Xaman Há, which means “water from the north,” is the name with which its original Maya settlers originally called this fascinating place. Xaman Há was the area where they had agreed to meet in order to go visit Ixchel, the goddess of love.
As a city, Playa del Carmen has grown and evolved in a notorious fashion and its population has grown significantly during the last 10 or 15 years ago; Playa, as the locals call it, however, has not lost its essence. It is located right in the heart of the Riviera Maya which has made it a starting point for those who are in search of new adventures, or a place to rest from the journey that they have embarked on; many others have discovered during their rest that Playa del Carmen is an excellent option to live, which in turn has generated a cultural mix that has turned the ancient Xaman Há into “international waters.”
Whenever you ask what you can do in Playa, you will be told more than once about the famous 5th Avenue, which has become the starting point where you can find, from souvenir shops to outstanding restaurants.
When you stroll down this street you will feel Playa’s heartbeat at its maximum intensity, and each of its arteries will make you recognize part of its identity.
One of the cultural and artistic events, which has been developing throughout time, is the jazz festival, which takes place every year, around the middle of November. This event attracts and gathers hundreds of tourists from all over the world and the best musicians of this genre in the best setting, the beach, with the sound of the ocean in the background and the stars as its main source of illumination. This way of mixing nature with art has turned it into one of the main and most anticipated events in this port.
Playa del Carmen is like Cancún’s sister, which, in spite of being a bit older and having grown in similar locations, is entirely different.
Playa developed a distinct personality; it took longer to mature, but now that it has done so, it has found its place in the spotlight.
By J.Martinez |
