You can arrange to scuba dive, snorkel, sail, fish, windsurf, parasail, or even swim with dolphins and sky dive. A fast ferry runs hourly to take you to Cozumel where diving is fantastic.

Tours can be arranged to visit Mayan Ruins at Tulum or Chichen Itza. The Tulum tour also includes snorkeling at Xelha ( see additional entries), but it's too short a time to really enjoy all that Xelha has to offer.

A newly developed area, Playacar, about five minutes from Playa del Carmen, is a gated community with hotels - mostly all-inclusive, homes, condos, and small shopping centers. Cobblestone streets and walkways, decorative street lamps, neat landscaping, and palm trees give this area an upscale feeling (reminds me of Naples Florida in Mexico).

Quick Tips:

After 10pm the clubs become lively - the Blue Parrot and Captain Tutix seem to have the largest crowds. At night Playa del Carmen's Fifth Avenue becomes "pedestrian" with lots of activity - musicians, street vendors, promotors of timeshare, and restauranters inviting you to their restaurants. You can always negotiate a cervesa or a margarita for choosing their restaurant (ask before being seated). Many have a group playing or mariachis will stop by and ask if you would like a song (usually -4).

Best Way To Get Around:

The buses run frequently ( every hour to one and a half hours). Rental cars are about /day.

Fishermen''s has a nice pool with a fountain, waterfall, swim-up bar, and children''s shallower area. Kayaks are available along with snorkeling equipment and boogie boards. There are sailboats but they are not yet rigged!

A small gym, a new spa, and a bookcase full of books are available. There is a shaded area outfitted with hammocks that are so inviting. A concierge is present daily to arrange excursions.

There are hotel units - studios, 1br, and 2br units - most are bright and airy and well equipped for Mexico. They have full kitchens and balconies with ocean views from all but the hotel units (these are lock-offs from the 2 BR and face the back of the hotel). The master BR usually has a king Bed - the other BR has two queens and a pull-out in the living room. There are three TV''s -unfortunately the TV stations are mostly in Spanish.

Transportation to Playa is provided free at 9am, 11am,and 1pm. Bikes are also available. Two well stocked large grocery stores (Chedraui and San Francisco) have all you need to stock your condo with all that you are accustomed to.

The Beach bar serves snacks and sandwiches while the waterview restaurant offers breakfast and lunch buffets and a la carte dinner. Unfortunately, if you accept a time share exchange, there is a mandatory all-inclusive fee of $37 for breakfast and either lunch or dinner and drinks - or $29 not including alcoholic beverages - children are half price.

We heard from other guests that the food became tiresome - same thing every day. Lunch seemed better than dinner. You can get a free lunch or breakfast by attending a timeshare presentation.

As owners we have the option of taking the all-inclusive plan on a daily basis. We opt not to because Playa is so much fun and inexpensive.

You can walk to Playa along the beach or the road in about 15 minutes or take a $4 cab ride. The meals are inexpensive, and you can usually negotiate a free beer or margarita.

On Sunday nights all guests are invited to "Captain Bob''s", a restaurant owned by the general manager of timeshare sales for a cocktail hour. They have live music, drawings for prizes, and dancing. Most guests stay on for dinner but it is not mandatory.

We purchased here because it is small, the units are so close to the ocean, and the resort is friendly. Do beware of the timeshare salespeople - they promise you everything - get it in writing!

There is some construction of new units going on, but it was quiet when we were there for three weeks and they have discretely isolated it behind painted walls that have ocean scenes on them.

We were offered $200 in spa credit to listen to an update on timeshares. We took advantage of it and had four GREAT massages in a canopied area by the pool surrounded by diaphanous curtains.

Don''t go to this resort expecting to be entertained - come here to relax and enjoy the water.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

Who knew that we would fall upon one of the gems of Playa Del Carmen. This is an open-air restaurant a little further toward the water than the Blue Lobster.

Mariachis were serenading a group of six diners. A blackboard special for $10/person was interesting and a pleasant gentleman invited us in. Two other diners were shaking their head "yes" and motioned that the food was good.

We asked for and received a "free margarita". The special was a baby spinach salad vinagrette and fish filet stuffed with crabmeat.

Service was attentive and friendly. The food excellent and well presented. The portions large and served with fresh steamed vegetables.

Mariachis played at different tables for perhaps 25 minutes - a nice touch - they will play as long as they are tipped. Some groups ask for $3 - $4 per request.

The regular menu was quite large and offered soups, salads, appetizers, pizzas, pastas, fish, chicken, shrimp, veal and lobster dishes.

Most items ranged from $8.00 - $15.00. The blackboard specials (2 per evening)were always $10 per person.

The pizzas are from a wood-burning oven and are good to share as an appetizer but the other offerings really make you aware of how good the "chefs" are. Don't order only a pizza. You'd be missing out on the best part.

