Playa Del Carmen is almost an hour south of Cancun, but a lot further away as a resort town. With a population over 20,000, it's spreading up and down the coast. This is where you can catch the ferry to Cozumel, which is a 30-minute trip you won't forget if the sea is up. Playa Del Carmen has a lot of beach, just like the vast majority of this Quiantana Roo coast. The town spills off the land and over the beach, sometimes making it had to get along the beachfront. Many new hotels are being built, along with assorted tourist attractions, starting at the beach/town center and radiating out. The city turns much more Mexican as you get a few blocks away from the beach, although it doesn't stop being a tourist center.