Best Time to Visit Playa Del Carmen in 2024

Playa del Carmen was originally a little fishing community named “Xaman-Ha.” Yes, this coastal gem has come a long way from its humble beginnings, now welcoming over 15 million tourists yearly.

The allure of Playa del Carmen has no boundaries — year-round balmy weather, tropical climate, a seductive blend of blue waters and powdery beaches, and a charming escape from everyday life.

Let’s go into the specifics and discover the best time to visit Playa del Carmen corresponds to your travel preferences, ensuring a wonderful and enjoyable vacation in this tropical paradise.

Best Weather: When Every Day Feels Like a Perfect 10

Playa del Carmen promises the best weather in the dry season, which runs from December to April.

This is the time of the month when Playa del Carmen enjoys nothing but sunny days and calm seas — so rain and hurricanes are absolutely out of the radar during these months. Great!

During the winter months, spanning from December to February, Playa del Carmen boasts inviting average daily temperatures of 83.7°F (28.7°C), nightly lows of 69.1°F (20.6°C), and water temperatures of 81°F (27°C). It doesn’t get much better than that!

Except when it does — the March to April period brings even better weather, with average daily temperatures of 88.7°F (31.5°C), nightly lows of 70.7°F (21.5°C), and water temperatures of 80.42°F (26.9°C). With the weather this pleasant, you don’t have to invite us twice!

Fun Things to Do

Now let’s look at what you can do when the weather is at its best. Spoiler alert — everything!

Go to the beach and get that glowy, bronze tan on what’s arguably the best beaches in Mexico, such as Playa Mamitas and Playa del Carmen Beach. If you’re in the mood for water adventures, engage in some water sports like scuba diving or paddleboarding.

If you like to get festive, then you’re in for a treat, as the dry season has some of the best events and festivals — there’s the New Year’s Eve, Christmas, BPM Festival, Valentine’s Day,  Playa del Carmen Carnaval, Spring Equinox, Spring break, Holy Week, and Riviera Maya Film Festival.

If you’re looking to try out jungle activities, visit Xcaret Park, Xplor Park, and Xel-Há Park, where you can zip-line, hike, and swim in cenotes. If, on the other hand, you love observing wildlife, you must go to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. And that’s without mentioning the pyramids of Mexico! Although they aren’t specifically in Playa del Carmen, two ancient sites nearby are worth seeing: the Tulum ruins and the Coba Nohoch Mul pyramid.

See? Endless possibilities for fun!

Best Prices & No Crowds: When to Score Big on Savings and Serenity?

Playa del Carmen is at its most serene and budget-friendly in the shoulder season and off-season.

The shoulder season is in February and March, right after the Christmas festivities, and in July and August, right before the heaviest yearly rain and hurricanes.

The shoulder season in Playa del Carmen is marked by fewer visitors, but the city maintains a nice balance between not being too busy and not being too monotonous. The prices are not extremely low, but they are reasonable enough for you to have the budget-friendly holiday of your dreams.

The weather in February and March is perfect — dry and sunny, with average temperatures of up to 85°F (29°C). July and August are hot and humid, but they are also the months with the most sunshine (11 hours). Because they are in Playa del Carmen’s wet season, expect some rainy days, especially in August (4.3 inches/109.5 millimeters of precipitation).

The off-season is in May and June, right after Spring break, and September and October, which are peak hurricane months.

The off-season is by far the most affordable time to visit Playa del Carmen for flights, hotel reservations, tours, and other activities. Plus, the city is so low on tourists that you’ll feel as if you have the resorts all to yourself — it’s an absolute paradise of solitude.

That said, the weather in all four months is very similar, revolving around 91.4°F (33°C). May is a semi-dry month (3.4 inches/88 millimeters), whereas June is somewhat wetter (5.4 inches/137 millimeters). September and October are when the level of rain is at its highest — reaching up to 8.8 inches/224 millimeters.

Fun Things to Do

Oh boy, the plethora of activities waiting for you in the off-season and shoulder season — and cheaper prices, too!

When the weather is nice, you can enjoy the beautiful beaches of Playa del Carmen — drink a margarita at a bar, lay on the beach and get a nice tan, swim in the beautiful turquoise waters, snorkel in the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, or engage in water sports like kayaking, paddle boarding, and jet skiing. Sunny weather also invites a trip to the jungle. As you can see, the potential activities are largely the same as in the high season.

In times of rain, however, wave goodbye to the beaches and jungle but say hello to the cafes, restaurants, local markets, museums, and plazas. We highly recommend paying a visit to the 3D Museum of Wonders, a fantastic creative place where optical illusions appear to come to life when taken from specific angles. You could also go on a little shopping spree or indulge in some liquor until the rain stops, and there’s no better place than Quinta Alegria for clothes or souvenirs or Hacienda Tequila for those interested in Mexican spirits.

Worst Time to Visit Playa Del Carmen

Even the land of the eternal sun has months that some may consider as not ideal. Those months are the holiday winter season, Spring break, sargassum bloom, and hurricane season.

The holiday season (mid-December to mid-January) and Spring break (March and early April) are when Playa del Carmen is at its busiest and most expensive — skip these if you aren’t a fan of big crowds and hefty prices.

The seaweed bloom in Playa del Carmen happens between May and August. During these months, the currents carry significant amounts of seaweed to Playa del Carmen, making it difficult to swim, snorkel, take a boat ride, or surf. Worse, they smell so horrible that they even ruin a day sunbathing on the beach.

If you’re more of a sun-chaser than a rain-dancer, you might want to cross off August to October, as these are the months with the highest level of precipitation and when the peak hurricane season happens. 

The peak hurricane season in Playa del Carmen is from mid-August to October, but luckily, this coastal town hasn’t been hit by a hurricane since 2005, so while it’s wise to stay up to date on weather alerts, the chances of a hurricane ruining your vacation in the off-season are fairly low.

And there you have it, the inside scoop! Just a friendly reminder: don’t confuse these months for “the worst,” as they’re only bad in aspects where they may or may not meet one’s expectations. So, it’s better to be informed now than to have a holiday “whoopsie” later.

Conclusion

Playa del Carmen’s attractiveness is undeniably year-round, but particular months may be a better fit for your perfect holiday.

For instance, December through April offer nothing but sun-kissed days — the rain takes a break, and hurricanes are only a distant memory. September and October usher in a tranquil symphony of uncrowded beaches and cost-effective delights — ideal for people who like a chill vacay that won’t empty their pockets too much.

May and June are our personal favorites — combining all of the best qualities into one amazing experience: delightful weather, little rain, hurricane hush, crowd-free shores, and cheap deals that practically wink at you.

So, which is the best time for you? Do you agree with our choice or do you aim for something different, for example, the lively months of December or April?

Whichever your choice may be, we hope that we’ve helped you find your ideal time to visit the magical coastal gem. Here’s to a safe vacation and everlasting memories in Playa del Carmen!