While Playa del Carmen was once a sleepy fishing village nearby Cancun, it has now become one of the most popular sun holidays. With over 300 days of sun each year, it has the perfect climate to guarantee plenty of outdoor time.
The Riviera Maya is home to incredible natural landscapes including long stretches of beach, caves, cenotes and other beautiful scenery. It makes for a great family vacation as there’s so much to do, here are adventure activities you kids will love.
1) Cenotes
There are hundreds of cenotes, similar to sink holes in the Rivera Maya. While some are hard to reach or enter there are many that have been developed for tourism. This is something you can only experience in the Riviera Maya and perfect for children of any age who can swim with confidence.
It’s easy to find tour operators selling a variety of these day trips. You’ll want to bring a waterproof camera for this one.
2) Ziplining
The local adventure parks are a great way to spend the day. Xplor is an eco adventure park with plenty to keep children of all ages busy. Older kids love the 14 ziplines in the park that have unparalleled views of the area.
3) Snorkelling
The turquoise Caribbean Sea is perfect for snorkelling. If you don’t have your own equipment it is easy to rent in the hotels or with tour groups. There’s enough marine life that smaller children can do it at the beach or older children can take snorkel tours that feature coral reefs and swimming with turtles.
4) Scuba
For those with the proper certification, children can not only scuba dive in the ocean, but also in the cenotes.
There are many opportunities to scuba dive in underground caves, rivers and tunnel passages that dotted throughout the region.
5) Buggy Tours
Head into the jungle on a 4×4 buggy to explore the natural flora and fauna of the Riviera Maya. It can get a bit wet and muddy so kids will need to come with a sense of adventure. Most tours also combine a cenote swim. It’s a great way to get away from the tourist attractions and into nature.
6) Spelunking
Playa del Carmen is home to many underground caves that are worth exploring and safe for older children. Rio Secreto is only a few kilometres south and offers a half day tour exploring the flooded caves.
Kids can learn all about stalagmites, stalactites while hiking and swimming through this special place.
7) Horseback Riding
There’s nothing more memorable than riding a horse along a picturesque beach. Many horseback tours combine a ride with a swim to a cenote and welcome all levels of experience.
In some cases tour operators work with ranches that rescue horses and it’s a great learning opportunity for children.
8) Sport Fishing on a Private Charter
Something unique for older children traveling to Playa del Carmen. Families can spend the day out on the open water safely a kilometre away from shore. It’s common for half day or full day excursions and most trips encounter local dolphins and sea lions along the way.
In all of these cases tour operators offer the option to pick up and drop off from your hotel. These adventure activities are the perfect way for families to explore the natural beauty of Playa del Carmen.
If your kids are up for adventure also consider family friendly Nicaragua.
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