One night we had a special of beef carpaccio with olive oil and capers with parmesan shavings followed by Lobster and Shrimp in a spicy marinara sauce over penne.

At around 10PM the pedestrian traffic begins - Everyone is going to the Blue Parrot for dancing on the beach. It's fun to watch and I'm sure you'll be enticed to follow the crowd.

Jorge, the restaurant owner,claims to have played bongos with Jerry Garcia and has owned restaurants in Austin (Texas), New Orleans and Holland.

Da Gabi serves the BEST Fried Calamari that we've ever had - I would suggest a dinner size portion - we shared an appetizer.

Other great dishes that we sampled were - Chicken Saltimbocca, grilled fish with grilled vegetables, Chicken Jackson and pizzas.

This is the best Italian restaurant in Playa - on a quiet dark street - with attentive service and best of all great prices. Don't miss it !!

You''ll be invited in by a host/hostess who "works" the street - most times you can negotiate a drink (if it''s not too busy). From 5th Avenue you can see a large rectangular bar. As you enter you go down a large, wide staircase to the bar/restaurant area.

This restaurant has undergone theme changes over the years - last year it was "Pancho Villa" - this year it is "Frida" (painter Frida Kahlo who was married to muralist Diego Rivera). The bar itself has laminated paintings of Frida (you know her - the one with the monobrow) and a huge mural of her 20''/30'' above the bar. Very trendy.

The hostess, aka "Frida" (also with the monobrow), is the English speaking person who is mainly stationed behind the bar...but she will come to the rescue if there are any language problems or questions about the menu.

It''s really an open-air restaurant with no roof, but the humongous palm trees provide protection in all but the very inclement weather and the "jungle-like" atmosphere is very romantic.

We especially enjoy the pastas -- lobster ravioli and black spaghetti with shrimp scampi. They also feature the usual grilled meats and seafood.

Tables for dining are set around a pond that has a bridge with stairs leading to a 2nd level. Fans provide a cooler atmosphere at this higher level.

The service is pleasant, the food good, and our favorite reason to return was the Mexican and Spanish coffees.

This is a production well worth the $5 price tag. Two or three bartenders set up a "Flambe trolley" - the rim of your stam glass is dipped in lime - then a sugar and cinnamon mixture and flamed to make it adhere.

Then the Kahlua is flamed - poured from glass to glass in flames. Brandy is then ignited and poured from gravy boat to gravy boat into the glass. When the flames subside and the camera flashes are done, coffee is added, and then to top it all off - a BIG scoop of ice cream.

This show lasts for about 5 minutes - stop by for a pre-dinner drink, a meal or a flaming coffee, you''ll love it I guarantee. And you''ll be back.

It is on the corner of 5th Avenue and ?8th St. There is a gift shop downstairs and a winding staircase to the second floor where the restaurant is.

We were intrigued with the menu - beef goulash and chicken Zurich with Spaetzle - in Mexico and with temperatures in the 80's. We think of this as cold weather dining by a fireplace.

The guys really wanted to try this - so we negotiated free margaritas - It was great !!! There are two sections to the restaurant. One overlooking 5th Avenue and one overlooking the ocean and cozumel in the distance (you must look between the trees). We have dined in both - The street side is interesting and you can sometimes hear music - the other is more romantic and cool because of the fans and breezes.

These two meals are $10 each and include a salad - lettuce, beets, carrots, potato salad - the kind you get in a german or Austrian restaurant.

The owners are always there to greet you - service is very good and the food excellent. We've recommended this restaurant to many hotel guests and none have been disappointed except for one fish meal that was dry. Lobster is expensive.

Go soon before they realize that they can charge more for their meals. You won't be disappointed.

We dine here at least twice a week when in Playacar.

Located halfway between touristy Cancun and the coastal Mayan city of Tulum, and only three miles from the ferry dock in Playa del Carmen, the location is perfect for a one day diversion.

The wide range of activities appeal to many - adventure seekers can dive on a coral reef or interact with the dolphins (for and extra charge). History buffs can tour Maya sites, others can wander through the park to see butterflies, birds, wild animals, and mushrooms. Everyone can relax on the beach or even get a massage (again extra).

There are two rivers flowing through the partk - explorers can either swim along ( with a life vest) or snorkel to enjoy the underwater life. One of these is underground with light shining through the openings in the cavern walls - the other passes through a recreated mayan village.

Admission is about $45 - $50 per person, but you can spend all day enjoying the park - shower - change, and stay into the evening for a two hour spectacular Mayan performance in a huge theatre involving more than 200 performers.

When cruise ships are in port it can be busy - go on a weekend if possible and it's worth toting along your snorkeling gear (it's expensive to rent).

