We would like to visit Playa Del Carmen on our own, I know you can go to downtown cancun and take a bus, has anyone done this, how did it work out etc. Also does anyone know how much a calveco(SORRY ABOUT THE SPELLING) would cost from the hotel zone. Thanks
The bus takes about an hour and it's somewhere around the $5 mark so it's pretty cheap. The bus stops at Playa del Carmen bus station without you having to ask, the buses are clean air conditioned and comfortable. As long as you can get yourself to the bus station in Cancun I dont foresee any problems. (I'm not sure what a "calveco" is)
Here is a post I did in the first timers thread......you should check out the thread for a ton of useful information. It tells you how to get to Cozumel, but, since you are only going to Playa, you can ignore the directions regarding getting to the ferry from the bus station in playa. Authored by: Normskid Getting to Cozumel From the hotel zone you need to catch a bus going downtown. Some of the buses that go downtown say "Bus station" right on the window & some don't. So before you get on any bus that says downtown, ask the bus driver if he goes to the bus station. The bus will leave the hotel zone and turn right onto Tulum Ave. When the bus turns right....which is the first turn it will make once it leaves the hotel zone, then your stop is a couple down...so be watching. You will be dropped off right in front of Commercial Mexicana, a grocery store. Wait for the bus to take off and the traffic to clear because you are going to have to cross traffic and cross the street. You won't see anything that looks like a bus station as you are standing there, due to the angle that the station sits.....trust me, it's there though. So cross the street and when you get to the other side of the road, turn right and walk down a bit...then you will see the buses in the back and just walk around to the front of the bus station. When you get inside, there is a line for Playa del Carmen an the bus leaves about every 10-15 minutes. Pay for your ticket $3.20us and go ahead and get on the bus. No assigned seating...just sit wherever you like. The bus is air conditioned & might get a tad nippy. There is storage room over the seats as well as in the bowel of the bus if you are taking gear with you. The ride will take about 45 minutes. The bus will stop at various spots an pick up & drop off folks. Yes...it will literally pull over to the side of the road to pick folks up & drop them off. Now...the bus station in Playa del Carmen sits on the corner of Juarez Ave & 5th Ave. When you walk out of the bus station, you will see a McDonalds, Dominos Pizza and a Bank ATM machine directly in front of you. As you are standing one 5th Ave., facing McDonalds/Dominos etc...turn to your right and walk to the corner. The corner is Juarez Ave. You can look down Juarez Ave. and see the ocean......Walk down Juarez Ave., towards the water to the end of the road, turn right & walk towards Sr. Frogs....which is the only way that you can turn at that point an remain on the road. Walk 2 blocks down to Calle 1 South & turn left at Calle 1 South an you will walk right into the ferry dock. Now....WARNING: The ticket booth closest to the ferry dock is a timeshare booth. They will offer you a free ferry ticket in exchange for you listening to a timeshare pitch. Avoid that booth unless you want to waste 3-4 hours of your day listening to a salespitch. Go to any other ticket booth to buy your ticket...the cost is the same at all of them so it doesn't matter which one you pick. The cost is 80 pesos one way & 146 pesos round trip. There are 2 different companies offering ferry service "Mexico Waterjects" & "Ultramar" .....ultramar is the newest, both cost the same, get a ticket for whichever one leaves next. Now....WARNING #2: Do not accept any free maps or other "stuff" from anyone who approaches you. They are all timeshare hawks....ignore them all!! Be leary of ANYONE who just walks up to you an starts talking to you....they are all selling timeshare. The ferry ride will take 30-45 minutes depending. When you get to Cozumel, there will be a taxi line to your left. If you need a taxi to get to a particular place, catch one. If you are just gonna hang out in town...everything is walking distance. Might wanna print this out now & take it with ya!!! BTW....5th Ave. is the "main drag" in Playa, so when you get back from Cozumel...it's worth strolling down 5th Ave. to find a nice restaruant or do a bit of shopping or people watching.
