Day trips

The 14 Best Day Trips from Playa del Carmen

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 14 good day trips from Playa del Carmen, Mexico, led by Cancún, Cozumel, Valladolid. The closest is Cozumel, about 30 min by car, and 2 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Playa del Carmen at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Cancún65 km N1 hr 15 minFull-day trip
Cozumel20 km SE30 minHalf-day trip
Valladolid117 km W1 hr 50 minFull-day trip
Tizimín125 km NW1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Tulum61 km SW1 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Chemax89 km W1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Isla Mujeres76 km NE1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Espita134 km W2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Kantunilkín68 km NW1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Temozon118 km W1 hr 50 minFull-day trip
Puerto Aventuras21 km SW30 minHalf-day trip
Chichimila118 km W1 hr 50 minFull-day trip
Panabá144 km NW2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
X-Cán66 km NW1 hr 15 minFull-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Playa del Carmen

  1. 1

    Cancún, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car65 km north of Playa del Carmen2 hr 30 min round trip

    Known for Museo Subacuático de Arte.

  2. 2

    Cozumel, Mexico

    Half-day trip
    About 30 min by car20 km south-east of Playa del Carmen1 hr round trip
  3. 3

    Valladolid, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 50 min by car117 km west of Playa del Carmen3 hr 40 min round trip
  4. 4

    Tizimín, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car125 km north-west of Playa del Carmen3 hr 50 min round trip
  5. 5

    Tulum, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 10 min by car61 km south-west of Playa del Carmen2 hr 20 min round trip
  6. 6

    Chemax, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car89 km west of Playa del Carmen2 hr 50 min round trip
  7. 7

    Isla Mujeres, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car76 km north-east of Playa del Carmen3 hr round trip
  8. 8

    Espita, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car134 km west of Playa del Carmen4 hr 10 min round trip
  9. 9

    Kantunilkín, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car68 km north-west of Playa del Carmen2 hr 40 min round trip
  10. 10

    Temozon, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 50 min by car118 km west of Playa del Carmen3 hr 40 min round trip
  11. 11

    Puerto Aventuras, Mexico

    Half-day trip
    About 30 min by car21 km south-west of Playa del Carmen1 hr round trip
  12. 12

    Chichimila, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 50 min by car118 km west of Playa del Carmen3 hr 40 min round trip
  13. 13

    Panabá, Mexico

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car144 km north-west of Playa del Carmen4 hr 30 min round trip
  14. 14

    X-Cán, Mexico

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car66 km north-west of Playa del Carmen2 hr 30 min round trip

A sample day trip: Playa del Carmen to Cancún

A realistic pace for Cancún, 65 km from Playa del Carmen. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Playa del Carmen
  2. 09:45Arrive in Cancún (1 hr 15 min drive)
  3. 10:00Museo Subacuático de Arte
  4. 12:00Lunch
  5. 13:15Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Cancún
  6. 15:45Head back to Playa del Carmen
  7. 17:00Home in Playa del Carmen

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Playa del Carmen?
The best day trips from Playa del Carmen are Cancún, Cozumel, Valladolid, Tizimín, Tulum. The closest is Cozumel, about 30 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Playa del Carmen?
Cozumel is the closest, 20 km south-east of Playa del Carmen, roughly 30 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Playa del Carmen?
2 places are within about an hour's drive of Playa del Carmen: Cozumel (30 min), Puerto Aventuras (30 min).
What is the biggest city near Playa del Carmen for a day out?
Cancún is the largest city in day-trip range, 65 km north of Playa del Carmen and about 1 hr 15 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Playa del Carmen?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Panabá at 144 km, around 2 hr 15 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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