carmen at night without money?
Even at night there are things to do without money in Playa del Carmen.
Hang out under the stars
The sandy areas of Playa del Carmen are places to enjoy a starry night with the best company.
It will be even more pleasant with a good music selection on your mobile and a bottle of wine, while listening to the sound of the waves.
What to do in Playa del Carmen with children without money?
The children of the family who travel to Playa del Carmen with little money will also have free activities to do.
Meet the Crococun Zoo
Small zoo at km 3 of the road to Tulum with animals of the Yucatecan fauna such as lizards, crocodiles, primates, coatis, deer and birds with colorful plumage. Your admission is free for children under 5 years old.
The kids will not only see the animals, they will also be able to feed them.
Visit the Playacar aviary
Playacar is a small but beautiful aviary within the Playacar complex, with specimens of the tropical fauna of the area, it has herons, flamingos, toucans, pelicans, parrots and other species of birds. Children under 12 years old do not pay.
Cenotes in Playa del Carmen with little money
Near Playa del Carmen there are numerous cenotes, bodies of water that you can go to and spend little money. Among the most beautiful are the following:
Cenote Cristalino
It is an open cenote good for swimming 18 minutes from Playa del Carmen on the road to Tulum.
If you bring your things to snorkel you will see beautiful fish and rock formations. Nearby are the Cenote Azul and the Garden of Eden. It has stalls selling sandwiches and rent deck chairs.
Chaak Tun Cenote
It is a beautiful cenote in a cave that receives the sun's rays through an opening. "Chaak Tun" means in the Mayan language, "place where it rains stones", due to the beautiful rock formations that are in the place.
In the cenote you can swim and snorkel. Also take tours to see the stalactites and other stone structures and observe the fauna of the place.
Cenote Xcacelito
Open, small and divine cenote to cool off in a natural pool, inside the Xcacel-Xcacelito turtle sanctuary. You will enjoy it for only 25 MXN.
Do you know any other place in Playa that is good, nice and cheap? Share it with us and don't forget to send this article to your friends on social networks, so they also know what to do in Playa del Carmen without money.
