Well, it isn’t actually news that we are taking some time off travel-wise and have decided to stay some months in Playa del Carmen. We arrived here around easter and had planned to stay for a short time and then continue to Panama. Panama has been on our bucket list for a long time (I wrote about it here). Staying at the American Trade Hotel for a couple of nights is still on my personal bucket list, while Lasse dreams about seeing the immense Panama Canal.
But travel life hit us right in the face and we felt like we needed a break. A break from packing, un-packing and being on the go. So we decided to make Playa del Carmen our base for four months. A serious long period of time, but necessary for us as Lasse is doing an online web designer course and I really needed to dig into work again. Julian is in daycare every day and it’s good for all of us.
Why Playa?
Yeah, why? It isn’t necessarily the most interesting place to be culturally as here is not much to do other than going to the pool or beach (even though the beaches are not very attractive these days due to sargassum). What we found is that Playa offers all the things we need right now for a nice everyday:
- A nice apartment with pool at a low rate
- A great daycare for Julian just around the corner
- Plenty of nice cafés for sipping coffee while working
- An amazing gym just just 400 meters from home
- Possibility for a dozen of great day trips or weekend get-aways
Playa del Carmen offers a nice everyday life
The things above are actually all we need right now, so yes, Playa gives us everything we need these months. We felt a need of an everyday life for a period of time and Playa is great for just that.
On top of that we have met some nice people here and if there is one thing we have learned on this trip, it is that the people around you makes all the difference of feeling at home or not.
This was just a short update from Playa. I’ll be posting some more specific guides of the city shortly, mainly with tips for Digital Nomads who chose to pass by this little area of Mexico. Because honestly, I think this more ideal as a Digital Nomad destination (a very good one) than a holiday destination.
Next week we’re going to Guatemala and we look so much forward to travel with hand luggage only and having a home to return to.
Wish you a great weekend where ever you are!
We quit our jobs by the end of 2018 to travel and work online. Read about our decision here
My Travel Atelier 
“Travel life hit us right in the face” Smack! I know that feeling. And I can definitely vouch for Playa Del Carmen being an extremely good place for digital nomads. It also serves well as a base for going to Holbox, Bacalar, Cozumel, Valladolid, etc. 🙂
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Hi Michelle! We are living oddly similar lives traveling and working with a toddler. I think I just read all of your posts! I was curious, what daycare you put your son in in Playa del Carmen? Did you like it? How much was it?
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Hi Sarah – I’m Christina 🙂 Michelle is the girl who commented on the post 🙂
Our son was 4 months in Happy Kids in Playa del Carmen. https://www.estanciahappykids.com/
It is on Avenida 25 norte/Calle 32 norte. Well, it was fine and in general, we were happy, also because we lived just around the corner. But it’s not the best place honestly. The food wasn’t very good and it was a bit messy. But our son was happy 🙂 I think we paid around 3000 pesos/month, but I’m not 100% sure.
We live in Barcelona now and in retrospect, we probably wouldn’t have stayed that long in Playa at all, but that’s an whole other story 🙂
Where are you now? You must be settled somewhere during Covid-19, right?
Hugs,
Christina
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