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Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Stay in Playa del Carmen: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

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About Playa del Carmen

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces SE, so wind from the NW blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 30°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing SE. Wind from the SE blows onshore, wind from the NW blows out to sea, and wind from the SW or NE runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 11). The sea is about 27°C in January, its coldest month (no wetsuit), and 30°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For kitesurfing at expert level the best month is usually March, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Playa del Carmen.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 8 h 10 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to CZM, direct.

    See flights ORD → CZM · Skyscanner from about £195 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 40 min from the airport to Playa del Carmen.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Playa del CarmenAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Playa del Carmen · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Playa del Carmen · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Playa del Carmen on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Mon 26: 12 kn gusting 28, side-shore. Water: chop.

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct09knoffnot safeflat
Mon 19Oct08kncross-offflat
Tue 20Oct08knsideflat
Wed 21Oct1722knsidechop
Thu 22Oct013knoffnot safeflat
Fri 23Oct011kncross-offflat
Sat 24Oct011knoffnot safeflat
Sun 25Oct012knoffnot safeflat
Mon 26Oct4128knsidechop
Tue 27Oct014kncross-offflat

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan1of 7
  2. Feb1of 7
  3. Mar2of 7
  4. Apr1of 7
  5. May0of 7
  6. Jun1of 7
  7. Jul0of 7
  8. Aug0of 7
  9. Sep0of 7
  10. Oct1of 7
  11. Nov1of 7
  12. Dec1of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to CZM, then 40 min by road. About 8h 10 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 8, side-shore. Water: flat.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 10 kn gusting 22, side-shore. Water: chop.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 7 kn gusting 13, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: flat.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 6 kn gusting 11, cross-offshore. Water: flat.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 6 kn gusting 11, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: flat.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to CZM, then 40 min by road. About 8h 10 door to door

Rough cost

About £575–£1,070 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £195–£405
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Taxi £35–£55
  • Stay £160–£265
  • Food £150–£280

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.