Unfortunately we found no discounts for this park. The Occidental Grand Xcaret is attached to this park via manmade canals and admission here is free during your stay.

I have read that it is unlimited admission everyday, but when we visited last summer it was limited to one visit per stay after the 15th of August - before that it was daily. If this is important to you, call the hotel directly and ask for the specific dates that you will be staying there.

You can get there by bus from Playa del Carmen if you don't have a car. Entrance fee is about $30 - $50 if you want the all-inclusive food and beverage plan. We never seem to have enough time to want to spend it eating and drinking.

Lockers and rental snorkeling equipment are available (tote yours along if you can - it's pricey). Life vests and floating tubes are complimentary.

Restaurants and bars are scattered throughout the park - strolling musicians provide entertainment - lounge chairs are everywhere under palm trees to shade you from the hot sun.

Snorkeling is incredible, especially near the floating bridge - ask when they are going to feed the fish and make sure that you're there (the biggest fish I have ever seen - almost scary but I just had to get in there with them). This is not to be missed.

There's a flowing river that goes through caverns, ropes that you can swing on to jump into a pool, caves that you can snorkel in - can you tell that I'm excited?

There is a train that takes you through part of the park. They safeguard your belongings until you appear at the other end.

For the less adventuresome there are teak lounge chairs, massages, an aviary, or the beach (a little corally) for quiet relaxation.

This park is less "touristy" than Xcaret - that's what we like about it. Try it once - I'll bet you'll be hooked! Let me know.

The cafes in the central plaza tend to be more expensive because there is more visitor traffic there due to the proximity of the bus station and the ferry dock.

If you're willing to venture onto 5th avenue and the side streets you'll find one to suit you price wise and with different ambiance.

Some are very neat, clean, well-lit, high speed and airconditioned. Others are slower with older computers. Some are attached to restaurants (like Karen's on 5th Avenue). You can also hear the musicians intertaining in the restaurant.

One that we frequented was between 5th avenue and the beach (on 4th st. - turn at the corner of Casa Del Aqua). There is a small bar outside. Happy hour is at 8PM with "two for ones". The bartender serves you inside the cafe and there is complimentary popcorn.

A different film shows in the cafe every night. Some pay admission to watch - if you're on the internet it's free. The movies are usually Spanish with sub-titles. This room is particularly dimly lit.

People are friendly, speak a little English and if the computer is too slow they charge you less. It's a casual fun time keeping in touch with those not as fortunate as you to be in Playa del Carmen.

When you leave it's a few steps to the beach or the restaurants in town to finish enjoying the evening.

Some of the sharks are on land as timeshare salespersons that work for the notorious Sunset Group that realtors claim are known for high-pressure tactics and utter disregard for the truth.

They will tell you that they own 90% of the resort. In fact, they may only own 40%-60% of the units; I counted 16 privately-owned units out of 40. They will tell you that all the units are like the model. You know better because they are all individually owned, which means you can expect all sorts of furnishings. Some are well equipped, others not.

You are shown sailboats, small boats, and kayaks around the premises for your use. I’ve only seen kayaks out . . . sailboats don’t even have riggings!

The setting and beach are beautiful, probably none better in Riviera Maya. But don’t be taken by this beauty or you will really be taken.

TV reception is poor, with only 4-5 channels available, and most of them in Spanish. Other resorts in the area have myriads of channels.

Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style and only average for this area. Dinner is really quiet with an average menu and no music (not even recorded) in the dining room. I was told by one employee that this is because the G.M. of Timeshare Sales has a restaurant in town with a larger and more expensive menu, live music, and a TV with all the stations for sports events. Hmmm.

Kitchens come variously equipped, but note--there is no hot water--just warm-- to wash dishes or take a shower. The conditions aren't very sanitary. After going there three years (we are owners) this condition hasn't improved, and it appears maintenance is falling behind. The resort has lovely outside lights (of a fish motif) that create great mood lighting, but on our last visit (10/02), only a few were lit. Most balconies have different furniture (some have more).

Problem--This could become the premier timeshare property in the area, but it doesn’t appear that any of the promises made at timeshare sales will ever come to fruition. Most previous timeshare salespersons were fired and a high-pressure team from Mayan Palace has taken their place: The word NO is not in their vocabulary.

I suspect this group's next under-handed scheme will be to make it an all-inclusive resort like they did with the other two Sunset Properties, and force members to eat all their meals there and miss out on the huge variety of restaurants in Playa del Carmen, which is only a quick 15-minute walk away.

Word to the wise: If you consider taking a chance on ownership here, make sure ALL promises are in writing and signed by the G.M. before you buy. A recurring theme here is that your salesman (or closer) moves on to a new location and the remaining management disassociates themselves from the promises by claiming they had no idea that someone had misrepresented them at the time of sale. Tsk tsk.